Jose Salazar’s Latin-American restaurant Mita’s has, once again, been named one of the best restaurants in America.
The USA Today Restaurants of the Year 2026 article lists the popular Downtown eatery as one of the 39 best in the entire country.
Salazar launched the restaurant in 2015 as an homage to his Colombian grandmother (his “mita”) with vibrant cuisine that has taken the city by storm ever since.
Known for their superb, eclectic menu and their extensive Spanish wine program, it’s a perennial candidate at the James Beard Awards: Salazar has been a finalist for the Best Chef – Great Lakes Region award six times now, while Mita’s itself was also nominated for Most Outstanding Restaurant in the country in 2024.
In a social media post on the restaurant’s Facebook page, a post from Salazar and his staff said they are “incredibly grateful” for the honor.
“Mita’s has always meant more than just a restaurant. It’s personal. It’s family. For 10 years, in the middle of Cincinnati’s central business district, we’ve been serving Spanish and Latin American inspired small plates with the belief that hospitality comes first, always,” the post reads. “This recognition belongs to our team, past and present, who show up every day and execute at the highest level. And to our guests who have supported us from day one. Thank you, Cincinnati, for being part of our story.”
Mita’s is located downtown at 501 Race Street. They are open 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.