Eats Staff Picks

Best Short list of Restaurants to Patronize: Dilly Deli Photo By: Graham Lienhart

Best Short list of Restaurants to Patronize:
The Greater Cincinnati Independents are hardworking people putting their money where your mouth should be. There are old-timers like Pompilio’s, newcomers like Chalk Food + Wine, casual places like Dilly Deli (pictured) and posh hot spots like Daveed’s and Mesh. What they have in common is their commitment to “original cuisine and local flavor.” They offer discounted gift certificates via the gcindependents.com Web site, with first dibs going to foodies who sign up for their mailing list. Speaking of discounts, this is the “Restaurant Week” crowd — top-notch meals for a fixed price (this year, it was $25.08) — a great opportunity to taste the handiwork of some of the most amazing chefs in town. Hometown pride? Eat it, baby.

Best Breakfast Place to Douse a Hangover:
Do you like eating pancakes that don’t taste like the sausage links that were cooked on the griddle before them? Maybe you’re down with the liberal media and avocados? If the answers are yes, First Watch is the place for you. This place knocks breakfast out of the park (as attested by its reader pick win). Everyone likes a good meal after a long night of drinking, but some of us don’t like standing grease and what I call the “Trader’s World Crowd” to be parts of our first meal of the day. Multiple locations around Greater Cincinnati.

Best Breakfast Alternative:
So you’ve driven to Rookwood Pavilion for a morning breakfast meeting at First Watch only to find every table full and a sound level that discourages gentle conversation. What to do? Just walk to the east end of the block of stores and head into Joseph-Beth Booksellers, where Bronte Bistro begins serving a full breakfast menu at 8 a.m. It’s peaceful, and if you time it right you can get the muffins as they come out of the oven. 2692 Madison Road, Norwood, 513-396-8966.

Best Greek View Breakfast:
Santorini Restaurant offers plenty of delicious breakfast dishes, including steaming plates of scrambled eggs, goetta and pancakes. The staff is friendly and jovial as they dish out bottomless cups of coffee and tall glasses of orange juice to locals stopping by after church with their families. Bonus: The walls are painted with stunning views of the Greek island this restaurant is named after. 3414 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, 513-662-8080.

Best Breakfast Burrito:
The turkey and Swiss burrito at Sidewinder Coffee & Tea is the bomb — the perfect wake-up food whether it’s 8 a.m. or noon. Dang, now we’ve gone and done it. They sell out of them way too early as it is. 4181 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-542-8321.

Best Cheap Brunch:
If the menu selection and taste don’t sell you on a Sunday brunch at Blue Jay, the prices certainly will. You can stack your plate with eggs, goetta and your choice of double-decker sandwiches for much less than other restaurants. At the end of your meal, take home a $1.50 slice of homemade pie. 4154 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-541-0847.

Best Thing About Sunday Brunch:
The cinnamon walnut sticky bun at Greenup Cafe is really big, really sticky and oh-my-God good. You think you might not eat the whole thing, but you do. And you should. This flaky, buttery pastry is the best breakfast sweet roll in town. 308 Greenup St., Covington, 859-261-3663.

Best Bibimbab:
Sung Korean Bistro’s Bibimbab is a simple, healthy and light bowl of meat, veggies, rice and a fried egg. It’s artfully presented and served with a yummy, spicy chili sauce. 700 Elm St., Downtown, 513-721-7864.

Best Set of Sheets:
We’re not talking thread count here, people; get your minds out of the gutter and into Enzo’s. Al and Al Sheets (Sr. and Jr., respectably and respectively) serve up the goody goods, from cappuccinos and smoothies to salads and sandwiches — the Big Al is recommended. Whatever you order, you always walk out the door feeling better than you did walking in it. 1106 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-579-1106.

