2019 Best Eats Close to Home

BEST EATS

Close to Home While Cincinnati is still known for its chili, barbecue and ice cream, that’s not

all we have to offer. The Tristate has seen a restaurant explosion over the last several years and hungry diners can now find ramen, Cambodian cuisine and southern comfort food whenever they desire it.

Diners don’t have to travel far either. New restaurants are popping up all over town, from the East Side to the West Side and from the northern suburbs to northern Kentucky. Quality, delicious food can be found close to home no matter where you live in the region.

In this feature, we offer just a taste of what the Queen City has to offer by introducing 15 restaurants scattered among the Tristate’s five regions—the North, East Side, West Side, Northern Kentucky and Central. We hope you already have your knife and fork ready as you read on to learn more about some of the Tristate’s best eats.

By the Editors

CENTRAL

Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey

1201 Broadway, Pendleton • 513-381-2666 boomtownbiscuitsandwhiskey.com A little over a year-and-a-half into its existence, Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey now represents one of the veteran destinations in the blossoming Pendleton neighborhood east of Over-the-Rhine. When it opened, Nation Kitchen and Bar directly across the street was the only other eatery in Pendleton.

The restaurant—which specializes in hearty plates of biscuits and gravy as well as chicken sandwiches and thoughtful vegetarian options—created its mantra of “stake your claim” to reflect its nature as an early dining attraction at 12th and Broadway.

“It fits with the gold rush [theme],” says Britney Fields, general

manager, “but it also reflects how PJ [Neumann, owner] felt about Pendleton and kind of being the ones that took the first step to bridge this gap [between] Pendleton and Main Street.

“You can definitely see the growth,” adds Fields, noting that the residential-heavy nature of Pendleton has allowed Boomtown to provide a quality neighborhood joint for residents and a great introduction to it for new visitors.

Fields recommends first-timers start with the Yukon sandwich (pictured above)—a hunk of fried chicken draped in sawmill gravy, smoked cheddar and bacon between two halves of a fresh-made biscuit—and try the flagship cocktail, the Boomtown Gold Rush, which is made with rye whiskey, fresh lemon juice and honey and served in a glass rimmed with bee pollen.

- Kevin Michell w w w.

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EAST SIDE

Tano Bistro

204 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland • 513-683-8266 foodbytano.com Tano Bistro in Loveland uses the finest seasonal ingredients to create its delicious menu. “We’ll move into each season and whatever the season brings we’ll continue to craft specifically, not the whole menu, but a portion of the menu,” says Chef Gaetano “Tano” Williams.

Summer, for example, brought the panzanella salad that featured a summer tomato from the local Blooms & Berries farm, he says.

“That taste of summer’s tomato is what we’re about,” says Williams.

“So that’s the seasonality of it.”

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Of course Tano Bistro in Loveland—which just recently reopened after a fire in 2017 gutted the upper floor of the building in Loveland’s historic Downtown where the restaurant is located—doesn’t take all the items off when it changes the menu with the seasons.

“We do have our core items that we can’t take off the menu or else we’ll get burnt down again,” jokes Williams. That means the popular crab-bacon-brie-stuffed salmon entrée and the Sprout and Snout appetizer—fried Brussels sprouts and pork belly sauté—are available all year, he says.

There’s also the water buffalo burger that Williams says is delicious. “It’s very lean, it’s got great nutritional value, it doesn’t taste gamey … it’s a phenomenal product and I’m really, really proud to have it on our menu.”

– Eric Spangler

NORTH

Station Family + BBQ

400 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming • 513-679-6797 cincystation.com While Station Family + BBQ in Wyoming certainly has good food on its menu—it features two chefs who’ve competed on Bravo’s Top Chef TV show, Caitlin Steininger and Brian Young—the atmosphere is equally as good.

And that’s just the way it was planned—a fun place for families to come and hang out. “We want it to be laid back, comfortable, but [provide] anything you could ever need at the best block party of your life,” Steininger says. “So cold beer, great meats out of the smoker, delicious sides, even homemade desserts to finish off your meal.”

