The local food scene has been a cornerstone of CityBeat coverage since the beginning in 1994, albeit originally in slightly more obtuse ways — like we used to discuss the merits of baguettes versus rye and listed restaurant health code violations (a gross but informative early column). It wasn’t until later in 1995 that dining writer Polly Campbell — yes, The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Campbell did a stint as a CityBeat contributor — started regularly featuring and reviewing local restaurants. In that time, we’ve seen many establishments come and go — some good, some really good and some, honestly, kind of bad — and eaten at/written about most of them. Turns out, we’re pretty hungry and pretty opinionated. For our 25th anniversary, we thought we’d take a look at some of restaurants that have stood the test of time, including these favorite Queen City mainstays.
Pompilios 600 Washington Ave., Newport This restaurant, where the toothpick scene in Rain Man was filmed, has been offering classic family Italian food since 1933. You really can’t go wrong with any pasta dish. Play a game of bocce ball on the back court in the warmer months or grab a burger in the attached Colonel Pomp’s Tavern. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Pompilio’s 600 Washington Ave., Newport Open since 1933, Pompilio’s is locally beloved for its family-friendly Italian fare and appearance in several motion pictures, including that toothpick scene in Rain Man and ’90s Rollerblading film Airborne (actor Shane McDermott who played relocated surfer Mitchell Goosen alongside the likes of Jack Black and Seth Green said Pompilio’s stands out as one of his favorite places in the city). Founder Colonel Pompilio was also the first to secure a liquor license in Kentucky after Prohibition ended, so they have a surprisingly extensive bourbon list. The menu is classic red-sauce Italian with dishes like homemade lasagna, manicotti and ravioli topped with Pompilio-family recipe sauces and served with a literal loaf of sliced white bread. The Pomp Salad (with homemade ranch dressing) and the killer cannoli are a must. The food is as casual and comforting as the surroundings, with a Sunday family dinner-vibe and a bonus bocce court. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Arnold’s Bar and Grill 1210 E. Eighth St., Downtown, arnoldsbarandgrill.com Open since 1861, Arnold’s is the oldest continuously running tavern in town, complete with dark wood walls, vintage memorabilia and a big ol’ bathtub rumored to have been used to make gin during Prohibition. A Cincinnati classic, it serves up a nice range of lunch and dinner options — pasta, sandwiches and burgers, plus vegan and gluten-free options — at bargain prices, a concept instituted in the 1970s by then-owner Jim Tarbell. Enjoy a local draft in the outdoor courtyard, once used as a stable and carriage house, and almost daily live music. It was named one of the best bars in America by Esquire magazine and current executive chef, Kayla Robison, recently competed on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Zip’s Café 1036 Delta Ave., Mount Lookout, zipscafe.com Open since 1926, Zip’s Cafe is an East Side institution and perennial Best Of Cincinnati staff and reader pick winner. The cafe’s claim to fame — besides the little toy train that runs along the ceiling — is having some of the best burgers in town: fresh, flame-broiled Avril-Bleh beef patties (sourced locally every day), served on a honey-egg bun. The fan-favorite Girth burger — named by former Bengal punter Pat McInally — features a classic Zip burger topped with a split, grilled Avril-Bleh mettwurst. With worn wood flooring and dark wood paneling, the small space is separated into a dining area and a bar by a saloon-style door. Zip’s owner Mike Burke says that years ago, the bar area or “code room” was where customers placed illegal bets on horse races. Today, head to the code room to grab a local beer on draft while you wait for space at a booth or a seat at one of the shared family-style tables. