The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word SAVOY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
A
V
O
Y
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Sort of cabbage" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case sort of cabbage = savoy.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SAVOY mean?
SAVOY noun- Savoy cabbage
- An Italian noble family, which became the ruling (hereditary) dynasty of Sardinia and later of Italy
- A member of the Savoy noble family