Best Successor to Big Boy: Parkside Café Photo By: Joe Lamb

Best Successor to Big Boy:
Parkside Café, replacing the Walnut Hills Frisch’s, has new management, friendly staff who make you glad you came, great homemade soups and surprises like fried zucchini strips, breakfast specialties all day, sandwiches, salads and free WiFi internet access. The new Web site, www.parksidecafe.info, carries daily lunch specials and coupons; drive-through pick-up is coming. The cheerful place makes a good anchor in a neighborhood glad to have another, as the Kroger store a block up the street from Parkside has made noises about leaving (landlord problems). Not the best plan, when the neighborhood itself has Parkside and other good things going. 1026 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills, 513-221-2026.

Best Place for a Power Lunch:Cafe 201 is one of the several new cafeteria-style lunch options that have popped up downtown in the last few years. Try a panini or help yourself to the amazing selection on the salad bar or a Niman Ranch grass-fed hormone-free burgers, pull up a stool and make a big money deal. 201 Fourth St., Downtown, 513-723-6979.

Best Burger Reprise:
When Hamburger Mary’s became Universal Grille, it dropped much of its delicious burger-heavy menu in favor of something more high-falutin. But regulars protested, missing the specialty burgers and spicy fries, so the Grille adapted and brought back some of its signature platters. Thanks! 909 Main St., Downtown, 513-381-6279.

Best Deliciously Cheap Burger:
The Loyal Café in Bellevue has home-style burgers just like ma used to make — big, fat, greasy and perfectly cooked. Worth at least double the cost, which is less than $3. 402 Foote Ave., Bellevue, 859-431-5223.

Best Deluxe Hamburger:
Everyone knows City View Tavern has the best view in the city. Heck, you can tell from their name. But have you tried one of their juicy hamburgers? The Big Ted Deluxe (named after a prior bar owner) is piled with extras like American cheese, mayo, mustard, catsup, onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle ($5.25). It comes on a doughy Kaiser roll and your choice of regular or barbeque Husman’s potato chips. 403 Oregon St., Mount Adams, 513-241-8439.

Best Neighborhood Atmosphere: Pelican Reef Photo By: Joe Lamb

Best Neighborhood Atmosphere:
I thought you could get conch fritters only in the Bahamas, but as it turns out Pelican’s Reef also serves up these crispy hush puppy-esque balls of delight for just $6.95. They also have conch chowder, garlic mussels and crab wontons. Their varied seafood options and daily specials are great for those adhering to Lent, but they also cook up thick burgers, chicken sandwiches and other non-fishy dishes. I’ve seen soups and salads on their menu, but why bother? Did you not read the first line about conch fritters? Their beach-inspired décor and furniture adds to the feeling that you’re sipping Mai Tais in the Caribbean, but you’re sure to run into someone you know no matter when you visit. Just in time for Best of Cincinnati, Pelican’s Reef will be closed in early April to accommodate a 50-seat expansion. 7261 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Twp., 513-232-CLAM.

Best Hummus:
Hummus has become so popular in the U.S. you can now pick it up at pretty much any grocery store. But York Street Café puts a delicious spin on the Mediterranean appetizer with their dirty hummus, which is infused with enough cheese you can eat it with nachos. 738 York St., Newport, 859-261-9675.

Best Breadsticks:
Pasquale’s has a neighborhood ma-and-pa feel. The pizza’s yummy, but you might not get that far if you get breadsticks as an appetizer. With just the right mix of melted cheese, garlic, salt, butter and crispiness, they’re breadsticks as God intended them to be. 343 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, 859-261-2233.

Best $4.99 Pizzas:
Palomino might be known as the best spot in town for happy hour (as voted again in the reader picks), but if you ask us, the $4.99 pizzas from 3-7 p.m. are the real draw. Sausage and roasted mushroom pies sure hit the spot before a night out. 505 Vine St., Downtown, 513-381-1300.

Best Happy Hour Deal:
Catering to both hard-working folks and live-music junkies, Win, Place or Show features unbelievably priced $5 pitchers of Miller Lite during happy hour. Other happy hour deals include special discounts on a draft of the month and import bottle of the month. Happy hour runs Monday-Friday until 7 p.m., so you can head here after a really long day at the office. 9933 Cincinnati-Columbus Road, West Chester, 513-777-2920.

