So, this article will appear in some form in Metromix’s dining guide. The inspiration? Where to eat before you move out of Cincinnati (or die)– but I didn’t want it to be “Skyline, Montgomery Inn, Graeter’s” but instead, some of my favorite stuff you can find all over Cincinnati– but you only have one day to do it. Look for this (and more) in Metromix’s dining guide which comes out tomorrow (free just about everywhere).
Where to Dine Before You Die (Or move out of Cincinnati, whichever comes first)
Cincinnati is known for three things: Montgomery Inn ribs, Cincinnati chili, and Graeter’s ice cream. A trip here, for my out of town guests, almost always includes a trip to a chili parlor and Graeter’s ice cream, but we often forget the other gems that we have here in the Queen City– our food culture is far more than the foodstuffs we are traditionally associated with. So, if you had just one more day to live, here’s a full day of meals in Cincinnati that you have to try.
Breakfast at Tucker’s on Vine, Over-the-Rhine: An Over-the-Rhine institution for over 60 years, it’s a must-see for locals and visitors alike. It’s an experience– Joe Tucker basting eggs on the grill; his wife Carla plating the dishes as servers take orders. The crowd is as diverse as the neighborhood– on a recent weekend, I saw political candidates campaigning, Franciscan friars catching breakfast after Mass at St. Francis Seraph, college students loading up on carbs after a late night out, and families with young children picking up Joe’s egg-and-biscuit sandwiches. The guests are white and black, young and old, rich, poor and everything in between. Joe and Carla welcome all of them with equal enthusiasm.
Last Breakfast: Shrimp and Grits, Joe’s red flannel hash (seasonal), Carla’s hazelnut french toast (seasonal), deluxe hashbrowns, fresh biscuits. Possibly all of them together, it’s just that good.
Lunch at Wildflower Cafe, Mason: Trek up to Mason for a fantastic, laid back, organic experience. Chef/Owner Todd Hudson and his wife and family run this cozy restaurant that feels like it could be a dining room in the country. Hudson specializes in local, organic and sustainable and his menu is fresh and exciting. Meals include homegrown tomatoes, locally sourced produce and meats, and wines from local vineyards, as well as an extensive beer list. You can enjoy coffee and treats early in the coffee bar, or sit down for a meal with friends in the small dining room. For dinner, reservations are recommended, and in good weather, the outside areas are a great way to enjoy a leisurely lunch.
Last lunch: “The World’s Best Burger”, featuring well-seasoned, grain-fed beef, your choice of gourmet cheeses, fresh herbs and a pretzel bun. For a lighter choice, the salad trio (curried chicken, cucumber and hummus) and the soup of the day, which is, like everything else, house-made and delicious.
Dinner at York Street Cafe, Newport, KY. This drugstore turned restaurant is a favorite Newport destination. They feature excellent appetizers, inventive entrees, and homemade desserts in a funky, fun atmosphere. When you’re finished, head upstairs for live music and dancing.
Last dinner: Start off with “dirty hummus” (creamy hummus topped with a barbecue-style sauce, sauteed onions and peppers and cheese), their signature appetizer. Follow it up with a salad, topped with homemade Gorgonzola dressing. If you haven’t had enough gorgonzola yet, grab their Amish chicken, stuffed with bacon, gorgonzola and onions with a hard cider cream sauce. You’ll want to lick your plate (and if it’s your last day, you might as well, right?). Save room for dessert– their homemade desserts are displayed on the bar in the dining room. Try anything– they’re all great.
Snack: A Taste of Belgium, various locations. Cincinnati known for waffles? Jean-Francois Flechet and his waffles have become ubiquitous at Findlay Market, Fountain Square, and at various coffee shops around town. This isn’t your fluffy Belgian waffle– it’s dense, with a crispy outside and soft, sugary inside, made with a special waffle iron. You don’t need maple syrup– it’s sticky and sweet all on its own. I’ve had this style of waffle in New York (where they’re very popular at outdoor festivals), in Paris and in Brussels– A Taste of Belgium’s are the best.
Last snack: A waffle. Or two. Or maybe three…
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love this.
Your list of 3 places to eat in Cincinnati includes 4 places, and 2 of those 4 aren’t even in Cincinnati.
It’s sad you couldn’t find 3 places that you liked in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati is a metro area– I can’t limit myself to merely the city for a publication that operates in a metro area. There are great places in NKY and north, east, and west of the city limits as well. And I never said I picked three– the three are in reference to the three, very famous Cincinnati dishes.
wow what a liberal tree hugger. Go save a whale
Jimmy, I don’t see where this was supposed to be “3 places.” Its breakfast, lunch, dinner & snack.
