This story is featured in CityBeat's April 19 print edition.
Anchoring the prominent corner of Walnut and Sixth Streets Downtown, Prime Cincinnati has become a mainstay restaurant on a block known for some of the best restaurants in the city. Prime now has a sister restaurant in another downtown area, 30 minutes north of Cincinnati.
Prime is the spacious, upscale American steakhouse located just a block from the Aronoff Center for the Arts. Previously Prime 47, the current owner Nelson Castillo joined as general manager in 2015. He took over ownership and rebranded the restaurant in 2016. Prime Cincinnati has been known for serving up great service, a modern environment and, of course, fantastic steaks.
Prime uses only USDA Prime steaks from the Certified Angus Beef brand. Long-time Prime chef Shawn Heine works with the brand as an ambassador, educating his customers on what sets the premium product apart. Prime has received recognition from the brand as well — Certified Angus Beef named the Downtown restaurant as Steakhouse of the Year at their annual conference in 2019.
With a solid foundation to build on, Heine and Castillo have partnered to open another upscale steakhouse with its own identity. Prime goes Italian with the new concept, Primo, located in Middletown.
Primo was originally slated to open on Main St. in Cincinnati, a few blocks from Prime, but the owners reconsidered after the city of Middletown invited them to consider that area, and presented their plan for revitalizing the city’s downtown business district.
“When we went there we were really impressed about the location and all the potential they have,” Castillo told CityBeat.
Castillo said a lot of Prime Cincinnati’s customers are visiting from suburban areas in Butler and Warren Counties.
“When we do our market analysis, we continue to have big support from there. And we always wanted to open an Italian steakhouse. So the suburbs will probably be a big market for us, based on the guests that are coming into the city.”
According to Castillo, Primo will stay true to what makes Prime a successful destination restaurant: using the freshest and highest quality ingredients available, and the promise of delivering a next-level memorable experience.
Part of that memorable experience is an Italian steakhouse menu that is truly authentic. When Heine set out to develop such a menu, he wasn’t satisfied with the first draft.
“I had a pretty good menu but it wasn’t really authentic authentic,” Heine told CityBeat.
So he did what any good chef would do — he went to Italy for seven days to learn from the founder of the Culinary Institute of Bologna. In the mountains of the Emilia-Romagna region, he and Chef Stefano Corvucci cooked each day (and night) using fresh ingredients sourced from the butchers and markets in the local town.
Castillo said Heine’s practice in Italy ensures they’re bringing the taste of true authentic Italian cooking to guests at Primo. Chef Corvucci also connected Heine with Italian exporters that work with local farms and other food producers.
Along with olive oil and tomatoes, Primo sources many other ingredients straight from Italy, like sea salt from Sicily, fresh branzino (European sea bass), and even the Calla flour they use to make pasta.
“They’re all family farms. Down to the Consorzio Vacche Rosse, the Parmigiano cheese we use. So there’s a lot of smaller farms that we’re able to use in Italy.” Heine said.
The pasta is made in-house using a pasta maker, also from Italy.
“We’re making pasta fresh every day, we’re making ravioli, lasagna, everything is fresh every day,” Heine said.
If all of this sounds expensive, Castillo and Heine say it doesn’t have to be. The steaks are big enough to share, while the pastas come in personal portions.
Heine says, “You could spend 30 bucks and have a meal, or you could go in there and spend $200 and have a meal. There’s different variations you can do, especially when it comes to the pastas and all that.”
Castillo stresses that the cuisine at Primo is very traditional Italian, with flavors that aren’t drowned out by excessive spice like black pepper and paprika.
“All that heavy stuff is not going to be there. It’s a really fresh taste. I call it ‘naked’,” Castillo says. “You’re going to be able to try the naked flavors of the fresh products.”
Inside, Primo combines modern decor and accents with the historic architecture of the building to create just the right feel.
“We got the inspiration from Venice, from the marble tables, Murano decorations, all this clean style to make the guests feel that it's like a little corner in Venice,” Castillo said.
Primo brings a taste of Italy stateside, but it also brings a taste of metropolitan dining to the suburbs. Castillo says there’s nothing comparable to Primo within about a 20-25-mile radius. But Middletown has its own attractions and history that it celebrates.
“We’re using a beautiful historic building. We’re next to the BeauVerre stained glass store; it’s a destination place. What we’re trying to create is an experience of a traditional Italian steakhouse,” Castillo said.
Like Prime Cincinnati, Primo will be a draw to nearby theatergoers as well. The historical Sorg Opera House is located on the same block. The 1,200-seat theater was designed by Cincinnati’s own Samuel Hannaford, who also designed Cincinnati Music Hall, City Hall and a host of other buildings in the area.
Downtown Middletown established Ohio’s first DORA district (designated outdoor refreshment area), 7 days a week, which lends a laissez-faire environment of fun even when one of the numerous outdoor festivals or events aren’t happening. Castillo said Middletown is working hard and investing in the area to bring in new businesses.
With Middletown gaining momentum and offering plenty to take in, a visit to Primo is a way to slow down and extend your enjoyment of a night out. Servers take the time to explain the menu courses and options, and offer a high level of service, according to Castillo. It’s all a part of the ‘experience’ that he refers to.
“We try to make sure we’re delivering the experience because they’re not going to a show or to dinner to rush themselves. They’re going to enjoy their family, their dinner — the whole experience.”
Primo is currently in a soft opening phase, open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. A grand opening is scheduled for May 19. Heine said a Cincinnati Primo location is planned to open at 830 Main St. in Downtown by the end of the year.
Primo Italian Steakhouse, 6 S. Broad St., Middletown. Info: primeprimo.com.
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