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Anyone who has spent more than five minutes with me knows that I am obsessed with food , almost as much as I’m obsessed with woodworking. Both of my parents cook (my mom has run a number of restaurants), and I spend every evening in the kitchen or exploring restaurants in Cincinnati.
So if you are going to be in town this weekend for the Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event and travel on your stomach, here’s a short list, based mostly on proximity to our offices or stuff that interests me.
Cincinnati Classics
Within a mile of our offices we have the troika of Cincinnati food: Skyline Chili, LaRosa’s pizza and Graeter’s ice cream. There’s tons written about all three on other web sites. Here, however, is my quick take.
Skyline: The chili has no beans and is flavored with chocolate and cinnamon. Sounds foul, I know. Either you are going to love it or hate it. I happen to love it. If you want to be like a local, order a three-way (spaghetti, chili and cheese) and a cheese coney. Lipitor not included.
LaRosa’s: This pizza chain is bigger in Cincinnati than the national chains. It’s a provolone-based pizza with a sweet tomato sauce. Toppings are under the cheese. It is an acquired taste, which I have acquired.
Graeter’s: Fantastic ice cream (and pastries). The chip flavors are particularly excellent. Try the mint chip or the black raspberry chip. This is another reason we are so well fed here in the city.
The Road Less Traveled
Dewey’s: This is a gourmet pizza place about a block from our office. I would eat here every day if I could. Great pizza (try the Edgar Allen Poe). Outstanding local beer. And the house salad is tremendous.
Ember’s: This is also a block from our office. It’s one of the city’s top-rated steak and sushi places. A bit fancy, but outstanding food, service and martinis. No one has ever said a bad word about the place.
La Petite Pierre: Though Cincinnati is a German town, we have a deep tradition of French restaurants. This one (in an old house about a mile from our office) is a jewel. It has a small menu that changes daily, but I have never had a bad meal there. It’s family run and beyond good.
Montgomery Inn: This is a famous Cincinnati rib joint about two miles from our office. Don’t bother unless someone else is paying. It’s overrated and overpriced for what you get. If you go, get the Saratoga chips and a Ted’s Red Ale. Then call it a night.
Jeff Ruby’s: This is downtown. And it has, quite simply, the best steak I’ve ever eaten. Bring your wallet and your trophy wife, but be prepared to be amazed. Don’t get kissed by the soul singer who fronts the band. And don’t ask me why I know this.
Nicholson’s: This is a Scottish restaurant across the street from Jeff Ruby’s downtown. Good pub food (the roasted chicken , yum). The best scotch selection in town. Outstanding beer (ask what they have as a cask conditioned ale or get an Edmund Fitzgerald porter on tap).
JeanRo: Also downtown. A lively French bistro. It’s mid-priced, but you can get some good French classics there (coq au vin is always reliable), good Belgian ale, good wine.
Jo An: Are you flying in? This is a Japanese place by the airport that is run by Toyota. This is like being in Japan. There’s a great seasonal menu and the sushi is as good as I’ve had in the U.S.
Hofbrauhaus: This is in the entertainment district in Newport, Ky., right on the river. It’s a short hop. Good German food (especially the handmade sausage and pretzels). Great German beer. Nice beer garden with a glorious view of the downtown skyline. If you don’t end up dancing on the table by the end of the evening, you didn’t do it right.
Mecklenburg Gardens: This is a very old German restaurant by the zoo. It has good German food, but the most incredible beer garden. Ancient vines. A perfect place to spend an afternoon or evening talking with friends.
La Mexicana: This is a Newport restaurant/grocery store. This is the real deal and is not for the faint of heart. Goat tacos. Bring your Spanish and be ready to be happy. And it’s as cheap as dirt.
Shanghai Mama’s: This place is downtown and is open into the wee hours of the morning. They make their own noodles on site. Cheap and tasty and a great place to be at 2 a.m.
Cock and Bull: Another Kentucky pub. This one is in Covington in the old Mainstrasse section. It has the best fish and chips in the city (they’re panko crusted). And a good selection of English beer.
The Pub: This is in Norwood, about five miles from the office. It’s an authentic English pub. (All the fixtures came from England.) Good beer. Good food. Good crowd.
Trio’s: This is a nice-looking place about two blocks from the office. Boring food. Practically pre-chewed.
Blind Lemon: This is my favorite hang-out place in Mount Adams, which is near downtown. Acoustic music in an outdoor garden. The inside is super funky. For adults, not for kids. That means it’s not a dance place. Also, Cincinnati is smoke-free (Kentucky is not). So take that into consideration.
