Cincinnati's Best Restaurants, as Chosen by CityBeat Readers

Hello. Are you hungry? You probably will be at some point today or in the near future (unless you’re a robot). And when you’re ready to eat, you may need a restaurant recommendation. That’s where we come in. This slideshow is a slightly overwhelming assortment of delicious places to eat — as decided on by readers of CityBeat's our annual Best Of Cincinnati issue.

We’ve been in the business of curating the BOC for more than two decades, highlighting the city’s most outstanding selections in Eats, Shops & Services, Music & Nightlife, et al, and the responsibility of selecting these exceptional entities is divided between our readers and staff. In 2018, more than 900,000 votes were tallied to determine our Reader Picks — and readers logged on to the ballot site to vote for their favorites in a slew of categories. As this is a slideshow about food, we’re focusing on winners in the Eats section.

Note: This is obviously not a list of every restaurant in Cincinnati. And you may not agree with every pick on here. But it is certainly an excellent starting point in any conversation that begins with “Where should we eat?” that would otherwise end in a) tears b) loud arguments c) starvation.

See all of the BOC Eats results here (including winners that are national chain restaurants and some smaller neighborhood-specific picks) and the entire Best Of Cincinnati issue here.
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Best New Restaurant
Taft’s Brewpourium
4831 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village, taftsalehouse.com/brewpourium.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best New Restaurant

Taft’s Brewpourium
4831 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village, taftsalehouse.com/brewpourium.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Overall Restaurant // Best Italian // Best Restaurant for a First Date // Best Romantic Restaurant
Sotto
118 E. Sixth St., Over-the-Rhine, sottocincinnati.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Overall Restaurant // Best Italian // Best Restaurant for a First Date // Best Romantic Restaurant

Sotto
118 E. Sixth St., Over-the-Rhine, sottocincinnati.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Overall Restaurant (Northern Kentucky)
Pompilios
600 Washington Ave., Newport, Ky., pompilios.com.
Photo: Khoi Nguyen

Best Overall Restaurant (Northern Kentucky)

Pompilios 600 Washington Ave., Newport, Ky., pompilios.com. Photo: Khoi Nguyen
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Best Menu (Most Innovative) // Best Restaurant Design // Best Restaurant to Take a Foodie
Boca
114 E. Sixth St., Downtown, bocacincinnati.com.
Photo: Provided

Best Menu (Most Innovative) // Best Restaurant Design // Best Restaurant to Take a Foodie

Boca
114 E. Sixth St., Downtown, bocacincinnati.com.
Photo: Provided
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Best Appetizer // Best Guacamole // Best Tacos
Bakersfield
1213 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, bakersfieldtacos.com. 
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Appetizer // Best Guacamole // Best Tacos

Bakersfield
1213 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, bakersfieldtacos.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Barbecue // Restaurant for the Best Bang for Your Buck
Eli’s BBQ
3133 Riverside Drive, East End; 133 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, elisbarbeque.com. 
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Barbecue // Restaurant for the Best Bang for Your Buck

Eli’s BBQ
3133 Riverside Drive, East End; 133 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, elisbarbeque.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Butcher Shop
Avril-Bleh & Sons
33 E. Court St., Downtown, avril-blehmeats.com. 
Photo: Sami Stewart

Best Butcher Shop

Avril-Bleh & Sons
33 E. Court St., Downtown, avril-blehmeats.com.
Photo: Sami Stewart
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Best Cajun/Soul Food
Knotty Pine on the Bayou
6302 Licking Pike, Cold Spring, Ky., theknottypineonthebayou.com. 
Photo: Facebook.com/knottypineonthebayou

Best Cajun/Soul Food

Knotty Pine on the Bayou
6302 Licking Pike, Cold Spring, Ky., theknottypineonthebayou.com.
Photo: Facebook.com/knottypineonthebayou
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Best Cheese Shop // Best Cooking Classes
Jungle Jim’s International Market
5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield; 4450 Eastgate Drive S., Eastgate, junglejims.com. 
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Cheese Shop // Best Cooking Classes

Jungle Jim’s International Market
5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield; 4450 Eastgate Drive S., Eastgate, junglejims.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Chef
Jean-Robert de Cavel
Table, L, French Crust, Le Bar A Boeuf
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Chef

Jean-Robert de Cavel
Table, L, French Crust, Le Bar A Boeuf
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Chili (Non-Chain)
Blue Ash Chili
Multiple locations including 9565 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash, blueashchili.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Chili (Non-Chain)

Blue Ash Chili
Multiple locations including 9565 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash, blueashchili.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Chicken
The Eagle OTR
1342 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, theeagleotr.com.
Photo: Facebook.com/theeagleotr

Best Chicken

The Eagle OTR
1342 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, theeagleotr.com.
Photo: Facebook.com/theeagleotr
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Best Chili (Chain)
Skyline Chili
Multiple locations including 643 Vine St., Downtown, skylinechili.com/.
Photo: Provided

Best Chili (Chain)

Skyline Chili
Multiple locations including 643 Vine St., Downtown, skylinechili.com/.
Photo: Provided
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Best Coffeehouse (Local)
Coffee Emporium
Multiple locations including 110 E. Central Parkway, Over-the-Rhine, coffee-emporium.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Coffeehouse (Local)

Coffee Emporium
Multiple locations including 110 E. Central Parkway, Over-the-Rhine, coffee-emporium.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Tea Selection
Churchill’s Fine Teas
122 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, churchillsteas.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Tea Selection

Churchill’s Fine Teas
122 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, churchillsteas.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Delicatessen
Izzy’s
Multiple locations including 800 Elm St., Downtown, izzys.com.
Photo: Facebook.com/izzykadetz

Best Delicatessen

Izzy’s
Multiple locations including 800 Elm St., Downtown, izzys.com.
Photo: Facebook.com/izzykadetz
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Best Overall Bakery (Breads) // Best Farmers Market Food Stall
Blue Oven Bakery
125 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, blueovenbakery.com.
Photo: Facebook.com/blueovenbakery

Best Overall Bakery (Breads) // Best Farmers Market Food Stall

Blue Oven Bakery
125 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, blueovenbakery.com.
Photo: Facebook.com/blueovenbakery
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Best Ice Cream // Best Desserts (Retail)
Graeter’s
Multiple locations including 511 Walnut St., Downtown, graeters.com.
Photo: Jesse Fox

Best Ice Cream // Best Desserts (Retail)

Graeter’s
Multiple locations including 511 Walnut St., Downtown, graeters.com.
Photo: Jesse Fox
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Best Chocolates
Aglamesis Bros.
3046 Madison Road, Oakley, aglamesis.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Chocolates

Aglamesis Bros.
3046 Madison Road, Oakley, aglamesis.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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Best Gelato/Sorbetto/Frozen Ice
Dojo Gelato
137 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine; 1735 Blue Rock St., Northside (seasonal), dojogelato.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Best Gelato/Sorbetto/Frozen Ice

Dojo Gelato
137 W. Elder St., Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine; 1735 Blue Rock St., Northside (seasonal), dojogelato.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger
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