The meats are slow-cooked overnight on a giant smoker and include the familiar such as brisket and pork butt, along with new twists on barbecue like pork belly that’s rolled, dredged “aggressively” in salt and pepper and then smoked.

It turns out crisp, moist and delicious, says Steininger.

The restaurant also makes its own sausage with a Cincinnati twist. “It is actually flavored to taste like Cincinnati chili, so if you have some smoked sausage with some of our mustard barbecue sauce it’s like the best, breadless cheese coney you’ll ever have in your whole life,” she says.

– Eric Spangler

N O RT H E R N K E N T U C KY

Fairfield Market

700 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, Ky. • 859-360-0110 thefairfieldbellevue.com Bellevue’s Fairfield Market is only months old, but the neighborhood has quickly embraced the fast-casual eatery and bar.

The owners of the building at 700 Fairfield Ave. approached Katie Reeder and Brandon Moore about opening a food and drink establishment, knowing the two shared a passion for entertaining and feeding people.

“Brandon and I are actually neighbors and best friends,” says Reeder. She and Moore, who are the owner-operators and active partners of Fairfield Market, have hosted many dinner parties together at their respective homes for groups of friends. Now they have a dedicated, welcoming space to entertain visitors from all around while being receptive to guest feedback.

“We just want everyone to feel like they have an investment in what we’re doing here,” Reeder says.

First-time visitors can expect a surprisingly diverse array of experiences. During the day, the deli counter up front offers prepared foods and made-to-order sandwiches for eating in or carrying out. During evenings, the bar becomes the focal point with its many unique beers, bourbon options and shareable charcuterie and snacks. Saturday and Sunday brunches at Fairfield Market allow for the delightful dishes and the communal atmosphere to really shine.

There’s plenty of room to grow in Reeder’s mind, with opportunities to expand carryout options and market offerings. Visitors can already buy a bottle of wine to go from the repurposed bank vault behind the dining room and will soon be able to purchase coffee, gifts and other wares as well.

- Kevin Michell w w w.

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WEST SIDE

Asian Spice

3474 North Bend Road, Cincinnati • 513-661-9500 asianspiceoh.com Restaurant owner Dao Yee, known for Asian East Side staples Lemon Grass and Wild Ginger, has opened a third restaurant, this time on the West Side.

“It was a good opportunity to expand to the West Side because I think [that in] Hyde Park and the East Side a lot of restaurants have opened up,” she says. “Maybe it’s a better opportunity here on the West Side.”

And the West Side has embraced the new restaurant. Asian Bistro serves Thai, Chinese and hibachi-style cuisine as well as sushi rolls. Yee says that the traditional fried rice (rice stir-fried in soy sauce with egg, peas, carrots and onions), drunken noodles (wide rice noodles stir-fried in a chili sauce with broccoli, onions, carrots, bell peppers and Thai basil) and Yum Yum roll (a sushi roll with shrimp tempura, tuna, mango and cream cheese topped with a tempura crunch, spicy mayo and eel sauce) have proven to be particular popular. In fact, Yee says that sushi is becoming the restaurant’s top seller.

In addition to the food, the West Side also seems to be enjoying the welcoming atmosphere at Asian Spice.

“A lot of customers mention how homey they feel like when they come in. We are happy to see customers, we’re always welcoming customers,” Yee says. “We treat each other like friends and family.”

– Corinne Minard

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CENTRAL

Forty Thieves

1538 Race St, Over-the-Rhine • 513-818-9020 fortythievesgang.com Daniel Wright and his wife, Lana, have been instrumental in shaping the resurgent dining scene through Over-the-Rhine and downtown, starting with Senate and Abigail Street almost a decade ago. Their most recent concept—Forty Thieves, inside of Holiday Spirits at Liberty and Race—was initially going to be a taco joint until Wright spent some time in Jordan and Israel eating authentic falafel and shwarma.

