From a cozy basement trattoria hidden beneath the city streets to upscale restaurants boasting spectacular views of the city, award-winning steakhouses and more, the Queen City is home to dozens of elegant eateries where you can treat your special someone to an intimate evening on the town, whatever the occasion.

Sotto 118 E. Sixth St., Downtown Located under Boca restaurant, the Tuscan-inspired Sotto offers an approachable atmosphere and is the perfect place for a romantic meal. The basement trattoria’s interior calls to mind a rustic Italian wine cellar with its rough brick walls and wooden ceiling beams. With multiple dining rooms, the kitchen is open to view, including the custom-made wood-fire grill in front and a fresh pasta room in the back hallway. Menu items include handmade pasta, Salumi & Formaggi (cured meats and cheeses) and big-ticket items like Bistecca Fiorentina, a grilled Creekstone porterhouse steak. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Boca 114 E. Sixth St., Downtown A trip to chef David Falk’s Italian/French gemstone with your date is an experience to be savored as much as the food itself. Take your time, invest a few hours and allow him and his attentive, knowledgeable staff to unfold an epic tale of two or three courses, plus dessert. The Pommes Soufflés “1949” — puffy french fries — are a call back to the restaurant’s former iteration as the Maisonette. Photo: Provided by Boca
MRBL 119 Fairfield Ave., Fourth Floor, Bellevue Steakhouse MRBL offers an upscale menu you can peruse while taking in stunning skyline views of Cincinnati. Along with traditional steakhouse offerings ranging from strips to filets, ribeyes and the Tomahawk and Porterhouse, diners can also enjoy a variety of sushi rolls and fish and chicken dishes. Sides are shareable and include crispy Brussels sprouts, baked mac and cheese (with the option to add truffle lobster) and the Potato Volcano, which is fried, loaded mashed potatoes with cheese sauce. Photo: facebook.com/MRBLSTEAK
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Atwood Oyster House 1220 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine For some coastal cuisine in the heart of Over-the-Rhine, give Atwood Oyster House a visit. This restaurant offers a sophisticated and intimate dining experience that still manages to be playful. The menu combines tradition and innovation, with a focus on seafood and its seasonal selection of oysters that come from a variety of North American regions, including New England, British Columbia, Washington state and more. If you’re new to oysters and unsure how one kind will taste compared to another, Atwood’s menu tells you exactly what flavors you can expect for each. They also have a full bar, which serves a diverse menu of classic and creative house cocktails and a wine list, all of which were selected to complement the restaurant’s seafood and vegetarian dishes. Photo: instagram.com/@atwoodoysterhouse
Primavista 810 Matson Place, East Price Hill $46 Dinner FIRST COURSE (Choice of one): Bruschetta // Caesar // Gnocchi with Brown Butter SECOND COURSE (Choice of one): Sauteed Veal Scallopine // Artichoke and White Truffle Oil // Broiled Salmon THIRD COURSE (Choice of one): Bread Pudding // Tiramisu DRINK SPECIAL: Mango Lemonade (Tito’s, mango syrup, fresh mint and lemonade) Photo: facebook.com/Primavista
Alcove 1410 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine MadTree’s Alcove is a garden oasis in the middle of historic Over-the-Rhine. This kitchen and bar brims with live greenery living feature walls, with a menu featuring farm-to-table eats and a shaded outdoor patio for the warmer months. On the menu, you’ll find sharables like the charcuterie board and hummus plate, as well as salads; sandwiches like the smashburger, served with special sauce, or the fried chicken, which features marinated cucumbers, honey chili crisp, greens and a lemon aioli; and mains, like steak frites and roasted chicken breast. Alcove’s drink menu also features housemade cocktails that utilize herbs grown in Alcove’s greenhouse bar and MadTree’s brews. Photo: Provided by Alcove
Ivory House 2998 Harrison Ave., Westwood Self-described as “steak and seafood, elevated,” Ivory House’s menu is a fresh take on nostalgic-feeling dishes. A large wine menu and clever cocktails are stellar accompaniments to a menu that features everything from filet mignon and Mediterranean Branzino to a Japanese A5 wagyu strip. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Somm Wine Bar 3105 Price Ave., East Price Hill Food, wine and romance are perfectly paired at Somm in Price Hill’s Incline District. Get cozy with your significant other over a bottle of wine in the intimate dining room or out on the outdoor patio, with its fountain, Edison-bulb string lights and fire table a prime setting for date night. Somm has over 80 kinds of wine to choose from and a menu ranging from charcuterie boards and Angus burgers to filet mignon. Photo: facebook.com/sommwinebar
Mita’s 501 Race St., Downtown Chef Jose Salazar is a continent away from his mamita and the hand-cranked mill she still uses to grind corn for arepas and empanadas, but his restaurant, Mita’s, is a tribute to her spirit and to Spanish and Latin American food. Some of the more intriguing dishes at Mita’s use familiar ingredients in new ways. The fresh emerald-green sauce for the short-rib empanadas is unexpectedly minty, and the beef is tucked into cornmeal crusts so light and crisp that it lifts the dish to the sublime. They also have one of the best margaritas in town. Photo via Facebook.com/MitasCincinnati Photo: facebook.com/Mita's Cincinnati
Bouquet 519 Main St., Covington Working closely with local sources, Bouquet’s upscale farm-to-table approach means a fresh, frequently rotating menu packed with seasonal ingredients. Elegant small plates, entrées and thoughtful wine pairings set the stage for an intimate dining experience. Photo: Facebook.com/bouquet519/
Inspired by Sunday dinners at Thunderdome co-founders Joe and John Lanni’s grandparents’ house, the restaurant aims to embody the spirit and hospitality from those special evenings while honoring their family. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
