33 Black-Owned Greater Cincinnati Restaurants You Need to Try ASAP

Alabama Que

2733 Short Vine St., Corryville
Alabama Que was founded by Dwan Ward, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and former UC football player, in 2008. An Alabama native, Ward’s restaurant oozes Southern charm and a food truck was added to the business to keep up with growing demand. Some meat options include smoked chicken, beef brisket, smoked salmon and their famous turkey tips. Add some of their sides like the green beans, yams or mac & cheese for a hearty barbecue meal, and top it all off with a dessert: peach or apple cobbler, lemon or chocolate cake or banana pudding.

Elephant Walk Indian Bar and Grill

170 W. McMillan St., CUF
Not only does Elephant Walk Indian Bar and Grill serve up North Indian favorites like samosas, a variety of vegetarian dishes, tandoori specialties and naan burritos — a beloved street food in Mumbai — they also have an Ethiopian menu. Try the Misser Soup (a lentil soup seasoned with herbs and spices), an Injera Roll (Ethiopian vegan flatbread that’s wrapped around vegetables and your choice of protein), or the Awaze Tibs, cubed beef steak, pan-seared and sautéed with red onions, bell peppers, cardamom and awaze sauce and served with injera.

Cream + Sugar Coffeehouse

3546 Montgomery Road, Evanston
Serving up locally sourced organic coffee and tea, Cream + Sugar also offers breakfast and lunch with a focus on local and plant-based ingredients. Owned by longtime friends Taren Kinebrew and Crystal Grace, the coffee shop is designed to evoke a calming and welcoming vibe, with shades of blue and teal and window seating, as well as lounge space for larger groups.

Katch the Kitchen

4172 Hamilton Ave., Northside
After operating as a food truck for some time, Katch the Kitchen opened a brick-and-mortar spot in Northside in March 2021. Their menu consists of everything from French Toast Roll Ups with a vanilla cream cheese glaze to fries loaded with chicken, shrimp, crab, cheddar jack cheese and ranch. And for under $7, you can get a delicious breakfast burrito loaded with eggs, cheese, peppers, potatoes and your choice of meat.

Teranga

8438 Vine St., Hartwell
This African-American fusion restaurant offers a diverse and affordable menu. Find inexpensive meals, like the Senegalese Senburger, or full dinners like grilled tilapia and Jamaican oxtail with rice and peas. It’s a great place to try West African dishes such as Michoui Gigot (stuffed lamb leg with onion sauce). Sides range from couscous and French fries to fufu and attiéké.

Saturday Morning Vibes Cereal Bar

3539 Reading Road, Suite 101, Avondale
If you crave those memories of grabbing a bowl of cereal and plopping yourself in front of the TV to watch Saturday morning cartoons and now want to experience that with your kids, this Avondale cereal bar can help. The nostalgia is real at Saturday Morning Vibes as it features over 70 cereals from around the world, as well as toppings like strawberries, whipped cream and more to add to your bowl. Their menu also offers other breakfast favorites like bagels, parfaits, oatmeal and Deeper Roots coffee.

Express Wings

7625 Reading Road, Roselawn
Express Wings doesn't just do wings well. Enjoy their chicken sandwich that rivals some of its corporate competitors, or their famous chicken and waffles. You can also indulge in their cheeseburgers, seafood baskets or sandwiches or sample a little of everything with a fish, wings and fries combo.

Divine Appetite Cafe

8982 Cincinnati Columbus Road, West Chester
There are not many places in Cincinnati where you can go and get authentic African cuisine and comfort food, which is exactly what Divine Appetite Cafe excels at. The cozy, no-frills West Chester restaurant features traditional dishes like Waakye — African stewed tomato sauce, chicken, fish and a hard-boiled egg — and Banku, cornmeal dumplings served with okra sauce which includes fish, blue crab and beef. It also carries a homestyle menu with American-style dishes like fried chicken and smothered pork chops. Side dishes cross cultures with items ranging from french fries and mac & cheese to roti (Caribbean flatbread) and fried plantains.

Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant

5070 Crookshank Road, Westwood
Habesha is a hidden gem that offers authentic Ethiopian dishes. The restaurant serves traditional meals like Kitfo, a dish that features spiced minced meat with butter and mitmita — a seasoning mix made with chili peppers, cardamom, cloves and salt — topped with seasoned cheese. For non-meat-eaters, there’s also Yesom Beyaynetu, a platter of several vegetarian-friendly dishes.

Pluto’s Cafe

1817 Galbraith Road, North College Hill
On Pluto Cafe’s menu, you’ll find homestyle favorites like catfish, meatloaf and chicken tenders, as well as combo meals like their Game Time (whiting, wings and fries). Level up your plate with some delicious Southern-style sides like green beans, fries or coleslaw.

Rasheedah’s Cafe

5922 Hamilton Ave., College Hill
Rasheedah’s Cafe is located in an unassuming brick building in the heart of College Hill, but don’t let the modest exterior fool you; the cafe is full of heart, soul and delicious food. Rasheedah Majid first opened her self-named cafe in 1993 to address the need for halal dishes in Cincinnati. Now, the spot offers comfort food and halal meats like their salmon croquettes, fried fish and rib eyes for dinner and Philly cheese steaks and chili dogs for lunch.

Millie’s Place

5923 Madison Road, Madisonville
Millie’s Place has been a staple soul-food eatery in Cincinnati since opening in 1993. The classic after-church restaurant serves up fried chicken, fried fish, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, collard greens and other Southern favorites. For dessert, don’t pass on the peach cobbler or lemon cake.

Burnett’s Soul Food

1012 E McMillan St., Walnut Hills
If you love soul food, hearty sides and delicious desserts, you can find it all at Burnett's. Between breakfast platters, double-decker sandwiches and fish dinner specials, Burnett's has something for everyone.