This is Spilling the Beans, where plugged-in baristas give us the lowdown on where to go, what to do, and what to eat (and drink) in their hometown. In this installment, Jon Lewis of Deeper Roots shows us around Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jon Lewis, the manager of Deeper Roots, a nationally-acclaimed roaster and coffee shop in Cincinnati's Oakley neighborhood, has had his hands in the coffee business in the U.S. and abroad for over a decade. A Cincinnati native, Lewis beams with pride for his hometown teeming with diehard sports fans, great coffee shops, and exciting new restaurants. He knows what's up in Ohio's third largest city—and now you will too.
Where should I stay?
Downtown. In particular, there’s a neighborhood called Over-the-Rhine, which has beautiful architecture and a lot of creative energy: art studios, restaurants, you name it.
Where should I grab breakfast?
There’s a tiny breakfast spot at Mt. Lookout Square called Annabel's. It’s a one-person show opened on the weekends. It's small, so you have to wait, but it’s great. Then, right down the street in Oakley, try Sleepy Bee Cafe. It's the place to grab creative, locally-focused food. Another place downtown, Nation, does great all-you-can-drink Bloody Marys.
Best cup of coffee?
Deeper Roots, of course. I’ll say this: At the same pace that new businesses are popping up, there are a few older establishments that deserve recognition. First, Coffee Emporium, the classic coffee house. Then Rohs Street Café, which is right on the edge of the University of Cincinnati campus and has a college vibe, and Bloc Coffee Company.
The newer ones include Carabello Coffee, which is located across the river in Newport, Kentucky, a neighborhood of Cincinnati. Then down in Over-the-Rhine, you have 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab. The most recent and exciting coffee retail shop in the city is Collective Espresso. It’s really small, intimate coffee-focused space. The Northside location is in an alley and has a courtyard that makes you feel like it's the kind of secret you don’t want to let out but also want everyone to know about.
Best brewery?
There’s one near Oakley called MadTree Brewing that has a great taproom. It captures the experimental, fun aspect of beer really well. Rhinegeist is also absolutely an incredible brewery. They do some whimsical beers, but they’re mostly just really focused on making great representations of certain styles. The space is massive, and you can play ping pong or cornhole there. A third one of note is Urban Artifact, which is eccentric because they’re brewing all sours.
The best market to eat your way around?
You’re going to want to go to Findlay Market. It’s a historical market, with vendors who have been there forever selling meat and produce. Some of my favorites there are Taste of Belgium, which also has two restaurants in the city. They do waffles in the market. Then there’s Dojo Gelato; he does awesome gelato and espresso drinks. There’s also Maverick Chocolate and the new Eli’s Barbecue outpost.
Where to see great art?
You want to go up on the hill to Eden Park. The Krohn Conservatory, a beautiful greenhouse-type thing, is there. That’s also where the Cincinnati Art Museum is; it’s free to the public.
For smaller, local artists, you’ll find galleries in Over-the-Rhine. There’s one called Rock Paper Scissors, which usually some kind of event going on in the summertime. And in Washington Park once a month we also have a city flea event. There’s one in Oakley called The O.F.F. Market that features lots of local vendors and craftsmen.
Hottest new dinner spot?
Jose Salazar's Salazar Restaurant is great. I'm also excited for his new restaurant, Mita's, that's opening soon, which will be a mixture of Spanish and Colombian food. His style is very fresh and very creative mind-blowing food, but it's accessible. Another great one is A Tavola Pizza, which is top of the game for Italian wood-fired pizza. Bonus: It also has great craft cocktails. If you’re out in Oakley, there’s a taco place called Mazunte that’s off the chain.
Classic old-school restaurant?
You have to get some Cincinnati-style chili, a lightly spiced meat sauce that's usually served with spaghetti noodles, with onions and beans, or with cheese coneys. Skyline Chili is the quintessential chili parlor: fast, friendly service from folks that have been working there for decades. That kind of epitomizes local food culture.
The Montgomery Inn also has a place in Cincinnati history. The barbecued pork ribs are unbeatable, the tangy tomato sauce distinctive, and the Saratoga chips a perfect crunchy complement. For dessert, there are two legendary ice cream places. Graeter's, which uses a French pot-style process that yields the creamiest ice cream imaginable, and Aglamesis Brothers in Oakley, a time-warp soda fountain with candies and ice cream.
Best cocktail bar?
Molly Wellman has her fingerprint on a lot of great bars around here. One of her’s, Japp's, serves classic cocktails with creative flairs. Her group also recently opened an old Kentucky bourbon bar in Covington across the river in Kentucky. One more, Myrtle’s Punch House, just opened in Walnut Hills, an up-and-coming neighborhood.
Where to catch live music?
The old standby is place called Bogart’s in Clifton where the university is. There’s always music happening there. Then there’s a new venue called the Woodward, which brings in a lot of good shows. Across the river in Newport is the Southgate House Revival in an old church. Another across the river in Covington called Madison Theater. Last, there’s a concert venue in Oakley called the 20th Century Theatre.
Where to get in trouble for the night?
Go to Over-the-Rhine. It’s the best and the worst. It’s where the conversation is happening, and you’re likely to find as many douchebags as you are creative types these days. It's where the night begins and ends for a lot of people. After one too many classic cocktails at Japp's, you’ll go to Neons Unplugged for dancing. Also, Mt. Adams is often where you’ll end the night and take a cab home.
Where to eat when the party's over?
There's a place called Gomez Salsa, which makes tacos, burritos, and turtles, or smashed burritos. It's all served through a window to the street.
Best day trip?
I’d recommend a hike in the woods. If you head north, there’s a place called Clifton Gorge and a state park called John Bryan. There’s also a small, liberal enclave there called Yellow Springs you can check out. If you head south, there’s a world-renowned climbing destination called Red River Gorge. I’d also recommend going canoeing down the Little Miami River.
Most underrated classic Cincinnati activity?
We have two professional sports teams, the Reds and the Bengals. They’ve been pretty terrible for the last couple of decades, but there’s a lot of hometown support. Even if you go to a losing game, drinking a beer at a professional baseball game on a hot afternoon is a good time. I’d say the same goes for college sports too. Everybody here grows up playing sports; it kind of runs in our blood.