Chefs on Chefs
For our annual Best Restaurants issue, we went to the source: The people who make the magic happen.
In this series of conversations with Queen City culinary dignitaries, they dish on everything from being nominated for James Beard Awards to running restaurants with your spouse to skirting traditions. Pull up a chair and listen in.
BEST RESTAURANTS 2024
Best New Restaurants No. 10: Opal
This Covington rooftop restaurant flame-grills its dishes to perfection.
Best New Restaurants No. 9: Luca Bistro
A joyous and approachable taste of France tucked away in Mt. Adams.
Best New Restaurants No. 8: Alcove
MadTree serves up elevated casual cuisine with an emphasis on local farm-to-table ingredients.
Best New Restaurants No. 7: Al-Posto Italian Ristorante
Take a culinary trip to Southern Italy at this Hyde Park restaurant.
Best New Restaurants No. 6: Baru
A high-end izakaya in the heart of the business district.
Best New Restaurants No. 5: The Aperture
Mediterranean cuisine meets fine dining at the new restaurant in the Paramount Square Building.
Best New Restaurants No. 4: Colette
Chef Danny Combs serves up hearty bistro fare and house-made pasta in his new (mostly) French spot.
Best New Restaurants No. 3: Atwood Oyster House
A seafood destination with an emphasis on honoring seasonal and fresh ingredients.
Best New Restaurants No. 2: Nolia Kitchen
A James Beard–nominated dining experience of modern Southern cuisine.
Best New Restaurants No. 1: Five on Vine
A fresh take on American comfort food in an elegant space.
Editor’s Letter March 2024: Best New Restaurants
On trying to appreciate and enjoy every dish.
The Best Dishes
The best dishes I ate in 2023.
Coming Soon
New culinary experiences to expect in 2024.
Best Restaurants 2023
Best Restaurants 2023 Kerfuffle: How This Happened
Senior Editor Aiesha D. Little explains how we ended up having two closed restaurants in the print version of our March issue.
Best Restaurants No. 1: Mita’s Serves Vibrant, Creative Latin Cuisine
Vibrant simplicity and creative touches set the tone for the most flavorful meal in the city.
Best Restaurants No. 2: Abigail Street Serves Big And Bold Mediterranean Flavors
The Mediterranean wine bar features some of the freshest and most vibrant plant-based dishes in Cincinnati.
Rest Well, Chef: Remembering Jean-Robert de Cavel
Appreciating the legacy of the prolific Cincinnati chef and restaurateur Jean-Robert de Cavel.
Best Restaurants No. 3: Le Bar a Boeuf’s French Cuisine Is on Another Level
Jean-Robert de Cavel's neo-bistro provides approachable yet sophisticated cuisine with a beautiful view.
Best Restaurants No. 4: Nicola’s Offers Timeless Italian Classics
This Italian staple for more than 25 years takes pride in its extensive wine list, knowledgable staff, and rotating menu of artisanal and creative dishes.
Best Restaurants No. 5: Sotto Transmits The Soul Of Italian Cooking
Painstakingly precise Italian cooking, simple adornments, and a perfect pasta recipe add up to one of the best dining experiences in the city.
Best Restaurants No. 6: Phoenician Taverna’s Authentic Lebanese Cuisine
The Mason restaurant perfectly executes the classics with unique touches that demonstrate a deep love and knowledge of the cuisine.
Best Restaurants No. 7: Boca Dreams Up Innovative Dishes
For the operations team, chefs, and service staff at this downtown restaurant, each dish is a labor of love—and no detail is too small to overlook.
Best Restaurants No. 8: Ivory House Gives Guests A Homey-Yet-Sumptuous Experience
The Westwood steakhouse is both a destination restaurant and beloved neighborhood joint.
Best Restaurants No. 9: Kiki Offers A Delicious And Highly Shareable Menu
The funky Japanese restaurant serves guests with affordable prices and a laid-back atmosphere.
Best Restaurants No. 10: The Precinct
A Cincinnati culinary institution, Jeff Ruby’s original steakhouse continues to deliver prime cuts by stellar staff in its lavish east side restaurant.
Best Restaurants No. 10: Bouquet
This family-owned Covington eatery elevates an inspired menu with local, fresh ingredients.
Best Restaurants No. 10: Losanti
The Over-the-Rhine steakhouse leans into authentic Italian cuisine with handmade pastas and fine cuts of beef. Be sure to order that extra meatball.
Best Restaurants 2023: The Best of the Rest
These restaurants may not have made our top 10 list, but we still think their delectable dishes are a cut above.
Staying Power 2022
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Staying Power: These Cincinnati Restaurants Have Stood the Test of Time
What’s kept our longest-running best restaurants going for the last two decades? Impeccable service and even better food.
Best Restaurants 2022: Restaurateurs Share the Secrets to Their Lasting Success
We asked these four Best Restaurant owners how they've managed to keep delighting Cincinnati diners over the last two decades.
Cincinnati’s New Classic Restaurants
We think these new local restaurants might make the classics cut in the future.
Classic Cincinnati Restaurants Are Reborn
What’s old is new again for Cincinnati diners who have experienced the rebirth of several local restaurants with exciting new offerings.
Restaurant Families 2021
O Pie O Supports Its Employees Through the Pandemic
O Pie O owner Lou Ginocchio knows the importance of taking care of customers, employees, and the community.
