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Start a Top 5 for ItalianEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in Cincinnati Magazine. Updated August 2026.
Sotto · Downtown
Sotto places handmade pasta and rustic Italian cooking in a warm below street room, with short rib cappellacci serving as an enduring signature. The dining room encourages a full progression through pasta, wine, and dessert, with hospitality calibrated for a relaxed evening.
Nicola's · Pendleton
Nicola's draws on decades of handmade pasta and Italian hospitality, supported by a wine list with depth in Tuscany, Piedmont, and Veneto. Pasta and regional Italian technique anchor the menu, supported by a wine list that gives the cooking room to speak clearly.
Via Vite · Downtown
Via Vite gives Fountain Square an open kitchen and two story Italian dining room shaped by Cristian Pietoso’s handmade pasta. The kitchen balances recognizable Italian forms with enough individual character to keep the meal connected to this particular room. The open kitchen keeps that craft in view.
Al-Posto Italian Ristorante · Hyde Park
Al-Posto focuses on Southern Italian cooking in Hyde Park, pairing fresh pasta with seafood and dishes such as grilled branzino. Its menu is broad enough for a shared table while maintaining a clear focus on careful pasta, sauces, and seasonal ingredients.
Pepp & Dolores · Over-the-Rhine
Pepp & Dolores builds its Over-the-Rhine menu around house pasta, shared starters, and a wine list designed for the restaurant’s lively room. The experience combines neighborhood energy with a considered Italian menu, making it suitable for both casual and celebratory dinners.