Cheap Eats in Cincinnati

Eli's BBQ

• ★ 4.8
• Barbecue
• $
• Walnut Hills

Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the smoker-led pulled-pork and brisket counter that grew from a single backyard pit.

Mom 'n 'em Coffee and Wine

• ★ 4.8
• Café
• $
• Camp Washington

Drink House espresso and natural wine by the glass

Mom 'n 'em on Colerain Avenue in Cincinnati's Camp Washington is the corner cafe-and-wine bar named the best coffee shop in Ohio by Food and Wine magazine.

Eli's BBQ Counter

• ★ 4.8
• Street food
• $
• Walnut Hills

Try Pulled pork sandwich and cheddar grits

Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the picnic-table smokehouse counter, with pulled pork and cheddar grits from one pit.

Allez Bakery

• ★ 4.7
• Bakery
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

Order Country sourdough loaf

Allez Bakery on Main Street in OTR is the natural-leavened French bread program from Thomas McKenna, with country loaves and viennoiserie in Cincinnati.

Graeter's Hyde Park

• ★ 4.7
• Bakery
• $
• Hyde Park

Order Black raspberry chocolate chip ice cream

Graeter's on Erie Avenue in Cincinnati's Hyde Park Square is the Hyde Park scoop counter and bakery since 1870, with French-pot ice cream and sweets.

Carabello Coffee

• ★ 4.7
• Café
• $
• Covington and Newport

Drink Single-origin espresso and pour-over

Carabello Coffee on East 9th Street in Cincinnati's Newport KY is the cross-river specialty roastery and cafe sourcing from Nicaragua co-ops.

Camp Washington Chili

• ★ 4.7
• American diner
• $
• Camp Washington

Try Cincinnati 5-way and cheese coney

Camp Washington on Colerain Avenue in Cincinnati's Camp Washington has been the 24-hour chili counter since 1940, and a James Beard America's Classic winner.

BonBonerie

• ★ 4.6
• Bakery
• $
• Hyde Park

Order Opera cream torte

BonBonerie on Madison Road in Cincinnati's O'Bryonville is the long-running French and Italian tea-room bakery with the opera cream torte and tea service.

Brown Bear Bakery

• ★ 4.6
• Bakery
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

Order Sticky bun and morning bun

Brown Bear Bakery on East 13th Street in OTR is the local-sourcing American bake shop in Cincinnati, with sticky buns, morning buns, scones and seasonal pies.

Coffee Emporium OTR

• ★ 4.6
• Café
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

Drink Single-origin pour-over and house cold brew

Coffee Emporium on East Central Parkway in Cincinnati's OTR is the city's oldest coffeehouse since 1973, with pour-overs and house-roasted beans.

Camp Washington Chili Counter

• ★ 4.6
• Street food
• $
• Camp Washington

Try Cincinnati 5-way and double-decker sandwich

Camp Washington on Colerain Avenue in Cincinnati's Camp Washington runs the 24-hour chili counter since 1940, the JBF America's Classic winner.

Pho Lang Thang

• ★ 4.6
• Vietnamese
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

Try Vietnamese pho and banh mi

Pho Lang Thang on Race Street in Cincinnati's Findlay Market OTR is the Vietnamese pho and banh mi counter, with bun bowls and spring rolls.

Eli's BBQ Riverside

• ★ 4.6
• American BBQ
• $
• Walnut Hills

Try Pulled pork sandwich and cheddar grits

Eli's BBQ on Riverside Drive in Cincinnati's East End is the smoker-led counter for pulled pork sandwiches and jalapeno cheddar grits, picnic-table only.

Sixteen Bricks Bakery

• ★ 4.5
• Bakery
• $
• Walnut Hills

Order Country sourdough loaf

Sixteen Bricks on Paddock Road in Cincinnati is the artisan wholesale sourdough bakery supplying OTR restaurant baskets, with country loaves.

Sidewinder Coffee

• ★ 4.5
• Café
• $
• Northside

Drink Single-origin pour-over and breakfast burrito

Sidewinder Coffee on Hamilton Avenue in Cincinnati's Northside is the independent neighborhood coffee shop and roastery since 2004, with ethical beans.

Chino's Street Food

• ★ 4.5
• Street food
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

Try Chino-Latino fried rice, Vietnamese street tacos, crab rangoon

Chino's Street Food at Cincinnati's Findlay Market on West Elder Street is Nick Ho's Chino-Latino outdoor stall, with fried rice, Vietnamese tacos.

Holtman's Donuts Loveland

• ★ 4.4
• Bakery
• $

Order Maple bacon donut

Holtman's Donuts in Loveland is the original Cincinnati-area donut counter since 1960, with maple-bacon donuts, old-fashioneds and yeast-raised classics.

