When I joined the CityBeat team almost three years ago as the Digital Content Editor, I also took up writing for our Food & Drink beat. I’ve always loved food and trying new places, but doing this job really made me see how much I was missing out on in Cincinnati’s culinary landscape. I’ve been trying to get myself to branch out more and more and I think I’m getting much better about wandering outside my comfort zone. This year, I tried quite a few new restaurants, breweries and coffee/tea shops, trying places that range from Italian and Asian to classic diners and Mexican joints. Here’s my top seven of the year (so far), plus everything I ordered:
Kantine
1220 Harrison Ave., West End
Kantine is an off-the-beaten-path eatery, biergarten and wine bar located just a few blocks away from Cincinnati Museum Center in the West End. It’s located in a former warehouse from 1864 and has an industrial-yet-cozy vibe with plenty of exposed brick and corrugated metal touches, plus a spacious outdoor patio. The menu is authentic Southern German fare, which you order at a counter, along with a selection of German and local craft beers. I went for their weekend brunch and had the Strammer Max — let me tell you: I often think about the bread of this open-faced sandwich, which makes sense because it is from Blue Oven Bakery. But it was toasted and perfectly crispy, piled with Black Forest ham, prosciutto, Swiss cheese, two eggs your way (I did over easy), plus a horseradish-mustard sauce that tied all that savory-ness together with a little spice. I’ll have to go back for dinner and try the Schnitzel Wiener Art with a beer, but I can confidently recommend the brunch.
Los Patrones Mexican Restaurant
5132 Delhi Pike, Delhi
I’m a lifelong West Sider and used to the way strip-mall restaurants seem to just pop up here out of nowhere (and they’re always a delicious surprise), but Los Patrones, which opened in the Delhi Shopping Center sometime this spring based on reviews, hooked me immediately with its selection of birria options on the menu. The Quesabirria was an easy yes; it’s served as three pockets stuffed with beef and cheese, topped with onion and cilantro and served with a flavorful consumé and a side of Mexican rice. Los Patrones doesn’t skimp on the birria or cheese, and the triangle shapes make for easy dipping. The restaurant menu — like many Mexican restaurants — is extensive, and I want to explore further, especially the Burrito Chipotle (grilled chicken, chorizo, rice, onion and black beans and smothered with cheese sauce, green salsa, pico and sour cream), but I don’t know how I’m supposed to say no to that Quesabirria next time I go.
Mama’s on Main
621 Main St., Covington
First off, Mama’s on Main is absolutely adorable. The space is bold and bright, with fun and funky eclectic decor that’s a mix of modern and vintage. I went for the first time in February for my birthday and had the rare chance to splurge and try a little bit of everything on the menu (thanks, Mom and Dad!). The menu features largely traditional red-sauce Italian fare, but when I see gnocchi on the menu, I need to try it. The gnocchi was pillowy and slathered in a tasty herb pesto sauce, with prosciutto and a tomato and hazelnut vinaigrette. We ordered the bread basket, which I highly recommend; the focaccia is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, as God intended, and is served with a creamy whipped ricotta, mixed with olive oil and black pepper. We also split the arancini, which are breaded, deep-fried risotto balls served with red sauce, and there were some sideways glances between my parents and me as we all tried to hint that each of us wanted the last piece. I hate to use the word “crispy” again, but that’s the best way to describe the exterior, which quickly gives way to the soft and chewy interior. All this was washed down by the Winter Spritz cocktail, which I hope they’ll bring back, but featured Aperol, Malfy gin, cranberry juice, rosemary syrup, prosecco and soda — bubbly, herbal and just a hint of tartness. Perfetto.
Tea ‘n’ Bowl
211 W. McMillan St., CUF
I’m annoyed with myself that I spent four years at UC and never tried Tea ‘n’ Bowl while I was there. I finally fixed that this year. This charming hole-in-the-wall offers a taste of Asia that represents several different cuisines. Owner Yvonne Chew’s menu offers dishes from both Malaysia and China — including an authentic Chinese menu that utilizes spices like lemongrass, Szechuan pepper and tamarind and an Americanized menu that offers dishes you typically find in Chinese restaurants. I need to branch out and try Malaysian cuisine next time I visit Tea ‘n’ Bowl (the Nasi Lemak is calling my name), but I can say the Chicken Skewers have been my favorite thing I’ve tried — crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and coated in a spicy blend, and now I’m going to have to order some for lunch because I won’t be happy until I have these again. Also, add a side of garlic butter rice to it to make it a full meal. The Wonton Soup is also one of my favorites in the city, and even though they primarily offer Chinese and Malaysian fare, don’t sleep on the Pad Thai.
