From a cozy basem*nt trattoria hidden beneath the city streets to upscale restaurants boasting spectacular views of the city, award-winning steakhouses and more, the Queen City is home to dozens of elegant eateries where you can treat your special someone to an intimate evening on the town, whatever the occasion.
Tags:
- Cincinnati's most romantic restaurants,
- Cincinnati Valentine's Day restaurants,
- romantic restaurants in Cincinnati,
- Sotto,
- ,
- Boca,
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sotto
118 E. Sixth St., Downtown
Located under Boca restaurant, the Tuscan-inspired Sotto offers an approachable atmosphere and is the perfect place for a romantic meal. The basem*nt trattoria’s interior calls to mind a rustic Italian wine cellar with its rough brick walls and wooden ceiling beams. With multiple dining rooms, the kitchen is open to view, including the custom-made wood-fire grill in front and a fresh pasta room in the back hallway. Menu items include handmade pasta, Salumi & Formaggi (cured meats and cheeses) and big-ticket items like Bistecca Fiorentina, a grilled Creekstone porterhouse steak.
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Photo: Provided by Boca
Boca
114 E. Sixth St., Downtown
A trip to chef David Falk’s Italian/French gemstone with your date is an experience to be savored as much as the food itself. Take your time, invest a few hours and allow him and his attentive, knowledgeable staff to unfold an epic tale of two or three courses, plus dessert. The Pommes Soufflés “1949” — puffy french fries — are a call back to the restaurant’s former iteration as the Maisonette.
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Photo: facebook.com/MRBLSTEAK
MRBL
119 Fairfield Ave., Fourth Floor, Bellevue
Steakhouse MRBL offers an upscale menu you can peruse while taking in stunning skyline views of Cincinnati. Along with traditional steakhouse offerings ranging from strips to filets, ribeyes and the Tomahawk and Porterhouse, diners can also enjoy a variety of sushi rolls and fish and chicken dishes. Sides are shareable and include crispy Brussels sprouts, baked mac and cheese (with the option to add truffle lobster) and the Potato Volcano, which is fried, loaded mashed potatoes with cheese sauce.
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Nolia
1405 Clay St., Over-the-Rhine
Bringing New Orleans-style flair and fare to Over-the-Rhine, Nolia offers diners an upscale, yet approachable, experience. The exposed brick and bold floral wallpaper add a bright and airy feeling to the intimate setting. The menu features delectable Southern-inspired dishes like the Swordfish, served with kidney beans and andouille sausage, or Eggplant Dirty Rice. And while you shouldn’t expect Nolia to play zydeco music or serve hurricane co*cktails in novelty cups, the restaurant’s drink menu will truly laissez les bon temps rouler avec ton amour.
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Atwood Oyster House
1220 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Over-the-Rhine’s Atwood Oyster House features a menu focused on oysters and seasonal seafood that is playful but elegant. Atwood also has a full bar, which serves a diverse menu of classic and creative house co*cktails and a wine list of 16 wines by the glass and 80 bottles, all of which were selected to complement the restaurant’s seafood and vegetarian dishes. The dining room is sophisticated and intimate and characterized by low, romantic lighting — perfect for getting to know each other a little better.
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Photo: facebook.com/Primavista
Primavista
810 Matson Place, East Price Hill
Primavista offers its menu of high-end Italian meals with a side of panoramic views of downtown Cincinnati. The menu specializes in veal and fresh fish, but they offer dishes from all regions of Italy and feature nightly specials. Have an antipasto of fried calamari or bruschetta before your plate of ravioli or veal marsala and top it off with a glass of vino from their extensive wine list. Then, cap off your dinner with the Gelati Misti or tiramisu for dessert with only one question: one spoon or two?
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Photo: Provided by Alcove
Alcove
1410 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Brimming with live greenery and living feature walls, Alcove creates an atmosphere where it feels like you sneaked away to a secret garden with your love. The space also features a lush outdoor patio space and a menu of farm-to-table dishes like Steak Frites and Braised Chicken Pot Pie. Alcove’s drink menu also features housemade co*cktails that utilize herbs grown in Alcove's greenhouse bar and owner MadTree’s brews.
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Ivory House
2998 Harrison Ave., Westwood
Self-described as “steak and seafood, elevated,” Ivory House’s menu is a fresh take on nostalgic-feeling dishes. A large wine menu and clever co*cktails are stellar accompaniments to a menu that features everything from filet mignon and Mediterranean Branzino to a Japanese A5 wagyu strip.
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Photo: facebook.com/OpalRooftop
Opal Rooftop Restaurant & Bar
535 Madison Ave., Covington
Stunning views of Cincinnati and Covington and specially curated and intentional design elements that shift as you move throughout Opal Rooftop Restaurant & Bar will have you and your date thinking you’re dining in a real gemstone. The design, lighting and food are a mood, the latter of which is an experience driven by the restaurant’s Grillworks wood-fired grill, the only one of its kind in a two-hour radius. This unique grill drives Opal’s open-fire grill and wine-forward menu, which features dishes made from fresh, local fare and products, and the craft co*cktail menu and wine selection have been curated to complement the dishes.