“Shwarma’s sort of the precursor to where taco al pastor came from,” Wright says, explaining that many Lebanese immigrants helped start the rise of tacos when they arrived in Mexico.

Thanks to the combination of that experience and noticing how prevalent tacos already were in Cincinnati, the Wrights shifted to serving great Mediterranean street food at Forty Thieves. Wright wanted to add something new to Over-the-Rhine’s food options instead of following the trend set by other restaurants.

“I don’t feel like that’s expected of us, I feel like we can do so much more. Which is why we wanted to do this,” Wright explains, adding that Forty Thieves is a casual kindred soul to their Mediterraneanfocused Abigail Street.

Visitors can enjoy the fresh flavors of Forty Thieves by walking up to the Liberty Street window during lunch hours or anytime while hanging out in the hot new OTR watering hole that is Holiday Spirits.

-Kevin Michell

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CENTRAL

Zundo Ramen and Donburi

220 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine • 513-975-0706 zundootr.com Zundo Ramen and Donburri, situated just to the west of Over-theRhine’s Washington Park, is the result of two men’s passion for serving excellent cuisine in an energetic setting. Former operating manager David Chao and Han Lin of Montgomery’s Japanese restaurant Mei were motivated to bring a true ramen bar to Cincinnati that evoked the vibrant and effortless cool of similar joints in New York City and other major cities.

Together, they created an urban eatery that delivers on top-notch authentic ramen and one-of-a-kind guest experiences. From the David Beck-designed interior and the energetic atmosphere to the

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eclectic music and the classic anime playing on the bar’s television, Zundo holds a lot of uniquely attractive qualities before even taking a bite, sip or slurp.

“The vibe of the place, we wanted that to be different,” Chao says. “We didn’t want cookie cutter.”

But it’s not just about atmosphere. Zundo offers an array of savory and delectable Japanese soups, from the flagship miso ramen with roast pork and soft-boiled egg to the many variations on donburi that offer combinations of rice, meat, veggies or curry in Zundo’s 16-hour kitchen-made broth.

Zundo is also looking to add new options to the menu like chilled ramen and seaweed salad that are perfect for hotter nights. Meanwhile, the bar will continue to boast the widest selection of sake—35 different bottles—in the Midwest and a plethora of Japanese beers and whiskey, making Zundo a great visit at any time of day or night.

“We’re trying things that are different and it’s working,” adds Chao.

- Kevin Michell

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EAST SIDE

The Birch

702 Indian Hill Road, Terrace Park • 513-831-5678 thebirchtp.com Take a beautiful birch tree that grows in the middle of an inviting patio and add a welcoming staff and delicious food and you get The Birch restaurant in Terrace Park. Opened in 2017 by Terrace Park native Brett Tritsch and his wife, Aaron, the chef-driven restaurant features small plates, salads and sandwiches.

“We don’t do entrees just because everything is crafted in-house,” says Aaron. “Simple but thoughtfully done.”

One of the most popular items on the menu is the charcuterie and cheese board, she says. “Every time we change the menu that will be the one thing that will always stay,” Aaron says.

Also popular is the Birch Burger made with Black Angus beef and the various tacos of the day, she says. “That’s been a fun, creative outlet for the chef to do different variations of tacos.”

There are also plenty of healthy items on the menu, such as a quinoa bowl, Aaron says. “We change that up seasonally.

Right now it’s a Mediterranean-style quinoa bowl and that’s definitely one of our most popular salads. I think people appreciate that we have some healthy yet hearty options to enjoy.”

– Eric Spangler

Family owned, Authentic Neapolitan Wood Fired Pizza Dough is hand rolled daily. Imported Italian ingredients meet locally sourced ingredients. There is no freezer or microwave in the building assuring quality you can smell and taste!

(513) 248-0082 • joespizzanapoli.com 507 Chamber Dr. • Milford, OH 45150 w w w.

