Not even the rain could keep us away from Taste of Cincinnati. This year’s festival, which added an extra day for all the foodies out there, had our Enquirer staff fanning out to find their favorite dishes from three different sections.
Trending news reporter Kaycee Sloan and food and dining writer Keith Pandolfi endured the weather conditions to find our favorite dishes from the restaurant vendors, food trucks and the area dubbed the Findlay Market Zone, which also includes vendors from Findlay Kitchen.
We were tasked with finding our favorite dishes from the festival. Here’s what we declared our favorites from Day 1.
Coconut chicken taco from Alley Baby ($7)
Alley Baby was one of my favorite food trucks in 2025, and this year is no different. Go for the coconut chicken taco, which is served on a crisp flour tortilla seared in olive oil and European butter and topped with cabbage, house-made salsa, sweet chili lime aioli and blood orange vinaigrette
−Keith Pandolfi
Hera’s garden fries from Twisted Greek ($8)
Crinkle fries dusted in Green seasoning are topped with gyro meat, refreshing tzatziki, tomatoes and cucumbers with sweety drop peppers. Definitely enough food for two, and at a relatively good price. Also try Twisted Greek’s Aphrodite’s Hanky Panky ($7), a twisted take on a West Side favorite featuring hanky panky dip topped with pickled onion ham.
−Keith Pandolfi
Chicken and andouille gumbo from Hankering Southern Kitchen ($8)
Maybe it was the rain, but the gumbo from Hankering, a Southern-themed vendor, really hit the spot on the first day of Taste of Cincinnati. The andouille sausage had a Cajun kick, the roux, complex enough for a city north of the Mason-Dixon, and the rice cooked up tender with a nice little chew. If you’re not in the mood for gumbo, try Hankering’s fried green tomatoes with pepper jam, remoulade and goat cheese – one of my favorite dishes from 2025
−Keith Pandolfi
Chicken a la chorizo from Christine’s Casual Dining ($10)
This is one of those thoughtful dishes that makes you want to visit Christine’s brick-and-mortar restaurant in Bridgetown so you can try more of their Filipino and Spanish food. Here, Spanish rice is covered with marinated chicken, chorizo, sauteed onions and zucchini before it’s drizzled with a warm cheese sauce. The chicken is tender (especially for a food festival) and the chorizo provides a spicy kick that takes it over the top.
−Keith Pandolfi
Crispy chicken parm sandwich from Pompilio’s ($10)
It was dreary for Taste of Cincinnati’s first day. It was chilly and I was waterlogged walking through the festival, but Pompilio’s $10 crispy chicken parm sandwich quickly warmed me up. I live across the river in Bellevue, Kentucky, and often pass by the Newport restaurant and have been meaning to try it ever since I had their triple berry tiramisu with lemon curd swirl at the Best of Taste judging.
So, I decided to try their crispy chicken parm sandwich and … wow. The chicken was cooked to perfection. It was sandwiched together on warm, golden-brown buns with melted cheese that was perfect for the chilly day. It’s safe to say the sandwich was finished within minutes.
−Kaycee Sloan
Note: If you’re heading to this booth, bring cash as they only accept cash.
Pineapple rum beignet from Maw Maw’s Creole Kitchen ($5)
My goal for this year’s Taste of Cincinnati was to try foods from eateries I’ve never had before – Maw Maw’s Creole Kitchen was one of them. As I walked past the food truck, its Pineapple rum beignet immediately caught my eye (if you’re new here, desserts tend to be my favorite dishes).
Although I was a judge for the dessert portion of Best of Taste, I missed out on trying the deliciousness that is Maw Maw’s beignet, which took home silver for desserts in this year’s Best of Food Truck judging.
This was my first time trying a beignet because I wanted to wait for the real deal in New Orleans, but to me, this was the next best thing. The pastry was warm and airy, but the cool pineapple fruit topping was what really sold me (and of course, the powdered sugar). It complemented the beignet really well. I mean, it was inhaled, it was that good. And not to mention, our order was already done by the time we paid.
If you’re in the mood for a light sweet treat, head to Maw Maw’s Creole Kitchen.
−Kaycee Sloan
Lobster slider from Lobsta Bakes of Maine ($10)
The Newtown-based seafood shop is back at Taste this year, serving a perfect little slider of Maine lobster. It’s a small but satisfying bite that will leave plenty of room in your stomach to try more food. Their shrimp roll, also $10, is equally as good. If you haven’t tried it at Lobsta Bakes in Newtown, or at Covalt Station, in Milford, where it’s on the menu, now’s your chance.
−Keith Pandolfi
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Our 7 favorite dishes from this year’s Taste of Cincinnati
Reporting by Kaycee Sloan and Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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