Also, it’s Metromix which serves the Cincinnati metro area. Though Mason is pretty far out of my “give a crap” zone. haha
I was surprised to find that there are several great places in Mason– also a fan of Taz, Loveland Smokehouse, Relish, Polo Grille… not everything is a chain. I swear.
what does tree hugging have anything to do with where a guy wants to eat…idiot
what does tree hugging have anything to do with where a guy wants to eat…narrow minded idiot
Lets see, Breakfast in OTR??? Really? Like the normal person from Cincinnati wants to eat there? Luch at the Wild Flower Organic Cafe in Mason? You don’t see the liberal tree hugging, green peace trend? I am going to go shoot a deer for fun on the west side, catch a bass and mount it on the wall, then eat a fresh cheeseburger with a side of chicken wings.
Good food is good food– no matter where it is. I happen to be a normal person from Cincinnati, thank you.
Bout time someone realized that Montgomery Inn and Graeters are NOT the be-all-end-all of Cincinnati dining. There are tons of places to try – the above mentioned are excellent choices – far better than Cincinnati’s “favorites”. Personally, I feel both are highly over-rated. Just my opinion.
I’m on the road right now– and whenever people hear I’m from Cincinnati, the first thing they say is “Skyline!”. I have to explain that we have a lot more in our culinary scene than that.
I love LuLu’s in TriCounty. I crave their house fried rice.
it’s really sad that so many people think so highly of montgomery inn, or at least as far as that place to go for ribs. thanks for not listing it as your last dinner, unless you like something as far from authentic barbecued ribs as possible. for those that think m/inn has great ribs, do yourself a favor and get out more. seriously!
don’t worry julie the conservative-leaning residents of cincinnati are just all whipped up into a blind rage with all the change going on (and passing through the House and about do the same in the Senate). and anything that even smells liberal in the vaguest sense will cause them to spontaneously combust all over your blog.
we know you’re normal and appreciate yummy food. i can’t say the same for a guy who: at the thought of eating breakfast in – “scary black people” – OTR or lunch somewhere, where they use organic ingredients – “brain food of fascists” – feels he must immediately commit an act of violence (shooting/killing deer). as if that manly act will counteract your opinion of yummy (fascist, scary) food.
ha.
great list.
If he’d like to provide some venison, I’d be happy to cook it up in my OTR kitchen. ‘Course, he’d never come over, I’m sure…
Real chicken gravey Clark. Thats right eddy real chicken gravey and pan fried Chicken
Those are great choices Julie besides the usual Cincy-fare that everyone knows. Being kind of a southern girl I must add that Montgomery Inn is not where’s at for ribs!!! Their sauce is delicious but ribs look like remnants from a starved cow. Since I’ve lived here I always tell people to go to City Barbecue or when they were open…Mr.Pig. Oh one more brunch suggestion for your readers would Grand Finale out in Princeton Pike!!
Oh, I do miss Mr. Pig. The owner died a year or so ago, and I just don’t think it could manage staying open. My southern boyfriend loves City BBQ too.
Thanks for the list. I haven’t tried any of these four spots but always love to expand my food horizons. For good food, I will travel
Man, I keep thinking I should try Wildflower Cafe – but I thought I read on Polly Campbell’s blog that she thought it was closed, because no one was answering the phone. Glad that’s not the case!
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Whoops, turns out I was thinking of Basilico.
Kelly´s last blog ..Pub crawlin’
Basilico is dead and gone– and wasn’t very good. A coworker raved about it, but I thought it bland.
This list is ridiculous and embarassing. There are so many more and better culinary choices, many of which are actually in Cincinnati. It is also difficult to understand what you are even going for here … Is this your short list of great local eats? Way too short. Outstanding restaurants in the Greater Cincinnati area? Again, way too short. Uniquely Cincinnati experienced? Uh, no. Would you make a similar list about New York, Chicago, L.A., or even Atlanta? Doubtful. The title of your article is more appropriately, “Three local places/eats that I like a lot.”
You might read the entire article: the reason it was written and the constraints (one day) are quite clearly given. If you’d like to see my more comprehensive list of Cincinnati eats, check out my “Favorites” list.
Arnold’s
Did I miss Ruby’s steakhouse on the list? Also, would anyone really go OTR for breakfast and not some illegal activity..or to be shot??? How about a ‘to go breakfast’ you can eat while running out of OTR?
Totally missed the joke-”3 places you can eat” at least one is in an area where you are also likely to die. Now I get it.
Not a joke. OTR is no more dangerous than any other urban neighborhood anywhere else in the country.
Willy, can you please leave your potentially racist, deceptive comments out of this? I’ve been to Tucker’s twice on Vine, walking to it from my apartment in Over-the-Rhine, and I have yet to be shot. You’d be surprised at the lack of crime that occurs in OTR, and the negative perceptions that are fueled from paranoid fears compounded by a hyperactive media-blitz over any and every incident.