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EAST SIDE

The Wheel

3805 Brotherton Road, Oakley 513-271-0291 thewheeloakley.com To say that food and cooking runs in Chrissy Antenucci’s family would be an understatement. Antenucci’s grandmother hosted a live cooking show on WCPO in the ’50s called The Kitchen Show and her grandfather had a food market in Kenwood called the Big Tree Market, she says.

“Food-focused entertaining has deep roots in our family,” says Antenucci, owner of The Wheel carryout restaurant. Her family still plays an important part of her life.

“It is very meaningful to me to be able carry on the spirit and tradition here in Cincinnati,” she says. “We showcase her cookbook and hang his Italian Foods sign from the market in our carryout.”

Everything at The Wheel is made in-house from scratch, Antenucci says. That means there’s plenty of fresh pasta, meatballs, Italian sausage, tiramisu and bread for customers on their way home from work. “We cook with the seasons and thoughtfully source our ingredients from local purveyors,” she says.

The homemade focaccia bread is a standout. The Wheel serves mortadella, rosemary roasted carrot and grilled mushroom sandwiches on the focaccia bread Wednesday through Saturday in its carryout, says Antenucci.

“We rotate specials throughout the week, including a house-cured pastrami on our sourdough that is featured on Thursdays,” she says.

– Eric Spangler 50

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NORTH

Tortilleria Garcia

11774 Springfield Pike, Springdale • 513-671-8678 tortilleriagarcia.us Getting a fresh tortilla in the United States proved difficult for Omar Garcia, who grew up on a corn farm in Michoacan, Mexico. Following the harvest they would cook, clean and grind the ripened corn to make masa, the dough used to make fresh tortillas.

Garcia knew if he wanted a fresh tortilla here in the Cincinnati area he’d have to use that same process to make his own. His only barrier was money to start the venture.

But after crunching the numbers and discussing his idea with an acquaintance they agreed to help him with the finances. That’s when Tortilleria Garcia was born.

It started as a Mexican carryout restaurant in 2014 featuring Garcia’s fresh tortillas— along with tacos, tamales, nachos, burritos and rotisserie chicken from the recipes of Garcia’s grandmother and mother.

Demand for his food soon exceeded the restaurant’s capacity and Garcia expanded the seating area twice. It’s still not enough. “Sometimes in the morning it’s so packed that they still have to take it to go,” says Garcia.

In addition to the original Springdale location he recently opened a new restaurant in College Hill.

What separates Tortilleria Garcia from other restaurants that claim to make their own tortillas is they use dehydrated corn flour. “It’s a powder,” says Garcia. “So it’s a big difference.”

– Eric Spangler

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N O RT H E R N K E N T U C KY

Libby’s Southern Comfort

35 W. Eighth St., Covington, Ky. • 859-261-3106 libbyssoutherncomfort.com It’s been a long journey for Brad Wainscott to opening his own restaurant. Libby’s Southern Comfort, which he owns and operates with his wife Michelle, debuted early this year and the response from the area’s fans of good food and drink was both immediate and larger than expected.

“It’s been an eye-opener, we didn’t know what to expect,” says Brad. “It kind of blew our minds how busy we were right out of the gate.”

Part of the up-and-coming Covington district surrounding the Madison Theater and Braxton Brewery, Libby’s is named after the Wainscott’s daughter and features a menu full of comfort food and classy drinks. While Libby got her name on the building, Brad and Michelle’s two sons each got to pick a namesake menu item of their own, resulting in the Charlie Brown (a variation on the regional favorite dish, the hot brown) and the Willy Burger.

Brad Wainscott has spent a lot of his life in restaurants, starting with first working at his father’s landmark establishment, Greyhound Tavern. With the support of Michelle—who herself has plenty of experience with the business side of operating restaurants—and partners Jeremy and Kate Legge, Wainscott set out to creating an establishment of his own.

For first-timers, there’s plenty to dig into on the menu, but it all revolves around where Wainscott himself started.

