Eat Around the World at These 25 Greater Cincinnati Restaurants

Pupuseria Los 5 Puntos

2521 Grand Blvd., Hamilton
Pupuseria Los 5 Puntos serves up authentic Central American fare in the heart of Butler County. The Salvadoran restaurant offers the best kind of hole-in-the-wall dining experience: a small dining room in a single-story cinderblock building with just a handful of seats and soccer on the TV. The menu’s star (and the restaurant’s namesake) is the pupusa, a griddle cake that originated from El Salvador and Honduras and is stuffed with ingredients like meat, cheese and beans. You can also find other Latin American dishes like tacos, tortas and gorditas.

Afghan Grill

7129 Liberty Centre Drive, Liberty Township
If you’re hoping to try Afghani food, Liberty Township’s Afghan Grill serves up falafel, kabobs, curries like lamb and chicken korma and lamb meatballs called kofta challow. They also have some vegetarian options, like okra, cauliflower and eggplant-based entrées served with rice. For dessert, try a traditional Afghani treat like firni, a custard dish; rice pudding; and baklava, which is traditionally Mediterranean, but is largely enjoyed in Afghanistan as well.

Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant

5070 Crookshank Road, Westwood
Habesha is a hidden gem that offers authentic Ethiopian dishes. The restaurant serves traditional meals like Kitfo, a dish that features spiced minced meat with butter and mitmita — a seasoning mix made with chili peppers, cardamom, cloves and salt — topped with seasoned cheese. For non-meat-eaters, there’s also Yesom Beyaynetu, a platter of several vegetarian-friendly dishes.

Amador Cuban

1 Levee Way, Newport
Havana has come to Greater Cincinnati in the form of Amador. This Newport on the Levee restaurant has a menu that features traditional Cuban dishes like empanadas, croquetas and Cubano sandwiches, but with an “Amador twist.” The energetic and playful atmosphere aims to transport diners to a tropical vacation with its jungle-esque vibe, lush greenery and an outdoor patio that overlooks the Ohio River and Cincinnati skyline. And unlike other Cuban restaurants, their small plates are meant to be shared. To drink, the restaurant has Cuban coffee, craft cocktails and Latin American beers, wines and rare spirits. It also has a bodega-style walk-up window, called “La Ventanita” (little window), where visitors can order something to-go from a limited menu.

Laszlo's Iron Skillet

1020 Ohio Pike, Withamsville
Laszlo’s Iron Skillet is a decades-old Hungarian and German joint that serves up a wide array of Eastern European dishes. Try its potato pancakes, sauerkraut, goulash stew, cabbage rolls and more. The menu also offers eight types of schnitzel — breaded and fried or sauteed — including a “Cincinnati-style” pork tenderloin, fried and topped with goetta and black pepper cream sauce.