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Our Regions's Bourbon Trail
The bourbon scene here rivals anywhere in the state. From award-winning distilleries to expertly curated bourbon bars, the B-Line showcases the best whiskey experiences.
Whether you're a bourbon enthusiast or just getting started, these spots offer everything from rare pours to house-distilled spirits, expertly paired with elevated cuisine.
Historic farm-to-table restaurant in a 1796 building on the banks of the Ohio River, constructed on land granted to a Revolutionary War veteran and listed on the National Registry of Historic Sites. The building survived being set on fire during the 1862 Battle of Augusta and the Great Flood of 1937, serving over the centuries as a residence, general store, pharmacy, and ferry office with views of the still-operating Augusta Ferry. Reopened in 2017 by Lance and Lalani Bates, featuring seasonal menus with locally sourced ingredients, extensive bourbon selection, craft cocktails, rustic dining room with hive-shaped lighting, second-floor river-view balcony, weekend brunch, and live entertainment, serving signature dishes including Kentucky Hot Brown, charcuterie boards, filet, pork chops, and the Beehive Burger.
Bouquet is an upscale farm-to-table bistro in Covington with deep relationships to over fifty local farmers, creating a constantly evolving menu of elevated seasonal cuisine like Wagyu meatballs, duck, and Marksbury Farm pork chop alongside an extensive bourbon collection in a relaxed, LGBTQ+-friendly neighborhood setting. The seasonally-inspired menu features house-made charcuterie boards, innovative small plates, fresh salads, and artisan pastries, with four-course tasting menus available for a complete culinary experience.
Historic riverside restaurant established in the 1930s as a railroad workers' sandwich shop, serving traditional Italian recipes from Barga, Italy, Kentucky classics, and American cuisine with the finest USDA Prime meats and fresh-to-order pasta. Located at the base of Rosemary Clooney Street overlooking the Ohio River beside the Amtrak station, where CSX freight trains roar by within feet of diners enjoying wall-to-wall river views. Features cherry wood bar showcasing classic cocktails and Kentucky bourbon, private dining for events, and a storied history hosting governors, First Lady Hillary Clinton, Miss America Heather French, the Clooney family, and countless celebrities since reopening in 2000 under renowned caterer Jerry Lundergan.
Located inside Hotel Covington, Coppin's is a signature gathering spot featuring craft cocktails, a rotating seasonal menu of modern American cuisine, and a vast open dining space and lounge. Committed to culinary innovation and sustainability, they source the finest local and global ingredients while supporting local artisans to create distinctive, unforgettable dining experiences. Bar stays open later than food is served.
Fort Mitchell landmark since 1921, originally the Dixie Tea Room, renowned for world-famous onion rings, southern-style fried chicken, steaks, seafood, Hot Browns, and Sunday brunch buffet featuring goetta and fried chicken. Best of NKY 2022 & 2023 overall restaurant winner and Northern Kentucky's most award-winning restaurant, featuring charming historic Tavern Room and Hunt Room with knotty pine walls, oak floors, and a proud tradition of handcrafted southern comfort food.
Gastropub perched atop Price Hill offering Cincinnati's most spectacular panoramic views of downtown skyline, Ohio River, and Northern Kentucky. Named for historic Price Hill Incline that operated 1874-1943, restaurant sits on exact site of original Price Hill House. Dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows maximizing vista, while 1,400-square-foot heated seasonal deck seats 60 guests. Scratch kitchen utilizes in-house smoker and brick oven producing elevated pub fare including braised short rib grilled cheese, lamb burger sliders, wood-fired pizzas with creative toppings, gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, fried pickles, and grippos mac-n-cheese. Extensive bourbon selection features 30+ top-shelf bottles including Blanton's, E.H. Taylor, Weller, Stagg, and Old Fitzgerald. Sunday brunch served 10am-2pm. Historic photographs throughout restaurant document incline's legacy. Featured on Cooking Channel's 'Burgers, Brew and Que.'
Named for owner Brad Wainscott's daughter and family black lab, Libby's Southern Comfort brings award-winning Southern cuisine to Covington's Duveneck Square in a restored industrial space that's home to the original Cheerwine Bourbon Slush. With goetta hush puppies made from Glier's Goetta, special-recipe fried chicken with hot honey, fresh oysters shucked to order, and fried green tomatoes piled with pimento cheese and bourbon onion jam, this family-founded casual eatery pairs comfort food at its best with a vintage bourbon collection and rotating specialty slushes on a year-round dog-friendly patio where "come as you are" isn't just a vibe—it's a promise, with all bread from Sixteen Bricks and oatmeal cream pies that beat Little Debbie every time.
