Cleveland – September 28, 2026 -- Rocket Arena, home to the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, has opened Delia's, a fried chicken and JoJo concession stand on its Street Level concourse near Portal 26, timed to the Cavaliers' first preseason home game of the 2026-27 season.
Cordelia's team built a faster, arena-ready version of its East 4th Street restaurant
Delia's comes from three-time James Beard Award nominee Chef Vinnie Cimino and proprietor Andrew Watts, the duo behind Cordelia and ROSY in Cleveland. Rather than replicate Cordelia's full menu, Delia's narrows its focus to crispy fried and grilled chicken, sandwiches called Handys, JoJos and house-made sauces designed for high-volume concourse service.
"Delia's is Cordelia made faster and more casual, but with the same heart," said Cimino, adding the goal was food fans could spot across the concourse and eat quickly without losing the sense it was made with care.
The menu leans on Buckets, Handys and Cleveland-inspired sides
Buckets offer mix-and-match drumsticks or boneless thighs in two- and three-piece orders with pickles, hot sauce mayo and JoJo fries. Handys include a Fried Chicken sandwich topped with Cimino's Magic Dust seasoning, wavy pickles, coleslaw and black garlic mayo; a miso-marinated Grilled Chicken sandwich; and a Midwest Polish Boy referencing the Cleveland classic. Sides include malt vinegar-rinsed JoJo fries, pimento potato salad and coleslaw, alongside new sauces: black garlic mayo, hot sauce mayo, Fancy Sauce and Cleveland ketchup.
Cordelia was already a pregame stop for arena-goers
Cordelia opened on East 4th Street in 2022, named for Watts' great-grandmother, and had already become a spot fans visited before or after games near Rocket Arena. "Now, it's part of the arena experience itself," said Chris Kaiser, Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group Chief Marketing Officer.
Watts said the team wanted Delia's to feel like "a real neighborhood chicken joint that just happens to live inside the arena," moving away from the typically transactional concession experience. Delia's is open during Cavaliers home games and select arena events.