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3 Cincinnati restaurants listed among '100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America'

Sparks are guaranteed to fly at these restaurants
Pepp & Dolores
Posted at 4:16 PM, Feb 08, 2023
and last updated 2023-02-08 16:16:25-05

CINCINNATI — While it may be too late to sneak in a Valentine's Day dinner reservation, Cincinnati is home to multiple restaurants that are perfect for date night — and, according to OpenTable, they're some of the most romantic in the U.S.

OpenTable named Jeff Ruby's Carlo & Johnny, Pepp & Dolores and Sotto as three restaurants on its "100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America for 2023" list.

The list was compiled by analyzing more than 13 million reviews, according to OpenTable. Other than Cincinnati's three restaurants, Ohio's only other mention was Cleveland's Pier W. Both Kentucky and Indiana both had two restaurants named to the list, but none are in the Tri-State area.

All three Cincinnati restaurants scream romance with their dim lighting and intimate atmospheres.

As OpenTable says, "food is its own love language, but when it's served in a cozy room or a candlelit booth? Guaranteed fireworks."

Carlo & Johnny, which is located in Montgomery, serves Ruby's acclaimed steaks. The steakhouse also is perfect to spark up a conversation with your date because of its vast history. The restaurant's building was once a stagecoach stopover, a casino, a gangster hideout as well as a Prohibition-era speakeasy (and all speakeasies are obviously shrouded in romance).

Over-the-Rhine's Pepp & Dolores and downtown's Sotto offer diners arguably the most romantic cuisine of them all: Italian. I mean, we've all seen the classic spaghetti scene from Disney's "Lady and the Tramp."

Unfortunately, all three restaurants are booked out for a table for two on Valentine's Day, but that doesn't mean you can't soak up the romance any other night.

READ MORE:
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