If you’ve been following along for some time now, you’ll know that one of my favorite things to do is travel and explore new cities! I am extremely motivated by good food and fun experiences. I love to research bars, restaurants and attractions- but one of the greatest parts about being a local, is finding those spots you wouldn’t have normally found on the internet. It’s been roughly nine months since I moved across the country (again), but we visited Cincinnati pre-COVID in 2019 so we have experienced a fair amount of the city. My list might be a little advantageous, but I would hate to look back on the city and think, “I could have eaten that.” Some of the options are just across the Ohio River in Covington and Newport Kentucky, just minutes away from downtown Cincinnati.
Just like my locals guide to ATX, I’ve created a guide for our new hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. You’ll find my type A list organized alphabetically in categories such as; eat, drink and things to do.
Eat:
A Tavola
Adriatico’s Pizza
Abagail Street Mediterranean Wine Bar
Anderson Pub Grill (APG)- A small pub in Mt Washington with great pub food and some delicious summer cocktails. This pub’s food and service never disappoints.
Andy’s Mediterranean Bar & Grill
Asiana- I’m told this is the closest to authentic asian cuisine you will find in the city.
Augusta Pub
Bakersfield
Baker’s Table ( KY)
Boca
Boldface Dairy Bar
Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey- Their biscuits are incredible, for brunch you can get a Bloody Mary and sub tequila or bourbon.
Bluebird Bakery
Brown Bear Bakery- They have some beautiful baked goods, but I love a classic chocolate chip walnut cookie!
Butler County Donut Trail- Visit all of the donut shops on the map in Butler county and receive a free t-shirt once completed!
Buzzed Bull Creamery
Camp Washington Chili- Cincinnati Chili is a thing here… I’m not sure how I feel about it.
Che
Cheapside Cafe- Although they are closed right now due to COVID, I hear their Mac & cheese grilled cheese slaps.
Cincinnati Dinner Train
City View Tavern- Go for the view!
Clough Crossings
Coppins at Hotel Covington- Also in Covington KY, such a beautiful restaurant in a modern hotel.
Court Street Lobster Bar
Dairy Corner- An old school, cash only, Mom & Pop ice cream stand.
Del Gardos (Covington)- Every week they announce the five concoctions they have created. Featured to the left are flavors such as Wasabi and Matcha.
Dojo Gelato
Donna’s Gourmet Cookies
Elks Run Bar & Grill
Ferrari’s little Italy and Bakery- Sadly, I don’t have any photos from this amazing meal. We ordered carry- out during the height of COVID last spring and it did not disappoint! Their bakery case is incredible and I want one (or two) of everything!
Flipdaddy’s (KY)
Forno Osteria & Bar
Goose & Elder
Grater’s Ice Cream- A Cincinnati staple, we got an ice cream cake for my birthday!
Holtman’s Donuts
Incline Public House- Go for the view!
Joellas- I’m always on the hunt for the SPICIEST Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich!
Lake Nina
LaRosa’s- A Cincinnati pizza staple.
Libby’s Southern Comfort
Liberty’s Bar & Bottle
Lobsta Bakes on Main
Ludlow Yacht Club
Maple wood Kitchen & Bar
Maverick’s Chocolate
Mazunte Mexican- Get the queso, you will not regret it!
Mecklinberg Gardens
Milkman Cincy
Mochiko
Montgomery Inn Boathouse
Nada
Nation Kitchen & Bar
Nicholson’s Tavern & Pub
Night Drop- Go for the boozy shakes!
Nine Giant Brewing
Noodle & Hot Pot
O Pie O
Orchids at Palm Court
Osaka Ramen
Park at the Phelps Hotel
Parlor on 7th (KY)
Peace Love & Little Donuts (PLL)- These are the cutest, tiniest, yummiest donuts in Hyde Park! There are so many flavors, its great they’re so little- because you’ll want to try them all!
Pendelton Parlor- Ice Cream and Cookie Dough shop in OTR. Get a cooke dough flight!!
Pho Lang Thang
Pontiac BBQ
Postmark Restaurant – An incredible wine selection!
Pirates Cove
Please
Postmark Restaurant- Go for the wine!
Primavista
Rood Food & Pie
Rotolo
Sacred Beast
Salem Gardens- A hidden gem in Mt Washington, a little divey on the inside, but their back yard garden is beautiful!
Sammy’s Craft Burgers & Beers
Senate- Was featured on Diners, Drive Ins & Dives
Schoolhouse Restaurant
Share Cheesebar
Skyline Chili- Y’all, I don’t know about this one… but the locals are crazed.
Sleepy Bee’s
Spoon & Cellar
Social OTR
Sotto
Stone House Tavern
Sugar 513
Sugar n Spice
Talego Bar & Pizzeria
The Littlefield – Go for the boozy shakes!
The Mac Shack
The Pickled Pig
The Train Stop
The Root Beer Stand
Taste of Belgium- Incredible waffles with a great draft beer selection!
Tousey House Tavern
The Macaron Bar
Urban Grill on Main
Urbanstead Cheese
Zip’s Cafe- Known as one of the best places for burgers in Cincinnati
Drink:
Arnold’s Bar & Grill- Downtown
Arthur’s Cafe- The inside might not look like anything more than an old school eclectic restaurant- but their back yard garden is a hidden gem!
Bean & Brew
Big Ash Brewing- This is probably the closest brewery to our house, and they deliver pizza & beer… need I say more?
B- Line Bourbon Tour (KY)
Braxton Brewing Co- Locations in Covington and Cincinnati. Great beer, huge tap rooms. The rooftop at their Covington location is gorgeous.
Brew Dog- This was one of the first places I went when things opened back up from COVID. I was so happy I could have cried.
