Wayfinder's Guide to Cincinnati: Part 2

We're number 3!

Not usually reason for celebrating, but when Cincinnati ranks just after The Virgin Islands and Hudson River Valley, and before the Four Corners and Puerto Rico, in Lonely Planet's Top 10 US travel destinations for 2012 it's pretty exciting.

Since I am sure you will all be visiting the Queen City soon, or at least becoming a hometown tourist, I am posting some of my own favorite spots. This is Part Two:

Festivals, Food, Drinks & Theater

Festivals
Cincinnati likes its festivals! From Memorial Day's Taste of Cincinnati to Labor Day's Riverfest. From fish frys and church festivals in every neighborhood to North America's largest Oktoberfest. Here are some of my favorites:

The Panegyri Greek Festival : Authentic Greek cuisine, pastries, music, dancing, raffles, games and amusement rides.

Fish Frys: Cincinnati has a lot of Friday Night Fish Frys during Lent. It is our goal to try every one on this map.

Goetta Fest : What's Goetta? You obviously haven't been to Cincinnati. It's a delicious breakfast treat usually made with pork and pin oats. Yum!

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati : North America's largest Oktoberfest! Come out in September to eat, drink and do the Chicken Dance.

Bockfest Goat

Bockfest : Bockfest is a celebration of Cincinnati's historic Over-the-Rhine, its rich brewing heritage and bright future. It is usually the first weekend of March and begins with a parade... led by a goat...  pulling a keg of bock beer.

Midpoint Music Festival  : MPMF is a three day weekend event in downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine. In 2011 there were 18 stages featuring almost 200 bands.

Here's a link to some 2010 festival dates. It's old, but has links for more info!




Food: Markets
Findlay Market : Opened in 1855, Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest surviving municipal market. And we love it. I remember getting a huge pickle to eat (my sister liked cookies better) while I followed my mom through the market as a kid. I was only tall enough to look in the cases. Now Todd & I make regular trips to pick up pork products at Kroeger & Sons Meats, cheese at Krause's, spices from the Colonel De Gourmet, a bottle of wine, tea, Christmas tree, pastries, pho, gelato... the list goes on and is being added to.

Findlay Market

Jungle Jim's : Jungle Jim's is more than a grocery store. It's kind of like a theme park for foodies. It's a bit outside of the city, but well worth the 20+ minute drive! I mean, look at the store map.

 
Food: Restaurants
A Tavola : Great wood-fired pizza in OTR. The oven is gorgeous & super hot! Todd & I always split one Primi, one Bruschetta and one Pizza. This is currently my go to place for date night.

Adriatico's : If you need a pizza delivered and they deliver to where you are, order one now! In Clifton.

Boca : Italian In Oakley, a neighborhood kinda close to Downtown. Moving downtown in October 2012. Upscale. Fantastic food & service.

Cincinnati Chili (Skyline)

Camp Washington Chili : The best Cincinnati Chili, IMHO. Make the trip and you will not be sorry. If you can't get to Camp Washington, Skyline Chili is everywhere and are my #2, but I am sure someone will disagree with all of the above. What is Cincinnati Chili? A unique concoction with cinnamon, cloves, allspice and/or chocolate. Order it over a ht dog or spaghetti as a 2, 3, 4 or 5-way. I say go for the 5 way!  One thing's for sure, you will either love it or hate it.

Enoteca Emilia : Italian Wine Bar in Obryonville, a neighborhood kinda near downtown (and my house - lucky me!). Lots of small bites inspired by the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. We like to pretend like we're in Italy when we go: walk, order lots of small courses, drink wine, take our time... and they encourage it!

Gordo's : Good burgers & Beers in Norwood, a city inside the city of Cincinnati.

Jean-Robert's Table: Mural

Jean-Roberts Table : French Master Chef Jean-Robert De Cavel's latest Cincinnati creation in the heart of Downtown. Casual elegant deliciousness.

Keystone Bar & Grill : Mac n' Cheese, Potato Crisp & Bloody Mary. These are a few of my favorite things at Keystone. They recreated Inn The Wood's famous Potato Crisp!! It is a must order for anyone who misses crawling up to In The Wood after a late night on the town or just likes a good hearty breakfast/brunch! In Covington.

Knotty Pine on the Bayou : These guys are currently relocating, but I HAVE to list them. We had our wedding reception-type-thing here. The food is good & plentiful & Cajun/Creole! I would go on & on about the location, but it is changing.

Molly Malone's : Great spot to watch a game and have a pint. The food is pretty good too, especially the... pizza. In Covington.

Nada : By the folks who brought you Boca. Hip Mexican food Downtown. I have never had bad food or service here.

Nicola's : One of my favorites! Fancy Italian in Over-The- Rhine. Can afford more than once a year.

Pho Lang Tang : Pho. Really good Pho. At Findlay Market. They have other Vietnamese stuff too, but the Pho rules as far as I am concerned.

The Precinct : Part of Jeff Ruby's Cincinnati resteraunt empire, these types of places are usually too fancy smanchy for me, but I love the Precinct! The steaks are brilliant and the location just cool. It's in a 1901 Police Patrol House on Columbia Parkway (a parkway that leads out of downtown).

The Precinct

Rio Grande Mexican : Good (very very good), Cheap Mexican across the river in a strip mall in Newport. There is always a wait!

The Rookwood : More than a Bar & Grill in Mt. Adams, a great neighborhood up the hill from downtown. Located in the old Rookwood Pottery Building. Think Chicken Fried Bacon, Fig Burger, Pork Belly and Craft Drinks. YUM!

The Rookwood : Note the kiln behind the super cool bar.

