Pigall’s

The best restaurant in Cincinnati? The best restaurant in the U.S.?

I’m not really qualified to answer either of those questions, having eaten at very few Cincinnati restaurants, and very few of the top-ranked restaurants nationwide. But I have eaten at Charlie Trotters in Chicago, and Rockpool in Sydney, Australia, which are consistently at the top of lists and Pigall’s topped both of then.

We made reservations at Pigall’s a couple weeks in advance for a Saturday night and the only seatings available were at 5:30 and 8:45. Being country folk, 5:30 is our normal supper time, so that worked out well for us.

We arrived a little early, having navigated Cincinnati’s confusing street system with ease (a unique event in our weekend in Cincy). We waited in the tiny foyer bar and enjoyed a glass of the house champagne. Our table was ready before the champagne was done, and the bartender took our glasses and delivered them on a silver tray to the table.

From the foyer you can’t see the dining room, so it makes a vivid impression when you enter the room. The space manages to be muted and calming, intimate, yet soaring and airy and open. It was a hands down winner over Charlie Trotters and Rockpool.

The service was excellent, from the greeting when we arrived to the valet parking having the car waiting when we left. The service was warm, competent, and never overbearing. Charlie Trotter may have written the book, Lessons in Service from Charlie Trotter but Pigalls service was better and less contrived.

That’s all well and good, but if the food isn’t good, the rest doesn’t matter. The food was, like everything else, excellent. We had the 5 course prix fixe menu($130 each with matching wines) and it was perfect. The food was good, the matching wines were good. We had espresso afterwards and it was easily the best I’d ever had.

Expensive? Yes, with the extra champagne at the beginning and the coffee afterwards, our bill was around $360 with tip. Worth it? Every penny.