ILLUSTRATION BY BRITTANY DEXTER
Vintage typewriters, fresh blueberries, and volunteer opportunities can all be found in the Best of the City T–V winners list!
Tailgate Spot: The Blind Pig
This neighborhood bar is just a hop, skip and a jump from both Great American Ball Park and Paycor Stadium. Tasty food, relatively inexpensive drinks, a great outdoor patio, and fun weekly events to spice things up should make this your go-to spot any time you’re in a sporty mood. 24 W. Third St., downtown, (513) 381-3114, blindpigcincy.com
Toy Store: King Arthur’s Court
King Arthur’s Court has been facilitating fun and games to Cincinnati families for more than 40 years, outlasting big-box toy titans and certain birthday-castle touting toy shops with finesse. At the heart of it all is a refreshingly simple ethos: “Where play is king”—and indeed, this royal-themed shop in Oakley is a colorful, toy-filled wonderland of floor models and sample sets that encourage play and help parents see what their kiddo really wants for Christmas. 3040 Madison Rd., Oakley, (513) 531-4600, kingarthurstoys.com
Trampoline Place: Rockin’ Jump
Kids have what feels like infinite energy, and the best course of action for parents is to channel it into something productive and, ideally, fun. Trampoline parks offer a marvelous outlet for rambunctious kids, letting them jump, play, and literally bounce off the walls. Cincinnati has several top-tier trampoline parks, but Rockin’ Jump stands out. Yes, the Rockin’ Jump on Colerain Avenue is one of several locations across the country, but it’s (ahem) leaps and bounds above the competition. Because in addition to several spacious arenas for trampoline-fueled fun, Rockin’ Jump’s ninja course and sports courts all but guarantee kids will stay happily busy and be wonderfully worn out after this high-flying outing. 8350 Colerain Ave., Groesbeck, (513) 373-4260, rockinjump.com/cincinnati
Tubing: Whitewater Canoe Rental
Any river is lazy when you’re tubing. Floating down the Whitewater River is a dreamy escape (that the right group of friends can turn into a comedy). The calm, shallow river welcomes adults in need of peace and kids in need of fun, and Whitewater Canoe Rental strikes the perfect balance. 1154 Main St., Brookville, (765) 647-5434, whitewatercanoerental.com
Triple Decker: J&J Restaurant
Everything classic about the West Side is rolled into one small diner near the busy intersection of Glenway Avenue and Werk Road: cozy booths, regulars who know each other and wave to the kitchen staff, homemade chili, lots of “Hi hun,” and good food at reasonable prices. The double deckers are so large you almost need a fork to eat them, and they’ll gladly make you a triple decker even though it isn’t on the menu. It might just feed a family of four for a week. 6159 Glenway Ave., Green Twp., (513) 661-2260
Typewriters: Urban Legend Typewriters and WordPlay
Based in Northside, the WordPlay nonprofit brings reading, writing, and storytelling workshops to local classrooms and hosts after-school enrichment clubs. One of its fund-raising tools is Urban Legend Typewriters, which sells restored vintage typewriters and cleans and repairs non-working typewriters; all proceeds benefit WordPlay. There’s also a fun blog, The Typewriter Revolution, celebrating the joys of old typewriters and the love of words they generate. wordplaycincy.org/buy-a-typewriter
ILLUSTRATION BY NATALYA BALOVA
TERRIFIC TOURS
See sides of the city you’ve never encountered with these guided explorations.