Best Pinch-Me-I’m-in-Manhattan Moment: Twist Lounge Photo By: Joe Lamb

Best Pinch-Me-I’m-in-Manhattan Moment:
Twist Lounge at Pigall’s is too chic, right? All the beautiful people and you, quaffing a glass of champagne and nibbling from the “Petite Bite Menu,” where everything is as pretty as it is delicious. Tiny bits of toasted walnuts mixed into earthy goat cheese, piped onto crostini and drizzled with truffle oil. Porcelain spoons filled with crab salad — real crab, of course, with tastes of tropical fruit — arranged on a red glass plate. Puffs of pastry surrounding duck confit. And the foie gras mousse: ooh la la! The service is friendly and convivial, not stuck up or standoffish. For a special night out or to make an ordinary night glorious, just Twist. 129 W. Fourth St., Downtown, 513-721-1345.

Best Reason to Rethink Tuna:
If “casserole” logically follows “tuna” in your mind, it’s time to check out the other uses of this versatile fish. The Ahi Tuna appetizer at the Chart House is seriously expensive (like many other items there) but seriously worth it. These yummy suckers are cooked lightly to perfection with black-pepper coating and a slight Asian tinge, served sushi style. 405 Riverboat Row, Newport, 859-261-0300.

Best Fried Pasta:
Deep Fried Ravioli from Pompilio’s. Chewy and crispy, full of bubbling cheese, it might just make you start frying up all your pasta from now on. 600 Washington Ave., Newport, 859-581-3065.

Best Homemade Brats ‘n’ Metts:
If you’re like most Cincinnatians, you dig the pig. Eckerlins Meats grinds the hog like no other, fashioning a dizzying selection of Italian sausage, metts, brats and their signature “Who Dey” sausages. Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine, 513-721-5743.

Best Truffle and Wine Dessert:
Mesh’s sampler dish of five truffles ($8) neatly dovetails with a house wine tasting ($6). Try a tawny port with the hazelnut truffle. Different wines enhance the chocolate’s flavors and bring out their unique accents. 6200 Muhlhauser Road, West Chester, 513-777-7177.

Best Private Expressions: Chalk Food + Wine Photo By: Joe Lamb

Best Private Expressions:
When is a restroom more than a restroom? When you visit Chalk Food + Wine. A beautiful basin sink sits on a sleek cabinet with fresh flowers, a basket of scented soaps and a vase of flowers. Indirect lighting illuminates the mirror that reflects the dark wood work frames around the louvered doors. Beyond the exquisite taste, you’ll find outrageous messages. Every inch of open wall and ceiling in Chalk’s bathrooms are covered with, yes, chalkboard. Next to the basket of scented soap is a supply of colored chalk. No need to break a nail scratching a message in a stall: just grab the chalk and have your say. “Try the burger. It’s not what you expect.” “The little cupcakes are almost too cute to eat.” “Come back to me.” “Jacob is a loser.” Stop by Chalk for fine dining, a glass of wine at the great bar and the chance to privately express yourself. 316 Pike St., Covington, 849-643-1234.

Best Seven-Layer Cake:
Bugs Bunny’s dream come true is ours too. Mitchell’s Fish Market serves up an eye-popping, drool-inspiring seven layers of carrot cake. Complete with caramel sauce and cream cheese frosting, it can easily fill four bellies. Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-291-7454; 9456 Water Front Dr., West Chester, 513-779-5292.

Best Weird Pudding:
On a recent visit to Seny, the new tapas restaurant in Walnut Hills, we took a chance on the Avocado Mousse. The taste creeps up on you — a kind of bitter/sweet blend that’s like no Jello brand we’ve ever had. It’s haunted us ever since that first taste. 1544 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills, 513-221-SENY.

Best Place to Eat after a Southgate House show:
Michelangelo’s Pizza is open damn late — ’til 3 a.m. on the weekends. It also doesn’t hurt that the slices are generous, the sauce has a kick and the prices are from the 20th century. 337 York St., Newport, 859-261-4100.

