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20 of Cincinnati's Most Beautiful Restaurants and Bars

By CityBeat Staff

Whether you're planning an extravagant date night or you just want a classy night on the town with your friends, the Queen City has a plethora of breathtaking restaurants and bars to set your sights on. Whether utilizing the city's historic architecture or starting fresh with contemporary touches, these spots are sure to dazzle anyone looking for an evening of elegance.

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Karrikin Spirits Co.

3717 Jonlen Drive, Fairfax
Karrikin Spirits Co. is a "grain to glass" distillery and restaurant located in Fairfax. Essentially a one-stop-shop for a variety of housemade spirits and beverages like vodka, gin, agave spirit, rum and fruit brandies as well as hard sodas, non-alcoholic sodas and beers. In addition to beverages, the restaurant offers a menu full of creative housemade dishes. The dining area includes two formal spaces on either side of the kitchen-bar, and a lounge area with an eclectic grouping of chairs and couches upon which guests can sip, dine and hang out.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Branch

1535 Madison Road, Walnut Hills
The team behind The Littlefield has opened this new concept in East Walnut Hills in the former Art Deco Central Trust Bank Building at the corner of Woodburn and Madison avenues. Branch is the restaurant portion of the space and is located upstairs while Night Drop, the bar, is located downstairs. Both have a focus on local art with mosaics, chandeliers and murals created by Cincinnati artists. The menu at Branch is overseen by executive chef Shoshannah Anderson and offers a mix of “classic and contemporary American with ethnic influences."
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Pepp & Dolores

1501 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Pepp & Dolores is the latest from Thunderdome Restaurant Group — the team behind The Eagle, Bakersfield, Currito and Maplewood Kitchen and Bar. The Italian eatery is inspired by Sunday dinners at Thunderdome co-founders Joe and John Lanni's grandparents' house. “We designed the space to have a timeless look and feel with elements of a classic cafe or bistro from the early to mid-20th century on the first level and a lower level that is darker, cozier and reminiscent of a New York City supper club,” says John Lanni. The menu features housemade pastas — like the butternut and mascarpone pasta and a lobster and squid ink pasta — along with a focus on shareable dishes, salads and bread.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Losanti

1401 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
The boutique steakhouse from the team behind downtown’s Crown Republic Gastropub took over the former Anchor-OTR space. Its name is a reference to the original Cincinnati settlement of Losantiville, which dates back to 1788. The steakhouse opened in the fall and has revamped the space to offer a non-traditional take on the typical white-tablecloth concept, featuring casual seating arrangements for diners, a bar and a patio that overlooks Washington Park and Music Hall.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Orchids at Palm Court

35 W. Fifth St., Downtown
Nestled inside Carew Tower’s historic Art Deco Hilton hotel, Orchids hosts a breathtaking feast for the eyes — a perfect backdrop the seasonally-attuned menu that takes advantage of seasonal produce and combines those ingredients with top-quality seafood and meat from a variety of sources. The AAA five-diamond menu features creative, fresh cuisine paired with an award-winning wine list and delicious desserts.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Coppin’s at Hotel Covington

638 Madison Ave., Covington
There’s a strong local identity to the location and the menu at Coppin’s, with nods to history and the new South, the bourbon and the banter that starts at the Roebling Bridge. Chef Mitch Arens has created a menu that focuses on local and sustainable eats, pushing his New Orleans cooking experience to the foreground. Try any of the “for two” options for a delicious, romantic date-night meal. The restaurant also has a swanky bar and lounge space to enjoy a nice cocktail, or sit outside in the spacious courtyard.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Sotto

118 E. Sixth St., Downtown
Located under Boca restaurant, the Tuscan-inspired Sotto offers a more approachable atmosphere and price point than its upstairs neighbor. With multiple dining rooms, the kitchen is open to view, including the custom-made wood-fire grill in front and a fresh-pasta room in the back hallway. Menu items include handmade pasta, house-cured salami and big-ticket items like Bistecca Fiorentina, a grilled creekstone porterhouse steak with daily sides. Sotto sources their bread from Blue Oven and also grows their own herbs and vegetables. Now serving lunch during the week.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Sundry and Vice

18 W. 13th St., OTR
Sundry and Vice's apothecary-inspired drinks lend more textures, colors and flavors than a classic list of libations.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Metropole

609 Walnut St., Downtown
With a menu focused on dishes cooked in a custom-built wood-burning fireplace, the restaurant is a showcase for the area’s sustainable farmers and producers, and the menu features an ever-changing list of hearth-roasted meat and fish, along with vegetables, grains and housemade charcuterie. Offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar bites, including a seven-hour egg (boiled in coffee, tea and onion) and hot olives. Inventive craft cocktails feature housemade shrubs and tonic.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Lonely Pine Steakhouse

6085 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge
This steakhouse, located next door to the Shining-themed Overlook Lodge, is "inspired by Midcentury Modern styling and the spirit of America's great landscapes" and features a display of available steaks in a glass case at the front of the restaurant. Owners Jacob Trevino and Otto Baum have tapped chef Jared Beckman and butcher Sam Mischenko to create a menu that features filets, ribeyes, strips and rare cuts, along with steakhouse sides, cocktails and a "bold" wine list.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger