CityBeat has been in the business of curating the Best Of Cincinnati® for more than two decades, highlighting the city’s most outstanding selections in Arts & Culture, Eats, Shops & Services, Music & Nightlife, City Life and Sports & Recreation. And the responsibility of selecting these exceptional entities is divided between our readers and staff.
This year, half a million votes were tallied to determine our Reader Picks. Readers logged on to the ballot site to vote for their favorites in broad categories like Best New Restaurant, Best Bartender and Best Pizza, with more niche topics including Best Ribs, Best Realtor and Best CBD Retailer. You might not need to know who the Best Used Automotive Dealer is right now, or the Best Lawyer, but when you do, we’ve got you covered.
Now, let's take a look at the Best Of winners in Eats, as selected by CityBeat readers.
Overall Restaurant
1. Sotto
2. The Eagle
3. Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct
4. Incline Public House
5. Primavista
6. Dewey’s Pizza
7. Mazunte
8. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
9. Boca
10. Taste of Belgium
New Restaurant
1. Kiki College Hill
2. Libby’s Southern Comfort
3. Chicken Salad Chick
4. Goose & Elder
5. Dead Low Brewing
6. Ripple Wine Bar
7. Forty Thieves
8. Losanti
9. Tuba Baking Co.
10. Delwood
Overall Restaurant (Northern Kentucky)
1. Otto’s
2. Greyhound Tavern
3. Bouquet Restaurant
4. Walt’s Hitching Post
5. Agave & Rye
6. Pompilio’s
7. KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia
8. Rich’s Proper Food & Drink
9. York Street Café
10. Frida 602
Neighborhood Restaurant (Downtown/OTR)
1. Nation Kitchen & Bar
2. The Eagle
3. Sotto
Neighborhood Restaurant (Northern Kentucky)
1. Greyhound Tavern
2. Otto’s
3. Pompilio’s
Neighborhood Restaurant (Central)
1. Ruth’s Parkside Cafe
2. Adriatico’s
3. Quatman Cafe
Neighborhood Restaurant (East Side)
1. El Coyote (TIE)
1. Joe’s Pizza Napoli (TIE)
2. Mazunte
3. Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct
Neighborhood Restaurant (West Side)
1. Incline Public House
2. Price Hill Chili
3. Primavista
Neighborhood Restaurant (Burbs)
1. Phoenician Taverna
2. Blue Ash Chili
3. Mellow Mushroom
Appetizers
1. Sotto
2. The Eagle
3. Incline Public House
Bagels
1. Marx Hot Bagels
2. Bruegger’s Bagels
3. The Bagelry
Barbecue
1. Eli’s BBQ
2. City Barbeque
3. Lucius Q
4. Montgomery Inn
5. Pickles & Bones Barbecue
6. Sweets & Meats BBQ
7. Pontiac
8. Just Q’in BBQ
9. Bee’s Barbecue
10. Midwest Best BBQ and Creamery
Beer Selection (Restaurant)
1. Yard House
2. Taft’s Ale House
3. KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia
Wine Selection (Restaurant)
1. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant
2. Marty’s Hops & Vines
3. Somm Wine Bar
Bourbon Selection (Restaurant)
1. Goodfellas Pizzeria/Wiseguy Lounge
2. The Littlefield
3. Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey
Breakfast
1. Sleepy Bee Cafe
2. First Watch
3. The Echo Restaurant
4. Taste of Belgium
5. Sugar n’ Spice Diner
6. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
7. The Original Pancake House
8. HangOverEasy
9. Half Day Cafe
10. Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey
Brunch
1. Nation Kitchen & Bar
2. Sleepy Bee Cafe
3. Taste of Belgium
4. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
5. First Watch
6. Grand Finale
7. Orchids at Palm Court
8. Lucius Q
9. Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey
10. The National Exemplar
Overall Burgers (Chain)
1. Five Guys
2. Frisch’s Big Boy
3. Red Robin
Overall Burgers (Non-Chain)
1. Nation Kitchen & Bar
2. Roney’s
3. Zip’s Cafe
4. Flipdaddy’s
5. Quatman Cafe
6. Tickle Pickle
7. The Turf Club
8. Street Chef Brigade
9. Arthur’s (TIE)
9. Krueger’s Tavern (TIE)
10. Sammy’s Craft Burgers & Beer
Neighborhood Burger Spot (Downtown/OTR)
1. Nation Kitchen & Bar
2. Krueger’s Tavern
3. Arnold’s Bar & Grill
Neighborhood Burger Spot (Northern Kentucky)
1. Herb & Thelma’s Tavern
2. Bru Burger Bar
3. Flipdaddy’s
Neighborhood Burger Spot (Central)
1. Quatman Cafe
2. Tickle Pickle
3. Gordo’s Pub & Grill
Neighborhood Burger Spot (East Side)
1. Zip’s Cafe
2. Arthur’s
3. Five Guys
Neighborhood Burger Spot (West Side)
1. Incline Public House
2. Chandler’s Burger Bistro
3. Maury’s Tiny Cove
Neighborhood Burger Spot (Burbs)
1. Quatman Cafe (Mason)
2. Sammy’s Craft Burgers and Beer
3. Flipdaddy’s
Burritos
1. Gomez Salsa
2. Chipotle Mexican Grill
3. The Comet
Business Lunch
1. Skyline Chili
2. Sotto
3. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar (TIE)
3. Lucius Q (TIE)
Butcher Shop
1. Avril-Bleh Family-Owned Meat Market & Deli
2. Jungle Jim’s International Market
3. Lehr’s Prime Market
Cajun/Creole
1. J. Gumbo’s
2. Knotty Pine on the Bayou
3. Allyn’s Cafe
Cake Shop
1. The BonBonerie
2. Nothing Bundt Cakes
3. 3 Sweet Girls Cakery
Cheap Eats
1. Skyline Chili
2. Goodfellas Pizzeria
3. Blue Ash Chili
Cheese Shop
1. Jungle Jim’s International Market
2. Share: Cheesebar
3. The Rhined
Cheesesteak
1. Penn Station
2. 13th Street Alley
3. Melt Revival
Chef (w/restaurant affiliation)
1. Jean-Robert de Cavel (Jean-Robert’s Table, French Crust Café & Bistro, Le Bar a Boeuf, Frenchie Fresh, Restaurant L)
2. Jose Salazar (Salazar, Mita’s, Goose & Elder)
3. Christian Gill (Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey)
4. Danny Combs (Sotto)
5. Scotty Berens (Dead Low Brewing)
6. Daniel Wright (Senate, Abigail Street, Pontiac, Holiday Spirits/Forty Thieves)
7. Alfio Gulisano (Ché, Alfio’s Buon Cibo, The Butcher and Barrel)
8. Frances Kroner (Sleepy Bee Café, Aster)
9. Kayla Robison (Arnold’s Bar & Grill)
10. Yasel López (ESSEN)
Chicken
1. The Eagle
2. Silver Spring House
3. Revolution Rotisserie
4. Chick-fil-A
5. Ron’s Roost
6. Greyhound Tavern
7. Joella’s Hot Chicken
8. CityBird
9. Fiery Hen
10. Raising Cane’s
Chicken Sandwich
1. Chick-fil-A
2. The Eagle
3. Revolution Rotisserie
Chili (Chain)
1. Skyline Chili
2. Gold Star
3. Dixie Chili
Chili (Non-Chain)
1. Camp Washington Chili
2. Blue Ash Chili
3. Pleasant Ridge Chili
Chinese
1. Oriental Wok
2. First Wok
3. KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia
Chocolates
1. Aglamesis Bros.
2. Maverick Chocolate Co.
3. Esther Price
Coffeehouse (Local)
1. Coffee Emporium
2. Unataza Coffee
3. The Coffee Exchange of Pleasant Ridge
Coffeehouse (National)
1. Starbucks
2. Dunkin’
3. Caribou Coffee
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Downtown/OTR)
1. Coffee Emporium
2. Urbana Cafe
3. Deeper Roots Findlay Coffee Bar
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Northern Kentucky)
1. Carabello Coffee
2. Roebling Point Books & Coffee
3. Left Bank Coffeehouse
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Central)
1. College Hill Coffee Company
2. Collective Espresso
3. Sidewinder Coffee
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (East Side)
1. Coffee Emporium
2. Deeper Roots Oakley Coffee Bar
3. Luckman Coffee
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (West Side)
1. BLOC Coffee Company
2. Muse Café
3. White Oak Coffee House
Neighborhood Coffee Shop (Burbs)
1. Wyoming Community Coffee
2. Kidd Coffee & Wine Bar
3. Kitty Brew Cafe
Cooking Classes
1. Jungle Jim’s International Market
2. The Learning Kitchen
3. Findlay Kitchen
Creamy Whip/Soft Serve
1. Putz’s Creamy Whip
2. Dairy Queen
3. The Cone
Cupcakes
1. The BonBonerie
2. Abby Girl Sweets
3. Gigi’s Cupcakes
Delicatessen
1. Izzy’s
2. Jason’s Deli
3. Silverglades
Desserts (Restaurant)
1. Grand Finale
2. O Pie O
3. Sotto
Desserts (Retail)
1. The BonBonerie
2. Graeter’s Ice Cream
3. Brown Bear Bakery
Overall Bakery (Breads)
1. Blue Oven Bakery
2. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
3. Sixteen Bricks
Overall Bakery (Sweets)
1. The BonBonerie
2. Brown Bear Bakery
3. Holtman’s Donuts
Neighborhood Bakery (Downtown/OTR)
1. Brown Bear Bakery
2. Holtman’s Donuts
3. Blue Oven Bakery
Neighborhood Bakery (Northern Kentucky)
1. North South Baking Co.
2. Butler’s Pantry at RiverCenter
3. Emerson’s Bakery
Neighborhood Bakery (Central)
1. The BonBonerie
2. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
3. North College Hill Bakery
Neighborhood Bakery (East Side)
1. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
2. Busken Bakery
3. Marcella’s Doughnuts & Bakery
Neighborhood Bakery (West Side)
1. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
2. St. Lawrence Bakery
3. Busken Bakery
Neighborhood Bakery (Burbs)
1. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
2. Holtman’s Donuts
3. Bluebird Bakery
Donuts
1. Holtman’s Donuts
2. Moonrise Doughnuts
3. Dunkin’
Farmers Market
1. Findlay Market
2. Hyde Park Farmers’ Market
3. Northside Farmers Market
Farmers Market Food Stall
1. Blue Oven Bakery
2. WoodBottom Quail Farms
3. Colonel De Gourmet Herbs & Spices
Fish & Chips
1. Alabama Fish Bar
2. The Pub
3. Nicholson’s Pub
Food Delivery Service
1. DoorDash
2. Uber Eats
3. Grubhub
Food Festival or Event
1. Taste of Cincinnati
2. Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
3. Cincinnati Food Truck Association Food Fest
Food Truck
1. Stellar Street Eats
2. Tacos Locos
3. Red Sesame Korean BBQ
4. Hungry Bros.
5. Fork & Greens
6. Rollin’ Bowls
7. The Poutine Machine
8. Empanadas Aquí
9. Marty’s Waffles
10. Krimmer’s Italianette Food Truck
French Fries
1. Five Guys
2. Nation Kitchen & Bar
3. Senate
Frozen Yogurt
1. Yagööt
2. Orange Leaf
3. Putz’s Creamy Whip
Gelato/Sorbetto/Frozen Ice
1. Aglamesis Bros.
2. Dojo Gelato
3. Graeter’s Ice Cream
German
1. Hofbräuhaus
2. Mecklenburg Gardens
3. Wunderbar!
Gluten-Free Selections
1. Sleepy Bee Cafe
2. Melt Revival
3. Pho Lang Thang
Goetta
1. Glier’s Goetta
2. Eckerlin Meats
3. Avril-Bleh Family-Owned Meat Market & Deli
Guacamole
1. Bakersfield
2. Mazunte
3. Nada
Hidden Gem
1. Joe’s Pizza Napoli
2. Mazunte
3. Incline Public House
Hot Dog/Sausage
1. Senate
2. Avril-Bleh Family-Owned Meat Market & Deli
3. The Root Beer Stand
Ice Cream
1. Graeter’s Ice Cream
2. Aglamesis Bros.
3. United Dairy Farmers
Indian
1. Baba India Restaurant
2. Ambar India Restaurant
3. Dusmesh Indian Restaurant
Italian
1. Sotto
2. Pompilio’s
3. Nicola’s Ristorante
Japanese
1. Kiki College Hill
2. Quan Hapa
3. Ichiban Japanese Cuisine
Korean
1. BIBIBOP Asian Grill
2. Riverside Korean Restaurant
3. Red Sesame Korean BBQ
Late-Night Eatery
1. Goodfellas Pizzeria
2. Gomez Salsa
3. Skyline Chili
Live Music While You Eat
1. Arnold’s Bar & Grill
2. Lucius Q
3. The Comet
Local Farm
1. WoodBottom Quail Farms
2. Gorman Heritage Farm
3. Carriage House Farm
Macaron
1. Macaron Bar
2. The BonBonerie
3. Taste of Belgium
Macaroni & Cheese
1. The Eagle
2. Keystone Bar & Grill
3. MamaBear’s Mac
4. Eli’s BBQ
5. Lucius Q
6. Court Street Lobster Bar
7. Keystone’s Mac Shack
8. Street Chef Brigade
9. Joella’s Hot Chicken
10. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
Mediterranean/Greek
1. Aladdin’s Eatery
2. Phoenician Taverna
3. Sebastian’s Gyros
Menu (Most Innovative)
1. Please
2. Boomtowm Biscuits & Whiskey
3. Sotto
Mexican
1. Mazunte
2. La Mexicana Restaurante Cantina & Tienda
3. Taqueria Mercado
Noodles
1. Pho Lang Thang
2. Fortune Noodle House
3. Zundo Ramen & Donburi
Outdoor/Patio Dining
1. Incline Public House
2. Arnold’s Bar & Grill
3. Cabana on the River
Overall Pizza (Chain)
1. Dewey’s Pizza
2. LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria
3. Goodfellas Pizzeria
Overall Pizza (Non-Chain)
1. Trotta’s Pizza & Drive Thru
2. Joe’s Pizza Napoli
3. Adriatico’s
4. Taglio
5. Strong’s Brick Oven Pizza
6. A Tavola
7. Two Cities Pizza Company
8. Krimmer’s Italianette Pizza
9. Fireside Pizza
10. Harvest Pizzeria
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Downtown/OTR)
1. Goodfellas Pizzeria
2. A Tavola
3. Harvest Pizzeria
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Northern Kentucky)
1. Dewey’s Pizza
2. Strong’s Brick Oven Pizza
3. Goodfellas Pizzeria
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Central)
1. Adriatico’s
2. Dewey’s Pizza
3. Fireside Pizza
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (East Side)
1. Dewey’s Pizza
2. Joe’s Pizza Napoli
3. Taglio
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (West Side)
1. Trotta’s Pizza & Drive Thru
2. Dewey’s Pizza
3. LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria
Neighborhood Pizza Joint (Burbs)
1. Mellow Mushroom
2. LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria
3. Mio’s Pizza
Oysters
1. Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant
2. Rich’s Proper Food & Drink
3. Court Street Lobster Bar
Pub Food
1. Knockback Nats
2. Arnold’s Bar & Grill
3. Incline Public House
Raw Bar
1. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
2. Jeff Ruby’s Carlo & Johnny
3. Jag’s Steak & Seafood
Restaurant Design
1. Orchids at Palm Court
2. Sotto
3. Lucius Q
Restaurant for a First Date
1. Incline Public House
2. Sotto
3. Dewey’s Pizza
4. Nada
5. Primavista
6. S.W. Clyborne Co. Provision & Spirits
7. York Street Café
8. Taft’s Ale House
9. Rich’s Proper Food & Drink
10. Abigail Street
Restaurant for Fine Dining
1. Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct
2. Sotto
3. Orchids at Palm Court
4. Boca
5. Primavista
6. Nicola’s Ristorante
7. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
8. Jeff Ruby’s Carlo & Johnny
9. Restaurant L
10. S.W. Clyborne Co. Provision & Spirits
Restaurant for Large Parties
1. Montgomery Inn
2. Moerlein Lager House
3. Lucius Q
Restaurant to Take a Foodie
1. Sotto
2. Please
3. Jean-Robert’s Table
4. Abigail Street (TIE)
4. Lucius Q (TIE)
5. Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey
6. Salazar
7. The Eagle
8. Boca
9. S.W. Clyborne Co. Provision & Spirits
10. Bouquet Restaurant
Restaurant to Take the Kids
1. Skyline Chili
2. Dewey’s Pizza
3. Chick-fil-A
Restaurant to Take Visitors
1. Montgomery Inn Boathouse
2. Incline Public House
3. Skyline Chili
Ribs
1. Montgomery Inn
2. Eli’s BBQ
3. Lucius Q
Romantic Restaurant
1. Sotto
2. Primavista
3. Orchids at Palm Court
Salads
1. Dewey’s Pizza
2. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
3. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
Seafood
1. Pelican’s Reef
2. Court Street Lobster Bar
3. Bonefish Grill
Small Plates
1. Abigail Street
2. Mita’s
3. Ché
Smoothie/Juice Bar
1. Rooted Juicery + Kitchen
2. Smoothie King
3. BanaSun Smoothie Bar
Soul Food
1. Alabama Fish Bar
2. Lucius Q
3. Island Frydays
Soup
1. La Soupe
2. Pho Lang Thang
3. Zoup!
Specialty Food Market
1. Jungle Jim’s International Market
2. Findlay Market
3. Kremer’s Market
Steakhouse
1. Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct
2. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
3. Jeff Ruby’s Carlo & Johnny
Subs/Sandwiches
1. Melt Revival
2. Jersey Mike’s
3. Penn Station
Sushi
1. Ichiban Japanese Cuisine
2. Cloud 9 Sushi
3. Wabi Sabi
4. Izen’s Drunken Bento
5. Asian Paradise (TIE)
5. Mr. Sushi (TIE)
6. Wild Ginger
7. Fusian
8. Mei Japanese Restaurant
9. Green Papaya
10. E+O Kitchen
Tacos
1. Mazunte
2. Condado Tacos
3. Taco Casa
4. Agave & Rye
5. Bakersfield
6. Tortilleria Garcia
7. Gomez Salsa
8. La Mexicana Restaurante Cantina & Tienda
9. Street Chef Brigade
10. Django Western Taco
Takeout
1. City Barbeque
2. Dewey’s Pizza
3. Gomez Salsa
Tea Selection
1. Churchill’s Fine Teas
2. Coffee Emporium
3. Jungle Jim’s International Market
Thai
1. Bangkok Bistro
2. Thai Express
3. Green Papaya
Vegetarian
1. Fork & Greens
2. ESSEN
3. Melt Revival
Veggie Burger
1. Fork & Greens
2. Nation Kitchen & Bar
3. ESSEN
4. Krueger’s Tavern
5. Rollin’ Bowls
6. Tickle Pickle
7. S.W. Clyborne Co. Provision & Spirits
8. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar (TIE)
8. The Pony (TIE)
9. Arthur’s
10. Taste of Belgium
Vietnamese
1. Pho Lang Thang
2. Wild Ginger
3. Quan Hapa
View From Your Table
1. Incline Public House
2. Primavista
3. Montgomery Inn Boathouse
Waitstaff/Service
1. Jeff Ruby’s The Precinct
2. Sotto
3. Dewey’s Pizza
Waterfront Dining
1. Montgomery Inn Boathouse
2. Moerlein Lager House
3. Buckhead Mountain Grill
Wings
1. Knockback Nats
2. Buffalo Wings & Rings
3. Buffalo Wild Wings
4. Wild Mike’s
5. Northside Yacht Club
6. Lucius Q
7. The Oak Tavern
8. Fiery Hen
9. Shooters Sports Grille
10. Smokin Butts Barbeque
