1. Best Of Cincinnati 2025
  2. Eats
  1. Best Of Cincinnati 2025
  2. Eats
Margarita Madness Returns Friday, June 27th, 2025

Best Of 2025

Best of Cincinnati 2025 Issue Cover
Best of Cincinnati 2025 Issue Cover

Eats

Image: Eats
Here are the 2025 Best Of Cincinnati® Reader and Staff Pick winners for Eats.

Best Breakfast: Sleepy Bee Cafe

  1. Sleepy Bee Cafe
  2. First Watch
  3. Sugar n' Spice
  4. The Echo
  5. Original Pancake House
  6. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
  7. HangOverEasy
  8. Anchor Grill
  9. Taste of Belgium
  10. Proud Hound

Best Burritos: Gomez Salsa

  1. Gomez Salsa
  2. Chipotle
  3. Mazunte
  4. El Rancho Grande
  5. The Comet
  6. Agave and Rye
  7. Olla
  8. Tortilleria Garcia
  9. Cancun Mexican Restaurants
  10. La Mexicana Restaurante

Best Business Lunch: Skyline Chili

  1. Skyline Chili
  2. Coppin's at Hotel Covington
  3. Incline Public House

Best Butcher Shop: Avril-Bleh Meat Market & Deli

  1. Avril-Bleh Meat Market & Deli
  2. Eckerlin Meats
  3. Jungle Jim's International Market
  4. Lehr's Prime Market
  5. Bridgetown Finer Meats
  6. Humbert Meats
  7. Wyoming Meat Market
  8. Bill Finke & Sons
  9. LK at Findlay Market
  10. (TIE) Hyde Park Meats and Redden Fine Meats & Seafood

Best Appetizers: Sotto

  1. Sotto
  2. Agave & Rye
  3. Pepp & Dolores

Best Bagels: Marx Bagels

  1. Marx Bagels
  2. The Bagelry
  3. Bruegger's Bagels
  4. OTR Bagel Bar
  5. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli
  6. Big Apple Bagels
  7. Everything Bagels
  8. Skip's Bagel Deli
  9. Livia Jo's Bagels
  10. Bagel Brothers

Best Barbecue: Eli's BBQ

  1. Eli's BBQ
  2. City Barbeque
  3. Montgomery Inn
  4. Lucius Q
  5. Pig Candy BBQ
  6. Just Q'in
  7. Bee's Barbecue
  8. Smoke Justis
  9. Sweets & Meats BBQ
  10. Beards & Bellies Barbeque

Best Beer Selection (Restaurant): Yard House

  1. Yard House
  2. The 859 Taproom and Grill
  3. Northside Yacht Club

Best Bourbon Selection (Restaurant): Goodfellas Pizzeria/Wiseguy Lounge

  1. Goodfellas Pizzeria/Wiseguy Lounge
  2. Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar
  3. Smoke Justis

Best Brewpub: Madtree

  1. Madtree
  2. Fifty West Brewing Co.
  3. West Side Brewing
  4. Nine Giant Brewpub & Fermentorium
  5. HighGrain Brewing Co.
  6. Dead Low Brewing
  7. Third Eye Brewing
  8. Moerlein Lager House
  9. Barleycorn's Brewhouse
  10. Voodoo Brew Pub

Best Brunch: Sleepy Bee Cafe

  1. Sleepy Bee Cafe
  2. First Watch
  3. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar
  4. HangOverEasy
  5. Taste of Belgium
  6. Greyhound Tavern
  7. Coppin’s at Hotel Covington
  8. National Exemplar
  9. Sacred Beast
  10. Cedar

Best Cajun/Creole: Allyn's Cafe

  1. Allyn's Cafe
  2. Swampwater Grill
  3. Knotty Pine on the Bayou

Best Cake Shop: The BonBonerie

  1. The BonBonerie
  2. Nothing Bundt Cakes
  3. Servatii Pastry Shop & Deli

Best Cheap Eats: Skyline Chili

  1. Skyline Chili
  2. Goodfellas Pizzeria
  3. Zip's Cafe
  4. Blue Ash Chili
  5. Gomez Salsa
  6. Mazunte
  7. Dixie Chili
  8. Camp Washington Chili
  9. Price Hill Chili
  10. Gold Star

Best Cheese Shop: Jungle Jim's International Market

  1. Jungle Jim's International Market
  2. The Rhined
  3. Urban Stead Cheese

Best Cheesesteak: Penn Station

  1. Penn Station
  2. AJ's Cheesesteaks
  3. Cincy Steak & Lemonade

Best Chef (w/ Restaurant Affiliation): Jose Salazar (Mita's, Safi Wine Bar, Daylily)

  1. Jose Salazar (Mita's, Safi Wine Bar, Daylily)
  2. Dylan Jones (Jeff Ruby Steakhouse)
  3. Hideki Harada (Kiki, Sen by Kiki)
  4. Jacob Wood (Sotto)
  5. Drew Rath (Tuba Baking Co.)
  6. Alfio (Alfio's)
  7. Cristian Pietoso (Via Vite, Forno, Nicola's)
  8. Jeffrey Harris (Nolia)
  9. (TIE) Jawuan Coleman (Incline Public House) and Paul Barraca (The Governor)
  10. Mary Paff (Ivory House)

Best Chicken: The Eagle

  1. The Eagle
  2. Galactic Fried Chicken
  3. Silver Spring House
  4. Ron's Roost Restaurant & Bar
  5. The Hitching Post
  6. Libby's Southern Comfort
  7. CityBird
  8. Greyhound Tavern
  9. Revolution Rotisserie
  10. Joella's Hot Chicken

Best Chicken Sandwich: The Eagle

  1. The Eagle
  2. Galactic Fried Chicken
  3. CityBird

Ryan Hinton Preliminary Autopsy Indicates Gunshot Wound Near Back, Side

By Madeline Fening

Body camera footage of a CPD officer shows blurry frames from the fatal shooting of Ryan Hinton, 18, who was running from officers while armed in East Price Hill on May 1. The unnamed officer told CPD that Hinton pointed a gun at him, prompting the officer to fire five rounds towards Hinton, striking him at least twice.

Hinton Jr. Case: Ohio AG Calls on Lawmakers to Ban Crowdfunding for Criminal Defense

By Madeline Fening

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost addresses recent crowdfunding efforts associated with Rodney Hinton Jr. during a May 20 press conference.

Skyline Chili Just Debuted a New Menu Item, and We Can't Wait to Try It

By Katherine Barrier

The new Skyline Dip Chilito

Review: They Say You “Gottahava Wawa” and I’m Glad Cincinnati’s No Exception

By Nadya Ellerhorst

The Wawa in Liberty Township

All material © 2025 Big Lou Holdings, LLC | St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved.

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