DINING OUT
ON TRACK GREYHOUND TAVERN continues to live up to its rich legacy. — A K S H A Y A H U J A
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F I HAD TO CHOOSE AMERICA’S GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CUISINE, MY VOTE would be meatloaf. Cheap, filling, and easy to make out of things on hand, there is something uniquely comforting and American about this dish. And although every family can have its own version, there is a pretty narrow band of possibilities before meatloaf ceases to be meatloaf. You can add celery (or not). You have options with cornflakes or breadcrumbs. And the ketchup glaze is not totally mandatory. But the range of options is not limitless. Get too fancy and it stops feeling like the real thing. If I wanted to pick a motto for Greyhound Tavern, that would be it: It doesn’t get too fancy, and it always feels like the real thing. You will also be pleased to know that they have a first-rate meatloaf. Rich and peppery, they finish the slices in the pan so it’s a little crisp on the edges, with a firm texture, a tart ketchup glaze, and a creamy gravy on mashed potatoes. If you like homestyle cooking, this is pretty close to perfection. The restaurant has a rich history and owes its longevity to delivering consistently on crowd-pleasing food like this. Opened in 1921, it was known as the Dixie Tea Room before changing its name to reference an early owner’s brother who trained greyhounds in Florida. Once upon a time, the streetcar line ended right next to Greyhound Tavern, offloading throngs of customers. Today, Dixie Highway is a bustling, four-lane road, but you can still take a load off inside or on the patio out back. For 34 years, Greyhound Tavern was owned by Butch and Mary Ann Wainscott, who ran it with members of their family. In 2020, they sold the restaurant to the restaurant group One Holland. Luckily, this is not some out-of-town conglomerate; the owner, Gary Holland, is a longtime Tavern customer and 7 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 1
FYI
Greyhound Tavern 2500 Dixie Hwy., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 331-3767, greyhoundtavern.com Hours Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat 11 am–9 pm, brunch, lunch, and dinner Sun 10 am–9 pm. Prices $6.50 (half order onion rings)–$36 (rib eye steak) Credit Cards All major The Takeaway Classics done right, even after all these years.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEREMY KRAMER