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Scotti’s 919 Vine St., Downtown, searchable on Facebook. If you haven’t taken a selfie against the colorfully schizophrenic tiled dining room wall of Scotti’s, are you really a Cincinnatian? Run by multiple generations of the DiMarco and Scoleri families for more than a century, dining here is a real experience. The red-and-white checkered tablecloths, lit by dripping candles in old Chianti bottles, offer a bizarre portal into another time and place, filled with veal and pasta and the voice of early 1900s baritone Antonio Scotti (the restaurant’s namesake). Even in 1996, we loved this odd, historic gem for its singular ability to stand still while the world turned. “Scotti’s remains steadfastly anachronistic, evoking an old-fashioned view of Italy: Sicily, red sauce, opera singers. The cottage exterior is charmingly continental; inside, the narrow dining room was decorated by some kind of berserk tilesetter — the effect is halfway between the Watts Tower and your grandmother’s bathroom. Opera music plays, and the ancient cash register takes an amazing amount of banging and ringing to complete a sale. It’s all rather weird and wonderful and it’s impossible not to have a fondness for the place.” Grazie mille. Photo: Paige Deglow
Mecklenburg Gardens 302 E. University Ave., Corryville CityBeat contributor Felix Winternitz nicely summed up Mecklenburg Gardens’ status in local lore in a 1996 story: “Opened more than a century ago as a German biergarten, it evolved into a horse-gambling den, a source of illegal booze during Prohibition, a pizza joint, a billiard hall, a Mobil four-star restaurant and today a casual dining spot. Throw in some fires, at least one police shooting, plus the abductions and deprogrammings during the days it was owned by an ashram, and you’ve got the stuff of legend.” Mecklenburg’s also once served as a town hall for an imaginary German village — “Kloppenburg” — to help immigrants learn about American politics. And as much as the restaurant introduced Germans to American culture, today the beloved institution is a place to reconnect with Cincinnati’s Germanic roots. The grape-vine-laden arbors surround one of best biergartens in America (rated No. 1 by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2011). And while they do have a modern slant to some menu items, Mecklenburg’s excels at serving the best of the wurst: bratwurst, mettwurst and goettawurst on sauerkraut; wiener schnitzel; goulash; sauerbraten; spaetzle; soft pretzels with Düsseldorf mustard… all washed down with a hefeweizen or kölsch which, yes, you can get in a 1-liter glass boot. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Camp Washington Chili 3005 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington, campwashingtonchili.com In 1998, we ran a cover story on Camp Washington Chili asking whether progress could spell demise for the chili parlor. Nope. Opened in a former Kroger in 1940 by current owner Johnny Johnson’s uncle (Johnson, a Greek immigrant, started working there in 1951), the original Camp Washington Chili had to relocate next door during a road-widening project on Hopple Street. The new building, modeled after a 1950s-style diner and featuring the same iconic “chili” sign from the 1960s, carries on Camp Washington Chili’s 75-year legacy. Still helmed by Johnson and his family, the 24/6 diner is a James Beard Award winner, has been featured in a ton of national media and includes a menu of greasy-spoon breakfast offerings, double decker sandwiches, Cincinnati-style chili, coneys and even a few salads. “Chili is his passion, his first love,” Johnson’s wife Antigone said in the CityBeat story. “Everything else come(s) second. He’ll never retire.” It’s that devotion, plus the dependable sense of familiarity, family and neighborhood — and maybe a dash of that secret-recipe chili — that makes this parlor so iconic. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Dee Felice Café 529 Main St., Covington, deefelicecafe.com Opened by Jazz drummer Dee Felice in 1984, this MainStrasse mainstay blends live music and Cajun flavor. In 1997, we wrote: “Entering the bistro you feel as if you’ve walked through some magic wall and into New Orleans’ French Quarter. You immediately encounter the smell of cayenne, Tabasco, crawfish and booze, and, if you concentrate enough, you can imagine a whispered ‘Throw us some beads!’ from the patrons.” The menu features all the classics — blackened catfish, jambalaya (with handmade andouille), po’ boys and an etouffee with a sauce so good they sell it by the jar — plus an iconic boll de neige dessert: basically a ball of chocolate cake and melted chocolate infused with rum, chilled and covered in whipped cream. Photo via Facebook.com/DeeFeliceCafe
