Best Restaurants for Foodies in Norwood

The food is delicious. Lamb chops and short ribs are the highlight.

Aperture is a fantastic dining experience! My friend is a pescatarian, and the staff had a special menu ready, complete with thoughtful notes to accommodate their preferences. We trusted our server’s recommendations, selecting five different plates tailored to what we were in the mood for, and every dish was spot on. The food came out in perfect cadence, allowing us to enjoy each plate without feeling rushed or waiting too long. The service was attentive but not intrusive—just the right balance. It’s clear that the team here cares about creating an exceptional experience. I’d absolutely come back again!

An amazing and wonderful experience for my entire family as we celebrated together for a first time in awhile. Our server was outstanding and was patient with our large group of 8 who had varying tastes (and allergies to accommodate.) She spent time going over the entire menu and made perfect recommendations in amounts to order and in highlighting shareable items too. The food arrived in a perfect flow and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Collette. 5 stars indeed!

Everything about Alara wowed us! One of my dearest friends was in town to visit and we are both foodies! I had heard great things about Alara from other friends, so we decided to try it. I'm so glad we did. The valet parking is so nice, especially since the weather was snowy the night we dined. The atmosphere is elegant and beautifully done. No detail was overlooked. The service was impeccable. Askia, our server, was delightful...so knowledgeable. Everything he suggested was outstanding. We ordered a bottle of wine to complement our dinner choices and that enhanced the meal even more. Portions are large and perfect for sharing. I took home quite a bit for leftovers which was a huge bonus. If you love beets, the beet and goat cheese salad is a must! For our entrees, we chose the Lobster & Butternut Squash Carbonara and Seared Sea Scallops with Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash as our vegetable side dish. All were exceptionally prepared. The Carbonara had a very generous amount of lobster so you got some in every bite! Askia recommended we save room for dessert, and I'm glad we did. We had the Creamsicle Cloud and Chocolate Espresso Torte. The Cloud was the most beautiful dessert I've ever seen and it was equally light and elegant. The Torte was beyond rich and decadent. The Prisoner bottle of wine was delicious with the entire meal, but especially that rich chocolate dessert. Cincinnati is fortunate to have some fabulous restaurants, and Alara is one of them. It is a must for a special occasion or an evening of pampered perfection.

I will definitely be back. A great place to catch up with dad. It would also be a nice restaurant to take my a wife on a date. The atmosphere was causal but elegant. The food was fresh and delicious. I will definitely get the ribs appetizer again and the sushi was fantastic. Lots of good choices on the menu. Also they had a killer key lime pie. Service was great as well.