Mesh, in West Chester's Union Centre neighborhood, has a "wall of wine" as a visual centerpiece.

Looking to get out of town for a change — but not that far out of town? Here are some Cincinnati restaurants worth the drive.

Boca

• Basics: 3200 Madison Rd. Cincinnati 45209. [MAP] Call 513-542-2022, or visit www.boca-restaurant.com. Reserve online at www.opentable.com.
• Hours: Open 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 5:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
• The Food: Expertly prepared, Italian-influenced cuisine that's considered authentic and contemporary, a must-dine for foodies and wine connoisseurs. Boca features a prixe fixe 3-to-5 course menu as well as a trattoria menu. An onsite sommelier will help you make that perfect wine choice.
• Atmosphere: Boca is almost universally hailed as being elegant but accessible. Indeed, one local magazine dubbed it the ideal place for single young professionals to impress their old college friends.
• Price: High. Prix fixe: $47-$75; a la carte in trattoria: $20-$30.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Carlo and Johnny

• Location: 9769 Montgomery Rd. 45242. [MAP] Call 513-936-8600 or visit www.jeffruby.com. Reserve online at www.opentable.com. Open Monday-Thursday 5:30 pm-10 pm; Friday 5:30 pm-11 pm; Saturday 5 pm-11 pm.
• The Food: 1930s Chicago-style steak house owned by renowned local restaurateur Jeff Ruby. Carlo and Johnny offers Ruby-style, dry-aged steaks along with pasta and seafood. Aside from the Ruby steaks, which go without saying, featured dishes include the Wood-Grilled Atlantic Salmon, the hand-rolled Penne with Lobster, Shrimp, and Crab and Ruby's homemade cheesecake and Chocolate Tower for dessert.
• Atmosphere: Carlo and Johnny is ideal for quiet, romantic dining. Jacket and tie is preferred (but not required) for men. In decades past, the building was by turns a mansion, a brothel, and a casino with strong mob connections. Today, the restaurant is decorated with various gangster relics, a homage to a time where "men were men and women were damn glad of it."
• Price: Moderate. Entrees range from $13-$47.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Jean-Robert at Pigall's

• Basics: 127 W. 4th St. Cincinnati, OH. 45202. [MAP] Call 513-721-1345 or visit www.jeanrobertgroup.com to make a reservation. Tuesday through Friday 6 pm-10 pm; Saturday 5:30 pm-10:30 pm.
• The Food: This Parisian-style restaurant offers a French-American menu that is "ambitious but not overpowering." It is the only four-star restaurant in the Cincinnati area, recently winning awards for "Best Splurge" and "Best Wine Selection." Three and five-course menus are available for dinner, and seasonal two and three-course menus are available for lunch.
• Atmosphere: Although the food is Parisian in style, the restaurant offers a New York-style ambience but without losing sight of its Cincinnati roots. Recommended attire ranges from "denim to dressy."
• Price: High. The prixe fixe menu starts at $69.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Mesh

• Basics: 6200 Muhlhauser Rd. Cincinnati 45069. [MAP] To reserve, call 513-777-7177 or visit www.meshrestaurant.com or www.opentable.com. Open Monday-Thursday 11 am-2:30 pm and 5-9 pm; Friday 11:00 am-2:30 pm and 5-10 pm; Saturday 5-10 pm.
• The Food: Mesh's fundamental motif is to take a conventional item and spin it with other ingredients to make something both familiar and unique. Examples include the Mesh Burger (standard Angus beef topped with a tomato mustard jam), a Foie Grae Burger, an Asian Salmon Salad Wrap, and a Grouper BLT. There is also a visible "wall of wine."
• Atmosphere: A relaxed, casually sophisticated ambience designed for singles, business travelers, and groups of socially gregarious folks whether they be friends or acquaintances. There is a large lounge designed specifically for "meshing," with martini specials, small plates for late dining, and a DJ on Friday and Saturday nights.
• Price: High. Entrees range from $30 to $60.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Mt. Adams Fish House

• Basics: 940 Pavilion St. Cincinnati 45202. [MAP] Call 513-421-3250 or visit www.mtadamsfishhouse.com. Open for lunch Monday-Friday 11:30 am-2:30 pm; for dinner Monday-Thursday 5-10 pm; Friday-Saturday 5-11 pm; Sunday 5-9 pm.
• The Food: Billed as the best seafood and sushi joint in town, with fresh catches flown in daily (including Sunday). Signature items include the Fish House Chowder, Sesame Bluefin Tuna, and the Planked Salmon. The Fish House also features a full sushi bar (as well as a full alcoholic bar, with wide selections of beer, wine and sake).
• Atmosphere: Business casual with reputedly excellent service. A cozy, intimate spot located in a neighborhood modeled after an Old European village.
• Price: Moderate. Entrees range from $18 to $38.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Daveed's at 934

