In order to find the best places in NKY, I decided to experiment with a new format to make sure I was exploring every street and city and all that they have to offer.
So each week I’ll be venturing out to a different part of NKY and spending a day doing whatever that street has to offer. To start, I decided to revisit some of my favorite places, starting in Newport on Monmouth Street, where I found coffee, pizza… and more coffee and pizza.
Carabello Coffee: 107 E 9th St. (On the corner of 9th and Monmouth)
You know them, and you love them: They aren’t anything new but any trip to Newport isn’t complete without grabbing your favorite beverage from Carabello. I stopped in here for a coffee date with a friend and was greeted by one of the friendliest baristas who made sure everyone felt welcomed even though it was really busy.
I got my usual iced vanilla latte, but the barista suggested trying it with oat milk. Since at my core I am a people pleaser, I said why not. Like most baristas, his suggestion was the correct one and the drink was just as rich and creamy as my normal vanilla latte.
My friend and I sat here for a few hours catching up, reading the little notes in Carabello’s wall before heading out to our next stop. In case you didn’t know, if you sit inside of Carabello, you can see that there are little cracks in the bricks inside and often people will put inspirational quotes in for the next patrons to read.
It’s such a cute idea — almost like a message in a bottle that people can read time and time again.
Baker’s Table Bakery: 1004 Monmouth St.
I hadn’t been to Baker’s Table since before the pandemic, so I was really excited to be making a trip back here.
The bakery received a ton of notoriety when they first opened, and for anyone who had been there, it was obvious why. The food, service, and atmosphere were all top notch, so I was very eager to visit again.
Like any rational human, I always look up a place online before going so I can mentally prepare what I’m going to order. I do not need a menu — I’ve known my order for three days, thank you.
But in this case it was very good that I looked it up, since I hadn’t been there in three years I didn’t know that they were now only open for dinner and not brunch. In my research, I discovered that they offer all their delicious baked goods in a building across the street, The Baker’s Table Bakery. I opted to try here instead to see how it would differ from the original Baker’s Table. I was just as happy with the 2.0 version as I was the original and the good news is, they both exist so you can choose whichever you please.
The Baker’s Table offers dinner Thursday through Sunday with varying hours each night, while the Baker’s Table Bakery is open Wednesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and then reopens at 5 p.m. as a pizzeria. Having never tried either the Bakery or the Pizzeria, we opted to go at night and this place was a little slice of Italy.
I am a sucker for quaint and cute restaurants with simple yet elegant décor so when I walked in I already knew I was going to really enjoy this place. They had a window seat open with chairs that were almost a replica of ones I saw lining the streets of Italy, and to make it even more perfect a majority of the place was a sage green, my all-time favorite color. So, needless to say, I was impressed, and I hadn’t even ordered.
I started with marinated Olives and a Lambrusco while my friend and I went back and forth on what pizza to order. Our very friendly server suggested the summer veggies pizza and it was the perfect recommendation. The cooked zucchini was amazing and complimented the cheeses so well.
Before we left, we had to try one of their baked goods. The Berry pavlova was such a refreshing treat. We visited when it was 95 degrees, so it was sweet but still light enough for the super-hot day. I loved this place so much that I can’t wait to go back again to this same location to check out their coffee, because if it’s anything like what I had from their pizzeria, I know it’s bound to be delicious.
Newport Pizza Co: 601 Monmouth St.
Since I was on a pizza and coffee kick, I decided to check out Newport Pizza. It’s another place I had visited years ago, remembering how much I loved it, so I didn’t want to leave without stopping in.
If I hadn’t just eaten an entire pizza moments before, I would have ordered another one right there. The Cincinnatus lives rent free in my head, and I am not much of a meat eater but Cincinnati chili and Goetta have an exception because they are just too good to not eat. The Cincinnatus is a pizza with cream cheese, chili and cheese. It is every person’s post night out pizza dream. If you want something a little lighter the Highlands Country Club Pizza is essentially a cobb salad on a pizza crust. I didn’t know it was possible to describe pizza as refreshing, but this pizza is that. It’s perfect for a hot summer day when you want something filling but more substance than just a salad. And that homemade ranch they top it with is chef’s kiss.
Press: 421 Monmouth St.
I feel as if Press doesn’t get enough recognition and is often overlooked by other brunch/lunch bistros, which is just a crime. The Press has a little bit of everything. Their breakfast/brunch is what originally drew me to them, but I have gone out of my way to make more trips here because everything on their menu looks so good that I feel I have to try it all. Regardless of what time of day you visit, you’ll see a menu with plenty of options for both breakfast and lunch. Their bowls are what I order nearly every time I go. You can choose from either tater tots or a rice and quinoa mixture as the base (tater tots! I mean, come on, this is genius).
If you’re going for lunch they have so many options, but the standouts in my opinion are the Thai and Mediterranean.
If it’s your first time going here, I highly recommend you go in the morning — pair their breakfast bowl with one of their amazing coffees and it’s just the most delightful way to start your day. I’ve been talking a lot about the bowls they offer but their selection of other breakfast staples and sandwiches is immense, and you can’t go wrong with any of them.
I love the variety that they offer here and always feel that the options are relatively healthy without having to compromise on taste. For people with dietary restrictions, this is a really great place with delicious options for any kind of diet. I love their hot lattes since they always come out with the cute artwork, but it was just way too hot for that, so I opted for a cold brew and I just wish I could go here every week.
Monmouth has so many options, but these pizza and coffee spots are some of the best in the area.
Have a suggestion for the next street to visit? Email me at mchehman@gmail.com to let me know where to go next.