Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of Cincinnati®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are the coolest and which shops are your best bet for dropping a pretty penny.
Cincinnati’s not well-known for Italian food — we boast more about our German heritage than anything else — but we sure do have loads of great restaurants where you can get anything from classic red sauce pasta like Nonna used to make to chicken, veal or eggplant parmigiana and mouthwatering cannolis and tiramisu for dessert.
From old-school joints to new, trendy spots, these are the best restaurants to enjoy a taste of Italy, according to CityBeat readers.
No. 10 Best Italian Restaurant: Carmelo’s
434 Madison Ave., Covington
Must-try: The 101-Layer Lasagna: A whole pound of lasagna, featuring pan-seared, crispy edges; red gravy; and parmesan cheese.
No. 9 Best Italian Restaurant: Via Vite
520 Vine St., Downtown
Must-try: Hands-down get the Gnocchi (made with fonduta, chive and truffle). You can also add a protein to it, like Italian sausage.
No. 8 Best Italian Restaurant: Primavista
810 Matson Place, East Price Hill
Must-try: Primavista is best known for its veal dishes, so we recommend trying the Veal Saltimboca: Scaloppine with prosciutto, fontina, sage and veal glaze, served with polenta and green beans.
No. 7 Best Italian Restaurant: Ferrari’s Little Italy
7677 Goff Terrace, Madeira
Must-try: For dinner, try the Eggplant Parmesan: hand-breaded eggplant, provolone, marinara and spaghetti. Be sure to also stop by Ferrari’s bakery for a cannoli for dessert.
No. 6 Best Italian Restaurant: Scotti’s Italian Restaurant
919 Vine St., Downtown
Must-try: Cannelloni Lombardi: Pasta stuffed with a meat filling, served in a marsala wine-cream sauce and topped with mozzarella.
No. 5 Best Italian Restaurant: Nicola’s
1420 Sycamore St., Pendleton
Must-try: Try the Chef’s Grand Tasting — a five-course dinner experience that includes house-made bread, and you can also add a cheese course or sommelier pairings for extra. If you’re staying for dessert, we highly recommend the tiramisu.
No. 4 Best Italian Restaurant: Mama’s on Main
621 Main St., Covington
Must-try: Try the Lobster Ravioli, made with marsala cream sauce, mascarpone, basil, parsley and breadcrumbs.
No. 3 Best Italian Restaurant: Giovanni’s Family Italian Restaurant
4050 North Bend Road, Cheviot
Must-try: The Chicken Parmigiano comes highly recommended — breaded chicken baked with marinara and parmesan.
No. 2 Best Italian Restaurant: Pompilios
600 Washington Ave., Newport
Must-try: Try the Braciole: Seasoned and rolled round steak, served with spaghetti and marinara.
No. 1 Best Italian Restaurant: Pepp & Dolores
1501 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Must-try: Try the Butternut & Mascarpone pasta: Filled agnolotti pasta served with brown butter, sage, pepitas and Parmigiano-Reggiano.