Mike and Wendy Pramik

Special for USA TODAY

Corrections and clarifications: An earlier version of this story misstated the number of locations Collective Espresso has. There are three.

Dining in Cincinnati is an experience that’s difficult to define. It’s a true smorgasbord of new and old, decadent and healthful, elegant and undiscriminating.

On one hand there are places like Orchids at Palm Court, Metropole and Boca, which elevate the culinary experience to an art form. Plus, Cincinnati is a place that’s proud of its German heritage, displayed in a unique, meaty dish known as goetta, and certainly in the renaissance of its Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, which is fast becoming an epicurean’s wonderland.

Cincinnati’s singularity is displayed in a plate of its Skyline chili, a quizzically seasoned meat sauce served over spaghetti. Its tradition reverberates within the Findlay Market, Ohio’s oldest continuously operated food destination.

You can’t talk about food in the Queen City without crossing the Ohio River. Neighboring towns in Kentucky, such as Covington, are introducing new cuisine and libations with a hominess you’d expect “down South.” Oh, and there’s a lot of bourbon there, too.

So take a look at some of the distinct flavors that Cincinnati has to offer in the gallery above. There’s certainly enough there to please any palate, whether you’re adventuresome or prefer to stick to tradition.

Re-visit the trademark tastes of other Ohio cities below.

Flavors only found in Cleveland

Flavors only found in Columbus, Ohio