Blue Jay Restaurant 4154 Hamilton Ave., Northside, searchable on Facebook In 2017, Northside’s Blue Jay celebrated its 50th anniversary. Of that anniversary, dining contributor Lauren Moretto wrote, “Near the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Medill Alley in Northside sits a piece of the American dream. Since its opening in 1967, the Blue Jay Restaurant has, for the most part, remained the same, boasting a nostalgic image and homestyle eats that keep regulars coming back and draws others in to experience the food for the first time.” Opened by Greek immigrants and still family owned, the diner boasts forest-green vinyl and vintage Formica and serves Cincinnati-style chili in bowls, on coneys and 3-ways, plus classics like all-day breakfast, double decker sandwiches and homemade pie. Its vintage appearance has also drawn the eye of Hollywood and the Blue Jay was featured in locally filmed movies including The Old Man & the Gun and The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sugar n’ Spice 4381 Reading Road, Paddock Hills, eatsugarnspice.com Back in 2016, we chatted with then-owner of Paddock Hills cult favorite eatery Sugar n’ Spice about the restaurant’s 75th anniversary. Opened in 1941 by Mort Keller — using a “wispy thin” pancake recipe he bought from an eatery during a trip to California — Steve Frankel took over the restaurant from a friend in 2010. In that interview, Frankel said, “It’s been here for so long at this point, everyone has a story here. …We aren’t considered an ‘East Side’ or ‘West Side’ establishment. We are just a Cincinnati establishment.” Now, almost eight decades in, it remains one of the city’s most popular places for people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds to grab breakfast. Earlier this year, Adam Mayerson — the sixth owner — bought Sugar n’ Spice from Frankel and has little plans to change the original location. But a second Sugar n’ Spice in the former Joe’s Diner in Over-the-Rhine is in the works (hopefully with more seating and the same rubber ducky toys to go). Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Oriental Wok 317 Buttermilk Pike, Fort Mitchell, orientalwok.com Transcending the typical Chinese American menu since 1977, Oriental Wok serves upscale, fresh and chef-prepared cuisine that’s never boring — from five-spice tofu over stir-fried greens to sea bass with black bean and garlic sauce and Chinatown chop suey. Overseen by generations of the Wong family, CityBeat staff rightly gave the restaurant the nod for the Best Place to Feel Like Family in our 2011 Best Of Cincinnati issue: “Oriental Wok in Fort Mitchell is freaking fantastic. We don’t know if it’s the delicious food, the 1980s staircase in the dining room or that owner Mike Wong will sit at your table and, with beer in hand, demand that he whip you up something special.” The recessed koi ponds, golden railings, Chinese décor and outfitted hostesses are all slightly reminiscent of Club Obi Wan from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which makes dinner here a transportive and slightly theatrical experience. The service is impeccable and you can’t help but fall in love with the Wongs, some of whom recently appeared on Food Network’s Family Restaurant Rivals. (Their Chinese New Year party is also a blast.) Photo via Facebook.com/orientalwok
Tucker’s 1637 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/tuckersrestaurantotr In our first Best Of Cincinnati issue in 1997, Tucker’s got a staff pick for the Best Five-n-Dime Lunch Counter. They got a staff pick again last year for Best OTR Diner with Grit: “Tucker’s Restaurant has been an Over-the-Rhine mainstay for decades. Operated by Joe Tucker and his wife Carla (Joe’s parents opened the diner), the restaurant took about a 14-month hiatus to rebuild after a devastating kitchen fire in 2015, but they are back and better than ever, serving breakfast, brunch and lunch to locals and suburbanites who love not only the anything-goes urban hospitality but also the basic comfort food and all-day breakfast standards.” And one of the many great things that has separated Tucker’s from a typical greasy spoon diner is their use of local and Findlay Market-sourced ingredients, as well as their surprisingly vast vegetarian options. