I am always happy to see a woman-owned restaurant open in Greater Cincinnati. Which is why Madeline Sheblessy reopening the Lonely Pine Steakhouse in Pleasant Ridge is so notable to me. Along with Michelle Brown, the majority owner of Jag’s Steak & Seafood in West Chester, the new Lonely Pine gives us two standout woman-owned steakhouses in Greater Cincinnati – something we should all be proud of.
We also saw the return of a 1600s-era chocolate shop in Sycamore Township, a great new Mexican restaurant in Covington and a retro dive bar open in Hyde Park. But the month also brought some high-profile closures, one of which will pave the way for a neighboring Summit Park restaurant’s expansion.
Here are the notable restaurant openings and closings around Greater Cincinnati last month.
Cincinnati restaurants that opened in May
Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, Kenwood Towne Center
Consider Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier’s new location inside Kenwood Towne Centre a sort of homecoming. Bissinger’s is one of the oldest chocolate companies in the world, started in Paris in 1668 before it relocated to Cincinnati in 1845. It remained in the Queen City for more than 80 years before moving again to it’s current headquarters in St. Louis. But, hey, at least we now have a dedicated place to shop for their (admittedly tasty) chocolates, English almond toffee, molasses caramel lollipops and more.
7875 Montgomery Road, Sycamore Township, 513-818-2828, bissingers.com. Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
Mad Anthony’s Pizza, Downtown
Given the number of downtown restaurants, it’s strange there are so few places to grab a pizza, especially late at night. Mad Anthony’s is trying to change that. The pizzeria, with its original location is at Covington Yard, opened its first Cincinnati spot in the former Voodoo Brew Pub space on Eighth Street. According to The Enquirer’s David Ferrara, owner-operators Anthony Nataro, Tim Beard and Brandon Martin said the shop will offer an expanded menu of sandwiches, mozzarella sticks and wings – and a full beer, wine and cocktail bar list.
120 E. Eighth St., Downtown, 513-246-4215. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-midnight Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday.
Lonely Pine Steakhouse (reopening), Pleasant Ridge
After an eight-month closure, Lonely Pine Steakhouse is back in business. The restaurant shuttered in October 2025 when head chef Madeline Sheblessy left to work for Al Lupo in Mount Adams. But she recently purchased Lonely Pine from its original owner Jacob Trevino, who opened it in 2019. The menu includes charbroiled oysters, T-bones, New York strips, flank steak and root beer-braised short ribs, as well as pork chops, scallops, burgers and plenty of sides and salads. Sheblessy told me she’s trying to practice farm-to-table cooking as much as possible. For instance, much of the beef she’s using comes from Our Homeplace Meat, a Kentucky-based initiative of the Berry Center, which has the goal of promoting the sustainable farming ethos of environmentalist Wendell Berry.
6085 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge, 513-351-1012, lonelypinesteakhouse.com. Hours: 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Closed Sunday-Tuesday.
Madres Modern Mexican, Covington
After closing his East Walnut Hills restaurant, Tequila Modern Mexican, earlier this year, Angel Ortiz has relocated it across the Ohio River and renamed it Madres Modern Mexican. The menu is mostly the same as Tequila’s and still includes his excellent enchiladas Mexicanas (three flour tortillas in three sauces, including green tomatillo, mole and cheese sauce) as well as alambres, fajitas, tacos and burritos.
801 Madison Ave., Covington. 859-279-3669, tequilacincy.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.
CM Chicken, Oakley
A second Greater Cincinnati location of this popular South Korean-owned franchise opened in Hyde Park Plaza this month. The first CM, or Choong Man Chicken, opened in Liberty Township in 2022. Two years later, Yelp users named it the best fried chicken spot in Ohio. CM Chicken started in South Korea in 2009. The franchise expanded to the United States in 2017 and now has more than 50 locations nationwide. Here, fried chicken is served with a variety of seasonings, including garlic-soy, curry and red hot pepper, among others. CM also offers calamari, fried shrimp, chicken sandwiches and a full bar with signature cocktails, beer and wine.
3804 Paxton Ave., Oakley, 513-376-7442, cmchickenkorean.com. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
Hi Dive Cincy, Hyde Park
Veteran chef Jared Bennett, who has helmed the kitchens at Metropole and Branch restaurants, opened this throwback dive bar in the former Dutch’s Larder location in Hyde Park. As of press time, only the barroom of Hi Dive was open, but Bennett told me he will soon open a “living room” area where customers can sit in retro sofas, as well as Jarrido’s, a catering business. The drinks menu at Hi Dive is heavy on the wine and beer with a few signature cocktails. Bennett told me he will be hosting pop-up restaurants in the near future. The old Dutch’s pony keg area will also reopen later this year, though the date is still TBD. Ohio University fans might be happy to know that the house shot will be the famous hot nut, inspired by Tony’s bar, in Athens.
3378 Erie Ave., Hyde Park. Hours: 4 p.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday, 2 p.m.-midnight Friday, noon-midnight Sunday.
Cincinnati restaurants that closed in May
Five Restaurant & Bar, Over-the Rhine
The Over-the-Rhine restaurant, which served comfort food and cocktails, held its final day of service on May 31. The restaurant’s owner, Crown Restaurant Group, plans to introduce a new restaurant concept in the same space later this year. Other than saying it will be “a new and unique fine dining concept,” in a press release, the restaurant group is keeping the details under wraps.
Highball Cincy, Over-the-Rhine
We bid farewell to Highball, a Findlay Market-area cocktail bar operated by Gorilla Cinema owner Jacob Trevino. The closure was announced via a social media post but no reason was given. Gorilla Cinema also owns the karaoke bar Tokyo Kitty, Downtown, as well the Overlook Lodge, in Pleasant Ridge. It owned and operated Lonely Pine Steakhouse, which was recently reopened under new ownership.
Nanny Belle’s, Blue Ash
The Summit Park ice cream and snack shop announced its permanent closure on May 3 via social media. “We are incredibly grateful for the support, smiles, and memories you’ve shared with us over the years,” the post read. “Being part of the community has meant so much to us, and we truly appreciate every customer who supported us over the past 10 years.”
Weeks later, Blue Ash City Council approved a plan for a neighboring restaurant, Tahona Kitchen + Bar, to expand into the former Nanny Belle’s space. According to Nancy Parrott of Looking Glass Hospitality, which owns Tahona, told The Enquirer the additional 1,350 square feet will increase their indoor seating and include a private event space. “The renovation will begin this summer, and we’re targeting a fall opening of the new space.” Parrott said. Tahona will remain open during the construction.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 6 big restaurants opened here in May, but 3 closures rocked the boat
Reporting by Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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By Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
