This is one the most impossibly ridiculous lists I’ve ever seen on here. Point by point: 1. Aglamesis Bros. is a far greater, and tastier, Cincinnati tradition than Graeters. 2. Skyline and Goldstar are so prepackaged as to be nearly indistinguishable by this point. One has better fries and more variety, one has better buns and dogs, it’s stupid. Go to Camp Washington, Pleasant Ridge Chili, Empress Chili or Chili Time if you want to taste Cincinnati. Skyline and Goldstar do not have gravy cheese fries and everyone knows this is an affront. 3. This is a major problem with people: The BIGGEST version of a hometown staple is NOT the best version of that thing. There are a lot of great Reuben’s around Cincinnati and I would say, just get a regular one with some potato pancakes and eat the pickles on the table and be happy. 4. If you eat LaRosa’s then you ARE EATING GROSS CHAIN PIZZA BECAUSE LAROSA’S IS A CHAIN. If you want actual independent pizza in the city then try Strong’s in Newport or Newport Pizza Company or Betta’s Italian Oven or, even though it’s a chain in its own right it is still small and awesome, Mio’s Pizza. If you want upscale go to A Tavola. If you want something more representative of the Cincinnati/Midwest style of pizza go to Krimmer’s Italianette Pizza. If you want what I consider to be the best pizza in the city go to Fratelli’s Pizzeria. LaRosa’s… come the fuck on at least go to Trotta’s if you really wanna taste west side pizza. 5. I’m sick of the ridiculous nostalgia that this soft serve evokes in people, it was good, yes, no arguments from me but there are FAR BETTER flavors of soft serve in Cincinnati. Go to the Goodie Shoppe, they have 35 flavors of soft serve guaranteedly one of those will be better than this. You don’t like that? Okay, go to The Cone, arguarbly the best ice cream place in the midwest. Maybe you want something a little smaller? Flub’s is pretty great too. I would hardly say that something that has been owned by 5 or 6 different multinational corporations is going to sell the best version of a Cincinnati anything. 6. You could not BE MORE WRONG. Wet ribs are not a Cincinnati thing, they have more in common with Texas and Kansas City than they do with here. If you were really from Cincinnati you would know we are called Porkopolis, you would also know that this means that we like pulled barbecue. Montgomery Inn is fine but, much like LaRosa’s, it has little to do with Cincinnati anymore. I live in Reading, a street over from their distro center, they don’t fresh make anything as it all comes trucked in and freeze dried, this is about as “fresh and Cincinnati” as canned Skyline in a Seattle grocery store. Go to Eli’s, go to Goodie’s BBQ, go to any of the small smoke shop places on Montgomery or Reading Rd. 7. Incorrect again. Busken is fine but it is very very inoffensive and milquetoast. There are tons of great and historic bakeries in Cincinnati and overlooking them in favor of Busken is just… it’s pretty hideous. North College Hill Bakery, Giminetti’s, Wyoming Bakery, Ross Bakery, Bon Bonerie, Silverton Donuts, etc. The list continues on ad infinitum as to places that sell what Busken does, but better. 8. Finally some sense in this list. Glier’s is great, but if you are a Cincinnatian you also probably have a Grandma who has her own recipe or you have a butcher’s shop nearby that you know you can get fresh made goetta from. 9. I’ll give you Papa’s, it’s a Cincinnati tradition. However it wouldn’t hurt to recognize your precious Graeter’s for their chocolateering or Esther Price or Aglamesis Bros. or any number of other ones. 10. Tom + Chee dropped the ball, much like the original list, when they had these on the menu. Instead of working with a bakery in the tri-state they used Krispy Kream donuts. Instead of sticking by a number of farmers in the area, they use compote. The idea of the grilled cheese donut existed well before this place and will persist long after. Whatever they could have done to make this a Cincinnati staple was squandered when they made it just another generic business decision so they could be on Food Network. 11. Finally, something correct. Just Crepes is a wonderful place owned by wonderful people who love this city. They deserve all the business that can be mustered for their excellent food, YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY GO HERE so kudos to the couple of brain cells that rolled into each other and got you to put this on your list! The fact is that this is not a BAD LIST, it’s just not going to convince people to come here. You are showing people things that are very generic and not showing people the truly magical things that exist here. In my mind this is like ignoring Terry’s Turf Club and saying “White Castle has the best burgers in town! lol!” because they have corporate offices here. Or that Kroger’s deli is the best meat market while ignoring Avril Bleh or Wyoming Meats or Stehlin’s simply because Kroger is a big name and is from here. It is disingenuous and if you want to make a list about your city and be proud of where you’re from just do some more digging.