A lot of times when you hear the name “Poke” you think of Hawaii and California. At least that’s what I think when I hear the word. I think west coast vibes, surfers, surf boards and waves. Poke is not a common name you would associate with the Midwestern city of Cincinnati. However, after one of the owners, Baret, took a trip to Hawaii and tried the locally known dish that changed things for the Queen City. Poke Hut was then born!
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That’s the concept Hailey Nutter-Sitek, Anthony Sitek, and Mike Cassari (who make up the “Republic”) thought of when coming up with the name for their new downtown Cincinnati restaurant, Crown Republic, an American Gastropub located at the corner of Sycamore and 8th. (Side note: How genius and creative is that name?!). Now that Crown Republic had been opened for close to 2 months, Pursuit of Delights had the opportunity to sit down with the owners to discuss all things food and the history behind how the restaurant came about.
If you’ve walked around the Pendleton area, you may have noticed a few businesses opening within the past year. While exploring the area, if you’ve been on Broadway, you may have also heard live music, laughter, and smelled the aroma of BBQ floating through the air. Sound familiar? Then you have discovered the deliciousness of Lucius Q! Opened March 15th, 2018 by 3 owners (Aaron Sharpe, Shane Spears, and Jeff Keate), Lucius Q is a neighborhood joint with its roots centered on music and food (Yes Please!). They were named in honor of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus who was well known for his leadership and selflessness. Pursuit of Delights had the pleasure of sitting down with two of the ultra-friendly owners, Aaron and Jeff, to hear more about the history of their fun vibe restaurant!
The Pursuit of Delights is back for our second feature in Travel Host Magazine! This time, we are here to share with you our top BURGER options within the surrounding area. Don’t eat meat? No worries… we have a vegetarian option in there for you too! Keep reading to see which burger joints fill our bellies with delight!!!
Americano Burger Bar Downtown Cincinnati, OH
Atmosphere: Fun, Funky and Cool. The dining area is a large open concept that is warm and welcoming. It can be used to host burger eaters of all ages. It even has a Shuffleboard and Foosball Table.
Burger of Choice: Who doesn’t love $5 burgers? If you go on Tuesday, $5 Americano Burger night, you will be in for a delight. This burger is a classic, but classics never get old! Add a side of fries for a small additional fee. With Shuffleboard, Foosball, a classic burger and fries, you will indeed have the perfect burger night!
CWC Wyoming Cincinnati, Ohio
Atmosphere: You will feel as if you’ve entered someone’s home who happens to have
super cute décor! They are a charming and friendly restaurant with a small, yet diverse menu.
Burger of Choice: If you love cheese and a thick, juicy burger, CWC is for you! They smother theirs in a nice, melty cheddar cheese sauce, which so deliciously slides over the fries as well. Word of advice…. Don’t forget to bring your bib! You’ll need it!
Flip Side West Chester, Ohio
Atmosphere: It may seem like your typical restaurant, but they’ll surprise you! They have a robust menu and a patio that is awesome. If you’re feeling bold, try one of their craft milkshakes to go along with your grass-fed burger!
Burger of Choice: The Flipside Burger contained flavors that were large and in charge! Don’t forget to add a side of the chile rubbed, crispy onion rings! Crazy good!
Mad Mike’s Newport, KY
Atmosphere: Fun and Family Friendly; located just a short walk from Newport on the Levee. If you don’t want anything fancy from the Levee, visit Mad Mike’s for burgers and fries!
Burger of Choice: If you want a gangster burger, try the American Outlaw. It’s indeed the classic Outlaw. If you don’t want plain, boring fries, add bacon, ranch and cheese for a twist. If you’re into the world of not normal, try the Goliath. Its mouthwatering ingredients are between two grilled cheese sandwiches! Now that’s gangster!
Nation Kitchen and Bar Downtown Cincinnati, OH
Atmosphere: If you love beers, burgers and bars, this is the spot for you! Most of the seats are bar tops with a small area that includes a couch and low tables.