“From my lineage, the fried chicken is a big deal,” he says, suggesting new guests should also try unique offerings like the goetta hush puppies, shrimp and grits and popular cocktail the Cheerwine bourbon slush.

- Kevin Michell

WEST SIDE

Mahope

3935 Spring Grove Ave., Northside 513-499-7176

JOE SIMON

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Most Cincinnatians are unfamiliar with Cambodian food, but that could all change thanks to Mahope. The restaurant opened in November and is Cincinnati’s only Cambodian restaurant.

“We are an authentic and fusion Cambodian restaurant. All dishes are made from scratch. We source local ingredients when possible, local veggies, local meat and stuff like that,” says General Manager Mike Laguna.

Laguna says that Cambodian food is very similar to Vietnamese and Thai, though the food tends to be lighter and more savory. Owner Vy Sok uses many of her family’s recipes to bring authentic a flavors to the restaurant’s dishes.

Popular items include kathiew, a bone broth soup similar to pho that’s only served in the fall; palay mi, a vegetable ramen with Napa cabbage and four types of mushrooms; and the Battambang burger, which features the restaurant’s signature Kroeung aioli, a spiced burger patty and pickled papaya.

The restaurant serves lunch Tuesday through Saturday and dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. Laguna and Sok run all aspects of the restaurant together—”We do all the cooking, all the serving, all the cleaning, all the everything,” he says— which contributes to the restaurant’s relaxed and casual feel.

– Corinne Minard

DINING PROFILE

Izzy’s 602 Main St., Suite 601, Cincinnati OH 45202 513-369-0245 • izzys.com Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m., though it can vary by location

I

zzy’s has been and continues to be one of Cincinnati’s most iconic restaurants. Founded in 1901 by the Kadetz family, their main mission was to give the people of Cincinnati high quality, fresh food for a reasonable price. That attention to detail, a man with a boisterous personality and food items you can’t find anywhere else blossomed a small deli shop.

quality ingredients in all of our products. Our family recipe corned beef is delivered fresh to the stores and cooked daily at each of our locations in a large copper kettle. This process gives our corned beef its unique flavor and ensures its high quality. Our potato pancakes use the finest northern Idaho potatoes, which guarantees that they are grown slowly to maximize ripeness and flavor. All of our Today, we still stay true to that prin- soups and specialty items such as the ciple. We continue to use fresh, high tuna salad, chicken salad and egg sal-

ad are still made from scratch in our commissary kitchen and then delivered to each location. We use locally sourced meats to create our delicious sandwiches and various menu items.

At Izzy’s, we continue to take the time and effort to ensure this high standard is consistently met. A commitment to quality and service, our team’s dedication to detail and enthusiasm for what we do drives us to serve the great people of Cincinnati for years to come.

NORTH

Lonely Pine Steakhouse

6085 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge • 513-351-1012 lonelypinesteakhouse.com Lonely Pine Steakhouse is indeed a steakhouse restaurant, but that doesn’t mean it offers the formal experience many formal steakhouses are known for.

“Instead of just the high-end frills and fine linens, we want to offer more of a local, more casual steakhouse with just as good if not better cuts of meat because we focus so much on that,” says Jared Beckman, executive chef. “With our small setting we’re able to really kind of wow them with the experience and the overall quality and service as opposed to all the other things that go into a big operation.”

The restaurant’s dinner menu is fairly simple—it’s only one page and features several appetizers, a couple salads, some desserts, the cuts of meat available and six shareable sides that can be added to an order.

“We really focus on not going very far to put something good on the table. That extends out to buying local, the kind of farm-to-fork kind of feel. We’re not 100% farm to fork but that is a very strong part of our business of operation,” adds Beckman. The restaurant buys produce from local farm stands (such as Blooms and Berries Farm Market in Loveland), water buffalo from 5 Points Ranch in New Knoxville and Wagyu beef from a farm in Columbus.

Lonely Pine also offers different specials each week, such as lamb or a vegetarian option. Beckman says the goal is to be the steakhouse anyone can enjoy.

