Northern Kentucky’s food and beverage landscape is constantly evolving, and this year was no different.
We reported on over 40 restaurant and bar openings and closings this year. There were 17 closings in 2023, with seven just in the last three months. However, on a better note, there were 23 new food and drink spots that opened, plus one reopening.
Closings
2023 started out on a sad note with Ebert’s Meats, the Monmouth Street staple, announcing on Jan. 1 that after 125 years, they were closing. In a Facebook post, owners cited landlord disputes and the cost to relocate as the reason for shutting down the Newport butcher shop.
Following six years of operation, Bourbon Haus 1841 announced its closure on Jan. 1. The announcement of the closure brought to light a longstanding feud between the bar and its next-door neighbor, Paddy’s on Main; read more about that battle here.
This Covington bistro, café and grocery, which opened its doors in 2021, announced its closure in early March. Spoon’s official announcement read, “It’s become too difficult for us to maintain our values in local and sustainable foods.”
After 17 years, 915 Pub and Grill closed its doors in March. Cincinnati-based burger joint Tickle Pickle moved into the location soon after the restaurant’s closure.
Fort Wright’s SubStation II permanently closed as the restaurant’s owners couldn’t find a relocation spot following the sale of their building to OneHolland Group.
Bean Haus Mainstrasse location
Bean Haus Bakery and Cafe announced in June that they will be consolidating their Mainstrasse location into their shop on 1316 Greenup St. in Covington. The post said the decision was not made lightly, especially since the business has been around for 18 years and started in Mainstrasse.
Dee Felice Café, which had called MainStrasse home for 39 years, closed up shop after the Fourth of July weekend. Dee Felice Market, a community grocery store next door to the café, has remained in business.
The Covington Korean-style chicken and beer pub announced its abrupt closure in August announcing on Facebook saying “Thank you for all the support and love we’ve received till today.”
After 16 years in business at its Covington location, Keystone Bar & Grill closed its doors in September. Despite its closure, 4EG said that its signature mac and cheese will live on at Keystone’s Mac Shack in Cincinnati’s Clifton neighborhood.
In October, Covington’s Haven Coffee announced its closure following the sale of its building. At the time of the announcement, the cafe said they had plans to relocate; as of now, no official location has been announced.
Newport coffee shop Flow announced its closure at the end of October. Owner Rhys Watkins said in the announcement that the decision to close was not an easy one.
In late October, the Covington barbeque restaurant announced its permanent closure after six years in business. McK’s BBQ posted a note to its front door announcing the closure and thanking its customers for their support.
Baker’s Table Bakery, located at 1001 Monmouth Street, closed its doors on Saturday, Oct. 28, after its last day of business. “In the name of our mission, tomorrow will be our last public service here at The BTB,” read the announcement of the closure. The Baker’s Table restaurant across the street had remained open.
Nomad in Bellevue announced on Nov. 1 that it was closing its doors at the end of the month. The announcement cited rising food costs and bad weather days, as much of Nomad’s seating was outside, for the restaurant’s closure.
Just a few days after Nomad, another Bellevue establishment announced it was closing its doors at the end of the month. Danyelle’s Bellevue Tavern, located at 615 Fairfield Ave., closed at the end of November.
The Mainstrasse bar, Green House, closed following Thanksgiving weekend. “Unfortunately like most good things, our time on West 6th St. is coming to an end. Green House Bar will be closing for good after this Saturday the 25th,” read the announcement.
The final closure of the year was Newport bar The Boardroom, which announced it’s closure in late November. No specific reason has been given for the closure.
Openings
On Jan. 6, Vic and Lesley Hugo opened up Juniper’s, Northern Kentucky’s first gin and tapas bar, in Mainstrasse. Juniper’s, which is located in the John R. Green Company building, features a rotating food menu of small plates plus a fully stocked, gin-focused bar.
Ford’s Garage, a nostalgic 1920s-themed burger and beer chain based in Florida, opened its first Kentucky location in Florence this January. This was the second in the Greater Cincinnati area after the Norwood location opened last May.
Conserva opened in Ludlow this January, offering folks around Northern Kentucky Spanish-inspired foods, drinks and vibes. The food, wine, beer, ciders, sherry, vermouth, sangria and cocktails are all authentically Spanish.
This Ludlow spot opened its doors on Feb. 11 to much community fanfare. The restaurant’s namesake honors the 1975 Class A football state champion Ludlow Panthers. In November, the restaurant closed due to a fire; however, the owners told LINK that they plan to be back up and running soon.
