Pleasant Ridge
This quaint neighborhood is mostly gaslight residential with a core business district offering many independent local shops, eats and drinks.
Community
The community of Pleasant Ridge has all the amenities of a big city in a compact and easy going format. At the intersection of Ridge Ave. and Montgomery Road, you will find a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and personal care options. Some of the many offerings of The Ridge are coffee shops, microbreweries, popular local restaurants, bars, a record store, and more. You will be sure to find something that gets you wanting to come back again and explore all that the community has to offer.
Within the last few years, there has been significant development happening around the Pleasant Ridge community. Instead of big redevelopment companies coming in, there have been many small businesses buying spaces for storefronts, new local restaurants, and personal care businesses coming into town. With each new business coming to The Ridge, it is continuing to diversify in both the opportunities at hand, and the members of the community.
Visit
Pleasant Ridge is the perfect place for a Friday night out. If you are looking for the type of place that the locals love, you have to check out Gaslight Cafe. Stepping into Gaslight Cafe, you can just see the history and memories that have occurred here. They are known for the great burgers, local beer on draft, and their great prices. If trendy and new is the direction you are wanting to go, Nine Giant is a great place to grab a bite to eat and a beer. Having a microbrewery right in Pleasant Ridge makes for a cool experience. An after dinner special that visitors have to at least go once is the Overlook Lodge. This lodge bar is based on the iconic book and film from Stephen King, The Shining. Drinks inspired by events from the story and an aesthetic that makes you feel away from the city is quite the unique experience.
What makes Pleasant Ridge so unique is that all the places are very welcoming and family friendly. From having dinner at Gaslight or grabbing a beer at Nine Giant, you can enjoy the quiet and friendly service for you and your friends or your whole family. A community culture that is centered around happy residents and guests is what Pleasant Ridge is all about.
Eat
The community of Pleasant Ridge offers many great places to grab a bite to eat that are distinct to the neighborhood. Historic restaurant bars like Gaslight Café can give you more of the local feel with its atmosphere and service. If you are looking for more of an urban and trendy feel, stop out at Goodfellas Pizza or Nine Giant. If you take a trip to Goodfellas, you have to check out the Wiseguy Lounge. Based on the birth of speakeasies during prohibition, this lounge includes the same feel with leather couches, good bourbon, craft cocktails, and well-dressed waiters to make the perfect drink for you.
Drink
Are you a fan of great coffee or pastries? The Coffee Exchange of Pleasant Ridge has great drip coffee, specialty coffee, pastries, and more. This is your one-stop shop to get fueled up in the morning or come back later and check out their wine offerings, beer, and cocktail drinks. The Coffee Exchange of Pleasant Ridge is a cool space to hangout with friends or work remotely during the week. In a rush? Check out their online order system to place your order before arriving so you can skip the line and save time!
Shop
While there may not be a ton of places to shop in Pleasant Ridge, the surrounding neighborhoods are dense with opportunities for boutique shops and more. Being just a short drive away, make a trip to shop and come back later for dinner, drinks, and more. The way that Pleasant Ridge is developing is looking like there is going to be more and more retail opportunities as storefronts are bought out. There is one iconic shop in Pleasant Ridge though and that would be Everybody’s Records. Affordable vinyl and CD’s with good quality and a wide selection makes for a great shopping experience. They are always getting new album releases in so if you are looking for something specific, be sure to check with them to see if they are getting it in any time soon!
Live
One of the biggest benefits that Pleasant Ridge has to offer is how close the community is to each of the highway stems. This makes for easy travel to visit friends, take a trip downtown, or just explore more of Cincinnati, but it doesn’t take away from the small community feel that you get at The Ridge. This community also has a lot of great parks and green space to allow you, your children, or pets to get some exercise.
Key Takeaways
The community of Pleasant Ridge is one of the most up and coming neighborhoods in the Cincinnati area, but it does not feel congested or overcrowded. It still has the feel of a small community where you are recognized at your favorite coffee shop and bar. Here are some of the highlights of The Ridge:
- Great variety of restaurants
- Microbrewery and bars
- Coffee shops
- Lots of green area and parks
- Great sense of community
- Neighborhood trending in an upward direction