Turkey Ridge Tavern & Eatery, an LGBT-friendly restaurant, opened at 1852 Coventry Road in 1982. Turkey Ridge Tavern was named after the “late 1800s when thousands of wild turkeys strutted along the bluff, known as Turkey Ridge, that overlooks what is now Little Italy.” Like its predecessor Diane’s On Coventry, the Turkey Ridge Tavern featured separate “bar-lounge” and restaurant dining areas. Occasionally, the Turkey Ridge Tavern hosted live entertainment and amateur karaoke nights. Frank Swiger, a waiter at Turkey Ridge Tavern, noted that the restaurant’s warm, welcoming environment and diverse, accepting patronage made it stand out among the many restaurants nearby: “There are few places in town that are more comfortable. I can come here and know I’ll be able to relax. Anyone can blend. You have hard hat types, people from the academic community, and some who are unemployed sitting on the bar stools next to you. Cliques don’t dominate this place. It’s a meeting place, but the patrons aren’t snobbish. The conversation is shared with anyone who wants to join in.” The Turkey Ridge Tavern closed in 1993.
Additional information coming soon.
Resources
- “CH Threatens Turkey Ridge.” Gay People’s Chronicle. August 1986.
- Cheeks, Dwayne. “Turkey Mélange.” Plain Dealer. October 24, 1986.
- Goldman, Barbara. “Cogs In A Social Hub.” Plain Dealer. August 20, 1982.
- Listed in Gay People’s Chronicle Resource Directory.
- Reece, Cynthia. “Eating, Not Dining at Turkey Ridge.” Plain Dealer. April 11, 1986.