Patio season is upon us in the Queen City (bless), and after what feels like perhaps the longest winter of our lives, we all deserve some fresh air and a cold one. If it’s been a little while since you’ve been out and about, there are some hot new spots on the scene that opened over this past year, with some pretty sweet patios.

From a rooftop bar to string-lit biergartens and even a drinking destination perched along the Ohio River — there are plenty of new spots in Cincinnati to check out this summer.

The Standard 434 Main St., Covington The dynamic duo behind popular Covington dining and drinking destinations Otto’s, Frida and Larry’s opened their most recent project, The Standard last summer, breathing life into a familiar corner in the neighborhood. Co-owner Emily Wolff says that when the opportunity to embark on a new journey to transform the former garage and filling station on the corner of Fifth and Main streets presented itself, they were all in. The Standard’s food menu features bright and playful flavors that complement the warmer season. The Standard has both indoor and outdoor seating, with plenty of patio space beneath the garage’s canopies and beyond to spread out and socially distance. Photo: Savana Willhoite
Vista at Lytle Park 311 Pike St., Downtown Cincinnati’s new Lytle Park Hotel features a spectacular rooftop patio named the Vista at Lytle Park. The 5,000-square-foot rooftop lounge offers panoramic views of the Queen City and Ohio River. The space is equipped with an “indoor” lounge (where the bar is located) lined with windows that open up to the outdoor patio with two fireplaces, seating and tables. Choose from a selection of cocktails, wine, beer and spirits. They also offer a selection of light bites and shareables. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Westwood Nation Kitchen & Bar 3435 Epworth Ave., Westwood Nation Kitchen & Bar offers a variety of burgers and sandwiches like the popular Nation burger, with a 6-ounce brisket patty, smoked cheddar, whiskey barbecue sauce, onion straws and horseradish aioli on a challah bun. On the weekends, guests can enjoy a menu of brunchy bites. After slingin’ patties in Pendleton since 2015, the Best of Cincinnati award-winning eatery opened a second location in Westwood in the revitalized Junietta Avenue Firehouse in October. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Nomad 225 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue Bellevue bar and eatery Nomad opened its doors in September. They serve craft cocktails and beer, but the main attraction is their boozy (and virgin) milkshakes, tater tot baskets and tacos. The bar offers a dreamy, string-lit patio for outdoor dining and drinking, as well as seating inside — including a pretty sweet game room with a big comfy couch. Photo: Facebook.com/NomadKY
Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge 1432 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge, which officially opened last summer, features bottles from women and minority winemakers, as well as eight wines on tap, live music, a limited selection of spirits and beer, and small plates from local businesses. Their dreamy outdoor patio is cozy and private with plenty of palm trees. Photo via Facebook.com/NostalgiaOTR
Bridgeview Box Park 1 Levee Way, Newport Bridgeview Box Park, a cluster of small food, drink and shopping vendors conglomerated where Mitchell’s Fish Market used to sit at Newport on the Levee, hosted its grand opening in June. The establishments are housed next to each other in shipping-like containers — hence the “box park” in the name — and are interspersed among a common outdoor area. Choose from establishments like Bon Mi Street, Kon Tiki on the Levee, Little Spoon Bakery & Cafe and Wooden Cask Brewing. The space overlooks the Ohio River and city and features turf lounge areas, string lights and outdoor games like corn hole and giant Jenga. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Dear Restaurant & Butchery 2710 Erie Ave., Hyde Park This Hyde park eatery and butcher shop takes over the space formerly occupied by Teller’s of Hyde Park — the historic space was once a bank. The menu ranges from Wagyo beef tartar, charcuterie and oysters to main dishes like lamb sugo and duck — or opt for a shareable dish like the truffled chicken cushion or chicken-fried mushrooms. The eatery also boasts a pretty great patio. Photo via Facebook.com/DearHydePark
Covington Yard 401 Greenup St., Covington This long-anticipated outdoor establishment opened in the fall, offering a small community of repurposed shipping containers housing local restaurants like Django Western Taco, Mr. Bulgogi, Hungry Omar’s and Yard Bird, plus a selection of draft and craft brews. Photo via Facebook.com/CovingtonYard
Green House Bar 424 W. Sixth St., Covington A well-known MainStrasse watering hole recently turned over a new leaf. After 26 years, Pachinko Bar has transformed into a chic and breezy West Coast-inspired drinking establishment called Green House Bar. The new bar and restaurant opened in August and offers a trendy spot for visitors to “kick back, relax, have good conversation and a little tomfoolery.” The menu offers several seasonal cocktails, like Recession Proof with CBD seltzer and vodka, and The Green House, a vodka, lemon and lavender cocktail, plus classic cocktails, craft nonalcoholic beverages and a petite list of wines. In addition to sips, they also have a few light bites like pimento cheese and Tommy Dip. There’s two spaces to sip and enjoy inside, but the space offers a breezy outdoor patio space as well. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Agave & Rye 3825 Edwards Road, Rookwood Agave & Rye is known for its “epic” tacos and over-the-top decor. Its inventive menu includes a wide variety of eats, including a generous helping of outlandish tacos. Some of the standouts include The Bomb with carne asada steak, chopped bourbon-poached shrimp, mac and cheese, A&R spicy chili, barbecue jam and tobacco jam; and The Cat’s Meow with white cheddar, grits, andouille sausage, bourbon shrimp, green onion, jambalaya sauce and crispy bell pepper. The Covington-based taco chain opened up their Rookwood location last fall, featuring a spacious outdoor patio space with plenty of table seating and lounging spots to enjoy. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Fifty West Burger Bar 7605 Wooster Pike, Newtown Fifty West Brewing Company continues to build upon their Columbia Township empire with the addition of the new Fifty West Burger Bar, an homage to the 1950s roadside root beer stand. Offering a variety of proteins (including the vegetarian-friendly ‘Beyond patty’), each is offered in 12 different ways, named for the 12 different states U.S. Route 50 travels through. The eatery has a variety of Fifty West brand brews to wash it all down with and features plenty of tables (with umbrellas) to dine upon. Photo: Savana Willhoite Photo: Savana Willhoite
