28 Essential Foodie Restaurants Located Outside of Over-the-Rhine

Commonwealth Bistro

621 Main St., Covington
Commonwealth Bistro is seriously good. For dinner, entrées toe the line between contemporary and comfort food with dishes like Kentucky-fried rabbit with creamed collard greens, lamb ragu and a burger with smoked Kewpie mayo on a Sixteen Bricks bun — they even serve Ale-8-One soda on its own or in cocktails like the Commonwealth Highball, with bourbon or vodka. Look for their killer brunch menu and rooftop patio that overlooks MainStrasse.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

The Baker’s Table

1004 Monmouth St., Newport
This cozy, flower-filled Newport brunch spot is nestled behind the bright windows of a garage-door-style front. Vintage charm, made-from-scratch creations and seasonal vegetables anchor this space, along with a cocktail and coffee menu.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Eighth & English

2038 Madison Road, O’Bryonville
The seafood-centric eatery — which goes by the nickname 8 & E — is the home for innovative, thoughtfully crafted fare somewhere in the city outside of Over-the-Rhine, downtown or parts of Covington. The current menu iteration runs the coastal gamut from raw to cold and hot to big, with options like octopus salad and tuna pâté to swordfish meatballs and amish chicken breast. Stop by Tuesdays for $1 oysters 5 p.m. to close (or 8 p.m. to close Friday and Saturday at the bar).
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Libby’s Southern Comfort

35 W. Eighth St., Covington
This adorable, Southern-inspired restaurant located in Covington offers an incredible menu along with a full bar boasting antique bourbons and boozy slushies, plus a super brunch selection (hello goetta hush puppies). Snag a seat inside where soft light pours in from the massive windows, or take a seat on the beautiful patio.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Karrikin Spirits Co.

3717 Jonlen Drive, Fairfax
Karrikin Spirits Co. is a "grain to glass" distillery and restaurant located in Fairfax. Essentially a one-stop-shop for a variety of housemade spirits and beverages like vodka, gin, agave spirit, rum and fruit brandies as well as hard sodas, non-alcoholic sodas and beers. In addition to beverages, the restaurant — helmed by chef Jared Bennett, formerly the executive chef of downtown’s Metropole — offers a menu full of creative housemade dishes. The dining area includes two formal spaces on either side of the kitchen-bar, and a lounge area with an eclectic grouping of chairs and couches upon which guests can sip, dine and hang out.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Casa Figueroa

6112 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge
Before you enjoy of bite anything, you’ll be wowed by the artwork and décor – from displays of Mexican folk art to wall-sized murals. The menu offers sophisticatedly fun, Latin-inspired dishes (heavy on the tacos) but also offers plenty of shareables as well as dishes like chilaquiles or the “big ass nachos.” They also offer an impressive cocktail menu.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

The Brown Dog Cafe

4335 Glendale-Milford Road, Blue Ash
Located in Summit Park, this sustainable and seasonal New American eatery features an ever-changing menu of fish, steaks, wild game, unique appetizers, vegetarian dishes, homemade pastas and desserts.
Photo via Facebook.com/TheBrownDogCafe

Lonely Pine Steakhouse

6085 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge
This steakhouse, located next door to the Shining-themed Overlook Lodge, is "inspired by Midcentury Modern styling and the spirit of America's great landscapes" and features a display of available steaks in a glass case at the front of the restaurant. Owners Jacob Trevino and Otto Baum have tapped chef Jared Beckman and butcher Sam Mischenko to create a menu that features filets, ribeyes, strips and rare cuts, along with steakhouse sides, cocktails and a "bold" wine list.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Branch

1535 Madison Road, Walnut Hills
The team behind The Littlefield has opened this new concept in East Walnut Hills in the former Art Deco Central Trust Bank Building at the corner of Woodburn and Madison avenues. Branch is the restaurant portion of the space and is located upstairs while Night Drop, the bar, is located downstairs. Both have a focus on local art with mosaics, chandeliers and murals created by Cincinnati artists. The menu at Branch is overseen by executive chef Shoshannah Anderson and offers a mix of “classic and contemporary American with ethnic influences."
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Coppin’s at Hotel Covington

638 Madison Ave., Covington
Hotel Covington is nationally recognized The restaurant also has a swanky bar and lounge space to enjoy a nice cocktail, or sit outside in the spacious courtyard.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Tahona Kitchen + Bar