Plus there are a bunch of chain restaurants all around the office. Whatever.
Breakfast
First Watch: This is a block from our office and is reliable. Not crazy good, but better than IHOP or Waffle House.
Servatti’s Bakery: These are in several places all around the city. Good German pastry. Good doughnuts.
Greenup CafÃ?©: My favorite breakfast/brunch place. Outstanding French pasty and hot breakfast. It’s in Covington, Ky., in a quaint old house. It’s worth the drive.
BonBonerie: This French bakery and tea house is about four miles from our office. Everything is from scratch and is butter-tastic. If I lived closer to this place I would be 1) huge and 2) under a restraining order from the place.
Wow. What a long blog entry. I guess I have a bigger problem than I thought.
– Christopher Schwarz
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Chris:
As a fellow food geek that has spent a fair amount of time in The Queen City, I concur with almost all of your excellent choices. The only thing I would change is that as a visitor and baseball fanatic of the highest order, Montgomery Inn is a mandatory stop whenever I am in town longer than a few days. While you can get better BBQ just about anywhere for less money, I find myself like a kid in the proverbial candy store checking out all the Reds (and other Cincinnati sports team) memorabilia whenever I am there…which alone makes it worth the trip.
I would also add Pappadeaux to the list — a chain restaurant, but not everywhere has one…kind of like Fogo de Chao here in Indy.
Love the blog, even though it serves as a near-constant reminder that I spend way too much time with the revenue-generating activities in my life and not enough time in the shop.
Cheers,
I’ve never been in Cincinnati long enough to get bored with Skyline. With as many ways as they serve their most excellent chili, I can eat it for most any meal. Enjoy!
Chris,
Check out J&W Barb BQ it’s located 1 block south of Peoples corner on the left. It’s run out of a trailer. You can’t beat $4 for a huge pulled pork sandwich and a load of frys
Mark
Chuck,
When it comes to ribs, I’m spoiled by living in the South most of my life. Down there, it’s not a barbecue place unless it’s:
1) Not on any map
2) A condemned building
Up here on the Mason-Dixon line, I make do with BBQ Revue. It’s the real deal. Cheap. Sticky. And served on white bread.
Wish you could make it!
Chris
Chris,
You forgot to mention Marx’s bagels for breakfast. When I was doing furniture shows in Cincinnati, I’d haul home a few dozen.
And I respectfully dissagree with the assessment of Montgomery Inn. The chips are great but the ribs and bbq are worth the trip, for me at least.
Keep an eye out for a few of my students. I know a few are showing out for the event this weekend. Now that you’ve rattled off all those great places to eat, I wish I could make the 11 hour trip myself.
Another honorable mention is Carlo & Johnny (http://www.jeffruby.com/carlojohnny.html), another Jeff Ruby concept, which is just about a mile up the road. Although their food is not as great as Jeff Ruby’s downtown, the cocktail lounge is phenomenal and they always have great soul bands playing on the weekends.
Also, I can’t talk enough about Kenwood Towne Centre. It is one of the best shopping malls in Ohio and it’s right across the street. Here’s a list of the stores:
http://kenwoodtownecentre.com/mallmap.asp?pgType=byCategory&mallid=812
you forgot to mention the addictive chemical that Skyline puts in their chili that makes you crave for it nightly.
–steve
Christopher is a far healthier eater than am I – thus he neglected my three favorite burger joints:
Zip’s Cafe (zipscafe.com) in Mt. Lookout, about seven miles from the office. Order the Girth Burger (a 100-percent beef patty with a sausage on top). And bring the Tums.
Mt. Adams Bar & Grill in Mt. Adams, right next to the Blind Lemon, which Chris mentioned above (and I second his approbation of the BL – the adult hot chocolate drinks with homemade whipped cream are particularly yummy).
Quatman’s in Norwood, about 5 miles from our office. An old-fashioned joint (so old-fashioned there’s no web site) with daily sandwich specials in addition to burgers. Everything is basic and good. And it’s worth it just to see the awesome kitsch of the back-lit moving waterfall art on the wall.
I forgot about that! I know what I’m doing after work today.
Chris
Chris,
It’s strawberry month at Graeter’s, The strawberry chips is awesome and only available in May.
Mark
Hmmm.. Oddly because of this post my respect for you (already very high)just went up another notch. I never realized how I admire a person who knows where to find good food.