Chili parlors have been culinary staples in Cincinnati since the 1920s and there are currently more than 200 of them in the region. Though National Chili Day is each February, every day is National Chili Day in Cincinnati!
I was never big into chili growing up. It was fine, but the older I get, the more I like love it and the less I understand why people so vehemently hate something as trivial as spaghetti or a hot dog enveloped in delectable meat sauce. Some even argue that Cincinnati-style chili isn’t “chili,” to which I say, “Is deep dish not pizza?”
If there can be Chicago-, St. Louis-, Detroit-, and New York-style pizzas, surely there can be more than one kind of chili. Just because Cincinnati chili doesn’t look like Texas chili, doesn’t mean it’s not chili all the same. The defining ingredients of this delicacy are chili powder and meat and, well, those bases are covered here. It’s our own special version and, while there are multiple iterations of Cincinnati-style chili, I have to say that I like them all. What differentiates them from one other isn’t the flavor of the chili so much as the different dishes featured at each parlor. And, until I have a side-by-side taste test of each type of chili, I’ll instead swear by menu items when judging how I like each style and how to compare them.
So without further adieu, here are what I consider to be the best Cincinnati-style chili dishes.
Chilito with spaghetti and sour cream, Skyline
Chilitos
A chilito—chili + burrito—with spaghetti and sour cream is my current favorite chili dish, and it’s served at Skyline. Delicious.
Cheese coney (and oyster crackers), Skyline
Cheese Coneys
Whenever Cincinnati chili is involved, I have to get a coney. I love plain cheese coneys, chili cheese sandwiches, and coneys with mustard and onion alike. While I think they’re good everywhere, my favorites are from Blue Ash Chili, Gold Star, Pleasant Ridge Chili (PRC), and Skyline.
Skyline Dip Naan Bites, featuring naan rounds topped with cream cheese, Skyline chili, and shredded cheese (recipe can be found here)
Chili Dip and All Its Iterations
This classic Cincinnati delicacy can be found most commonly at graduation parties, movie nights, and pool days. Though Skyline Dip is the most popular, it can be made with any Cincinnati chili of your liking. You can make a dip and eat it with chips, or you can get creative and make something like Skyline Dip Naan Rounds (above). You can get cans of Skyline, Gold Star, and Dixie Chili from the grocery store.
For more Cincinnati-inspired Recipes, click here.
Chili Cheese Fries from Blue Ash Chili, where they do things a bit differently. They put cheese on top of the fries so it gets melty, but the chili on top of that so the fries don’t get too soggy.
Chili Cheese Fries
These are also good most places, but I absolutely love them from Blue Ash Chili, Gold Star, and Camp Washington—crinkle fries allow for maximum chili and cheese in all their divots.
3-Ways
The best three-ways (or, if I’m feeling froggy, a four-way onion) come from Camp Washington, Empress, PRC, and Skyline.
Chili Omelets
You can get an omelet filled with Cincinnati’s favorite food item at places like Blue Ash Chili and Price Hill Chili.
Cincinnatus from Newport Pizza Co.
Chili Pizza
You can find Cincinnati-style chili pizza from Empress Chili and Newport Pizza Co.
Chili Melt
Chili Melt
Melty grilled cheese topped with Cincinnati-style chili courtesy of Camp Washington Chili.
Slaw Dog
Chili Lasagna
The Lizard
Blue Ash Chili
I have to shout this place out generally because, in addition to its yummy standard items, I’d have to say that Blue Ash has the most inventive chili menu: Chili Lasagna (Layers of chili and cheese and carbs? Yep, I’ll take it.), 6-ways (5-way plus jalapeño caps), The Lizard (replace the hot dog in a coney with a fried pickle) and Slaw Dogs (coney with cole slaw replacing the cheese).
Not into Cincinnati’s flagship delicacy?
If you or a friend is one of those unfortunate souls who doesn’t like or eat Cincinnati chili, there are so many other menu alternatives at chili parlors around Cincinnati. Head to Blue Ash Chili for its famed double deckers; Camp Washington for 24-hour breakfast (six days a week); Chili Time for a burger and Time fries; Dixie for their deli goods; Empress for salads and sandwiches; Gold Star for burgers, salads, and sandwiches; PRC for gravy cheese fries; Price Hill Chili for a cheeseburger; and Skyline for a wrap and those delicious oyster crackers.
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