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Where to eat in Cincinnati: a 3-day food itinerary

Three days of lunch and dinner, with breakfast where FoodTrip has a pick, in Cincinnati, OH, at about $120 a person a day. FoodTrip built it from its 19 picks in the city, of which 6 carry a James Beard Foundation honor.

Plan Cincinnati for your dates and budget

Day 1: about $91 a person

9:00 AM · Breakfast

Blue Jay Restaurant

Breakfast & Diner · $ · about $14 a person · 4154 Hamilton Ave

Eats Ranked pick

Northside diner and chili parlor on Hamilton Avenue.

12:30 PM · Lunch

The Aperture

BBQ · $$ · about $32 a person · 900 E McMillan St

James Beard semifinalist

Emerging Chef semifinalist 2025 (Jordan Anthony-Brown)

7:00 PM · Dinner

Camp Washington Chili

Cincinnati Chili · $$ · about $45 a person · 3005 Colerain Ave

James Beard America's Classic

Open around the clock six days a week (closed Sundays), on the corner of Hopple and Colerain since 1940 per its own site; a James Beard Regional (America's) Classic.

Day 2: about $91 a person

9:00 AM · Breakfast

Anchor Grill

Breakfast & Diner · $ · about $14 a person · Covington · 438 Pike St

Eats Ranked pick

A 24-hour diner known for its GLT: goetta, lettuce and tomato.

12:30 PM · Lunch

Nolia Kitchen

Soul & Southern · $$ · about $32 a person · 1405 Clay St

James Beard finalist

Best Chef: Great Lakes finalist 2026 (Jeffery Harris)

7:00 PM · Dinner

Longfellow

Bar & Pub · $$ · about $45 a person · 1233 Clay St

James Beard semifinalist

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service semifinalist 2025 and 2026 (Mike Stankovich)

Day 3: about $61 a person

12:30 PM · Lunch

The Gruff

Pizza · $ · about $16 a person · Covington · 129 E 2nd St

Eats Ranked pick

A Covington deli, pizza and patio spot.

7:00 PM · Dinner

The Baker's Table

Italian · $$ · about $45 a person · Newport · 1004 Monmouth St

James Beard finalist

David Willocks's restaurant, a James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Southeast in 2026.

FoodTrip has no breakfast pick left in Cincinnati for this day.

About $243 a person for the three days. Prices are estimates for food, tax and tip, without drinks. Times are suggestions: check each restaurant's hours and book ahead.

11 more places to eat in Cincinnati

The planner swaps any stop for one of these, and uses them when your dates, meals or budget are different.

Kiki College Hill · Japanese & Sushi · $$ · James Beard semifinalist
Price Hill Chili · Cincinnati Chili · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Pleasant Ridge Chili · Cincinnati Chili · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Libby's Southern Comfort · Soul & Southern · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Bouquet Restaurant · American & Other · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Frida 602 · Latin & Caribbean · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Wunderbar · Bar & Pub · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Hofbrauhaus Newport · European · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Pompilios · Italian · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Blue Ash Chili Original · Cincinnati Chili · $$ · Eats Ranked pick
Blue Ash Chili · Cincinnati Chili · $$ · Eats Ranked pick

How this plan was made

Every place on this page holds a MICHELIN Guide distinction or a James Beard Foundation honor, or was checked by hand for Eats Ranked. Chains are left out and no restaurant pays to be listed. For each day FoodTrip picks dinner first, then lunch and breakfast, keeps to the budget, uses a different cuisine each meal and keeps the day's stops close together. No place appears twice.

This is one plan out of many. Open it in the planner to set your own dates, meals a day, budget and party size, swap any stop, reserve a table and add the meals to your calendar. See every city FoodTrip covers.