TASTE OF BELGIUM HAS CLOSED OVER-THE-RHINE BISTRO AFTER 14 YEARS
Sunday, September 7, Was The Final Day For The Cincinnati Restaurant
CINCINNATI, OH – September 8, 2025 — Taste of Belgium’s Over-The-Rhine (OTR) bistro, at 1135 Vine Street in Cincinnati, OH, permanently closed its doors Sunday, September 7. Taste of Belgium’s OTR bistro opened in August 2011 and was the first full-service Taste of Belgium bistro. For well over a decade, the OTR bistro served hundreds of guests daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekends. More recently those numbers have been in significant decline.
When Taste of Belgium opened at The Banks in 2015, it was to serve the thousands of GE employees who once supported a vibrant daytime and happy hour business. For nearly a decade, having both the OTR and Banks bistros made sense, with each serving its own unique market just a mile apart. Over time, however, GE’s departure, the lasting shift to remote work and a decline in overall downtown office density have significantly reduced traffic, making it difficult to sustain both locations. The Banks continues to show greater long-term potential and will celebrate its ten-year anniversary next month.
“Closing our Over-the-Rhine bistro is heartbreaking,” said Jean-François Flechet, founder of Taste of Belgium. “This was our very first full-service restaurant and has been part of the OTR neighborhood for 14 years. It holds a special place in our history & Cincinnati’s history as a gathering place that contributed to the energy and revitalization of OTR. We hope that people will continue to frequent our bistros at The Banks and Rookwood, as well as their other favorite locally-owned restaurants since so many continue to struggle,” he continued.
“For more than a decade, we’ve had the privilege of working in partnership with Jean-Francois Flechet, whose vision for Taste of Belgium helped ignite Over-the-Rhine’s culinary revival,” said Christy Samad, 3CDC’s Executive Vice President of Civic and Commercial Space Activation. “He, along with other trailblazers in the industry, like Jean-Robert de Cavel, Dan Wright, Thunderdome Restaurant Group, and 4EG, laid the foundation for what OTR has become — a vibrant, diverse, and eclectic neighborhood. While we are sad to see Taste of Belgium go, we are forever grateful for the role Jean-Francois played in reshaping OTR. His commitment to the area helped transform it from a place once known for its challenges into one of Cincinnati’s most dynamic dining and cultural destinations”.
What began with a waffle at a farmers market grew into an iconic local brand that became a symbol of Cincinnati’s food culture and the community. From Taste of Belgium’s OTR bistro welcoming Guy Fieri and the Food Network to last month’s Food & Wine spotlight on its Findlay Market stand, Taste of Belgium has cemented its place on the national culinary map. Taste of Belgium famous Liege-style waffles can be ordered online at https://shop.authenticwaffle.com and shipped nationwide.
About Taste of Belgium
Taste of Belgium is a modern Belgian brasserie that fuses Belgian and American cuisines with locally sourced ingredients for brunch, lunch and dinner. Taste of Belgium offers a carefully curated beer list featuring an unequaled selection of Belgian brews and craft cocktails to enhance every meal. In 2023, Founder Jean-François Flechet was honored with a knighthood by the prestigious Knighthood of the Brewer's Paddle, recognizing his dedication to Belgian brewing traditions. Our journey began in 2007 at Cincinnati’s historic Findlay Market, where Jean-François introduced a traditional Liège-style waffle recipe and a 120-pound cast-iron waffle maker from Belgium. Today Taste of Belgium has two full-service neighborhood brasseries at The Banks and Rookwood in Cincinnati, as well as its original stand at Findlay Market. Discover more about our Belgian-inspired dining experience at www.tasteofbelgium.com.
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