15 Best Restaurants in Cincinnati, Ohio

Since 1913, the Aglamesis family has been serving homemade chocolates and ice cream on the east side. The small ice-cream parlor and confectionery has checkered tile floors and marble-top tables; the marble soda fountains and Tiffany-style lamps are the original fixtures. The opera creams, rectangular cream-filled dark chocolate candy, remain a secret family recipe. A deli also serves a limited sandwich menu.

The oldest bar in Cincinnati, opened in 1861, caters to a diverse customer base and also serves a basic but solid Italian menu with such entrées as spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant marinara, Sicilian linguine, and sandwiches. The patio, where bands play Thursday through Saturday, stays open year-round and is covered in winter. Portions tend to be on the small side.

This is the place to go for special occasions, particularly romantic ones. Indulge in caviar and foie gras while enjoying stunning views of Downtown and the river from the top of Mount Adams. Some dishes with a Caribbean twist share the menu with such classic French fare as veal medallions and Dover sole sautéed in lemon butter.

Breakfast and brunch are satisfying at this restaurant in downtown Cincinnati; try banana crunch–or raisin walnut pancakes. The lunch menu is creative as well, with such entrées as pecan Dijon salad.

The true test of any ice cream brand is the vanilla, where there are no candy pieces to hide behind; Graeter's is superb, a deliciously creamy yet light blend. The chocolate chip improves it by adding huge slabs of dark chocolate. The full rainbow of flavors is available, including seasonal favorites like peach. The neighborhood ice cream parlor has multiple locations, including a dozen in Cincinnati and many others in Kentucky, Indiana, Dayton, and Columbus. Get in the inevitable line and start pondering your choices.

Mismatched antique wooden tables and chairs fill the charming Victorian dining rooms. The bread basket is noteworthy for its homemade dark-rye mini loaves and sweet wheat rounds. Chicken, lamb, steak, and seafood are on the menu at dinner. Don't miss the Sunday brunch buffet's specialty crepes, served with a variety of fillings. Open-air dining is available.

This restaurant in the Carew Tower's Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza maintains the elegant, art deco design of the hotel. Look up to see the murals on the 30-foot ceilings. Many of the beautifully presented dishes feature Ohio's bounty, for example, the Lake Erie walleye with a lobster-and-carrot fricassee. On weekend evenings, there's live jazz; on Sunday there's breakfast.

This German tavern in Corryville near UC was once a gathering place for opera stars and singing societies. Grapevines stretch over the biergarten (beer garden), and the mahogany bar is always well stocked. Traditional German dishes such as sausages, noodles, and soups are on the menu; for dessert, there's coffee-toffee black-bottom pecan pie.

The barbecued ribs are famous (Bob Hope was a fan), and you can't get any closer to the river without jumping in for a swim. This is the sister location of the original sports-themed joint, which is in the northeastern suburb of Montgomery. The menu is so dominated by the tender, finger-licking ribs that even the few poultry and seafood items are barbecued themselves or served as a combo with ribs. Sinful sides include onion straws and Saratoga chips (potatoes sliced and fried). Lunchtime and happy hour both draw crowds.

Appearance is almost as important as flavor at this lavish art deco restaurant in the landmark Cincinnatian Hotel downtown. Frederick Pissaro, great-grandson of the celebrated Impressionist painter, created artwork exclusively for the Palace. But the menu, which is pricey and continental (pheasant soup, rack of lamb, meatloaf), measures up well. New chef Romuald Jung, who has worked under some of the best in Europe and America, draws on his French and German influences to please older, upper-crust patrons.

Opened in 1981, this steakhouse was the first restaurant started by Jeff Ruby, now forever known as the man who refused to serve OJ Simpson (in May 2007). Servers introduce you to your food before you order. They'll show off, for example, the 28-day-aged Colorado Angus steak and the gigantic South African lobster tail that's part of the surf-and-turf combo. Entrées include all the oven-baked bread you can eat, salad, and baked potato. Spotting of local celebrities, particularly athletes, is a common pastime in the noisy, crowded dining rooms.

Panoramic views of the city can be savored from this restaurant perched on top of Price Hill. Interesting antiques, from old wine boxes to odd sculptures, are displayed throughout the interior. The menu emphasizes classic northern and southern Italian dishes—antipasti, pasta, veal, beef, lamb, poultry, and seafood. Try the salmon basted in a light butter sauce.

Clubgoers seeking late-night eats can stop looking. Shanghai Mama's is the place to go for inexpensive, satisfying noodle dishes at almost any hour–it's open until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays. But this is no dive. Appetizers like shrimp tempura and Shanghai ravioli go well with the big bowls of soup or oversized rice or noodle bowls. There are several vegetarian options, and all the noodle and rice bowls can be made vegetarian.

For many Cincinnati expatriates, the first stop on a hometown visit is the nearest Skyline Chili parlor. Whichever way they take it—three-way (chili with spaghetti and shredded cheddar cheese), four-way (chili with spaghetti, cheese, and onions), or cheese Coney (chili with shredded cheddar on a hot dog with bun)—people here are passionate about their chili. A tip for blending in—don't twirl your spaghetti; cut it with the side of your fork and scoop up a mouthful.

Decorative objects scattered around this low-key Market Place restaurant—brass objects and large paintings—are as traditional as the northern Indian cuisine. There are many vegetarian selections on the menu; the palak paneer (creamed spinach) is popular. The lunch buffet is a steal at $7. There's open-air patio dining with garden view, and a salad bar, too.