EATER Finally Discovers Cincinnati!
The 14 Hottest New Restaurants in Cincinnati
From caviar puff pastries to hot pot delivered straight from China, here’s what to eat in Ohio’s Queen City. Thanks for the shout out, Grace! Y'all come back soon!
by Grace Yek Updated Jul 22, 2019, 2:59pm EDT
Photo by Libby’s Southern Comfort / Facebook
Today, Eater returns to Cincinnati to answer one burning question: Where should I eat right now? Enter the Eater Heatmap, a roundup of the restaurants drawing the biggest crowds and the most buzz at this very moment.
To bring you this list of “it” eateries in the city of Cincinnati, we tapped Grace Yek, a local food writer and educator. “The revitalization of Over-the-Rhine that began more than 10 years ago helped to launch a food renaissance that’s grabbing the nation’s attention,” Yek says. “More and more, we’re seeing chefs from the bigger cities move here. If you’re an ambitious chef in New York, D.C., or Chicago, why wouldn’t you launch your restaurant in Cincinnati? The city is still relatively affordable and family-friendly, and there is a genuine sense of camaraderie among the chefs.”
Straight ahead, the Eater Heatmap to Cincinnati:
Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.
1. Noodle & Hot Pot 巴蜀滋味
4750 Fields Ertel Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45249
(513) 849-8898
Wedged in a sleepy strip mall in Cincinnati’s northern suburbs, this spot is hopping with fans craving hot pot. Owners Yuke Qiu and Jennifer Niu spare no expense on the soups that make up the menu’s backbone, sourcing them from a chef in Qiu’s hometown in China. The chef creates seven different bases with hard-to-find ingredients, then packages and ships them to the restaurant. The “nine boxes spicy” soup, for example, includes chunks of beef fat, amplifying heat and flavor. Among the 80-odd choices of ingredients to dunk into the hot pot, the “one meter-long lamb” stars, with thinly sliced organic lamb arrayed on a wooden paddle.
Hot pot at Noodle & Hot Pot in Cincinnati Noodle & Hot Pot / Facebook
2. Tortilleria Garcia
5917 Hamilton Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45224
(513) 541-0568
Fans are showing up in droves to this new fast-casual spot in College Hill, the second location of Tortilleria Garcia in greater Cincinnati. Owner Omar Garcia faithfully recreates the food he grew up eating in Michoacán, Mexico, including tacos, tamales, rotisserie chicken, and burritos, but his tortillas are the real MVPs. Every day the cooks press fresh masa from boiled corn. The tortillas have become such a thing that customers can buy packs of them separately. Top off a meal with homemade aguas Mexicanas like hibiscus tea, pineapple water, and horchata.
Tacos at Tortilleria Garcia in Cincinnati Tortilleria Garcia / official
3. The Lonely Pine Steakhouse
6085 Montgomery Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45213
(513) 351-1012
Route 66 and roadside steakhouses are alive and well in this nostalgic, counter-service stop in Pleasant Ridge. Lonely Pine is decorated in a mix of midcentury decor and rugged accents from the American Southwest. The steaks, dry-aged in house, are the main course here. (Don’t look for chicken or fish.) The restaurant is the latest production from parent company Gorilla Cinema Presents, known for its bold thematic bars such as Tokyo Kitty, a downtown karaoke spot fashioned after Lost in Translation, and the Overlook Lodge — the group’s first bar, inspired by The Shining, next door to Lonely Pine.
Cowboy bone-in rib-eye at Lonely Pine Steakhouse in Cincinnati Katie Fraser / Lonely Pine Steakhouse Facebook
4. Karrikin Spirits Company
3717 Jonlen Dr
Cincinnati, OH 45227
(513) 561-5000
At Karrikin, you can see spirits in the making before ordering a glass. House-made gin, vodka, and rum make the short hop from the working distillery to the bar, where they become especially pretty cocktails. Karrikin also sports a full kitchen, crowned by a wood-fired grill, where chef Jared Bennett balances the full flavor of live-fire cooking with high-end sensibilities, turning locally sourced ingredients into memorable small plates. Clear winners include scallops served with pickled green almonds, charred fennel, peas, and asparagus, and beet latkes with dukkah, scallion, and creme fraiche. A grand chandelier and eclectic furniture in the lounge area help tame the cavernous 30,000-square-foot space.
Chicken dinner at Karrikin Spirits Company in Cincinnati Karrikin Spirits Company / Facebook
5. Branch and Night Drop
1535 Madison Rd
Walnut Hills, OH 45206
(513) 221-2702
The restoration took more than two years but the once-vacant Central Trust Bank branch in East Walnut Hills has found new life as a high-end restaurant. While the building’s art deco design and stately interior hint at its past, the emphasis these days is squarely on food and drink. Executive chef Shoshannah Anderson’s menu is refined and global but always grounded. The food ranges from Israeli chickpea salad to diver scallops with pork belly, roasted radish, and orange curd. Pair dinner with themed cocktails like the Cosigner or Trust Account, or head downstairs for a nightcap at the Night Drop bar in the venue’s cozy basement.
Dinner at Branch in Cincinnati Branch / official
6. Social OTR
1819 Elm St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 263-6893
At Social OTR, you can eat high-end food and fill up on a socially driven mission. The restaurant employs interns from the Findlay Culinary Training program, creating opportunities for the community’s underemployed residents, including those grappling with poverty or criminal records. The menu ranges from snacks to large plates, including choices such as bacalao croquettes and charred octopus. The Alley at Social, the restaurant’s second bar and dining space, also offers happy hours to encourage community engagement.