Who’s Afraid of Ghost Kitchens?
Local restaurants have formed a love/hate relationship with delivery-only meal concepts, hoping to keep up with changing consumer demands.
How Three Local Restaurants Are Finding a Way Forward
We talk to three local restaurant owners about how they pivoted during challenging times and what moving forward looks like for their businesses.
The Wong Family Keeps Overcoming Obstacles Almost 50 Years After Settling in Cincinnati
Mike and Helen Wong opened Oriental Wok in Ft. Mitchell in 1977. Their family and business have since grown, with a second location in Hyde Park.
In a Socially Distanced World, Station Family + BBQ Soldiers On
While the future is uncertain for CWC, its sister restaurant Station Family + BBQ is still making good on its mission to bring a community together through “Cincinnati-style” barbecue.
The Mother-and-Daughter Duo Behind Homestyle Restaurant TiYah’s Table
ItiYah Yisrael and Jazlyn Mason call TiYah’s Table a “blessing” and a “dream” despite the stress of launching during the pandemic.
Local Restaurateurs Get Creative to Keep Their Doors Open
The pandemic crushed restaurant industry economics. Local restaurateurs got creative (and got lots of help) to keep their doors open.
Keeping Hope Alive at Kiki
Hideki and Yuko Harada gain new perspective on the importance of joy in the restaurant business at Kiki in College Hill.
Bridges Straddles the Pandemic and Possibilities
As the pandemic drags on, Ash Chipalu of Bridges is grateful for his family, neighborhood support, and the food scene niche they’ve found.
These Restaurant Families Didn’t Let COVID Cancel Their Expansion Plans
Despite pandemic-related challenges, these restaurateurs managed to build their businesses bigger and better than ever.
How Jeff Ruby’s Weathered the Storm of 2020
With in-person dining limitations and social distancing placing a buffer between staff and guests, the pandemic has put the quintessential “Jeff Ruby’s Experience” to the test.
How Three Local Restaurant Groups Managed to Stay Afloat During the Pandemic
For these restaurants with multiple locations, some across state lines, the pandemic presented a unique set of challenges.
BEST RESTAURANTS 2020
Cincinnati Chefs to Watch in 2020: Anthony Sitek
Crown Republic Gastropub's chef-owner Anthony Sitek shares how he stays inspired in the kitchen and what’s next for his boutique steakhouse Losanti.
Cincinnati Chefs to Watch in 2020: Nathan Friday
After more than a year slinging his signature steamed baos from an OTR walk-up window, Nathan Friday plans to open a brick-and-mortar for Boombox Buns.
Best Restaurant No. 2: Sotto Makes the Familiar Profoundly Satisfying
Eating at Sotto is a familiar experience but also one that's so profound and satisfying that there's no reason to ever stop.
Cincinnati Chefs to Watch in 2020: Ethan Greene
Under chef-restaurateur Daniel Wright’s tutelage, Ethan Greene dishes up Middle Eastern street food as executive chef of Forty Thieves in Over-the-Rhine.
Best Restaurants No. 8: Phoenician Taverna Elevates Classic Mediterranean Dishes
New twists on old Mediterranean favorites and a passion for excellence turn meals into feasts at Phoenician Taverna.
Best Restaurants No. 9: Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar Leans Into Seasonality
A dedication to using only the best ingredients to their fullest potential pervades the menu.
Best Restaurant No. 3: Mita’s Restaurant & Bar Delivers Global Flavors
Mita's offers sophistication, modestly concealed in homey, warm dishes from Jose Salazar.
Best Restaurants No. 10: Orchids at Palm Court Can Still Surprise You
A wonderful room, exquisite food, and fantastic wine—Orchids delivers on all its promises.
Best Restaurants No. 5: Nicola’s Is Back
Always an institution, Nicola's has entered a new era of exuberant creativity under the leadership of chef Jack Hemmer.
Best Restaurants No. 7: Boca Shows Extraordinary Creativity
While staying mostly grounded in the fundamentals of Italian and French cuisine, Boca has an air of international sophistication that sets its food apart.
Best Restaurants No. 6: Abigail Street Knows What Works
Abigail Street is always watching for what works and is willing to abandon bits of impractical culinary flair for what will truly satisfy.
How the Last Decade Has Shaped Cincinnati’s Dining Scene
The past 10 years have set the bar high for our dining scene. Future possibilities feel endless.
Cincinnati Chefs to Watch in 2020: Erik Bentz and Elaine Townsend
Erik Bentz and Elaine Townsend are the dynamic duo behind runaway success ramen, omerice, and Japanese pastry pop-up Mochiko.
Cincinnati Chefs to Watch in 2020: Mallory Myers
Orchids at Palm Court’s Executive Sous Chef Mallory Myers sticks to classic cooking techniques while always searching for new ways to push the envelope.
Best Restaurants No. 4: Restaurant L Serves Up Playful Yet Elegant Dishes
Restaurant L's menu reflects chef-owner Jean-Robert de Cavel’s sense of playfulness and his mastery of the fundamentals of la grande cuisine.
Best Restaurant No. 1: Please Is Simply a Great Restaurant
Born as a pop-up, Ryan Santos’s “weird and wonderful” Please is a symbol of everything exciting that has been happening in the Cincinnati food scene.