LouVino 1142 Main St., Over-the-Rhine This Over-the-Rhine restaurant and wine bar offers Southern-style cuisine and wines curated from around the world. LouVino’s menu features a selection of comfort-food go-tos like fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles. The menu also has a selection of gluten-free and vegetarian dishes. And if the date goes well and you’re planning a little next-day brunch, LouVino offers a Southern favorite with a Cincinnati twist: Biscuits & Goetta Gravy. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
18 at the Radisson 668 W. Fifth St., Covington As Cincinnati’s only revolving steakhouse, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of both sides of the river’s unique city skylines from the Radisson’s 18th floor with your sweetheart. On the menu, guests will find upscale offerings like filet mignon, shrimp and lobster linguine and Atlantic salmon, as well as an extensive list of fine wines and cocktails — all enjoyed with the entire city as your backdrop, just like a scene from your favorite romantic film. Photo: Provided by Eighteen at the Radisson
Carlo & Johnny 9769 Montgomery Road, Montgomery Carlo & Johnny is an upscale steakhouse from the team behind Jeff Ruby’s. Located in Montgomery, this restaurant is situated in a historic mansion that was formerly a gangster hideout, stagecoach stopover and casino. They offer USDA Prime steaks as well as a variety of fresh seafood dishes, sushi and impeccable service. Photo: Facebook.com/JeffRubysCarloAndJohnny
Photo: Catie Viox for Zest Cincy
7. Abigail Street 1214 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine “This is my new favorite restaurant in cincinnati! I can’t wait to return. The service, food and wine are the best in town. The ambiance is the best vibe and very chill but a great date night. Let’s just talk about the food, it is melt in your mouth delicious and has something for everyone. My favorite was the black garlic shrimp, lamb spaghetti and ricotta cheese! Don’t miss this.” -Kelli R. Photo: Matthew Allen
Rosewood Thai & Sushi 3036 Madison Road, Oakley Rosewood, a sister restaurant of Teak in Over-the-Rhine and Loveland, offers a selection of one-of-a-kind Thai, seafood and sushi options in an intimate and welcoming setting. The menu features Thai-style fried rice dishes; vegetable and mixed stir frys; a variety of curries; house specials like the Massaman Curried Lamb Shank, Chilean seabass; scallops and plenty of sushi. To drink, Rosewood offers an extensive list of wines by the glass, beer and craft cocktails. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Baker’s Table 1004 Monmouth St., Newport This farm-to-table restaurant offers rustic, seasonal dishes featuring fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The menu offers prix-fixe dining, as well as pastas and mains like duck with potato latkes and caramelized brassicas and Alabama snapper and shellfish. There are vegetarian options, as well as decadent dishes for meat eaters. Don’t skip dessert, especially the Chocolate Satin. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
No. 7 Best Brunch: National Exemplar 6880 Wooster Pike, Mariemont Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Five on Vine 1324 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Crown Restaurant Group’s Five on Vine is more than just fine dining — its concept comes from co-owner and chef Anthony Sitek’s view on food as an opportunity for connection, from where they source their ingredients to how they greet and take care of their guests. The menu features modern and elevated takes on traditional American comfort food; you may have seen these dishes growing up, like Five on Vine’s stroganoff or pot roast, but they’re reinvented in a way you may not have experienced yet. For example, Gracie’s Meatballs are crafted with beef and tomato sauce like your grandmother may have made them, but they have the added thought of raisins and pine nuts to add a little sweetness and texture, the Sicilian way. No matter what you get though, it’ll be made from scratch in Five on Vine’s kitchen. To drink, try one of their craft cocktails, like the Emerald Dream (gin, green chartreuse, lime, agave, absinthe, watermelon and basil) or The Rite of Spring (gin, cucumber liqueur, grapefruit, honey, Italicus and mint). Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Nicola’s 1420 Sycamore St., Pendleton Nicola’s, one of Cincinnati’s top Zagat-rated restaurants, has been a mainstay for high-end, authentic Italian cuisine for the past two decades, and its renown is undeniable. Nicola’s linen-covered tables, chandeliers and exposed brick create an unmatched romantic atmosphere, and its menu of housemade pastas, gnocchi and creamy risotto are among some of the thoughtfully conceived dishes that will transport you right to the heart of Italy. Photo: Aidan Mahoney
E+O Kitchen 3520 Edwards Road, Hyde Park; 56 West Freedom Way, The Banks E+O Kitchen’s beach-house-inspired eatery in Hyde Park will make you and your date feel like you’re getting away from it all. The E+O stands for “earth” and “ocean” and the restaurant aims to provide an experience that invokes both with its California coastal vibes and fusion of Asian and Latin seafood-focused dishes. In addition to sashimi, nigiri and an extensive list of sushi rolls, E+O also offers entrees highlighting the union of land and sea, like its sesame-crusted tuna, miso-glazed black cod, steak- and chicken-fried rice, the E+O Cheeseburger and Surf & Turf. You can also find E+O Kitchen in its breezy riverside hideaway location at The Banks. Photo: facebook.com/EandOKitchen
Symphony Hotel & Restaurant 210 W. 14th St., Over-the-Rhine For a cozy hidden gem, check out (or check in) at the Symphony Hotel & Restaurant, just steps away from Music Hall and Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine. The restaurant’s amaranthine walls and low lighting set the mood for a romantic meal of up to five courses. The menu features New American cuisine like wild-caught fish, vegetarian tacos, grass-fed steak and Amish chicken. For dessert, split a decadent New York-style cheesecake or the chocolate cherry crème brûlée. Photo: facebook.com/SymphonyHotel