That said, I wish Tucker’s had longer hours. I can rarely make it down there because they open late and close early, which is inconvenient to my work schedule. And the weekends can be simply crowded — too crowded in that you can face up to a 20 minute wait just to get inside the door! Which is not exactly a bad issue to face…
I wish that there was a decent BBQ joint out here that served Memphis-styled ribs. Walt’s on the west side is good, but I prefer dry-rub. Montgomery Inn, in my opinion, is over-rated because it is nothing but boiled saucy ribs.
The reason they don’t have longer hours is they don’t have the business. At one point, the restaurant was a 24-hour operation; with the closing of many factories in the OTR area, hours have been limited.
Wow, this board has brought out the cowards. I’ve eaten at Tuckers, the food was pretty good, and being in OTR was no big deal at all. If you’re so scared of the city that you’ve got to hide out in the suburbs, go ahead and stick with your Applebee’s chicken fingers – that’ll mean shorter lines elsewhere for those of us who don’t live our lives in fear.
Muriels in Deer Park, Antoines in Fairfax, Nola is Northside and Mulates in Carthage are my favs.
City BBQ? Wow…that is a chain and an overpriced one at that. Cincinnati is NOT a place for BBQ or Ribs. I would recommend you visit Memphis or KC if you are looking for real BBQ.
There’s lots of good barbecue in the city, or nearby. Pit to Plate and Goodies’ come to mind.
“I would recommend you visit Memphis or KC if you are looking for real BBQ”
Now that’s an inspired suggestion. If you want ribs, you can just take a couple days off work, drive hundreds of miles to another state and spend God knows how much money on gas and lodgings along the way.
Personally, I’m not investing a week’s salary in lost pay and expenses to order BBQ. Cincinnati’s isn’t the best, but a rack from Montgomery Inn beats spending seven hours in the car just so I can eat dinner.
how can you even give it the compliment of “isn’t the best”??? it’s boiled ribs turned into bbq sauce soup. there’s nothing “ribs” about it. perhaps the suggestion of driving 7 hours away is not optimal, but consider trying some real barbecue the next time you’re headed that way. born-and-raised cincinnatians are so cursed, thinking m/i is the real deal. what they call bbq and ribs is garbage, i’m embarrassed that out-of-towners get introduced to it as our jewel. plain and simple.
Price Hill Chili
erik- you got it! PHC.
But want something really good?
VITOR’S in CHEVIOT!
Everyone should try Wildflower Cafe before they die…..yes, it’s local and organic and it’s good. Actually, it’s top notch. If you’re looking for a quaint cafe, that’s not a chain, this is your place. I’ve been very impressed every time I go. Glad it made the list…..
I love dining guide suggestions that actually suggest places I haven’t tried! Thanks for the heads up Julie. I’ve heard so many great things about Tuckers, I need to get there. I’m a huge Lavomatic fan, so when I’m in OTR, I rarely go anywhere else.
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Ok, all of you folks out there dissing Cincy bbq based on Montgomery Inn ( JJ, we’re looking at you…), listen up: you need to try Walt’s on Colerain Ave., just a bit north of Northbend Road. I’ve eaten 3 of the top-rated bbq-s in the U.S.–including Big Bob Gibson’s in Alabama. Walt’s is better. No kidding.
I need to get to Walt’s– we’re Alabama (Golden Rule) barbecue fans here.
Tuckers is good and as long as you aren’t selling crack, you shouldn’t get shot in OTR.
Aren’t there two places called Tuckers in OTR though?
Montgomery Inn is awful. It’s like a giant crappy cafeteria.
Skyline, on the other hand, is a national treasure.
There are– but only one is on Vine. The other is on 13th.
I’m also flummoxed by this list, but hey, it’s one person’s opinion! I don’t personally get the appeal of the waffles. They’re heavy as rocks, and so one note & overly sweet. The texture leaves a lot to be desired, and I’ve only had one out of the four or so I’ve tried that wasn’t burnt (as opposed to nicely carmelized on the outside)and stale. I had a ham crepe there once and I swear the ham had turned bad…yuck. If I’m going to Findlay, I’m headed to World Food Bar or Dojo Gelato. There are so many better places to eat at Findlay!
Floyds of Cincinnati has the best spit roasted chicken.
Agreed! Love the York Street Cafe. Great on a date night, or with friends.
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You forget to mention to those going to OTR to make sure & take a Taser Gun with them for protection & update their life insurance.
I live in OTR, and trust me, you don’t need a taser.
Julie,
I read your blog all the time- but only occasionally scroll through the comments.
It seems some of your readers are not the most constructive-ly-criticizing commentators.
And I love the bit about updating your life insurance and carrying a taser in Over The Rhine… no wonder there was such a brawl over the streetcar- small minds. Good thing you travel often for work- and are able to share and mix your ideas with others (thoughts on food and non-food included)!
And about your list: it’s your list, and you can name whatever places you wish. Keep up the good blogging
Greets from Amsterdam! Ps. won’t you be here in December? Care to meet up for a drink one night?
John