Taste of Cincinnati announces Best of Taste winners from flavorful class of 2024

We hope you're hungry because Taste of Cincinnati is around the corner.

This week, judges sampled and rated dishes entered into the Best of Taste competition. Categories this year included:

  • Restaurants: Appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts.

  • Food trucks: Appetizers, entrees, sides and desserts.

  • Findlay Kitchen: Appetizer and side dish, entrees and desserts.

Taste of Cincinnati returns to Downtown over Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27. Here are the dishes that took home the glory at the pre-event competition this year.

Best of Taste 2024 restaurant winners

Taste of Cincinnati returns Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27.
Taste of Cincinnati returns Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27.

Side dish

  • Gold: Thai Express – Mango Salad.

Appetizer

  • Gold: Alley Baby – Wings.

  • Silver: Kabobske – Avocado Hummus.

  • Bronze: Chino's Street Food – Chino's Loaded Fries.

Entree

  • Gold: French Toast Heaven – Jerk Chicken & Grits.

  • Silver (two-way tie): Chino's Street Food – Marinated Chicken with Veggie Fried Rice. Pata Roja Taqueria – Birria Taco.

  • Bronze: Kabobske – Mediterranean Chicken Kebab Rice Bowl.

Dessert

  • Gold: The Cheesecakery Bakery – Oreo Cheesecake Cupcake.

  • Silver: Pompilio's Restaurant – Peanut Butter Fudge Cannoli with Milk Chocolate.

  • Bronze: French Toast Heaven – Bacon Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal Bar.

Best of Taste Findlay Kitchen winners

Appetizer and side dish

  • Gold: Sen by Kiki – Ceviche.

  • Silver: Jay’s Nyam & Jam – Jerk Chicken Taco.

Entree

  • Gold: Jay’s Nyam & Jam – Jamaican Bowl.

  • Silver: Magnificent Morsels Catering – Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.

Dessert 

  • Gold: BanaSun Smoothie Bar – Acaí Bowl.

  • Silver: Chico’s Cheesecakes – Banana Pudding Cheesecake.

Dine-In Hawaiian took home the gold awards for best food truck side dish and appetizers at the 2024 Best of Taste of Cincinnati competition.
Dine-In Hawaiian took home the gold awards for best food truck side dish and appetizers at the 2024 Best of Taste of Cincinnati competition.

Best of Taste food truck winners

Side dish

  • Gold: Dine-In Hawaiian – Crab Bake.

  • Silver: Adena’s Beefstroll – Ma's Meatball.

  • Bronze: Nonstop Flavor – Jerk Chicken Cheesy Fries.

Appetizer

  • Gold: Dine-In Hawaiian – Panko Crusted Mac.

  • Silver: Wicked Hickory – Dirty South Shot.

  • Bronze: Maw Maw’s Creole Kitchen – Seafood Nolchos.

Entree

  • Gold: Buffalo’s Best – Roast Beef on Weck.

  • Silver: Nonstop Flavor – Brown Stew Chicken Dinner.

  • Bronze: Red Sesame Korean BBQ – Yummy Bowl.

Dessert

  • Gold: Maw Maw’s Creole Kitchen – Bourbon Peach Beignet.

  • Silver: SugarSnap! Sweets – Salted Caramel Brownie Sundae.

  • Bronze: Cc’s Empanadas – Churros.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Taste of Cincinnati 2024: Dishes, restaurants that won Best of Taste