There are many kinds of Italian restaurants, from the pizza delivery joint to the fine-dining with $200 bottles of Barolo on the wine list, from ones who ladle on the red sauce to those who carefully recreate regional classics of the cuisine.
Everyone has their own spot on the Italian cuisine spectrum that means "good Italian restaurant" to them. So this list of the best Italian in Cincinnati comes in categories. I did leave out pizza restaurants or Italian restaurants known most for pizza; that's another list altogether. I hope it helps you find a place that becomes your "best."
