Cincinnati is the Ohio River city that gave the world chili served on spaghetti — a regional cult food that divides the nation. Beyond the chili debate, Cincinnati has a remarkable Victorian architecture heritage, the best skyline on the Ohio River, an exceptional contemporary art museum, and the oldest professional baseball team in America (the Reds).

Cincinnati: The Comeback City of the Ohio Valley

Cincinnati has one of the best comeback stories in the Midwest. A decade ago, Over-the-Rhine was a neighborhood people warned you away from. Today it is one of the most exciting urban districts in America, packed into gorgeous 19th-century Italianate buildings that other cities tore down decades ago. Cincinnati kept them, and now the city is reaping the rewards. Add in a food culture that goes far beyond the famous chili, a craft beer scene that rivals any in the region, and a riverfront that finally lives up to the city’s setting, and you have a destination that deserves serious attention.

The Chili Situation

Let me address this directly: Cincinnati chili is not what you think chili is, and that is the point. It is a Greek-inspired meat sauce seasoned with cinnamon, allspice, and chocolate, served over spaghetti or hot dogs. You will either love it or find it deeply confusing. Either reaction is valid, but you absolutely must try it.

Skyline Chili (multiple locations, plates $6-10) is the iconic chain and what most people think of first. A 3-Way (spaghetti, chili, shredded cheddar, $6) is the baseline order. A 5-Way adds onions and beans. It is satisfying, distinctive, and nothing like Texas chili.

But the real move is Camp Washington Chili (plates $6-11), a James Beard America’s Classics Award winner that has been open 24 hours since 1940. The chili is richer and more complex than Skyline’s, and eating it at 2 AM in a neighborhood diner is a Cincinnati rite of passage. Price Hill Chili ($6-10) is another local favorite with a fiercely loyal following.

Goetta is Cincinnati’s other signature food — a breakfast sausage made with ground meat and steel-cut oats that you will not find outside the greater Cincinnati area. It is pan-fried until crispy on the outside and savory-creamy inside. Find it at Findlay Market or order it at any breakfast spot worth its salt.

Over-the-Rhine: The Main Event

Over-the-Rhine (OTR) is why I keep coming back to Cincinnati. This neighborhood, built by German immigrants in the 19th century, has the largest collection of Italianate architecture in the United States. For decades it was neglected and dangerous. The revitalization over the past fifteen years has been remarkable — thoughtful, mostly preservation-minded, and genuinely transformative.

Vine Street is the main artery, and walking it from Findlay Market south to Washington Park takes you past dozens of restaurants, bars, and shops in buildings that make you feel like you have stepped into another era. The brickwork, the ironwork, the proportions — this is American urban architecture at its finest.

Findlay Market (Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market, since 1852) is the anchor of OTR and one of my favorite markets in the country. Saturday mornings are the peak experience — local farmers, butchers, bakers, and prepared food vendors fill the historic market house and spill onto the surrounding streets. Taste of Belgium (waffles $8-14) serves Liege-style waffles that are crispy, caramelized, and dangerously addictive. Eli’s BBQ at the market (plates $12-18) does pork that can compete with any BBQ city. Grab a coffee at Deeper Roots ($4-6) and wander.

For dinner in OTR, Sotto (entrees $22-36) is an underground Italian restaurant that takes its pasta seriously — handmade, seasonal, and excellent. Sartre (small plates $14-24) does inventive New American food in a moody, intimate space. Senate ($14-22) elevates bar food with gourmet hot dogs and craft cocktails in a setting that feels like a very cool neighborhood pub.

Please (tasting menu $75-110) is OTR’s most ambitious restaurant, doing multi-course dinners that showcase Ohio Valley ingredients. It is a special-occasion spot that delivers.

Craft Beer and Rhinegeist

Cincinnati’s brewing heritage runs deep — German immigrants made this city a beer powerhouse in the 1800s. The craft revival has honored that legacy beautifully.

Rhinegeist Brewery (pints $6-8) occupies a massive former bottling plant in OTR. The taproom is cavernous and lively, with cornhole, ping pong, and a rooftop bar. Their Truth IPA is the flagship and it is everywhere in the city for good reason. The space alone is worth a visit.

Madtree Brewing (pints $6-8) in Oakley has a gorgeous taproom with a full kitchen (food $12-20) and an outdoor area that gets packed on weekends. Taft’s Ale House (pints $6-8) operates out of a stunning converted church — stained glass windows and good beer is a combination I did not know I needed.

Braxton Brewing is technically in Covington, Kentucky (just across the river), but the Cincinnati metro claims it. Their taproom has one of the best views of the Cincinnati skyline. Which brings me to…

The River and Covington

Cincinnati’s relationship with the Ohio River is central to its identity, and the riverfront has finally been developed in a way that does it justice. Smale Riverfront Park is beautifully designed, connecting to the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge — a prototype for Roebling’s more famous Brooklyn Bridge. Walking across it at sunset, with the Cincinnati skyline glowing behind you, is one of the best free experiences in the city.

Covington and Newport, Kentucky are directly across the river and functionally part of the Cincinnati experience. MainStrasse Village in Covington has charming restaurants and bars. Hotel Covington occupies a gorgeous old building and its bar is worth a visit. The Newport Aquarium ($27.99) is popular with families.

Neighborhoods Beyond OTR

Mount Adams is Cincinnati’s hilltop neighborhood with panoramic views of the river valley. It is steep — bring your walking legs — but the views from Eden Park are stunning. The Cincinnati Art Museum (free) sits in Eden Park and has a strong permanent collection with no admission charge.

Northside is the city’s indie/creative neighborhood. Record shops, vintage stores, tattoo parlors, and restaurants with personality. Northside Yacht Club (no cover most nights) hosts local and touring bands in a divey room with good energy. Melt (eclectic comfort food, $12-18) serves creative dishes in a quirky, welcoming space.

Walnut Hills is an emerging neighborhood where DeSha’s and other restaurants are opening in a historically significant Black community. Just Q’in (plates $12-18) does Memphis-style BBQ in a neighborhood that is finding its new identity.

Cincinnati Museum Center

The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal ($14.50 per museum or $26.50 combo) is housed in one of the finest Art Deco buildings in America. The half-dome rotunda is breathtaking — it alone justifies the visit. Inside you will find the Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, and a children’s museum. The building underwent a $228 million restoration and it shows. The mosaics depicting Cincinnati’s industries are museum-worthy art in their own right.