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Maury’s Tiny Cove 3908 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, maurys-steakhouse.com Maury’s Tiny Cove has been packed full of flavor and West Side tradition since 1949. The dimly lit supper-club vibe backdrops an extensive menu consisting of all the classic steakhouse options: tender, juicy filets, seafood and chicken cooked just right, plus pasta, Atomic Age sides (shredded lettuce salads; a complimentary ramekin of pickles on every table) and a perfect martini. And in 1995, writer Steve Ramos paid tribute to this comforting stalwart, comparing the diner to Shangri-La with a baked potato on the side: “Maury’s is a culinary temple to permanence. Dining fads come and go, health trends constantly change. But Maury’s stays the same: red meat, baked potatoes, salads. We’re not talking about some retro diner a la Johnny Rockets that tries to recreate an old-fashioned eatery with a ’90s twist. This is the real thing.” And you can’t forget Maury’s iconic sign, featuring a kitschy cartoon steer holding a martini. The restaurant is still a staple and was immortalized on screen in the Oscar-nominated, Cincinnati-filmed movie Carol. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Allyn’s Café 3538 Columbia Parkway, Columbia Tusculum, allynscafe.com In January 1996, Campbell ate dinner at Allyn’s Café with musician Duran from ’90s Cincy Funk band SHAG. With a casual fusion menu of Cajun and Mexican eats (it actually won Best Mexican in the 1997 Best Of Cincinnati), she called it “beer food rather than wine food” and “dress-as-you-are unpretentious…run by real people, not a marketing plan.” Allyn’s hasn’t changed much at all since its inception in 1991. It’s still a place for lots of live music, a real boozy Hurricane and your choice of eats, ranging from a fried shrimp po’ boy and etouffee to burgers, beans and quesadillas — even vegan ones. A perfect joint for those who want blackened alligator for dinner and vegan cheesecake for dessert. Photo via Facebook.com/AllynsCafeCincinnati
Cactus Pear 3215 Jefferson Ave., Clifton, cactuspearcincy.com This Clifton “Southwestern bistro” has been slinging Tex-Mex dishes since 1992. In 2010, it was honored with a CityBeat staff pick for Best Reason to Avoid a Diet: “Cactus Pear’s Cheese Enchiladas are definitely on our ‘What would you eat for your last meal?’ list. A plate of gooey cheeses and a margarita (or four) — we can die in peace.” The building’s cactus-green façade is an ingrained part of Jefferson Avenue and its plethora of colorful margaritas — in flavors ranging from blood orange and chipotle to strawberry and “x-rated” — are frequent winners in our Best Of Cincinnati reader picks as well.
Fred & Gari’s 629 Vine St., Downtown, facebook.com/fredgaris For more than 30 years, Fred & Gari’s has been a bustling favorite of the downtown lunch crowd, with its ’80s-throwback neon sign, house-roasted meats, pizza and homemade dessert — the fresh cookies are to-die for and have been a staff favorite since we gave them a Best Of Cincinnati pick in 1999 (and if it’s your first visit, you may get a free one). The deli also specializes in a damn-good soup-and-sandwich combo and the egg salad is a nostalgic throwback, full of mayonnaise-y goodness and topped with lettuce, tomato and onion. While you wait for your sandwich to arrive in its Styrofoam container, enjoy the lighthearted banter between Fred, Gari and the slew of regulars. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Ambar India 350 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, searchable on Facebook In January 1995, Campbell wrote about the recently opened Ambar India in Clifton’s Gaslight District via a guide on Indian cuisine that lists the ingredients of different dishes as well as a pronunciation key (“Korma: KOOR-ma”). Ambar, noted for its “large dining room” and big takeout business (and then-$5 lunch specials; RIP), still serves owner Jagdev Singh’s ’90s recommendation of chili chicken, made with sliced green chili peppers. Ambar, truly one of the best places for Indian in the city, does indeed do a huge takeout business and almost always wins CityBeat’s Best Of Cincinnati reader pick for Best Indian. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Brontë Bistro 2692 Madison Road, Rookwood, josephbeth.com In the very first issue of CityBeat, Campbell examined the trend of bookstore cafés (how times have changed), mentioning the long-gone Kaldi’s Coffee House & Bookstore, Barnes & Noble in Kenwood, Borders Books & Music in Springdale and also Joseph-Beth’s still thriving Brontë Bistro. Of Brontë — then the Joseph-Beth Café — she wrote “the menu is filled with quite delicious items,” none of which are still available, unfortunately. But, to relive some price nostalgia, the Indonesian egg salad sandwich cost $3.95 in November 1994. Today, a chicken salad sammie from Brontë will set you back $10. Wash down the inflation with a themed author cocktail, like the F. Scott Fitzgerald gin rickey. Photo via Facebook.com/BronteBistro