In March, the old White Castle building that has been sitting empty since 2018 on Monmouth Street finally opened as something new: the chain coffee shop, Biggby Coffee.
In March, the newest bar venture from Lost Co., which owns Over-the-Rhine’s Somerset and Alice, opened in Covington. Second Story opened above Flying Axes and features a craft cocktail menu and otherworldly decor.
Maple Street Biscuit Company opened in March and features southern-style comfort food that is made from scratch. “We’re happy to be part of the community,” said Ayssha Abner, the Florence location’s community manager.
From the people who brought you Cedar and Yucca came diner-inspired Pike Street, which opened in early April. “We have taken some classics that you’d see at any diner and transformed them to our way with a few twists.”
Located inside of a previously abandoned building that had at one point housed the Covington YMCA and Gateway Bookstore, Knowledge Bar & Social Room is the lobby bar of Hotel Covington’s newest venture, North by Hotel Covington. Knowledge Bar, which opened in April, features craft cocktails and an interior that showcases the roots of Kentucky’s horse-racing past.
The taproom, which opened to the public in April, is located inside a 15,000-square-foot space in CVG’s Concourse A directly across from the Christian Moerlein Taproom. Travelers can enjoy food and beer at this airport location.
Roebling Point Books & Coffee opened its third storefront in April. Located in a former corner grocery store at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Vine Street, their newest bookstore has all the hallmarks of their popular Covington and Newport locations.
Long-awaited Cuban restaurant Amador officially opened its doors at Newport on the Levee this May. The Miami-inspired spot, which was originally announced in the summer of 2021, serves up traditional Cuban dishes, including Cubano sandwiches, empanadas, croquetas and more.
The local location of the Cincinnati-based pizza chain, which opened in May, features Dewey’s full menu of pizzas, salads, calzones and beers. Additionally, the pizzeria operates a satellite kitchen inside of Braxton Brewery’s Covington taproom.
16 Lots – Newport on the Levee
Dubbed the Southern Outpost, the brewery features amenities such as a riverfront patio and cigar speakeasy lounge. The taproom and kitchen, hosted its grand opening on May 19. Then, officially launched its full menu on May 23, including appetizers like ‘Nashville Popcorn Chicken’ and fried green tomatoes, plus entrees that range from burgers to mussels.
The popular Cincinnati burger and shake joint Tickle Pickle opened its first Northern Kentucky location in Fort Thomas this June. “Fort Thomas, you have shown so much support and we can’t thank you enough,” the restaurant said in a Facebook post in May.
Highland Square Café moved into the previous Cobblestone Café spot, which closed in August last year after being a staple in the community for 17 years. The cafe officially opened in July and its menu features soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and more.
Former Cincinnati Bengal Carlos Dunlap opened the second location of his restaurant, Honey Uninhibited, this June. The southern-style restaurant offers brunch, lunch, and dinner with a menu that features items like gullah shrimp-n-grits and lobster truffle mac & cheese.
Located on the seventh floor of the Republic Bank building, Opal, which opened this September, offers customers an elevated dining experience. The rooftop patio features unimpeded views of downtown Covington and Cincinnati, and the menu is described as a casual-fine dining experience.
The Galley is a micro food hall and bar at Newport on the Levee with a setup similar to a food court: four spaces for four different food vendors. The Galley officially opened this October. The vendor lineup includes a diverse array of options: Tacos Hermanos, Four Mile Pig, Zaria Italian Eats and Stick and Buns.
Covington’s Thai Pavilion opened this October and is helmed by three women who say food brought them together. Their menu is littered with noodles, fried rice dishes, wontons, and spring rolls. It also features recognizable classics like Pad Thai, red curry, and pad kee mao.
Starting this November, travelers at CVG, who are feeling good and hungry can try items from Skyline Chili’s new breakfast menu at the newly opened location at the airport’s Concourse B.
Opened this December, The Brickery Café & Play offers a kids play and discovery area, a café that serves light refreshments and a retail space with new and used Legos for sale. The play and discovery area is designed for children 5- to 12-years-old.
Kealoha’s Kitchen
A Covington Hawaiian BBQ carry-out spot, Kealoha’s Kitchen, opened on Dec. 1 in the former Dee Felice Café location. The menu offers up bento boxes with protein, rice, salad and lumpia, plus mains like pineapple-teriyaki short ribs, pork kabobs and more.
Reopenings
Formerly a seafood restaurant, Bellevue’s Enson Harbor reopened in July as a Chinese dim sum restaurant and bar, Enson Harbor | Chinese Dim Sum & Bar. The restaurant closed in January to remodel and rebrand after having only been open for a year.