PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE VIOX
As you can tell from our Best New Restaurants list, the past couple of years have given local foodies a lot to be excited about. It looks like 2024 is shaping up to be a particularly flavorful year as well. These five restaurants either just opened or are about to open, and we can’t wait to try them.
The Davidson
The Thunderdome Restaurant Group has an impressive track record of successful restaurants (like Bakersfield, The Eagle, and Pepp & Dolores, just to name a few). That’s why we’re licking our chops for its latest effort, The Davidson. This self-described “American Brasserie” features a blend of French and Italian influences. And given Thunderdome’s past efforts, we can expect a focused menu and unwavering commitment to quality. TRG didn’t have to look far for a name for this restaurant: Fountain Square and its iconic Tyler Davidson Fountain are right across Vine Street. (The Davidson opened on Tuesday, February 13.)
Wildweed
I was a big fan of Chef David Jackman’s cooking at the now-shuttered PearlStar, which is why I was elated to hear that his recent pasta pop-up, Wildweed, was moving to a permanent location in Over-the-Rhine. Made-from-scratch pasta will be the star of Wildweed’s ever-changing menu. I visited Wildweed, which was temporarily operating out of the old Pleasantry space, late last year. My divine dinner of roasted carrots and rabbit mafaldine (a ribbon-shaped Neapolitan pasta) ranked among the best meals I’ve
ever had. I can’t wait to see what Chef Jackman and his team do with the larger, more permanent space at 1301 Walnut.
Alara
Looking Glass Hospitality Group—the team behind Emery, S.W. Clyborne Co., Toast & Berry, and Tahona Kitchen + Bar—is planning to open Alara in Madisonville’s Madison Square development sometime in 2024. At 8,000 square feet, it’s a massive space, and one meant for sharing: funky, sharable dishes, inspired by the owners’ travels, seem to be the theme at Alara. Already home to hip local favorites like Element Eatery and The Summit Hotel, Alara will be another big draw. (Alara opened on Monday, March 25.)
Court Street Kitchen
With recent openings like Lalo Chino Latino Kitchen, Hawkers Alley, and Mid-City Restaurant, Court Street has quickly become one of downtown Cincinnati’s go-to spots for eclectic, imaginative cuisine. Add Court Street Kitchen to that list. Chef/Owner Braheam Shteiwi’s menu promises upscale American dishes like an intriguing Lamb Wellington. Shteiwi is no stranger to the restaurant business: He was a traveling chef for Jeff Ruby’s, and he opened MIA Italian restaurant in Oxford, as well as Caruso’s Ristorante & Bar in Fairfield. The latter is a reimagining of a restaurant his father opened in downtown Cincinnati in 1967. We’re excited to see what this downtown restaurant has to offer. (Court Street Kitchen opened on Friday, February 2.)
The 1931
There is a welcome trend in fine dining lately: a glamorous revival of classic dishes from the era of cocktail hours and supper clubs. You can see this trend at work at Five on Vine, and I suspect you’ll also see it at The 1931, soon to open in the old Orchids space at the Hilton Netherland Plaza (pictured above). Named after the year the gorgeous Art Deco hotel opened, the menu will feature some items that were served at its first dinner service nearly a century ago. And while I have enjoyed drinks and bar bites at the hotel’s timeless bar in the years since Orchids closed, a space this dazzling deserves a full-service restaurant. I love that the space’s culinary future is also its past. (The 1931 opened on Monday, February 12.)
In early January, Crown Restaurant Group announced that it will partner with 3CDC to open an eatery in The Foundry, the high-profile mixed-use building at the corner of Fifth and Vine streets downtown. At press time, the restaurant didn’t have a name.
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