Blue Jay Restaurant
4154 Hamilton Ave., Northside
Just like Tea ‘n’ Bowl, I’m embarrassed to admit how long it took me to try this classic Northside diner, but I’m absolutely a Blue Jay Restaurant fan now. I took my mom here in August after a tour of the former Bruckmann Brewery with the Brewing Heritage Trail nearby to see where her grandfather worked as a machinist. It was a Saturday afternoon and the place was still packed, and after trying the food, it’s easy to see why. I opted for biscuits and gravy, a humble dish made amazing by Blue Jay. The diner has that classic feel, with wood paneling and vinyl booths and a counter where strangers become regulars. The walls feature photos from movie scenes filmed in the restaurant — Nicole Kidman and Robert Redford in The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Old Man & The Gun. It’s cozy and familiar. Back to the food — the biscuits were fluffy and buttery, covered in a thinner sausage gravy that enhanced the biscuits instead of overwhelming them. I loved the breakfast, but I’ll need to try their lauded Cincinnati-style chili next time I go back — or I could just live in the best of both worlds and try the customer favorite The Northsider — an omelette with chili and cheese.
Fabled Brew Works
331 Kenton Lands Road, Erlanger
I love dark beers and mead, and Fabled Brew Works often has some really interesting flavors of both on the menu. I tried a sample of a candy bar-flavored stout when I interviewed the team before they first opened in 2023 and have been dying to go back and do the full experience of a beer in their fantasy-themed taproom, pretend to be a storybook character starting a quest, normal nerd stuff like that. My friends and I visited this May and, after looking at the menu, immediately knew we needed to do flights. The tap list is always extensive, with something interesting for everyone. They’re also one of only a few places (at least that I know of) locally that do ice cream sours and mead. The tap list is always rotating with different brews, all with fantasy- or folklore-style names, but their classic lager, Paul Bunyan, is always available, as is Unlitigated Sea Monster, a lime-infused Mexican lager. When we went, I tried the Princess Peach, a light and springy peach mead, as well as the equally delightful Dawn Treader (mead with strawberry, orange and guava), Arethusa (mead with lemon, vanilla bean and cookies) and the Stone Giant — a collaboration with Cold Stone Creamery that paired an imperial stout with cookies and ice cream. If you can’t tell, I have a sweet tooth, so those brews were a hit with me, but don’t forget there’s a whole list of options to explore, ranging from hoppy IPAs to smooth lagers and the sweet meads and stouts. Plus, they went really well with the chicken fingers and fries from Fabled’s food truck, Gobblin’ Goblin.
KungBrew Cafe
640 Main St., Covington
As an avid coffee drinker, I don’t opt for tea very often when I visit a cafe, but that’s changing, especially after visiting KungBrew Cafe, a sister cafe to Covington’s KungFood AmerAsia, for the first time this past spring. This specialty coffee and tea shop in the heart of Mainstrasse is one of the best places to spend a morning with a warm drink. The space is rich with Asian-inspired decor, including a beautiful mural by Adam Lusso on the second floor of the cafe. On the menu, KungBrew offers a variety of traditional black, green, oolong and herbal teas, along with a traditional coffee and espresso menu, which you can enhance with several kinds of syrup, including pandan — a tropical plant that grows in Southeast Asia. I opted for the Siren blend from local tea purveyor Wendigo Tea Co., which had a nice herbal taste with a spicy kick, thanks to the addition of ginger. And while I’m branching out into the world of tea, I do want to try KungBrew’s popular White Rabbit Latte next time — a drink inspired by Chinese white rabbit candies and featuring Lang Thang espresso, sweetened condensed milk, steamed milk and vanilla.