Every year, CityBeat hosts its Best of Cincinnati® competition, wherein our readers vote for their favorite things across the city — from hiking trails and free attractions to bars and, of course, restaurants, including the best neighborhood restaurants. Cincinnati’s East Side is a well-known destination for shopping, entertainment and, of course, dining out. From classic pizzerias and BBQ joints to upscale dining and premier steakhouses, here are the best neighborhood restaurants on the East Side, according to our readers.
Best East Side Restaurant No. 10: Catch-a-Fire Pizza
9290 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash; 511 N. Broadway St., Lebanon; 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood (West Side Brewing); 5920 Hamilton Ave., College Hill
Must-Try Dish: Try Catch-a-Fire’s take on a margherita pizza, the Natural Mystic — red sauce, a nut-free roasted tomato pesto, basil, fresh mozzarella and sea salt.
Best East Side Restaurant No. 9: BrewRiver Creole Kitchen
4632 Eastern Ave., Linwood
Must-Try Dish: Get a mix of Creole-inspired small plates to share, including the Creole Étouffée (dark roux tomato-based sauce, Louisiana rice and your choice of chicken and sausage), Creole Jambalaya (chicken, andouille sausage, tomatoes, okra and rice) and the Alligator and Waffle (buttermilk-brined alligator, liège Belgian waffle and spicy maple syrup).
Best East Side Restaurant No. 8: Delwood
3204 Linwood Ave., Mt. Lookout
Must-Try Dish: For meat-eaters, try the Classic Double Cheeseburger, with two 4-oz. patties, American cheese, pickle and special sauce on a toasted potato bun. Delwood also has a delicious Veggie Burger, made with a homemade black bean burger, white cheddar, avocado, lettuce, tomato and aji verde.
Best East Side Restaurant No. 7: A Tavola
7022 Miami Ave., Madeira
Must-Try Dish: The Fig + Prosciutto Pizza: Fig jam, fontina, prosciutto, arugula, balsamic and parmigiano.
Best East Side Restaurant No. 6: Forno Osteria+Bar
3514 Erie Ave., Hyde Park; 9415 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
Must-Try Dish: Diners love the Gnocchi, made with leek-parmigiano fondue and speck (a type of cured ham).
Best East Side Restaurant No. 5: Dead Low Brewing
5959 Kellogg Ave., California
Must-Try Dish: Try the Philly Naan — chicken or ribeye served on grilled naan with sautéed mushrooms, onion and green peppers and topped with your choice of Dead Low beer cheese (another popular choice) or provolone.
Best East Side Restaurant No. 4: Pig Candy
5901 Kellogg Ave., California
Must-Try Dish: The Brisket Grilled Cheese: American and jack cheeses on Texas toast, served with red sauce on the side. For vegans or vegetarians, Pig Candy also offers a delicious vegan goetta, layered with tomato and onion on a bun with roasted salsa and white sauce on the side. (The white sauce and bun are non-vegan, however.)
Best East Side Restaurant No. 3: The Governor
231 Main St., Milford
Must-Try Dish: Get the General Tso Fried Chicken Sando, a five-spice-seasoned chicken breast with apricot slaw, lemon mayo and sesame cucumber on a griddled brioche bun, with a side of the Bowling Alley Fries.
Best East Side Restaurant No. 2: Mazunte
5207 Madison Road, Madisonville; 6216 Madison Road, Madisonville; 611 Main St., Downtown
Must-Try Dish: Tamales: Two per order, with your choice of chicken in a corn husk with rajas and salsa verde or pork in a banana leaf with mole.
Best East Side Restaurant No. 1: Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct
311 Delta Ave., Columbia Tusculum
Must-Try Dish: Get the Cowboy Steak to split — a 22-oz. 70-day, dry-aged, bone-in ribeye served with your choice of baked or garlic mashed potatoes and a Freddie or Greek salad. Be sure to save room for dessert — you’re going to want to try the Butter Pie (featuring cinnamon-sugar pecans, powdered sugar and caramel).