Esoteric Brewing Co. 900 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills Walnut Hills’ long-awaited Esoteric Brewing hosted its grand opening in early September. Cincinnati’s first Black- and Filipino-owned brewery, the team revitalized the 1930s Art Deco Paramount Building, which was once a department store but had been fallow for decades. The brewery offers an elevated beer drinking experience, using locally sourced and grown ingredients and creates “a sumptuous experience that changes the way you think about beer.” Out back, the brewery features a spacious outdoor patio space with plenty of large picnic tables. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Emery 6914 Wooster Pike, Mariemont Looking Glass Hospitality Group — the team behind TAHONA Kitchen+Bar, S.W. Clyborne Provision & Spirits, Fretboard Brewing & Public House and Toast & Berry — opened their latest restaurant in December 2020 in Mariemont Square. Described as a “polished-casual” restaurant, “the menu is seafood-leaning but also includes fare from the garden and farm,” says a release.The 5,800-square-foot eatery features a second-floor dining room and cocktail lounge with a first-floor pub and outdoor patio. It also features a saltwater aquarium as a “centerpiece” on the second floor. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Cedar 701 Main St., Covington Scratch-made brunch spot Cedar opened its doors last summer in Covington’s former Main Street Tavern space. With co-owner and chef Jeremy Faeth at the helm, the eatery’s mission is to take diners on a one-hour vacation through food and experience. The menu elevates classic dishes through local, house-made elements, like spreading homemade bacon jam and green olive-garlic aioli on their house Cedar Burger, and serving their sandwiches on bread from Sixteen Bricks, a local artisan bakery. With funky combinations like spicy candied bacon in cocktails, omelets topped with shrimp and crab cream sauce, or infusing lamb into their chorizo gravy, it’s clear the Faeths are bringing fresh ideas to the table. The space features plenty of indoor seating in the stylish eatery, or head out back to the restaurant’s generously-sized patio to enjoy your brunchy feast. Photo: Facebook.com/CedarRestaurantCov
Pata Roja Taqueria 1208 Sycamore St., Pendleton Pata Roja Taqueria has found a permanent home in Pendleton on Bar Saeso’s patio space. The restaurant specializes in food inspired by Mexico City such as al pastor and bistec street tacos and bean stew with sausage. The bar patio provides outdoor seating to enjoy in the summer months. Grab a drink from Saeso’s back bar “The Cantina,” offering margaritas, house cocktails and a variety of cervezas to pair with your meal. Photo: Facebook.com/PataRojaTacos
Northern Row Brewing 111 W. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine Over-the-Rhine’s Northern Row taproom and patio opened last spring. With 13 taps of their own beers, the brewery also offers a full bar and cocktail menu using their housemade spirits. Their brews range from lighter varieties like the fruit peach beer “Preacher” or the kolsch-style “Barrister,” to darker suds like the barrel aged imperial stout “Boozer.” Choose from a generous menu ranging from roast beef and cheddar sliders to a stuffed acorn squash, chili mac or, on Sundays, try the “Holy Toledo it’s a Breakfast Burrito.” The brewery features a cozy, dog-friendly patio. Photo: Facebook.com/NorthernRow
Ivory House 2998 Harrison Ave., Westwood This West Side eatery opened its doors in July and prides itself on specializing in “familiar food, elevated,” and offering a fresh take on nostalgic-inducing dishes.?The menu offers nearly 10 small plates smash sliders and tomato bruschetta, as well as eight different steak options, and lunch dishes like the vegan club, lobster roll tacos and a pimento grilled cheese. They also offer a pretty delicious brunch menu. Dine in or opt for the petite outdoor covered patio. Photo: Facebook.com/IvoryHouseCincy
Galactic Fried Chicken 624 Sixth Ave., Dayton Former food truck Galactic Fried Chicken opened a brick-and-mortar in Northern Kentucky’s Dayton neighborhood at the very start of the pandemic, right next door to Unataza Coffee. The petite restaurant, owned by Shane Coffey and his wife Kathy McDonald, serves fried chicken, chicken tenders and sandwiches, along with a variety of sides ranging from mac and cheese to deviled eggs, fries and salads. They also offer a vegetarian option of fried jackfruit nuggets. Head outback to the eatery’s patio for a cozy and colorful dining experience. Perfect place to sip on a bourbon cream slush. Photo: Facebook.com/GalacticFriedChicken
Condado Tacos Mason 5070 Deerfield Blvd., Mason Columbus-based build-your-own taco chain Condado Tacos opened their third Cincinnati location last August. Located in Mason’s Deerfield Towne Center, the eatery features over-the-top taco creations, shareables and margaritas, plus other boozy bevs to wash it all down and a decently-sized patio to sip and munch upon. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Eishaus 117 Park Place, Covington Covington’s Roebling Point district got a little bit sweeter this past fall with the opening of German-inspired ice cream, eats and coffee window Eishaus. The creamery features the unique frozen treat “spaghetti eis,” an ice cream dish with ice cream “noodles” and toppings that resemble sauces and meatballs. They even have a locally-inspired treat that looks like a Cincinnati chili 3-way. Outfront of the shop are several spots to sit and soak in some local sights while enjoying your frosty treat. Photo via Facebook.com/Eishaus