Suzie Wong's : Great Asian eats in Walnut Hills, a neighborhood close to downtown & Cincinnati's first "suburb." I would eat here a lot, even if I couldn't walk. Everything is good, but I am particularly found of the Big Soup Bowls and Crispy Calamari

Terry's Turf Club : Classic burgers with gourmet toppings if you want them! Loads of neon! Extensive beer selection served out of Beverators! Long waits! Totally worth it. On the Eastside.

Terry's Turf Club : It looks cooler at night

Tom+Chee : They claim "It Will Change Your Life." I agree. I was a grilled cheese aficionado before it was cool. I used to mke up all kinds of combos when I was a vegetarian (long ago) . Where were they?? These guys will make grilled cheese and tomato soup anyway you like it, plus some ways you haven't thought of. Just be sure to try at least one with Grippos! Downtown & Newport.

Virgil's Cafe : Cozy Spot across the river in Bellevue. Kentucky Hot Brown? Ettouffee? Cheddar Cheese Grits? Yes ma'am!


Food: Sweets
Putz's Creamy Whip: My favorite place in the world when I was about 8 years old. I still like it a lot, but don't get funny faces on my cones anymore... as far as you know. On Montana Ave. on the Westside.

Graeters : Graeters has been making people smile since 1870, including Oprah! If you go to Graeters, be sure to get a flavor with chips. The ridiculously large and tasty chocolate chips are what keep me coming back. Everywhere.

Aglamesis : For sodas and icecream sans chips and funny faces, I prefer Aglemesis in Oakley. It wasn't founded until 20 years after Greater's, but it still located in the same turn-of-the century parlor and has nostalgia coming out of the woodwork.

Take the Cake : Bakery & Cafe in Northside. Order a specialty cake or stop in for a yummy lunch and sweet treat.

Bonbonerie : Beautiful, and tasty, cakes, cookies, cupcakes and more. All of the cake flavors are good, but why get anything other than the Opera Cream Torte?In Obryonville.

 
Drinks & such

With a strong brewing (and drinking) tradition, Cincinnati is not short on watering holes.  Be sure to try a local brew. Mt. Carmel Brewing Company and Rivertown Brewing Company are made here now & are very tasty. Hudepohl & Christian Moerlein started in Cincy, but haven't been brewed here in a while. Luckily they are moving back soon. Look for the Moerlein Lager House set to open in February, 2012.


Here are some of my favorite places to have a pint:
 
Blind Lemon : Best old place (Born in 1963). I love this bar! It's extremely cozy (I am always a little afraid I will knock something over) inside and they have a fire pit outside when the weather calls for it. In Mt Adams (near Eden Park), it's the perfect place for a coffee drink after seeing a play at the Playhouse (see below)

The Blind Lemon

City View Tavern

City View Tavern : Best place to have a drink with a view. I used to play pinball and eat BBQ sandwiches and pickles (yeah pickles) here when I was a kid, while the folks were "socializing." In Mt. Adams.

The Comet : Best dive for the cool kids with a super jukebox and tasty burritos. Come on Tuesday for Bike Night! In Northside.

Hap's Irish Pub : Best place to watch, rugby or soccer... er, football. In Hyde Park.

Japps since 1879 : Best new place (Born in 2011).  Ok, it says "since 1879", but it was closed for a while. They have fantastic classic and craft cocktails mixed up by Molly Wellmann (if you're lucky) with her homemade simple syrups, bitters, liquors and fresh juic. In OTR.




The Lackman : Best swanky rock joint in OTR. Housed in a turn-of-the-century building built by brewer Herman Lackman, they have a lot of great beers on tap & in bottles.


MOTR : Best place to hear live local music (and have a damn fine burger & fries). Their motto is " Know your Cincinnati rock 'n roll." In OTR

Mr. Pitifuls : Best place to hang out with (my) friends. In OTR.

Neon's Unplugged

Neon's Unplugged : Best place to drink outside and play Giant Jenga. It's unplugged because all of the neon went with Terry to the Turf Club. In OTR.

Northside Tavern : Best place for hipster karaoke. The crowd is hip & diverse and it's big... with pool tables, outdoor garden area & big backroom for shows. Karaoke is one Thursdays! In Northside. Duh.

Righteous Room : Best swanky rock joint in the Downtown Entertainment District.

Southgate House : These folks are currently relocating, but you should find them wherever they land, because it will be fun. Was in Newport.

Theater
Music Hall : Built in 1878 Music Hall ranks acoustically as one of the finest performance venues in the world.

Aronoff Center for the Arts : The Aronoff Center, the largest performing arts center in downtown Cincinnati, was designed by award winning Argentine architect César Pelli. (Oops, forgot to include it in Architecture. Dang.) It houses three performance halls that seat 150(Fifth Third Bank Theater) to 2,719 (Proctor and Gamble Hall). And the other one seats 437 (Jarson-Kaplan Theater).

Playhouse in the Park : The Playhouse is my favorite theater in Cincinnati. It is a regional theater located in Eden Park (again with the Eden Park! see Cincinnati Art Museum in Part 1 and more to come soon). In addition to producing at least one world premiere production each season, the Playhouse has been honored with two Tony Awards: in 2004 with the Regional Theater Tony Award ®, honoring one non-profit professional regional theater company a year, and in 2007 when Company was named that year’s Best Revival of a Musical.

Shakespeare in the Park : Cincinnati loves it's parks (more on that later) and it also has a thing for Shakespeare. The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, started in1993 under the name Fahrenheit Theater Company, has presented a Shakespeare in the Park tour for the last five years. And it's FREE!