Cincinnati restaurant info please
I'm going to be in Cincinnati for a couple of days later this month. I will have a car, and am looking for several recommendations for both lunch and dinner (breakfast is probably out as this is a business trip).
What are the Cincinnati (area) restaurants that I should absolutely NOT miss? I like most kinds of food, and recommendations of high-priced places are welcome (as are recommendations of hole-in-the-wall cash-only places).
I like regional food, food that reflects the area I'm visiting, etc. There is no type of place that I WON'T go.
Thanks so much.
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Pho Paris is one of our favorites. I also liked Honey on the West Side of town and Nectar is good if loud ( avoid Sat night). We like local foosds and chefs and have had fun sourcing them here. If you run accross a local food fesival , it's often very good . Check out the friday Enquirer to find out where.
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In Cincinnati and for about 50 miles around, you will find a breakfast food called goetta. This is probably the second most Cincinnati-ish thing as far as food goes, second only behind cincinnati-style chili.
Third (imho) is double-decker sandwiches
All three (the chili with all it's variants, goetta, and double decker sandwiches) can be had at Camp Washington Chili. This place is a Cincinnati institution, and is my top pick for any out of towner who wants a taste of Cincinnati. Order one of each - too much food to eat, yes, but if one item is not to your liking, you've got the others to enjoy. Plus they are open almost around the clock,and easy to find right off I-75
The chili should be sampled in three configs: cheese coney (essentially a chili god topped with a mound of mild, finely shredded cheddar), a three way (spaghetti topped with the chili and then a mound of this same cheese), and by itself.
Goetta can be ordered as a side item by itself, but is properly on a plate with eggs, hash browns or home fries, and toast.
Aglamesis is lesser known than Graeter's for ice cream, but is a far older institution and in my mind, produces a better product.
If you see a summer church festival underway, stop by and enjoy a grilled mett and/or brat. Good eats
The most popular restaurant in Cincinnati is arguably the Montgomery Inn, but it's claim to fame is "barbequed" ribs that in fact are never smoked. Most out of towners seem disappointed with the place.
Of course, if you are not from an area where White Castles are sold, stop and get you a few of these tasty delights, which must be eaten within minutes off the grill to be enjoyed at their peak. Many locations in town. Skip the very average fries.
Many locals (not I) tout the local pizza chain LaRosa's, which features a very sweet sauce. Similarly, many (again, not I) will point you to the local "Big Boy" franchise, Frisch's, for the Big Boy hamburger and/or the fish sandwich, both with Frisch's tartar sauce.
For a rambling ongoing discussion of food in Cincinnati, check out: http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic....
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If you search the boards you'll find lots of views on this very topic. The two things in Cincinnati you can't get anywhere else are Skyline chili (a local chain; they're everywhere) and Montgomery Inn ribs (three locations). You could always substitute Camp Washington Chili for Skyline if you want a more authentic experience. I just hosted a meeting here for a dozen out-of-towners, fed them Skyline and ribs, and nobody left hungry or disappointed.
Many people also recommend Graeter's ice cream, which is excellent (many locations), but for a one-of-a-kind experience, I recommend the ice balls and ice cream at Schneider's in Bellevue, Ky.
Another rare experience is a pretty good German beer hall, the Hofbrauhaus in Newport, Ky., which is right across the Ohio River from downtown. Otherwise, I like Dee Felice (Covington, Ky., cajun/creole with good music), Honey (Northside neighborhood bistro), Jo An (very good Japanese in Erlanger, Ky., near the airport, supported by managers from the nearby Toyota headquarters). If finer dining is what you seek, Jean Robert's downtown, Daveed's in Mount Adams and Boca in Oakley are musts. Pho Paris, which blends French and Vietnamese, is also very good (in Covington) If all you want is a burger, go to City View Tavern for a decent burger but a great view from their deck.
Foodies coming to Cincinnati should also check out Jungle Jim's, a very large and very strange grocery store in Fairfield, Ohio, and the Party Source, a mega-liquor store in Newport.
I'm hoping more people jump in to either argue with me or add to the list. This is a pretty good food town.
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