Civic Garden Center
For more than 80 years, this nonprofit has been teaching Cincinnatians how to sustainably grow food and take care of the environment. Tour the grounds and other local gardens from Mt. Healthy to Madisonville. 2715 Reading Rd., Walnut Hills, civicgardencenter.org
American Legacy Tours
Tours range from supposedly-haunted underground lagering tunnels in the Brewery District to cemetery tours in Mt. Healthy to stories of gangsters, crime, and Bobby Mackey in Newport and Covington. 1332 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (859) 951-8560, americanlegacytours.com
Stratus Helicopters
Ever dreamed of seeing the city from up high? Stratus Helicopters takes you across the skyline to check out everywhere from the Cincinnati Observatory to Kings Island. 4765 Airport Rd., East End, (513) 533-4354, stratushelicopters.com
BB Riverboats
For a water view of the Cincinnati skyline, BB Riverboats is still the king. There’s plenty of brunch, lunch, and dinner voyages, in addition to special holiday tours, moonlight cruises, and private events (like weddings) available. 101 Riverboat Row, Newport, (800) 261-8586, bbriverboats.com
Brewing Heritage Trail
The brewing heritage trail takes you up, down, and all around the city, from the Jackson Brewery to several of Christian Moerlein’s classic brewing tunnels under the city streets. Most tickets include beer too so you can sip while you learn. 1939 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 604-9812, brewingheritagetrail.org
Underwear: Knickers
At Knickers, a Hyde Park Square mainstay, owner Jenalyn Schneider brings her industry experience to the masses, curating an impressive selection of lingerie brands and providing a personalized experience for every shopper. This is no drab department store. 2726 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 533-9592, knickersofhydepark.com
U-Pick Blueberries: Alpine Berry Farm
You’re going to have to make the trek out to Indiana (Batesville, to be specific) to find the best blueberries, but trust us: It’s worth it. Family-run Alpine Berry Farm, which has been in operation since the ’90s, is exclusively devoted to blueberries. Pick them yourself in the summer or grab a pint from the 120-year-old barn. Pro tip: Don’t forget to ask for Kathy’s blueberry cheese pie recipe. 26185 Pocket Rd., Batesville, IN, (812) 934-6677, alpineberryfarm.weebly.com
Upscale Dining Spot: Baru
This izakaya—a type of Japanese bar that serves drinks and snacks—focuses on fun cocktails and creative dishes. Snag a saketini (Grey Goose, Sho Chiku Bai sake, Silver tequila) or a wasabi margarita, and pair it with the Tuna, Tuna, Tuna sushi roll of ahi tuna, spicy tuna, and escolar or the Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna (tuna, seared rice, and sesame seeds), and people watch until your heart’s content. 595 Race St., downtown, (513) 246-0150, barusushi.com
Vegetarian Food: Essen Kitchen
When it comes to dining out, vegetarians and vegans tend to get the short end of the stick. Next time, stop by Essen Kitchen, a carryout-only spot near Findlay Market that serves up craveable plant-based dishes, three meals a day. Load up on veggies with a Buddha Bowl or indulge a little with creamy, plant-based mac-and-cheese and a set of vegan cheese coneys, complete with Cincinnati-style vegan chili. 1 Findlay St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 802-5013, essenkitchen.com
Vinegar: The MadHouse Vinegar Co.
Once upon a time, two men decided the world needed a better kind of vinegar. If there’s a dish the flagship dark malt, light malt, and rosé vinegars can’t improve, a small batch brew like peppermint, coffee, spicebush, or “bogbeast” might change how people think of vinegar altogether. 2872 Lawrenceburg Rd., North Bend, (513) 967-1106, goodvinegar.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY JEREMY KRAMER
Vintage Bourbon: Revival Vintage Bottle Shop
So you can’t get your hands on a bottle of the hot new bourbon? Maybe you should try a hot old bourbon instead. Revival Vintage Bottle Shop stocks its shelves with the bottles that got pushed to the back of grandpa’s liquor cabinet and forgotten, giving the dusty gems new life. Even better, there’s a tasting bar where you can sample, say, a 1987 Kentucky Tavern, and sip right into the past. 5 E. Eighth St., Covington, (859) 479-2676, revivalky.com
ILLUSTRATION BY EMI VILLAVICENCIO
Vinyl: Torn Light
Not only does this Clifton spot have an absolutely killer selection of vinyl far and away beyond that of your regular, pristine record store, it also has a collection of hard-to-find books, rare international movies on VHS and Blu-ray, and a fantastic merch line. 356 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, (513) 873-6995, tornlightrecords.com
Volunteer Spot: Matthew 25: Ministries
The Blue Ash-based nonprofit collects product and financial donations, creates disaster relief and humanitarian aid packages, and ships them across the country or overseas. Recent efforts included aid to Maui fire victims, flooding in the Northeastern U.S., and Indiana and Mississippi tornadoes. Volunteers help sort, count, and package donated goods so they’re ready for shipment at a moment’s notice. 11060 Kenwood Rd, Blue Ash, (513) 793-6256, m25m.org/help
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