Best Contemporary American Restaurants in South Lebanon

Wow!! Aperture is yet another example of why Cincinnati is truly a foodie city. Very impressed with every not-so-little-detail Chef Jordan Anthony Brown put into this restaurant. The space is modern, yet intimate; the lighting is a perfect balance of mood and softness; even with a completely full restaurant, it was never loud; sitting next to the windows on a cold, rainy night, we never felt any temperature difference; the service from everyone was equally excellent, professional, friendly and attentive. Now, for the food. First, watching the chefs in the open kitchen was entertainment in itself. I could have watched this intimate look into the passion and precision of the preparing, creating, and plating each individual dish all night. Every dish we ordered was uniquely different in its presentation and flavor: simple, yet fresh, curious and delicious with combinations I have not previously encountered. The Fennel sausage pasta was perfect in its sauce distribution, flavor and al dente texture. The Stripped Bass delivered a flaky, crisp fish in an emulsion of light chowder-like sauce-Unexpectedly amazing. The simple fire-heated pita with the eggplant hummus was no less impressive. Thank you Chef Jordan Anthony Brown, and the people that work along side you to remind us how decadent and fun eating can be when made with love and dedication.

I loved everything about it from the great food, cocktails & music playing!

Our server Dillon was fantastic. We started with the Korean corn dogs and the Tuna crudo which were both very good and well portioned. For our main we had the shrimp tagliatelle and the pork shank tacos. The pasta was on the dry side and had a very light flavor, I don’t think I’d reach for it again. The pork shank tacos on the other hand were amazing and I would definitely return for it! We had a few of the signature cocktails which were all delicious and an experience in themselves. We finished off with the creamsicle cloud which was unique and light. We will definitely be back!

Great Valentines Day lunch! Food was freshly prepared and tasted great! Server was kind and did not hurry us. Crème Brûlée was a perfect treat. Will return soon.

We visit often because of the great food and overall dining experience. We were seated on the second floor and while it was quiet with more room between the tables, we much prefer the ambiance and activity on the first floor.