Northside: Cincinnati's most eclectic neighborhood

If asked about cool or trendy places to hang out in Cincinnati, Ludlow Avenue might be the first place that comes to mind. It’s close to the University of Cincinnati’s campus; there are bars, restaurants and even an independent movie theater that shows a lot of independent films. The Bearcat Transportation System takes students from campus and drops them off about two streets from Ludlow.

But why stop there?

Continue to travel down Ludlow Avenue and cross over the viaduct. You’re on Hamilton Avenue facing a large brick building with a blue background, white daises and simple text that reads “Northside.” In the background of the mural are old, narrow, businesses with overhangs.

Welcome to Northside, Cincinnati’s most eclectic neighborhood.

Clifton and Clifton Heights used to be the place to be. They were the places to hang out, to eat, go to shows and be surrounded by creative types.

In the last eight years or so, the neighborhoods have become more commercialized with larger businesses. Rent for commercial spaces increased forcing small, independent entrepreneurs to relocate or consider a different area to start up their businesses.

The brick side streets, artistic flair, wall graffiti and diversity of Northside lured many of the businesses in. It’s also the reason many of them stick around.

Jim Blase, who co-owns Shake It Records with his brother Darren Blase, first tried to set up shop in Clifton. The spaces available were too small. The rent was too high. The concept and idea of Shake It wasn’t quite what Clifton developers were looking for.

“They wouldn’t rent to us,” Blase said.

Jim and Darren were living in Northside and had been for years. The neighborhood became the next most logical place for their independent record and CD store.

“It’s worked out fantastically,” Blase said. And it has. Shake It has arguably become one of the most popular destinations for music lovers in Cincinnati. The store has expanded beyond music only — shoppers can find an eclectic mix of Japanese toys and independent and lesser-known magazines.

Northside is one of Cincinnati’s most diverse and welcoming neighborhoods. It boasts socio-economic diversity instead of shunning it. Northside embraces racial diversity and has the reputation for being an LGBT-friendly community. It is home to The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Greater Cincinnati and the annual Pride Parade.

In July, Vice President Joe Biden even made a pit stop in Northside; he spoke outside what used to be the American Can Factory promoting the stimulus package and turning the old factory into green apartments.

Once that happens, Blase said, Northside will take off, even more than it has in the last several years. But, for now, the rundown buildings give Northside character and allude to its industrial history. It gives the small neighborhood the feeling of an urban environment.

The first section of Hamilton Avenue doesn’t look like much, but the shops are there, tucked behind rough exteriors.

Casablanca Vintage, which is actually on Spring Grove Avenue, is a fashionista’s dream.

The shop is plenty big and filled with vintage fashions — and it’s really inexpensive. Cheap and vintage don’t usually coexist. Casablanca also has an upstairs that houses vintage costumes. Fun fact: Casablanca supplied some of the vintage suits used in the
movie “Seabiscuit.”

Northside is a place where you could easily spend an entire day, said Dana Hellman, a
third-year anthropology student at UC. Before Hellman started working at Casablanca about one year ago, she sold her clothes to the store and would hang out in Northside. She encourages other UC students to do the same.

Get out of Clifton; remove yourself from the comforts of Calhoun and West McMillan streets and discover the eclectic personality of Northside.

If you’re spending the entire day in Northside, your hunger will be satisfied.

For breakfast, hit up The Blue Jay. The breakfast is delicious and it’s tough to complain about the prices. You can eat and chat without having to worry much about loud distractions.

There are so many options for lunch it could be hard to choose. Melt is easy and delicious. (Plus it just celebrated its fourth birthday.) They take sandwiches and make them gourmet; unlike anything you’ve probably had before. The great thing about Melt, aside from the menu, is the cozy feeling of the restaurant. You can choose to dine in the front room of the restaurant or you can take a walk through the small, narrow kitchen to the back dining room or onto the patio (when it’s not super cold). Everything in the store, or as much as possible, is supplied by independent business owners. Several years ago, Melt’s owner stopped selling Coke products to make room for smaller companies.

Melt also features vegan-friendly dishes.

For dinner, check out The Hideaway. You can get a hamburger with peanut butter and bacon. That’s not the most common combination, which should be enticing to anyone who isn’t afraid to venture outside their comfort zone. The prices are pretty moderate — not the cheapest eats on Hamilton Avenue, but most certainly not the most expensive. If you’re willing to dip into your pocket, you might try Slims. Careful when you go, though. On days they are open, hours are 5 p.m. until whenever the food is gone.

And for dessert, be sure to visit the Bonomini Bakery, a family-owned German bakery that is rumored to be the best in Cincinnati. Apparently they have some pretty spectacular cookies around Christmas. Cookies are nothing to joke about, so a visit to Bonomini might be the ticket to sweet tooth satisfaction.

To cap off the night, Northside Tavern is the hip bar on the block. It’s the same kind of crowd from The Hideaway. There’s a stage in the back that is frequented by indie bands. If you’re worried about quenching your thirst, the Tavern has two bars, one in front and one in back where the bar is located.