Busken Bakery Hyde Park

• ★ 4.4
• Bakery
• $
• Hyde Park

Order Smiley face cookie

Busken Bakery on Madison Road in Cincinnati's Hyde Park is the third-generation Cincinnati bakery since 1928, with the smiley-face cookie polls.

Mom 'n 'em Madisonville

• ★ 4.4
• Café
• $
• Madisonville

Drink House espresso and weekend brunch plates

Mom 'n 'em on Whetsel Avenue in Cincinnati's Madisonville is the second location of the Camp Washington coffee shop, with natural wine pours.

Skyline Chili Clifton

• ★ 4.4
• New American
• $
• Clifton

Try Cincinnati 3-way and coney

Skyline Chili on Ludlow Avenue in Cincinnati's Clifton is the Clifton Skyline location open since 1966, with the regional 3-way chili and the cheese coney.

Servatii Hyde Park

• ★ 4.3
• Bakery
• $
• Hyde Park

Order Soft pretzel and Black Forest cake

Servatii on Paxton Avenue in Cincinnati's Hyde Park is the Hyde Park outpost of the local German bakery chain, with soft pretzels, tortes and rye breads.

Roebling Point Books and Coffee

• ★ 4.3
• Café
• $
• Covington and Newport

Drink Pour-over coffee and house pastries

Roebling Point Books and Coffee on Greenup Street in Cincinnati's Covington KY is the indie bookshop and coffee bar overlooking the Roebling Bridge.

Pho Lang Thang Counter

• ★ 4.3
• Street food
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

Try Pho noodle soup and banh mi

Pho Lang Thang at Cincinnati's Findlay Market on Race Street is the standing Vietnamese counter from the Nguyen and Le partners, with pho noodle bowls.

Izzy's Deli

• ★ 4.3
• Jewish deli
• $
• Downtown

Try Reuben sandwich and potato pancake

Izzy's on Elm Street downtown is Cincinnati's century-old kosher-style Jewish deli since 1901, with the signature reuben and the giant potato pancake.

Izzy's

• ★ 4.2
• Jewish Deli
• $
• Downtown

Izzy's on Elm Street downtown is Cincinnati's kosher-style Jewish deli founded in 1901, with the signature reuben sandwich and giant potato pancake.

Deeper Roots Coffee Oakley

• ★ 4.2
• Café
• $
• Oakley

Drink Single-origin espresso and pour-over

Deeper Roots on Madison Road in Cincinnati's Oakley is the flagship cafe of the local specialty roastery, with espressos and direct-trade beans.

Maverick Chocolate Co

• ★ 4.2
• Street food
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

Try Single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate squares

Maverick Chocolate at Cincinnati's Findlay Market on Race Street is the bean-to-bar chocolate counter, with single-origin bars and drinking chocolate.

LaRosa's Pizzeria Boudinot

• ★ 4.2
• Pizzeria
• $
• West Side

Try Square sweet-sauce pizza and hoagy

LaRosa's on Boudinot Avenue in Cincinnati's Westwood is the original 1954 location of the Cincinnati pizza chain, with the square pie and the hoagy.

Coffee Emporium Hyde Park

• ★ 4.1
• Café
• $
• Hyde Park

Drink Single-origin pour-over and house pastries

Coffee Emporium on Erie Avenue in Cincinnati's Hyde Park Square is the second location of the city's oldest coffeehouse, with pour-overs and pastries.

Gold Star Chili

• ★ 4.1
• New American
• $
• Mt Washington

Try Cincinnati 4-way and coney

Gold Star Chili on Beechmont Avenue in Cincinnati's Mt. Washington is the regional chili-parlor chain since 1965, with the 4-way chili and the cheese coney.

City Bird OTR

• ★ 4.0
• Fried Chicken
• $
• Over-the-Rhine

City Bird on Vine Street in OTR is Cincinnati's Thunderdome fast-casual chicken flagship, with brined tenders, sandwiches and house hot sauce options.

Cheapside Cafe

• ★ 4.0
• Café
• $
• Downtown

Drink Espresso, soup and salad bowls

Cheapside Cafe on East 8th Street in Cincinnati's downtown is the all-day cafe and lunch counter with espresso bar, sandwiches and seasonal soup bowls.

Skyline Coney Counter

• ★ 4.0
• Street food
• $
• Clifton

Try Cheese coney, the Cincinnati chili hot dog

Skyline on Ludlow Avenue in Cincinnati's Clifton runs the cheese coney counter, the regional Cincinnati hot dog under chili, onions and cheddar.