“We are very casual, we’ve got a little modern twist to it,” he says. “People come see us for date nights and we have families come in and we have elderly people that come in, so we really capture a very broad audience.”

– Corinne Minard

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WEST SIDE

Kreimer’s Bier Haus

6052 state Route 128, Cleves 513-353-2168 bierhauswest.net Kreimer’s Bier Haus, a West Side staple since 1982, is known for its fabulous patio, unique atmosphere and German cuisine, but all of that was thrown into question in January when the restaurant suffered significant damage from a kitchen fire. Owner Mark Kreimer was forced to close and rebuild.

But the West Side will always help one of its own.

The community rallied around the restaurant—Whitewater Crossing even partnered with the restaurant, allowing Kreimer’s to hold events there, such as the Kreimer’s Bier Haus Fish Fry Nites in the spring, to help the restaurant pay its employees while the Kreimer family rebuilt.

The restaurant reopened in June, better than ever.

Diners can still enjoy the restaurant’s sauerkraut balls, pretzel bread, bier cheese and classic German dishes like the Schwein Chop (a char-boiled pork chop with fresh sauerkraut and housemade sauce with a potato pancake) and schnitzel.

In addition to its German cuisine, Kreimer’s also serves hand-cut steaks, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, seafood and more.

– Corinne Minard

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N O RT H E R N K E N T U C KY

Chako Bakery Café

611 Main St., Covington, Ky. chakobakerycafe.com Located within Mainstrasse, Chako Bakery Café offers a taste of Japan with owner Hisako Okawa’s fresh-baked breads, cakes and pastries.

Okawa, who goes by Chako, spent 28 years as a nurse in Japan before switching to cooking. She learned her skills at Le Cordon Bleu and Il Pleut Sur La Seine before coming to the United States. She worked out of her home and later the now-closed Crepe Café before opening Chako Bakery Café in 2017.

Okawa says that Japanese baked goods are different in that they tend to be less sweet and use more seasonal fruits and vegetables. She says that in Japan, the produce sold in grocery stores reflects what’s grown that that time of the year.

Thus, Okawa changes the menu to match the season. For example, she has a pumpkin bread for the fall.

Okawa says Japanese baking also emphasizes natural ingredients. In her raspberry fruit roll cake, she uses raspberry juice in the cake dough and the cream and no artificial coloring. “Everything has to be natural,” she says. “And not too sweet.”

Diners can also enjoy lunch at the café. She recommends trying the Karaage Sando (Japanese fried chicken sandwich), or Onigiri (Japanese rice ball).

– Corinne Minard

DINING PROFILE

JOE’S PIZZA NAPOLI 507 Chamber Drive | Milford, OH 45150 513-248-0082 | joespizzanapoli.com Hours: Tu-Th 11 a.m.-9 p.m. | F-Sa 11 a.m.-10 p.m. | Su 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Joe’s Pizza Napoli, a family-owned, authentic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza restaurant in Milford, mixes imported Italian ingredients with locally sourced ingredients for its tasty cuisine. The pizza dough is hand rolled daily and no microwave or freezer is used in the preparation of dishes.

The restaurant serves handmade meatballs and sauce daily, using a recipe that has lasted four generations. In addition to ordering the meatballs as an appetizer, diners can try them on one of the restaurant’s signature pizzas, The Polpette (with hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy, ParmigianoReggiano cheese, Fior Di Latte cheese, housemade meatballs, roasted onions and ricotta) or The Lasagna (with housemade marinara sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Fior Di Latte cheese, provolone, mozzarella, housemade meatballs, Italian sausage and ricotta).

Joe’s Pizza Napoli serves both red and white sauce pizzas along with calzones, salads and desserts like the Nutella calzones with fresh fruit or ricotta and made to order cannoli. The restaurant also features wine (Italian and domestic), beer (Italian and local craft) on tap and imported Prosecco and Limoncello!

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