Best Late Night Sushi:
It’ll cost ya a little more than White Castles or pizza slices, but Pacific Moon offers some of the best sushi in town and you can get it until 2 a.m. seven days a week. If you have a few extra bucks to spend, also get an order of the five-spice baby octopus. It’s squidlicious! Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-261-6666.

Best Place to Get Bubble Tea: B.Y. Fusion Café (which is to be renamed Tea N’ Bowl after April 1) Photo By: Stephen Carter-Novotni

Best Place to Get Bubble Tea:
The UC crowd can enjoy a taste of modern Asia at B.Y. Fusion Café (which is to be renamed Tea N’ Bowl after April 1). They specialize in Bubble Tea, which starts with sweet milky (or fruity) tea and is then loaded with “bubbles” — marble-sized pearls of tapioca that are slurped through an equally fat straw. It’s all the rage in the Orient, and flavors like honeydew, chai, mango and almond are served in hot, iced and slushy variations. The bubbles are chewy, gooey and thick. It’s an Asian grill, too, with delicious entrees for between $6 and $10. 211 W. McMillian St., Clifton Heights, 513-421-9111.

Best New Bakery in an Old Bakery Spot:
Not long ago, sweets-lovers in Clifton got a welcome replacement for the old Virginia Bakery next to Skyline. Servatti’s took over the spot, offering their usual dazzling array of cookies, cakes, donuts and other delectable treats, including the best soft-pretzels in town. 286 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-861-0672.

Best Bakery That’s Out of the Way:
Walking into the Little Dutch Bakery, it’s hard to keep your mouth from watering. This tiny bakery packs in a big selection, from moist coffee cakes and iced donuts to scrumptious cakes and divine cookies. Regular attendees can’t rave enough about this place, and when they’re not eating at the bakery they’re wishing they were. 7611 Hamilton Ave., Mount Healthy, 513-931-3550.

Best Carmel Machiatto:
Front Porch Coffeehouse is the West Side’s answer to those hipster places in the city core. Like a delicate piece of art, their Carmel Machiatto is a balanced blend of sweet decadence. 5245 Glenway Ave., Western Hills, 513-471-5282.

Best Chocolate Zion:
The sweetest reason to visit O’Bryonville is the Marble Hill Chocolatier Chocolate Lounge, which peddles dark, flavorful morsels that feel like liquid sin as they melt in your mouth. Creative use of fruit and spice accents make Marble Hill’s goodies unique. 1989 Madison Road, O’Bryonville, 513-321-0888.

Best Sweet Spot:
Taste From Belgium owner Jean-Francois Flechet seems to be everywhere these days — flipping his sweet Belgian waffles covered with a crunchy caramelized sugar coating at at Findlay Market, merrily taking them to coffeehouses throughout the city on his Waffle Tour and getting them to The Coffee Shop in O’Bryonville on a daily basis. Damn, those are good waffles. www.tastefrombelgium.com

Best Sushi Deal: Maki Express Photo By: Joe Lamb

Best Sushi Deal:
Maki Express sushi bar and Asian kitchen is small but mighty. Besides being insanely delicious, it’s incredibly cheap. For lunch, spend only $8.50 and walk away with three rolls of vegetarian sushi and a miso soup. It’s authentic, carefully-crafted , mom-and-pop style sushi, and they seriously have the best avocado you’ll ever eat. 209 W. McMillan St., Clifton Heights, 513-721-6999.

Best Holiday in St. Bernard:
March 1 is the day the Dairy Queen opens for the new ice cream season! The DQ in the SB is an old-fashioned ice-cream stand (just walk-up windows, no actual “store”) and you can tell the temperature outside by the length of the lines. The soft-serve specialists remain closed during the winter months, so no Blizzards during a blizzard. 4437 Vine St., St. Bernard, 513-641-4100.

Best Pickle Product:
Fried pickles can be found at a few places around town, but to enjoy them in a no-nonsense, neighborhood-diner atmosphere, you can’t beat Covington’s Pepper Pod. Their little fried dill delights are almost annoyingly addictive. And you can get them 24 hours a day. 703 Monmouth St., Newport, 859-431-7455.

