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Cincinnati-Based Restaurant Chains That Are Actually Good

From cheese coneys to Big Boys, there are plenty of popular chain restaurants that have Cincinnati roots. And by "chain," we mean…

By CityBeat Staff

Nov 16, 2021

Skyline Chili 3-Way
Multiple Locations
The history of Cincinnati-style chili goes back to the 1920s, when it was invented by Greek immigrants who used Mediterranean-inspired spices to create a meat sauce used initially to top hot dogs sold out of a cart. The beef-based sauce  its kind of like a runny pasta sauce with hints of cinnamon, chocolate and other spices  eventually became the key ingredient in the 3-way, a plate of pasta topped with chili, an unnecessary amount of shredded cheddar cheese and a side of oyster crackers. Adding onions to the 3-way makes it a 4-way; onions and beans make a 5-way. Local chain Skyline Chili was founded by Greek immigrant Nicholas Lambrinides in 1949, inspired by his mother's family recipes from their hometown of Kastoria, Greece. In an eternal regional chili war, locals are divided over whether Skyline has the best chili and the other popular local chain, Gold Star, is for losers, or if its the other way around. Youll find die-hard supporters of both. But if you want to go non-chain, there are more than 250 chili parlors in Cincinnati  restaurants big and small offering their own take on this regional favorite. Most people, however, start with Skyline.
Photo via Facebook.com/SkylineChili