Here are the Top 12 Restaurants Cincinnati Chef Jose Salazar Recommends

Nolia

1405 Clay St., Over-the-Rhine
Bringing New Orleans-style flair and fare to Over-the-Rhine, Nolia offers diners an upscale, yet approachable, experience, which is exactly what Salazar loves about it, adding it’s “yummy A.F.” He also appreciates the changing menu. “The menu is a tour of what proper Southern food can and should be.”

Bouquet

519 Main St., Covington
At this Covington eatery, elegant small plates, entrées and thoughtful wine pairings set the stage for an intimate dining experience. Working closely with local sources, Bouquet’s upscale farm-to-table approach means a fresh, frequently rotating menu packed with seasonal ingredients, which is exactly what Salazar loves about it. He says it’s “sometimes forgotten because that’s what happens when you do something so consistently good for so long. May just be time to revisit them.”

Saint Francis Apizza

3392 Erie Ave., Hyde Park
Salazar says, as a New Yorker, he’s got strong opinions about pizza, and Alex Plattner at Saint Francis Apizza and his team get it right and are always working to improve. The popular pizzeria offers a variety of house pies, like the Cincy Supreme and the Fancy White, or you can build your own. And if you want to pack your freezer with Saint Francis' frozen pies to toss in the oven whenever you get the craving, Salazar swears they taste exactly the same as fresh from the pizzeria.

Mazunte

5207 Madison Road, Madisonville; 611 Main St., Downtown
Mazunte has been long-hailed as a "hidden gem," offering a mix of casual order-at-the-counter dining with authentic, high-quality Mexican cuisine. Salazar says the tacos are good, but don’t sleep on the memalitas (thin masa cakes that have been grilled and can be topped with chicken, chorizo, pork or vegetables) or the pozole (a traditional Mexican soup). It’s also cheap with an authentic Mexico feel, all the way down to the cinder blocks and milk crates for furniture, he adds.

The Arepa Place (Wyoming)

1517 Springfield Pike, Wyoming
Arepa Place’s Wyoming location may not be on a lot of people’s radar, says Salazar. Owner Isis Arrieta-Dennis brought the Findlay Market favorite’s menu of fast-casual South American eats to the neighborhood in 2022. The restaurant serves up authentic Colombian eats inspired by her home country, with stuffed arepas — a pocket-like food made from a corn dough and filling — being the main star of the menu. “Colombian food is not very well known in our city,” says Salazar. “If you want to taste the real thing (and you should), go see them.”

Longfellow

1233 Clay St., Over-the-Rhine
Longfellow is a stylish, lowkey cocktail bar that has a menu of beers, wines, expertly crafted cocktails and Old-World-inspired food. Salazar says the drinks are fabulous and the small plates crave-able. “Mike Stankovich and crew will make you feel like an old friend even if it’s your first time,” he told CityBeat.

Oriental Wok

317 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park; 2444 Madison Road, Hyde Park
Transcending the typical Chinese American menu since 1977, Oriental Wok and the Wong family offer upscale, innovative, fresh and delicious chef-prepared cuisine that’s never boring. Salazar likes that it’s been family-run for three generations and always has some cool off-menu items (be sure to ask). He says Oriental Wok also has the best service.

Kiki

5932 Hamilton Ave., College Hill
Kiki College Hill features a menu of not-your-typical Japanese cuisine crafted by chefs Hideki and Yuko Harada and was recently featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Salazar says the restaurant is a real neighborhood spot that’s worth the trip and calls the kakiage and ramen “killer,” adding, “I heard they are doing whole fish. I can’t wait to go try it.”

The Precinct

311 Delta Ave., Columbia Tusculum
The Precinct, named after the Romanesque-style former police precinct it’s housed in, is a premier steakhouse from the Jeff Ruby Culinary Group. And, sure, you know all about The Precinct’s steaks, but Salazar says when he goes there, he wants the burger. “My favorite burger and fries in the city in one of the most wonderful bar rooms anywhere,” he told CityBeat.

Pickled Pig

645 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills
The Pickled Pig is known for its made-from-scratch sandwiches, soups and salads, as well as small-batch fermented and pickled goods. Salazar says they have the most amazing ferments and tasty sammies, plus owners Gary Leybman and Libby Power are “the nicest people this side of the Mississippi.”

Onolicious

1005 Walnut St., Downtown
Salazar calls Onolicious’ Hawaiian barbecue “damn tasty” and says there’s nothing else like it in Cincinnati. And rumor has it brunch is “knock-your-socks-off good.” The menu features tropical fare made with locally sourced ingredients, and patrons can expect a variety of classic Hawaiian dishes, as well as other island-style offerings. “Makes me want to fly to Hawaii right this moment just thinking about the food,” Salazar says.

Colette

1400 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
A new restaurant from chef Danny Combs, Colette is a French-ish restaurant that opened just steps away from Washington Park last November. The restaurant embodies Old World style, with a warm and inviting atmosphere that doesn’t lose that neighborhood feel. Salazar says the place has “some of the most talented pros in the city under one roof. Pretty much everything is going to be well executed.” On that well-executed menu, you’ll find French and French-inspired cuisine like Raviole du Dauphiné (served with Comté cheese, ricotta and brown butter) and Steak Frites (an 8-ounce Creekstone New York strip steak with peppercorn sauce and served with fries). To drink, guests can choose from an extensive list of sparkling, white and red wines, craft cocktails and beer. And for dessert, don’t miss out on the Mille-Feuille (caramelized puff pastry with crème diplomate).