Best Soulful Food:
Julia Pitts, owner of A Taste of Julia’s, loves cooking and loves people. You can taste her passion in her sultry collard greens, her crispy Southern fried chicken and, of course, while sipping her Julia’s Famous Tea Punch. Other popular dishes are fried tilapia with decadent sweet potato casserole and pork chops with creamy macaroni and cheese. Don’t forget the corn bread. 6025 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield, 513-942-1800.

Best Oven-Fired Pizza:
A casual restaurant typically packed with regulars, The Works in Loveland indulges in crispy pizzas baked in a brick oven. Non-pizza items include pasta and bar food like chicken fingers and wings. 20 Grear Millitzer Lane, Loveland, 513-697-8408.

Best Sunny Afternoon Lunch Out With an Excellent View:
The Buckhead Mountain Grill is a put-your-feet-up alternative to the Levee. Expect stunning riverbank views and classic American comfort food. 35 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, 859-491-7333.

Best Exotic Bites:
Stop by Seny for unusual offerings of Spanish tapas and entrées. You’ll find everything from paella to carpaccio-style raw beef served with sherry foam and the occasional dash of squid ink. Open since October and masterminded by the young, creative Travis Maier, this isn’t a walk-in-and-get-a-table kind of place. You definitely need to call ahead. 1544 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills, 513-221-SENY.

Best Place for a Tea Party: Tea Roses Photo By: Stephen Carter-Novotni

Best Place for a Tea Party:
A pretty, feminine decor makes Tea Roses tea parlor feel like an intricate, life-size dollhouse. There’s also a room for kids’ tea parties and a Victorian parlor. The building is steeped in history, too — it was the site of a turn-of-the-century murder and is rumored to be haunted. The tea house was a hotel until 1966, and early on rooms were rented for 50 cents a day. Today visitors enjoy a full dining menu and an extensive range of teas served by a knowledgeable staff. 101 E. Main St., Mason, 513-398-2260.

Best Clean-Up:
Jean-Robert de Cavel is at it again, this time in a former laundromat in Over-the-Rhine. Lavomatic Café is a pleasant narrow space with a great bar, some tables for dining, a more private room upstairs and a lovely rooftop deck for warm-weather gathering. The menu consists of great wine, sandwiches and simple fare delivered with flair and expectable good service. JR knows what he’s doing, and having him in OTR is a wonderful endorsement of the neighborhood. 1211 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-621-1999.

Best Thai Fusion Moment:
Crab and/or duck at Amarin Thai & Sushi. Crispy, decadent, delicious. A nice big soft shell crab or half of a boneless duck, seasoned and fried crisp but not greasy, sliced for easy dipping in delicious Thai sauces. And the prices are reasonable. 3514 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, 513-321-5533.

Best Thai on the West Side:
An always welcoming staff and an bevy of tasty dishes make Thai Namtip a West Side treasure. The workweek lunch specials are especially noteworthy, featuring a nicely portioned entrée with soup or spring roll for just $5.95. 5461 North Bend Road, Monfort Heights, 513-481-3360.

Best Hole–in-the-Wall Wing Joint:
It might not be much to look at, but Hooligan’s Pub boasts some pretty bodacious wings. And really, who has time to look at the scenery when you’re cramming your face? 3340 Highland Ave., Pleasant Ridge, 513-841-9994.

Best New Indian Option:
Cincinnati must love curry, because you can’t throw a rock in Clifton without hitting an Indian restaurant. Bombay Oven, the latest addition, has commandeered the space that used to house Mayura. Boasting daily specials and a lunch buffet, it’s worth a try. The Mulligatawny soup is a house specialty. Seinfeld fans will recall that this was also among the Soup Nazi’s fare. 3201 Jefferson Ave., Clifton, 513-221-6836.

Best Source for Your Thanksgiving Dinner:
Fresh turkey is only $2 a pound at Tewes Poultry Farm, which has been family owned since 1955. Once you eat fresh bird you won’t want to go back to frozen. 2801 Crescent Springs Road, Erlanger, 859-341-8844.

