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Cincinnati Eats: Highly Recommended Hall of Fame

Discover the top culinary picks in Cincinnati as recommended by food writer Keith Pandolfi.

I met up with an old friend of mine who was in town with his wife and kids to do a reading at the Mercantile Library. He’s an English professor in Denver but grew up in Wyoming. We hadn’t seen each other for about a decade, but like long-lost cousins, it didn’t take long for us to find our groove.

When we were in our 20s and 30s, the two of us would usually meet at a bar, have a few too many drinks, then stagger to a taxi to take us home. Now we have young kids (he has two, and I have one), so my wife suggested we meet at the The Acres, a revamped 1950s pub, restaurant, driving range and mini golf course in Evendale.

Many Cincinnatians might remember coming here as kids, when it was known as Etter’s Golf Center, which opened in 1950. In 2020, a former banker named Todd Gailar bought it from owner Steve Etter, then added a bar and restaurant featuring local beers and a menu developed by Uncle Leo’s owner LeRoy Ansley.

The seven of us sat at a long picnic table catching up. Our wives had never met each other, but they got along well, and my daughter liked his two kids so much that they eventually went off on their own.

The food surprised me. A juicy fried chicken breast sandwich was topped with coleslaw, pickles and pickled onions on a soft hoagie roll. The tomato sandwich my wife ordered was made with bright red tomatoes from Gorman Farm next door – a reminder that this hot and humid summer still has its pleasures. Other options include salads and shareables.

Afterward we all played a round of mini golf in the blazing sun, hydrating with water and, given that the kids were in tow, non-alcoholic beers.

The Acres is at 9941 Reading Road and is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday. Closed Monday.

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