ILLUSTRATION BY BRITTANY DEXTER
Stationery, paintball, and the great outdoors were some of our favorite things in 2023! These are the Best of the City winners from N to P.
New Old Favorite: French Lunch Tray
When Jean-Robert’s Table closed its doors permanently in 2020, we thought we’d never see the French Lunch Tray again. But the much-loved meal made its way onto the French Crust Bistro & Café’s menu this summer, delighting longtime foodies and sparking good-old-days restaurant nostalgia. Served on a cafeteria tray, the four-course meal of the bistro’s favorites changes every week and is only available at the bar for the low-for-fine-dining price of $18. While the beloved chef/restauranteur is gone, his influence lives on. 1801 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 455-3720, frenchcrustcafe.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY JEREMY KRAMER
Notebooks: Paper Wings
Write down your intimate thoughts in the most stylish way possible with notebooks and journals from Paper Wings. Owners Carolyn and Mike Deininger opened the stationery store (and local art gallery) after customer requests for fine paper goods at their other store, Mica 12/v, fulfilling an untapped need. Snag the Open Sea Design Co. Rose & Sage notebook, featuring a lilac foil cover decorated with herbs and flowers, or a Moglea journal with its hand-painted cover. Whatever you choose, you’ll find something that’s write for you. 1207 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 421-3500, shoppaperwings.com
Open Mic Night: MOTR
MOTR has always been one of the best places to hear music in the city. But its Tuesday open mic doesn’t just have live music—stand-up comedians, poets, freestyle rappers, and more take the stage. Come by and get some of its above-average bar food (we like the loaded tots.) We can’t promise everything you hear will be good, but we can promise you’ll never be bored. 1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 381-6687, motrpub.com
ILLUSTRATION BY NATALYA BALOVA
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
There are tons of options for hiking, biking, walking, running, climbing, and swimming in the great outdoors. Why not try something off the beaten path?
Summit Sisters
This four-month backpacking course takes women into nature together to lean outdoor skills and get comfortable with hiking and camping gear. Registration for the next class ends January 31. summittrektravel.com/backpacking-school
Cycleboat
You know the rowdy pedal-wagons full of partiers who pedal their way aimlessly while laughing and singing? Try that on the Ohio River in a 14-passenger Cycleboat, offering two-hour cruises (with a bathroom break halfway) starting Memorial Day weekend. cincycycleboat.com
Lawn Bowling and Geocaching
Great Parks of Hamilton County is the spot for people obsessed with making up their own sports. Try lawn bowling (a cross between bocce ball and curling) or disc golf (golf with Frisbees) or geocaching (scavenger hunts with GPS) in various parks. greatparks.org/recreation
Clay Shooting
Sycamore Sporting Clays is a members-only shooting club for simulated bird hunting, but new members are welcome. Indoor and outdoor pavilions with a catering kitchen are available for event rentals and group outings. 625 Lower Lewis Rd., Loveland, (513) 646-9655, sycamoresportingclays.club
Leave No Child Inside Collaborative
Forty different area nonprofits support this effort to get children out in nature to play, learn, and socialize and provide tools to promote healthy babies, better social-emotional well-being, and increased physical activity. lncigc.org
Paintball Venue: Paintball Country
This 40-acre course—located on the Niederman Family Farm, up near Monroe—sports a wooded field and five speedball fields, with each plenty well-lit. (That means you can get your paintball on whether day and night, year-round, rain or shine.) First time paintballer? No paintball gear? No problem. Plenty of rental gear is available to give the sport a spin.5110 Lesourdsville West Chester Rd., Liberty Twp., (513) 779-3228, paintballcountryohio.com
Pancakes: Sugar n’ Spice
With varieties like lemon ricotta and pumpkin spice hitting menus en masse, the pancake game has risen to new heights. But you can’t beat a classic. Sugar n’ Spice Diner has been slinging its signature “wispy-thin” pancakes since opening its doors in 1941. Buttery soft and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, these flapjacks, made with a decades-old secret recipe, hold their own next to even the fanciest, fluffiest flavor combos. Multiple locations, eatsugarnspice.com
Party Store: Cappel’s
Whether you’re the type who puts up Halloween decor at the stroke of midnight Aug. 1, throws a neighborhood luau each summer, or signed up to be Room Parent for your kiddo and find yourself in need of 25 Santa hats for a class party, you’ll find all your party needs and notions at Cappel’s. A Cincinnati institution for more than 75 years, this family-owned small business is known for its fantastic costume offerings and party supplies—and, most importantly, a level of customer service you simply won’t find at major chains or online powerhouses. Multiple locations, cappelsinc.com
Pierogis: Wódka Bar
Owner Sarah Dworak started selling her pierogis at Madison’s in Findlay Market, then from a window off 12th Street. Now, they fill the menu at Wódka Bar, from traditional to “four-way style,” which features Cincinnati chili with cheese, sour cream, and onions. Pierogis aren’t the end of the story, though. Check out more Polish and Ukrainian dishes and a diverse selection of vodkas you’ve never heard of to create an unforgettable experience. 1200 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 381-3739, wodkabarotr.com
Pop-Up We’d Like To Make Permanent: Dunch
Like its name (a portmanteau of “dinner” and “lunch”), Dunch is a mealtime mashup. Chad Esmeier and Michael Villareal (who recently became the head chef at Gabriela Filipina Kantina) created a fusion menu with Italian and Filipino influences that make for big, bold taste. @dunchprovisions
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