1100 Summit Place Suite B, Blue Ash
Tahona Kitchen + Bar is a Mexican-inspired eatery located in Blue Ash’s Summit Park. They offer a menu of tacos boasting fresh, colorful ingredients, as well as tortas and shareable bites like pineapple mango guacamole and queso blanco. In addition to their food menu, they also offer a bar menu of craft beers, wine and signature cocktails like margaritas and seasonal sangrias.
Photo via Facebook.com/TahonaKitchen

Muse in Mt. Lookout

1000 Delta Ave., Mt. Lookout
This New American eatery has an innovative food and drink menu, using seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients with a focus on healthy meals. This mindful space is all about clean foods and offers a plethora of vegetarian and gluten-free selections in a swanky setting with neon, chandeliers and contemporary seating.
Photo via Facebook.com/MuseMtLookout

The Wildflower Cafe

207 E. Main St., Mason
With local farm-raised, grass-fed beef and an extensive wine list that features products from Cincinnati-area vineyards, Wildflower is dedicated to producing the freshest and best-quality food at an honest price. Foods are local, sustainable and seasonable to offer peak freshness.
Photo via Facebook.com/WildflowerCafeMason

Overlook Kitchen + Bar

5345 Medpace Way, Madisonville
Foodies, take note: a lot of excellent food is coming out of the kitchen division of the new Overlook Kitchen + Bar at Madisonville’s The Summit hotel. The fourth-floor dining facilities at The Summit, which includes a separate space open only for breakfast and lunch, features a large patio overlooking Madisonville.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Tela Bar + Kitchen

1212 Springfield Pike, Wyoming
Serving both lunch and dinner six days a week, Tela does steady business and really rocks on weekends. Rock & Roll cognoscenti will appreciate the numerous music references, starting with the restaurant’s name, taken from a song title by the owners’ favorite band, Phish. The pub-grub slant is apparent at the top of the dinner menu, with items such as pretzel nuggets, chicken wings and poutine. What brings this fare to a higher level might be such twists as preparing the wings as confit or adding housemade beer mustard to the poutine, plus they offer an Impossible burger. All of which can be enjoyed in the modern farmhouse surroundings with Edison bulbs, colorful industrial seating and plenty of concrete and shiplap.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Gaslight Bar & Grill

351 Ludlow Ave., Clifton
The owners of Ludlow Garage, Dave and Claudia Taylor, have renovated a historic building across the street and opened the Gaslight Bar & Grill in the old Clifton branch of the public library. It serves lunch and dinner six days a week, includes an expansive bar with a dozen seats and features Clifton’s first rooftop patio. The dinner, lunch and drinks menus are straight-ahead American comfort food with a few high-end flourishes.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Forno Osteria + Bar

3514 Erie Ave., Oakley
One of the city’s First Families of Food – the Pietosos of Nicola’s and Via Vite – have brought upscale-casual Italian cooking to the East Side with Forno, serving what they describe as “Italian comfort food.” The restaurant is one large dining room with an open kitchen showcasing the brick ovens and a large bar. In addition to a selection of red- and white-sauced pizzas, the menu lists six pasta plates and five meat- and fish-based entrées. Also has a location in Montgomery.
Photo via Facebook.com/FornoOsteriaBar

Station Family BBQ

400 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming
The team behind Wyoming’s CWC the Restaurant expanded their empire with a second neighborhood eatery. Station Family + BBQ opened December 2018 and offers five different house-smoked meats, a cocktail menu, brunch and more. The bar menu features signature cocktails beer and wine on tap, bottled beer and a special collaboration brew with Valley Vineyards made especially for Station Family.
Photo via Facebook.com/CincyStation

Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar

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. The Motherboard charcuterie is ever popular, featuring four cured meats, five cheeses and a multitude of accoutrements.
Photo: Jesse Fox

Dutch’s

3378 Erie Ave., Oakley
Dutch’s established itself as a wine and bottling shop and open-air pony keg in 1947 and expanded into a deli/grocery. Pair one of 200 different available wines or craft on-tap beers with farmstead cheeses, natural meats or snacks like truffle popcorn. They embrace both old-world techniques and the new wave of domestic artisans. Thursday is Burger Night, with a special one-night-only gourmet topped burger available from 6 p.m. until they sell out.
Photo: Ty Wesselkamper