• Basics: 934 Hatch St. Cincinnati 45202. [MAP] Call 513-721-2665 or visit www.cincinnati.com/dining/daveeds. Open Tuesday-Thursday 5:30-915 pm; Friday and Saturday, 5:30-10:15 pm.
• The Food: The menu changes daily, serving up such dishes as Smoked Trout Salad with Spanish Bleu Cheese, Grilled Balsamic Flank Steak, and Pan-Fried Quail. The cuisine tends to be French-influenced, vegetarians can call ahead and have dishes prepared just for them, while the truly daring patron can try the "blind tasting" menu, consisting of six or more chef-selected courses.
• Atmosphere: Billed as fine dining in a small bistro atmosphere, with original art for sale on the walls. Outdoor dining is also recommended when weather permits, providing the live music at the club next door suits your ear.
• Price: Moderate: Entrees range from $26-$29.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Pho Paris

• Basics: 318 Greenup Street. Covington, Kentucky. 41011. [MAP] Call 859-643-1234 or visit www.jeanrobertgroup.com/phoparis. Open for lunch Monday-Friday, 11:30 am-2:30 pm; for dinner Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-10 pm; Friday-Saturday, 5:30-10:30 pm.
• The Food: Recall that the French were in Vietnam before us. Like the U.S., little good came out of the venture, except for the food. Pho Paris offers French cuisine with a Vietnamese flavor, offering seasonal and traditional items.
• Atmosphere: By all accounts, the restaurant's move from its Oakley location has been a huge success, though it has more of a neighborhood feel now, as opposed to a metropolitan eatery catering to the trendy. Pho Paris is comfy and inviting with a wait staff that's attentive without being overbearing.
• Price: Low. Lunch entrees range from $7.50-$12. Dinner entrees range from $17-$27.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Zips Café

• Basics: 1036 Delta Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio, 45208. [MAP] Call 513-871-9876 or visit www.zipscafe.com. Open Monday-Thursday, 10:30 am-10:30 pm; Friday-Saturday, 10:30 am-11:30 pm; Sunday 11 am-10:30 pm.
• The Food: Zips is famous for its Zips Burger, which is routinely voted "Best Burger" in the area. It consists of a half pound of ground beef served with pickle, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on an egg bun. However, the Zips burger may be overtaken by the Girth Burger, which is topped with a grilled mettwurst.
• Atmosphere: A landmark in picturesque Mt. Lookout Square since the 1920s, the decor includes a model train that runs along the ceiling.
• Price: Low. Entrees range from $4 to $7.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

The Palace

• Basics: 601 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202. [MAP] Call 513-381-3000 or 800-942-9000, or visit www.palacecincinnati.com to make a reservation. Open for dinner Monday-Thursday 6-9 pm, Friday 6-10 pm, Saturday 5:30-10 pm; for lunch Monday-Friday 11:30 am-2 pm; and for breakfast Monday-Friday 6:30-10 am.
• The Food: For the gourmet connoisseur who prizes flavor over total satiety, the Palace, located inside the Cincinnatian Hotel, offers fine, French-American dining and a list of over 350 wines.
• Atmosphere: The ideal ambience if you're interested in an cosmopolitan night on the town, such as a pre-theater excursion, for instance. The Palace features soft lighting and a piano bar. Jackets are required. Wireless Internet service is offered for business travelers.
• Price: Moderate to High. Dinner entrees range from $37 to $55. Lunch entrees range from $12.95 to $22.95.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Nicola's Ristorante

• Basics: 1420 Sycamore St. Cincinnati, OH 45202. [MAP] Call 513-721-6200 or visit www.nicolasrestaurant.com. Open Monday-Thursday, 5:30-10 pm; Friday-Saturday, 5:30-11 pm.
• The Food: Upscale Italian cuisine from an international chef who trained in both Italy and England. Pastas are handmade, and the main Italian meat course runs the gamut from duck to seafood. Specials are numerous and diverse.
• Atmosphere: Classy but unpretentious, Nicola's is designed to make you feel welcome whether you're casually or elegantly dressed. Nicola's is located just minutes from the Aronoff Center for the Arts.
• Price: Moderate: Entrees range from $16 to $39.
• Your take: Rate this restaurant or write a review

Compiled by Aaron Epple, contributing writer