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Somm Wine Bar
3105 Price Ave., East Price Hill
Food, wine and romance are perfectly paired at Somm in Price Hill’s Incline District. Get cozy with your significant other over a bottle of wine in the intimate dining room or out on the outdoor patio, with its fountain, Edison-bulb string lights and fire table a prime setting for date night. Somm has over 80 kinds of wine to choose from and a menu ranging from charcuterie boards and Angus burgers to filet mignon.
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Photo: facebook.com/Mita's Cincinnati
Mita’s
501 Race St., Downtown
Chef Jose Salazar is a continent away from his mamita and the hand-cranked mill she still uses to grind corn for arepas and empanadas, but his restaurant, Mita's, is a tribute to her spirit and to Spanish and Latin American food. Mita’s menu is described as eclectic and farm-inspired with both traditional and modern food and drinks from both regions. You’ll find tapas, ceviches, cured hams, cheeses and large plates on the menu along with a wine program that “emphasizes Spain and the Old World,” says Mita’s.
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Photo: Facebook.com/bouquet519/
Bouquet
519 Main St., Covington
Working closely with local sources, Bouquet’s upscale farm-to-table approach means a fresh, frequently rotating menu packed with seasonal ingredients. Elegant small plates, entrées and thoughtful wine pairings set the stage for an intimate dining experience.
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Pepp & Dolores
1501 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Italian eatery Pepp & Dolores sports two personalities and one delicious menu. The upper level was designed to have the timeless look and feel of a mid-century bistro or cafe, while the basem*nt level is darker and cozier and has a romantic charm and ambiance reminiscent of a New York City supper club. The menu was inspired by Sunday dinners at co-founders Joe and John Lanni’s grandparents’ home, and features housemade pastas, shareable dishes, salads and bread.
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
LouVino
1142 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
This Over-the-Rhine restaurant and wine bar offers Southern-style cuisine and wines curated from around the world. LouVino’s menu features a selection of comfort-food go-tos like fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles. The menu also has a selection of gluten-free and vegetarian dishes. And if the date goes well and you’re planning a little next-day brunch, LouVino offers a Southern favorite with a Cincinnati twist: Biscuits & Goetta Gravy.
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Photo: Provided by Eighteen at the Radisson
18 at the Radisson
668 W. Fifth St., Covington
As Cincinnati’s only revolving steakhouse, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of both sides of the river’s unique city skylines from the Radisson’s 18th floor with your sweetheart. On the menu, guests will find upscale offerings like filet mignon, shrimp and lobster linguine and Atlantic salmon, as well as an extensive list of fine wines and co*cktails — all enjoyed with the entire city as your backdrop, just like a scene from your favorite romantic film.
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Carlo & Johnny
9769 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
Carlo & Johnny is an upscale steakhouse from the team behind Jeff Ruby's. Located in Montgomery, this restaurant is situated in a historic mansion that was formerly a gangster hideout, stagecoach stopover and casino. They offer USDA Prime steaks as well as a variety of fresh seafood dishes, sushi and impeccable service.
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Photo: Catie Viox for Zest Cincy
Mama’s on Main
621 Main St., Covington
Mama’s on Main, from restaurateurs Emily Wolff and Paul Weckman, serves up traditional, pasta-oriented Italian fare in its bold and bright space in Covington. The menu features traditional red-sauce Italian fare, like classic spaghetti and meatballs, so you can recreate the iconic scene from Lady and the Tramp with your date. Other popular dishes include cacio e pepe and rigatoni with vodka sauce.
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Photo: Matthew Allen
Abigail Street
1214 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
This wine and tapas bar from Chef Daniel Wright offers decadent small plates to share. The food has a Mediterranean lean and includes dishes like wood-grilled octopus, fattoush, roasted beets with lebna and baklava for dessert. Wine on tap is available by the glass, quartino or bottle.
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Rosewood Thai & Sushi
3036 Madison Road, Oakley
Rosewood, a sister restaurant of Teak in Over-the-Rhine and Loveland, offers a selection of one-of-a-kind Thai, seafood and sushi options in an intimate and welcoming setting. The menu features Thai-style fried rice dishes; vegetable and mixed stir frys; a variety of curries; house specials like the Massaman Curried Lamb Shank, Chilean seabass; scallops and plenty of sushi. To drink, Rosewood offers an extensive list of wines by the glass, beer and craft co*cktails.
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Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Baker’s Table
1004 Monmouth St., Newport
This farm-to-table restaurant offers rustic, seasonal dishes featuring fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The menu offers prix-fixe dining, as well as pastas and mains like duck with potato latkes and caramelized brassicas and Alabama snapper and shellfish. There are vegetarian options, as well as decadent dishes for meat eaters. Don't skip dessert, especially the Chocolate Satin.
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