Cincinnati’s dining scene saw a lot of big changes over the course of 2024 — good, bad and even just a bit silly. From the downfall of one of Cincinnati’s favorite restaurant chains to the opening of a store that’s trying to make groceries a bit more affordable, here are the top five food and dining stories CityBeat covered this year.

This story is featured in CityBeat’s Dec. 25 print edition.

Frisch’s Big Boy’s Eviction Woes One of Cincinnati’s most iconic and beloved local restaurant chains took a big hit this fall as its landlord began eviction proceedings. According to court documents, Frisch’s Big Boy owed its landlord, real estate company NNN Reit, over $4.5 million in rent. In September, NNN Reit filed eviction notices for numerous Southwestern Ohio Frisch’s locations, including 17 in Hamilton, Clermont, Butler, Warren and Highland counties, but, so far, over 20 local Frisch’s restaurants have closed or been ordered to close, including the flagship and historic Mainliner location in Fairfax. Frisch’s vows it’s here to stay though, as some locations independent of NNN Reit remain open and a team of senior Frisch’s managers acquired multiple locations and future brand development rights. Photo: Provided by Frisch's Big Boy
Photo: Casey Roberts
An “Extreme-Value” Grocery Store Opens in Eastgate This year, an “extreme-value” grocery retailer opened its first Greater Cincinnati. Grocery Outlet Bargain Market expanded to Eastgate this June, with local independent operators Matt and Shannon Alicea at the helm. Grocery Outlet stores are independently operated by local families and offer the same trusted brands as traditional grocery stores, but at lower prices by using buyers who scour the country to find manufacturers with extra inventory and seasonal closeouts. The grocery chain says this expansion will help make high-quality and affordable groceries more accessible to more people throughout the Midwest, and it also brought over 30 new jobs to the area. Photo: facebook.com/GroceryOutletInc
A Celebrity Gets Involved in the Skyline-Mountain Dew Drama Skyline Chili and Mountain Dew have been a classic culinary pairing for years for many in Greater Cincinnati, so fans of the duo were heartbroken when Skyline announced this past spring that it would be switching its pop products from Pepsi to Coke. The online outrage became so prominent that it caught the eye of Mountain Dew, who enlisted a man who knows a thing or two about chili to help with a special promotion. Actor Brian Baumgartner, a.k.a. Kevin Malone from the NBC hit series The Office, teamed up with Mountain Dew and took to social media for the special promotion in March: “I have been closely following the breaking Cincinnati-style chili news over the last day or so, and I’m here to tell you, there is no cause for concern. I repeat: There. Is. No. Chiligate,” Baumgartner said in an Instagram video. “As a fellow chili aficionado, I come bearing good news. The truth is: Mountain Dew? It isn’t going anywhere — well, not really.” Because while you could no longer enjoy a Mountain Dew in-store at Skyline, you could still enjoy it at home, and that week, Mountain Dew offered one of their beverages on them with the purchase of chili anywhere in Cincinnati. Photo: Screenshot from @bbaumgartner/Instagram
Downtown Cincinnati Gets Its First Japanese Convenience Store Cincinnati chef Hideki Harada opened Daruma, a Japanese convenience store, or konbini, on Court Street downtown this past winter. Daruma carries a variety of authentic Japanese household staples like sauces and condiments, as well as candy and snacks. It also has grab-and-go meals, like sushi, onigiri and rice balls made with ingredients like pork belly, pickled plum and ham and cheese. Customers can also pick up some sake and beer, and there’s a hot water dispenser for making tea and instant cup noodles. “I’m very excited to bring something new to the city, where folks can purchase Japanese items they can’t easily find nearby,” Harada said in February. “Daruma is a place where people can discover and try new things — a place where you may even find a few surprises.” Photo: Provided by 3CDC
No. 24: The Aperture 900 E. McMillan St., East Walnut Hills “A great experience! We dashed in for a meal prior to going to the theatre. Our server was outstanding. She guided us through a well-thought-out and delicious Mediterranean-inspired mezze-style meal. Particular standouts were the wood-fired pita, roasted carrots and yellow beets. Beautiful, clean modern setting in a classic building. We will be back!” -Christopher B. Photo: Aidan Mahoney

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...