Clean City Radio OTR
COPA
Cork & Cap- There’s just something about sipping a summer cocktail on a patio with string lights.
Corkopolis
Covington Yard- An outdoor bar with a twist. A beautiful bar surrounded by container bins, with a turf lawn, picnic seating and plenty of food trucks! Perfect on game day!
Fishbowl at the Banks- It’s exactly what it sounds like… fishbowl drinks! Drink like a fish!
Ghost (speakeasy)
Goose & Elder
HofbrauHaus (Newport)- Liter beers anyone?! I always say, “The only way to drink a beer is three at a time.”
Holiday Spirits
HomeMaker’s Bar
Indian arrow distillery/ winery (Miami county)
Japp’s
Jery’s Jug House (KY)
Little Miami Brewing Co.
Karrikin Spirits Company- know for distilling, but go for their Brussels sprouts!
Lola Shops & Sips
Lost & Found
Lytle Hotel- Sit on the rooftop!
Mad Tree Brewing- Known for their great beers, unique tap room and beautiful beer garden.
Moerlin lager House- Located at the banks in downtown Cincinnati, an awesome view of the Reds stadium.
Mt Carmel Brewing- A small farm style brewery on the outskirts of the city.
Neon’s Unplugged
Northside Yacht Club
Northern Row Brewing- We stumbled upon this brewery when the line at Rhinegeist was out of control. And I’m so glad we did, because I could sit in their cozy taproom all day and taste their huge variety of beers!
Parlor on 7th (KY)
Platform OTR
Rhinegeist Brewery- Their spacious tap room with a rooftop bar is located in Over The Rhine. It’s Cincinnati’s most popular brewery.
Rich’s Proper Food & Drink (Covington)- Great food, cozy ambiance with tables outside. I love their oyster shooters!
Riverton Brewing & Barrel House
Ripple Wine Bar
Rock Bottom Bar & Brewery
Rooted Juicery
Rosedale
Second Place
The Rooftop at Shire’s Garden- This gorgeous bar is located at the top of an apartment building on Vine. Their indoor restaurant is rustic and cozy while their rooftop patio has an amazing view of the city facing the river! Their menu is incredible with options like duck confit Mac n’ cheese. Plus their cocktails are original and instaworthy (like their unicorn froze).
Saeso- This place is a vibe- the only vibe you need. A small bar, exposed brick, tons of greenery and incredible cocktails.
Skeleton Root Winery
Sugar Whiskey Sis (KY)
Sundry & Vice
Taft’s Ale House- A brewery in OTR, their taproom is in an old church with incredible features!
Tellers Hyde Park
The Baker’s Table
The Banks
The Phelps Bar
The Standard (KY)
The Video Archive- A Quentin Tarantino themed speakeasy.
Treehouse Patio Bar- A beautiful outdoor bar downtown in OTR.
Urban Artifact Brewing- I’m obsessed with their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir concoctions!
Yonder Rooftop Bar
16 Bit Bar & Arcade
50 West Brewing- Their beer is incredible and their burger bar is even better!!
Things to do:
American Sign Museum
Ballet
BB Riverboats
Bengals Game
Bridgeview Box Park- A view of Cincinnati from Newport on the Levee.
Cabana on the River
Cathedral at the Basilica
Carew Tower ( city view)
Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati Observatory
Cincinatti Zoo
Cyclones Game
Devou Park
Findlay Market
Fountain Square
Hocking Hills
Kitchen Aid Museum
Kings Island
Lake Cumberland
Loveland Castle
Library Center
Little Miami River- A great place for kayaking, tubing, paddle boarding, etc.
Little Miami River
Mainstrauss Village
Milford Trailhead Riverwalk
Mt Airy Forest
Newport Aquarium
Newport on the Levee (KY)
OTR (shops, restaurants, bars & breweries)
Purple People Bridge
Reds game
Roebling Suspension Bridge
Starlight Drive In
Symphony Orchestra
Taft Theater
The Banks
The City Flea
The Chateau Laroche
The Mushroom House
Traders World
Turner Farm
Underground Freedom Center
21 C Cincinnati Museum Hotel
Neighborhoods:
Covington
Hamilton
Hyde Park
Mariemont
Milford
Mount Adams
Newport
Oakley
OTR
Parks:
Alms Park
Anderson RecPlex
Ault Park
Bettman Nature Preserve
Burnet Woods
Clear Creek
East Fork Lake
Eden Park
Fairview Park
Hyde Park Square
Lytle Park
Mt. Airy Arboretum
Mt. Echo Park
Mt. Storm Park
Olden View Park
Piatt Park
Sawyer Point Park & Yeatman’s Cove
Smale Riverfront Park
Spring Grove Arboretum
Summit Park
Washington Park
Zeigler Park
5 Mile Trail
Holiday:
Festival of Lights
Fountain Square Ice Rink
Goetta Fest
Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods
Irons Fruit Farm
LaRosa’s Balloon Glow
Oktoberfest
The Christmas Ranxh
The Western and Southern Open
Coffee:
Awakenings Coffee Roasters
Bigby Coffee
Bloc Coffee Company
Brick
Coffee Emporium
Coffee Exchange
Coffee Garden
Collective Espresso
Deeper Roots
Hyde Perk
Iris Book Cafe
Kidd Coffee
Lola’s
Lookout Joe
Red Tree Art Gallery
Roebling Point Books & Coffee (KY)
Rohr’s Street Cafe
Urbana
1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab
So obviously this list is pretty extensive and we haven’t done everything on the list… but we’re going to try! Is there anything missing from this list that needs to be included? Look out for my upcoming guide on breweries, wineries and the bourbon trail!
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