Best Thanksgiving Dinner When It’s Not Thanksgiving:
The Golden Lamb, now in its third century of operation, has defined elegance for generations. If you’re in the mood for a holiday feast but it’s not a holiday, try all the roast Butler County turkey you can eat. Served with sage dressing and gravy, it’s sure to please and fill you up. 27 S. Broadway St., Lebanon, 513-932-5065.

Best Tuesday Night Wine Buzz:
Chez Nora in Covington’s MainStrasse has half-price glasses of wine on Tuesdays and one of the best views of Cincinnati’s skyline around. Proving the words “romantic” and “affordable” can be used in the same sentence. 530 Main St., Covington, 859-491-8027.

Best Place to Embarrass a Friend on Their Birthday:
Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant offers obnoxious singers, free dessert and a sombrero for the night that floats around the dining room like a colorful UFO seeking its next catch — and you’re it. Authentic Mexican fare and a margarita will take the edge off the chagrin. 34 Carothers Road, Newport, 859-292-8750.

Best Scottish Bar: Nicholson’s Tavern & Pub Photo By: Bill Bullock

Best Scottish Bar:
Any bar that has Guinness on tap seems to claim it’s an Irish bar, but there’s no dispute that Nicholson’s Tavern & Pub is purely Scottish. If you missed the rows and rows of premium single malt scotch behind the bar, surely you didn’t miss the servers dressed in kilts. To ensure complete authenticity, many original staff members took a research trip to Scotland for inspiration. Thanks to their dedicated research, this downtown bar and restaurant can transport you across the Atlantic with its fish and chips or osso buco. For special events, make a reservation, or stop in before or after a show at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. There are small front and back patios available for when the summer weather actually gets here. 625 Walnut St., Downtown, 513-564-9111.

Best Local Community Spirit:
The Boca Restaurant Group Foundation has been hovering under the radar for a number of years. The foundation, started by Boca/Nada owner David Falk, mentors families in Over-the-Rhine. www.boca-restaurant.com

Best Reasons to Fork Yourself in Oakley:
A Forkable Feast offers fully prepared gourmet meals so you can prop up your feet when you finally get home. The veal ricotta meatballs are to die for. Just a short way down the avenue, Sean Daly, Hugo’s owner and executive chef, wields one mean kitchen torch. The caramelized sugar that tops his crème brulee cracks so you can hear it as you plunge a spoon into the creamy center. Forkable Feast, 3363 Madison Road, Oakley, 513-871-8646; Hugo Restaurant, 3235 Madison Road, Oakley, 513-321-4846.

Best Do Over:
Grammer’s reopened as a bar earlier this year. Owner Martin Wade has a history of keeping history alive — he’s part of the team that opened Jean-Robert at Pigall’s as well. 1442 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-421-8300.

Best Comfort Food:
The Hideaway is true to it name, a cozy little venue tucked in behind Northside Tavern’s patio. We can’t wait for the summer menu, but in the meantime when there’s a foot of snow on the ground this place is up and running with choices like beef brisket, meatloaf and chicken and dumplings. 4163 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-542-2444.

Best Spot for a Casual Drink:
Olive’s at the Ludlow Garage has filled the Clifton void that’s been gaping ever since Uno’s closed. The spacious bar is a great place to stop with friends for a quick bite and beverage between work or school and home. 342 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-221-4200.

Best Meat-and-Greet:
When you flip your dinner disk to green, Boi Na Braza comes alive. Attractive, attentive Brazilian men swarm your table and offer all kinds of meat choices, from sirloin and tenderloin to lamb chops and pork ribs. Flip to red, and they let you catch your breath. No language barrier here. 441 Vine St., Downtown, 513-421-7111.

Best Mad Max Move:
Max Monk has established his Habanero restaurant as one of Clifton’s best laid-back neighborhood spots, offering great food and interesting beers at solid prices. He’ll soon be taking his famous Mad Max burrito to a second location at Newport on the Levee (plans are for a mid-April opening). Let’s hope they appreciate the concept as much on the Kentucky side. 358 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, 513-961-6800.