Five Must-Try Restaurants in Greater Cincinnati, According to CityBeat's Food Critic

Safi

1401 Republic St., Over-the-Rhine
We dropped in on Safi, Jose Salazar’s new Moroccan-themed wine bar, within a few days of its early June opening, and I’ve been back a couple of times since then. After volunteering in Washington Park for Fun Fest, a benefit for CABVI (Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired), my boyfriend and I were overheated, hungry and thirsty. Luckily, it was late afternoon and Safi was less than half full. We had a leisurely snack that turned into pretty much a full meal. I became an instant fan of the warm dates served with slices of mild cheese, as well as zaalouk, an eggplant and tomato concoction with a round of Moroccan bread made in-house. We split the octopus, had a couple of drinks, and called it a day. Safi was a lot busier on my subsequent visits, and my friend and I barely made the 7:30 curtain for Don Giovanni at Music Hall after waiting quite a while for drinks and munchies. It was still not much past their opening week, and the staff obviously was in the process of figuring out how to handle the demand.

The Hamilton

4029 Hamilton Ave., Northside
A new neighbor of mine mentioned how much his family liked The Hamilton, a Northside bar I hadn’t stepped inside since before COVID. We went by one weeknight and pretty much had the place to ourselves, sitting at the bar and enjoying a couple of tasty beverages. The place is friendly, comfortable and very much a neighborhood mainstay. It was too hot to enjoy the outdoor tables in back, but it is a nice space worth returning to. With the departure of the beloved Littlefield, Hamilton could help fill the gap. Their Taco Tuesday is worth a visit, and I must include a shout-out for the house cocktails, in which I might have over-indulged just a bit.

Five on Vine

1324 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
I had never eaten at Five on Vine, Crown Republic’s replacement for The Mercer in the heart of OTR. After a matinee at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, we gave it a try. It retains the clubby atmosphere of its predecessor and is one of the more upscale options in the neighborhood. Portions are large, with prices to match, and the menu has an emphasis on meat dishes. I’ve been trying to give up meat and opted for spaghetti with clam sauce, which had a subtle kick from Fresno chilies. They’re one of the few OTR restaurants that offers a dessert menu, so you might want to save room.

Tequila Modern Mexican

1544 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills
First impressions were positive at Tequila Modern Mexican in East Walnut Hills, which replaced another Mexican restaurant called Solstice. It’s mostly staffed with those of Mexican descent, which hit the right note for me. The tortillas are freshly made each day, and in fact the food we tried seemed to come straight from somebody’s farm. They make a good Paloma, a tequila cocktail I prefer to margarita. But don’t worry: there are several margarita variations on the drinks menu, as well. We had enchiladas and a delicious seviche sampler. The chips and salsa weren’t stellar, but everything else hit the spot. I look forward to returning soon to try tacos and other dishes.

Alara

5410 Medpace Way, Madisonville
My favorite dining experience in recent weeks, however, was at Alara, the new fine-dining restaurant in Madisonville with Chef Mark Bodenstein at the helm. Our meal was wow from start to finish. Such excellence deserves a full review, so watch this space for my detailed take on this wonderful addition to our dining world.