Upscale steakhouse established in 2016 as tribute to owner Hans Philippo's hometown of Lisse, Holland, blending traditional American steakhouse cuisine with authentic Dutch flavors and ingredients. Three-floor venue seating over 300 guests features two private rooms on the second floor, outdoor terrace, and third-floor cigar lounge, offering unique off-menu specials that celebrate Dutch culinary traditions.
Named after the 1944 Kentucky Derby winner, Pensive Distilling brings award-winning American cuisine and house-distilled spirits to a historic Newport building that once housed a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Head Chef Brian Miller's Derby-themed menu features racehorse-named dishes including the over-the-top American Pharoah burger (CityBeat's Top 5 Most Over-the-Top Burger 2022) and the Strike the Gold, paired with bourbon, vodka, gin, and Apple Pie Moonshine all distilled on-site, while distillery tours with password-access speakeasy tastings dive into Newport's bootlegging history and earned Top 3 Overall Tasting Experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Historic Italian restaurant and bar established in 1933 in a building dating to 1902, serving generations with Mrs. Pompilio's homemade ravioli recipe, Italian sausage, lasagna, cannelloni, and traditional pastas in Newport's legendary corner location. Featured in Rain Man (1988) with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, boasting regulation bocce courts with 64-team league, live music several nights weekly, Kentucky bourbon collection on the original back bar, and over a century of stories including mobsters, celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, and families bringing second and third generations to this Italian restaurant with Kentucky flavor and unparalleled hospitality.
Named Best Fried Chicken in Kentucky by Southern Living, this Southern Bourbon Bistro features over 550 bourbons, ryes, and whiskeys with farm-fresh ingredients and classic southern cooking inspired by Charleston and New Orleans with Kentucky infusion. Five dining rooms including main floor and four upstairs spaces, plus a hidden speakeasy-style "Gangster" party room behind a secret door paying homage to Newport's "Sin City" history, delivering unparalleled southern culture, hospitality, and flavors of the Bluegrass State and Deep South.
Urban sports bar in Covington's historic Citizens Telephone Building at the foot of the Roebling Bridge, named after baseball legend Walter "Smoke" Justis who holds the minor league record for four no-hitters in 1908 and pitched opening day for Covington's Blue Sox in 1913. Unique blend of casual dining and bourbon lounge featuring smoky BBQ and smoked meats (a perfect homage to their namesake), craft bourbon selection, and craft beer in a warm, inviting setting where visitors and locals gather to cheer their favorite teams, enjoy America's native spirit, and celebrate the legacy of this locally owned tavern's urban legend.
Downtown Dayton's oldest bar, dating to 1942, has evolved into a nationally recognized bourbon house with over 800 whiskeys. The original 1862 back bar—salvaged from Cincinnati's Gibson Hotel—anchors a space that feels both historic and refined. Bartenders complete a six-month to one-year apprenticeship focusing on flavor profiles and bourbon history. Esquire named it among America's best bars. The upstairs event space accommodates private tastings and cocktail classes led by owner Joe Head, a Kentucky Colonel and Bourbon Steward.
Housed in an 1883 historic brick home in Bellevue's charming Fairfield Avenue district, this B-Line bourbon stop features 100+ bourbons and ryes, 60+ craft beers, and specialty cocktails like the signature Funken Old Fashioned with a coal black king cube. The "posh-but-not-pretentious" tavern serves light fare including flatbreads, the local favorite Hanky Panky, and Buffalo chicken dip until 20 minutes before closing. Enjoy Wine Down Wednesdays, outdoor seating with yard games in the dog-friendly side yard, or grab an official BED cup for Bellevue's designated outdoor refreshment area.
Tousey House Tavern serves elevated Southern cuisine with Kentucky favorites like family-style fried chicken, slow-roasted prime rib, and the legendary Kentucky Hot Brown in a beautifully restored 1822 Federalist home. Located in historic Burlington and part of the bourbon-focused B-Line experience, this intimate restaurant combines white-tablecloth service with Southern hospitality, generous portions, and weekend bourbon specials in a charming setting that's been welcoming guests for over 200 years.