18 of the Most Anticipated Bars and Restaurants Coming to Cincinnati
Hope you're hungry, because the Queen City has some exciting culinary additions to look forward to in the next year. With high-end eateries like Alara, new fast-food stops like Roy Rogers and local sweet shops like Hoity Toity Donut and Hello Honey, Cincinnati will get some good spots for grub soon.
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
1313 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Have you been missing the veggie burger from Krueger's Tavern? Us, too. (We've frequently named it a staff pick in the Best Of Cincinnati issue.) Well, there seems to be good news on the horizon for those of us craving burgers (meat and non), sausages and beer: Krueger's has announced that the restaurant will be reopening in an entirely new location. Krueger's closed its doors at 1211 Vine St. in March 2020 due to the pandemic and hasn't reopened since. Its parent company, Thunderdome Restaurant Group, then expanded the next-door Bakersfield taqueria into the space to allow for more seating and distancing. Now, the Krueger's website features an announcement saying the eatery will be moving into the old Panino location down the street. The restaurant plans to re-open this summer.
Photo: provided by Looking Glass Hospitality
5410 Medpace Way, Madisonville
The team behind Tahona Kitchen + Bar, Toast & Berry, S.W. Clyborne Co. and others is opening a new high-end eatery in Madisonville. Alara, described by Looking Glass Hospitality as "experiential" and "focusing on innovative menu items and warm hospitality," is slated to open at Madison Square — the development near Medpace and The Summit Hotel at the corner of Red Bank Expressway and Madison Road. The 8,000-square-foot space will feature an open kitchen, dining room, bar, patio and conservatory, plus room for private parties. The restaurant is slated to open this winter or at the start of 2023.
Photo: provided by Hello Honey
725 Race St., Over-the-Rhine; 188 N Fort Thomas Ave, Fort Thomas
Popular local gourmet ice cream shop Hello Honey is set to get two new locations soon. One shop is opening in Fort Thomas in the current location of Fort Thomas Coffee (which is moving down the street), and the other is a new location Downtown (changing locations from its previous home). This isn't your regular ice cream shop, Hello Honey serves up homemade creations with fresh ingredients and no artificial flavorings. They offer unique flavors from banana honeycomb to raspberry hibiscus chip plus vegan options like strawberry rose sorbet. They currently have a shop open in Walnut Hills. The two upcoming locations do not have opening dates.
Rendering: provided by Roy Roger's Restaurants
Western-themed fast-food chain Roy Rogers, named for the Cincinnati-born actor and cowboy, plans to open a Queen City location this year. This historic franchise, founded in 1968, is known for items like fried chicken, roast beef sandwiches and their iconic Double R Burger — a quarter-pounder topped with American cheese and ham on a Kaiser roll. It's also bringing its famed "Fixin’s bar" to the local restaurant, allowing customers to top their burgers with their choice of condiments and veggies. The new spot is set to open in Cleves this winter. This opening is part of a 10-unit restaurant deal with local restaurant franchise group One Holland Corporation.
505 Vine St., Downtown
National indoor golf and entertainment company Five Iron Golf is set to open in Fountain Square this year. The company signed a lease at 80 W. Fifth St. in the space formerly occupied by Macy’s, per a release from Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC). This location is part of The Foundry, 3CDC’s $51 million mixed-use development at Fountain Square. The 13,000-square-foot facility will host 13 golf simulators “featuring multiple high-speed cameras to capture every angle of the golf swing.” Other leisure games plus a full bar and restaurant will be offered for players and non-golfers alike. 3CDC says they expect Five Iron Golf to open in late 2022.
1505 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
A new boba shop is coming to Over-the-Rhine soon. Qlicious will be the name of this new branch of Mason-based Queens Bakery, owned by Jerry Liu. According to a press release from 3CDC, the shop will serve five types of drinks — milk tea, fruit tea, smoothies and shakes, yogurt and sparkling inside the 499-square-foot space on Vine Street. “Over-the-Rhine is a hot spot where everyone likes to go; it’s a cool cultural hub and good mixed-diversity location,” said Liu. “Being local, we absolutely want to have our flagship store there.” The opening date for this new location has not been announced yet.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
6304 Vine St., Elmwood
People of Elmwood Place, rejoice: Bridges Nepali Cuisine announced it's going to open a third location in the neighborhood.
"Bridges is excited to open its third location to serve the beautiful elmwood neighborhood!!! We will be open soon! Thank you for your love and support," the restaurant wrote in an Instagram post. The post shows a photo of owners Ashak Chipalu and his parents, Rose and Manoj, embracing in front of the new location at 6304 Vine Street, formerly occupied by Mikey's Kitchen. No opening date has been set, but
CityBeat staff hungrily await Bridges' newest location in Elmwood.
124 W. Fourth St., Downtown
A national bakery cafe chain is opening its first Ohio location in Cincinnati. Paris Baguette has more than 90 storefronts across the country, and its newest one is set to open inside 3CDC's recent 4th & Race development. Cincinnati restaurateur Ai Lin of Sichuan Chili and Gyu-Kaku BBQ will own and operate the new location, per a press release from 3CDC. According to 3CDC, Lin came across Paris Baguette while visiting her mother in Flushing, Queens, where she is originally from. There are three locations just in that neighborhood alone, so she was inspired to bring Paris Baguette to Cincinnati. An official opening date has not been announced.
Photo: Savana Willhoite
Popular Sharonville brewery Third Eye Brewing is opening a second location. The brewery opened its original spot in June 2020. Now, Third Eye Brewing is gearing up to open a new place in Hamilton in early 2023, per a release. The Hamilton location will be home to a 10,000-square-foot production facility that will allow Third Eye to increase its annual barrel production from 2,000 to 10,000. With more beer comes more people, and Third Eye plans to accommodate the crowds in its 6,000-square-foot taproom, which includes a covered patio and a full kitchen run by chef Steven Vanderpool.
Photo: provided by Newport on the Levee
One Levee Way, Newport
Newport on the Levee is getting a new nautical-themed brewery. 16 Lots Brewing Company in Mason has announced plans to open a new location on the banks of the Ohio River this year. Launched in 2017, 16 Lots creates its own brews, developing everything from hazy IPAs like the Lots in My Eye PA! to The Major pilsner and fruity sours like Tiki Vibrancy. This 7,000-square-foot location in Newport will be known as 16 Lots Southern Outpost. The Southern Outpost will serve up craft beer, cocktails, adult slushies and “sophisticated gastropub food," per the release. Former Moerlein Lager House head brewer and 16 Lots co-owner Erich Streckfuss will serve as brewmaster.
