The 10 Best Restaurants in Northern Kentucky, According to CityBeat Readers

No. 10 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: The Baker’s Table

1004 Monmouth St., Newport
This farm-to-table restaurant offers rustic, seasonal dishes featuring fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The menu offers prix-fixe dining, as well as pastas and mains. Don't skip dessert, especially the Chocolate Satin.

Menu recommendation: Bolognese: Visit on Monday nights for a double portion of this delicious pasta dish alongside a seasonal salad and live jazz music for just $35.

No. 9 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: 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.

Menu recommendation: The Tasting Menu: You get to pick one dish from each of the first-, second- and third-course menus, plus a dessert, for $65. Tack on an extra $40 for wine pairings.

No. 8 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: Agave & Rye

635 Madison Ave., Covington
Diners flock to Agave & Rye to enjoy its vibrant murals and funky decor while chowing down on unique tacos and sipping on flavorful margaritas.

Menu recommendation: The Filthy Fajita: A taco with carne asada steak, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, red peppers, Mexican rice, chipotle crema, queso and cilantro. Pair it with another taco featuring Agave & Rye’s mac & cheese plus a margarita to get the full experience.

No. 7 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: Libby's Southern Comfort

35 W. Eighth St., Covington
This Covington eatery pays tribute to Southern classics like fried chicken and half-shell oysters served alongside a variety of bourbon drinks and other local favorites. The atmosphere is hip but with cozy touches to make you feel at home.

Menu recommendation: Oyster Po’Boy: Seasoned deep-fried oysters, baby arugula, tomato and remoulade sauce served on a 16 Bricks Cubano Roll. Honorable mention goes to the appetizer Goetta Hush Puppies, made with Glier’s Goetta and served with remoulade.

No. 6 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: Greyhound Tavern

2500 Dixie Highway, Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky
The Greyhound Tavern has offered down-home comfort food to Northern Kentuckians since the 1920s. The atmosphere is pleasantly country-fied, with wood paneling, vinyl tablecloths and multiple fireplaces, and the menu reflects that, too.

Menu recommendation: Hot Brown: Your choice of country ham or oven-roasted turkey breast served on toast points and topped with bechamel sauce, cheddar, bacon and tomato.

No. 5 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: Coppin’s Restaurant & Bar

638 Madison Ave., Covington
Coppin’s is an elegant, yet approachable restaurant located inside the boutique Hotel Covington. Glamorous and modern, the dinner menu offers pasta dishes and American-style fare with innovative sides, but you can also stop in for a delicious breakfast or lunch. The bar also boasts an approachable vibe with serious mixology flair, with a seasonal drink menu that is always distinctive and creative.

Menu recommendation: Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi: Served with confit chicken legs and thighs, carrots, English peas chicken jus.

No. 4 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: KungFood Chu's AmerAsia

521 Madison Ave., Covington
Quaint and comfortable with a huge beer list, AmerAsia offers all the usual Chinese dishes and chef specialties, but the food is anything but the usual. Chef Chu makes it all from scratch. His motto: "Do not take shortcuts and do everything with passion and love."

Menu recommendation: General’s Chicken: The flagship signature dish. Beware: It’s spicy! Served with dark-meat fried chicken and cucumber slices tossed in a thick, sweet-and-spicy red sauce and a side of rice.

No. 3 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: Tuba Baking Co.

517 Sixth Ave., Dayton
Specializing in artisan sourdough Swabian-style soft pretzels, this German gastropub in Northern Kentucky packs a punch of flavor with a menu featuring made-from-scratch Southern German cuisine. Tuba Baking Co. also has a bar with German-centric beers, wines, liquors, cocktails and ciders that you can enjoy inside or out in its “brezelgarten.”

Menu recommendation: A woodfired Flammkuchen: This is German flatbread made with rye and spelt sourdough and can come with a variety of toppings. Go for the Kraut & Wurst (woodfired red bell pepper and onion sauce, mettwurst, caraway sauerkraut, onion and butterkäse and Swiss cheeses) for a very Germanic experience, or opt for the vegan style (red bell pepper and onion sauce, smoked carrots, pickled mushrooms and red cabbage). For dessert, you can also try the Apfel Flammkuchen (crème fraiche, Urban Stead quark, sliced apples, cinnamon sugar and caramel sauce).

No. 2 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: Pompilios

600 Washington Ave., Newport
Pompilios is best known for serving up classic red-sauce Italian dishes since 1933, but it also has another claim to fame: It’s been featured in movies, including that toothpick scene in Rain Man and '90s rollerblading film Airborne. Founder Colonel Pompilio was also the first to secure a liquor license in Kentucky after Prohibition ended, so it has an extensive bourbon list.

Menu recommendation: Build-Your-Own Pasta: Choose from 11 pastas, including spaghetti, fettuccine, penne and a gluten-free variety, and 10 sauces, like bolognese, meatball marinara, peso cream and more, to customize your dinner. You can also add a house salad or a cup a soup to your meal for a little extra.

No. 1 Best Northern Kentucky Restaurant: Walt’s Hitching Post

3300 Madison Pike, Ft. Wright
Named partly for the restaurant’s original owner Walt Ballanger and partly for the metal posts outside where restaurantgoers once hitched up their horses, Walt’s has been serving up its legendary dishes since 1942. The restaurant maintains its building’s rich history as an early 20th-century hunting lodge, with the exposed log wall in the main dining area that’s original to the building.

Menu recommendation: Walt’s Signature Smokehouse Slabs: Half or full rack of lightly charred ribs seasoned with a secret blend and served with Walt’s legendary BBQ sauce.