Burger at Social OTR in Cincinnati Social OTR / official
7. Holiday Liquor Bar and Forty Thieves
1538 Race St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 818-9020
Powerhouse couple Dan and Lana Wright just expanded their restaurant empire with a no-frills bar connected to a walk-up Middle Eastern street-food counter. Conveniently situated by the streetcar stop at Liberty and Race, the counter offers a low-key version of the Wrights’ upscale Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant, Abigail Street. While the offshoot, Forty Thieves, skews more casual than its older sister restaurant, Dan Wright’s precise culinary skills still shine in killer shawarma, falafel, succulent grilled chicken, and shakshuka. Over in Holiday Spirits, a large U-shaped bar floats in the middle of the space like an island, from which bartenders serve a menu of slushy drinks and novel cocktails. Arcade games, pool tables, and a large outdoor patio make the bar-restaurant combo an easy choice in this neck of Over-the-Rhine.
Falafel, hummus, and shawarma at Forty Thieves in Cincinnati Holiday Spirits / Facebook
8. Wódka Bar
1200 Main St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 381-3739
Since 2012, Sarah Dworak has garnered a devoted following at Babushka Pierogies, the Findlay Market store where she serves dumplings stuffed with tasty fillings both traditional (potato-cheddar) and whimsical (lentil Cincinnati chili). With the beautifully bedecked Wódka Bar, Dworak brings even more of her Eastern European heritage to Over-the-Rhine. The striking oversized, backlit stained glass window hanging over the bar shines down on other old-world design elements like rich wood paneling, velvet upholstery, and deep jewel tones. The restaurant and bar specializes in house-infused vodkas and Eastern European bites such as caviar puff pastries, smoked salmon and herring, and pierogies, of course.
Interior of Wódka Bar in Cincinnati Wódka Bar / Facebook
9. Zundo Ramen and Donburi
220 W 12th St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 975-0706
Slurp-worthy bowls make Zundo the new go-to for ramen in Over-the-Rhine. The restaurant’s traditional 14-hour broth, along with flavor-amping ingredients like pork belly and soft-boiled egg with custardy yolk, underpin the ramen options, like the stellar tonkotsu. Meanwhile, donburi choices range from pork katsu to curry to unagi. The large selection of sake pairs perfectly with anything from the standout food menu.
Unadon at Zundo Ramen and Donburi Zundo Ramen and Donburi / official
10. Crzy Monk
627 Main St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 721-6665
Step inside Crzy Monk and step out of the ridiculous pace of life. Huit Restaurant Group opened this restorative, pan-Asian restaurant just around the corner from the Aronoff Center for the Arts and just up the block from the group’s Chino-Latino sensation Lalo. In the chic yet casual space, diners calm and center themselves with dishes like Mother Earth Salad. That’s just one of the creative, playful items on the vegan and vegetarian menu, which also includes options like a bao-wich and a Cleansing Noodle Soup that sports honeydew and vegan mock ham.
Bao-wich at Crzy Monk in Cincinnati Crzy Monk / Facebook
11. Fausto at the CAC
44 E 6th St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 390-7681
Tucked inside the Contemporary Arts Center downtown, Fausto at the CAC effortlessly complements the avant-garde building with a space that’s elegant yet ever-so-slightly edgy. After working in California for years, owners and brothers Tony and Austin Ferrari return to Cincinnati to dish up seasonal, light, locally sourced fare. Look for the brothers’ custom-label coffee blend — part of their collaboration with Cincinnati-based Deeper Roots Coffee — and Ferrari Bros rosé, a pinot noir made in California.
Fausto at the CAC in Cincinnati Fausto at the CAC / official
12. The Baker's Table
1004 Monmouth St
Newport, KY 41071
(859) 261-1941
In 2019, the Baker’s Table secured a spot as one of Eater’s Best New Restaurants in America, making it a magnet for travelers. But for Cincinnati residents, this daytime restaurant simply offers an inviting brunch just across the Ohio River in Newport, Kentucky. The space is filled with breezy vintage charm and natural light from a distinctive window-filled garage door. The thoughtful, sustainable menu showcases the seasonal bounty from local farms, and even the bread is made from scratch. Add to that a full bar and specialty espresso drinks, and it’s easy to see why fans make a beeline for this adorable spot every weekend.
Lunch items at The Baker’s Table in Newport, KY The Baker’s Table / Facebook
13. Yonder
621 Main St
Covington, KY 41011
(859) 916-6719
Tess and Chris Burns, husband-and-wife owners of Commonwealth Bistro, are huge nature lovers. They share their love for the great outdoors via their new lush, woodsy rooftop space, Yonder, which features a full bar serving a fun list of cocktails and mocktails. To eat there are playful, seasonal takes on bar bites like wings and deviled eggs, all made with locally sourced ingredients.
Yonder bar in Covington, KY Commonwealth Bistro / Facebook
14. Libby’s Southern Comfort
35 W 8th St
Covington, KY 41011
(859) 261-3106
This Southern restaurant is just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati in Duveneck Square. Bright, modern, and homey, the interior of Libby’s Southern Comfort is as charming as the food coming out of the kitchen. The menu is a fusion of Kentucky and Charleston comfort staples such as fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and fried green tomatoes. Be sure to order Libby’s hush puppies with goetta and sample the selection of vintage bourbon and boozy slushies.
Fried chicken at Libby’s Southern Comfort in Covington, KY Libby’s Southern Comfort / Facebook