Nicola’s 1420 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, nicolasotr.com Italian darling Nicola’s opened in a renovated car barn in Over-the-Rhine two decades ago, with Nicola “Nick” Pietoso at the helm. (Pietoso immigrated from Italy in 1991.) We revisited the spot last year when executive chef Jack Hemmer returned to the kitchen after stints in other eateries. Dining critic Pama Mitchell wrote that Nick and his wife, Maureen, were true pioneers in the OTR renaissance and Nick “has to be one of the kindest, most personable restaurant owners in this city.” “Patrons will be delighted by the lovely main dining room the Pietosos have created on Sycamore Street, greeting diners with a beautiful interior where everything your eye rests on makes you feel indulged.” Hemmer made some updates to the menu but kept fan-favorite dishes, including the tagliatelle with bolognese and four-cheese gnocchi. That tagliatelle goes discounted on Mondays during Bolo Night (a full serving with a house salad for $15). But opting for a $1.99 bread basket is a must: “The quality and variety of the focaccia, sliced Italian bread and crunchy breadsticks is well worth the small charge,” writes Mitchell. It’s a cult favorite and worth every carb. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Pelican’s Reef 7261 Beechmont Ave., Anderson, thepelicansreef.com For more than 25 years, the laid-back island oasis Pelican’s Reef has been serving up super fresh seafood in Anderson. Now, if you aren’t from Cincinnati’s very inland East Side, you’ve probably never heard of the Buffett-esque Reef. But rest assured the fish, prepared by chef John Broshar (a former regular who bought the restaurant with his wife in 2012), is worth the drive. In our first Best Of Cincinnati, it won a staff pick for Best Fish Filet Sandwich. Rotating seasonal seafood specials come in daily from places like Hawaii, Alaska, Florida and Maryland. And there are plenty of choices for diners who don’t want fried foods, like seafood stew, grilled mahi mahi and nine different Caesar salads topped with various sea creatures. Photo: Liz Davis
Findlay Market 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, findlaymarket.org Right: This isn’t a restaurant, but we devoted an entire cover to Findlay Market in 1996, with a photo essay and a written essay waxing poetic about the gestalt of the place — its ties to history, its rows of pigs feet, its butchers, its bakers and its never-failing ability to offer the emotional pull that other grocery outings just can’t. Ohio’s oldest public market was this year named one of the top 10 food markets in the world by Newsweek and the “epicenter of Cincinnati’s culinary revival” by Travel + Leisure. Constantly changing — and now seemingly ever-expanding — the market has undergone a renaissance of sorts with nearby storefronts transforming into high-end and cult-favorite eateries, some by the city’s most well-known chefs, including Jean-Robert de Cavel and Jose Salazar. And all without changing its prime purpose of providing affordable food with a side of history (and goetta). Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Precinct 311 Delta Ave., Columbia Tusculum, jeffyruby.com You can always rely on a Jeff Ruby restaurant for a big, rare steak and platters of seafood. The Precinct, housed in a historical Romanesque-style former police precinct, opened in 1981 and was the first in a long line of Ruby steakhouses. If you bleed red and black, the Bearcat filet mignon may be a good choice for you. For Xavier fans, the Precinct has you covered too with The Musketeer, a cowboy ribeye. But there are other options, like seared scallops or something from the tableside service menu like seafood fettuccine alfredo. Photo: Hailey Bollinger