Experience a Food-Filled Weekend Getaway in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio, is packed with all kinds of enjoyable restaurants and bars, so if you love food, it is a great place to go. We’ve teamed up with Meagan Shamy from Mommy Travels to share her favorite places to eat and drink in Cincinnati. 

Often you do not have to go far to have a fun weekend away. If you are within a couple hours’ drive of Cincinnati, I highly recommend spending a food-filled weekend there, with its many one-of-a-kind restaurants and bars.

A good place to stay while you are in town is downtown at the Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel. It is a short walk to the Banks Entertainment area along the riverfront and less than a 20-minute walk to the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood just north of downtown. If you are with a group of friends or your kids, their suites are perfect because they can sleep six. They have an excellent hotel bar too, D. Burnhams, with reasonably priced drinks.

Indulge Yourself

When you arrive, splurge on a swanky dinner because you deserve it. It’s not every weekend that you get the chance to get away. I recommend hitting up Boca, a good date-night spot or for a group. Located in the thriving downtown area, Boca is a beautiful dining experience you will remember. Kick off your meal with oysters Rockefeller and the seasonal risotto. No matter what you decide to order, I highly recommend their perfectly executed beef Wellington. Be sure to make a reservation well in advance, because they fill up fast.

Take a Cincinnati Food Tour

If possible, take a food tour. Food tours are often the perfect way to sample the best of what an area has to offer and discover little gems only a local would know about. Cincinnati Food Tours offers an assortment of walking tours, including the Sweet Stroll Through Over-the-Rhine tour. This two-and-a-half hour tour is offered in the morning and is an alternative to having breakfast. Along the way you will learn the history of the area, including the history of Findlay Market and many other buildings. Plus, as you may have guessed, you will enjoy lots of pastries like macarons, waffles, and donuts.

Speaking of donuts, stopping by Holtman’s Donut Shop while you are in Cincinnati is a must. These donuts are considered not only the best in town, but the top in the state. Holtman’s has been a Cincinnati staple since it opened in 1960, and they still make donuts the way they did way back then. They are best known for their maple and bacon donut, but all their others are just as good, like the German chocolate donut. There is often a long line, but they are worth the wait!

Krueger’s Tavern is a solid spot on a nice day. You cannot beat hanging out on their rooftop bar, especially on the weekend when they offer brunch. Enjoy a spicy hamburger and wash it down with an extra-spicy Bloody Mary. Skip the French toast bread pudding (it’s too dry), but do try their delicious Hot Beer Cheese with pretzels.

Mexican Food

Right next door is Bakersfield, an incredible Mexican restaurant in Over-the-Rhine, known for their tacos and tequila. A local suggested the place to me on the plane, and boy, did it surpass his over-the-top recommendation. After the buildup that this would be the best Mexican food in town, I had crazy-high expectations, so imagine my delight when I found that it is not only the best Mexican food in town, but some of the best I’ve ever had. Their guacamole is out of this world. Forget ordering plain ole chips and salsa; instead get the guac and they will bring salsa to go with it. Their tacos are awesome too, but keep in mind that they are a la carte. I recommend trying the pork-belly pastor taco. On top of the super food, they offer over a hundred different tequilas!

Another fantastic place for tacos is Jefferson Social, located in the Banks Entertainment area. The tacos found here are completely different from Bakersfield’s. Although they offer traditional tacos, you will also find crazy combinations, like the hot-dog taco. If you go on a Bengals or Reds game day, expect a long wait and slow service, so try to visit on a non-game day.

Go Bar-Hopping

The downtown area has a ton of one-of-a-kind bars, so I recommend popping into a few each day.

One of my favorites is The Rook. This quirky hangout has every board game imaginable, which you can play for free, and festive drinks like the pretty princess cocktail made with cotton-candy amaretto, champagne, and Sprite.

For a more mellow time, head to Nicholson’s Pub, a Scottish-inspired tavern. They offer one of the greatest selections of single-malt scotch whiskies in town. Their food selection is also on point.

One bar that is good during the day or at night, with a nice selection of rotating beers from all around the United States and an even better list of cocktail offerings, is The Lackman. (Sadly, they do not serve any food, so if you’re hungry you are out of luck here.)

Hopefully there are enough restaurants and bars here on our list to make sure your belly stays full and you are never thirsty while in Cincinnati. If you visit one of these places, be sure to let us know what you thought.

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