Burger of Choice: If a burger and tots were the only things we could get in “The Nation”, we’d be satisfied! Their Nation burger with their Loaded Tater Tots is AHHHmazing! There’s just something about their 6oz brisket blend patties. It will have you saying the Pledge of Allegiance backwards!
Northstar Café West Chester, Ohio
Atmosphere: If you mixed hip + earthy + friendly, you’d get Northstar Café. They aim to please and will likely have you smiling for no reason due to their bubbly personalities.
Burger of Choice: Vegetarians… this one is for you! The Northstar Burger is completely organic and out of this world!! It is absolutely one I’d go back for. I never knew I’d love a meatless burger this much!
Pleasantry OTR Cincinnati, OH
Atmosphere: Small, cute, and quaint, but spacious enough for a cozy time. It’s the perfect happy hour spot or afternoon date with the girls/guys or that special someone. You will love seeing the interaction that takes place in the kitchen with their cool, open concept!
Burger of Choice: I know, I know, who ever thought you would find a good burger at this type of restaurant? However, you can never go wrong with their seasonal burger. It changes, but the combinations are always fun! The one in season during my visit had pimento cheese, pickles, red onion, and bibb lettuce. It felt like I had found a small gem in the world of burgers.
Terry’s Turf Club Cincinnati, Ohio
Atmosphere: You literally can’t miss this restaurant. They have ALL of the bright lights and are full of color. Fun fact: They were featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives! Let’s see if you can spot Guy Fieri’s picture inside!
Burger of Choice: You can get as creative as you’d like because their menu is “build your own”! For your made to order burger, we suggest a fried egg, bacon, brie cheese, and burgundy wine sauce! Doesn’t that sound fancy?!
Didn’t see your top burger on the list? Drop the name in the comments below so we can check it out! Click here to access the digital version of our burger article. Click here to see the full 2nd edition of Cincinnati’s Travel Host Magazine!
You know what I love about smaller cities? They always seem to have so many hidden gems of great food in pockets across town. Dayton is the perfect example of this! For many years, I worked in a suburb of this area while living in Cincinnati, which allowed me to experience deliciousness in both cities. Dayton is known for many things, but who knew great food was up there on the list?! If you haven’t been or are unfamiliar with the area, no problem. Sit back and relax while I navigate you to my top 7 Dayton restaurants!
Hello Pursuit of Delight’s readers! I am thrilled you could join me on my cooking excursion, A Night in Cameroon. You will be able to enjoy some good Cameroonian food in the comfort of your own home. Read more
This feature of the week is very special to us, as it our first article publication in the Cincinnati premier issue for Travel Host Magazine! WOOP! We have copied and pasted the full article below. To access the magazine version click HERE . To access a digital copy of the full Travel Host issue (Which is REALLY cool btw!!), click HERE
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You know how you feel every time you go to your Grandma’s house? She makes entirely too much food and requires you to “EAT UP!”, but you don’t mind because it’s all so 
delicious. Most of us know exactly what this scenario feels like. Now picture it in a restaurant. This is the exact experience you will have at Carmine’s of New York City. If you love Italian, love variety, and live for large portion sizes, they are the restaurant for you! In addition to great food, the camaraderie is awesome! If you begin to sing or clap in celebration of something within your group, don’t be surprised if all of the tables around you join in. It is truly heartfelt and amazing. Now let’s dive into the eats! Read more
As some of you may know, I, Tiffany B., am from Huntsville, AL. While Huntsville has a small food scene compared to larger cities, I couldn’t help but feature this awesome family run tea company. Piper and Leaf must be my favorite tea location! Read more
That is a good question! Or better yet, what food items is Iceland known for? As many of you may have noticed, we have been giving sneak peeks inside of our Icelandic food experiences on social media. Some of the places we found were amazing inside and out and offered some of the most unforgettable dining experiences; ones sure to keep us talking about for years to come.
Iceland has many food locations to choose from, but you do have to search a little to find the “gems”. However, have no fear, the Pursuit of Delights is here! Rather than making you search and search for yourself, we have done some of that for you, and can save you a little time while making your tummy very happy! Let’s dive in… Read more
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