The Sotto reservation hack is lunch
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Downtown's Italian hot spot Sotto isn't exactly a walk-in-on-a-whim kind of place for dinner.
Luckily, a relatively new lunch option offers an easier way into this underground favorite.
How it works: Lunch runs 11am-2pm weekdays with a smaller selection of antipasti, pasta and secondi — mostly meat dishes, including Sotto's famed breaded pork loin ($24).
- Reservations are generally easier to snag at lunch, and I didn't even need one on a recent visit.
- The underground grotto is still gloriously dimly-lit, with exposed brick, stone arches and serious wine-cellar vibes.
What I ordered: I chose the tagliatelle al prosciutto ($19) and what felt like a quarter-loaf of olive oil-drenched bread ($8) from Cincinnati's Blue Oven Bakery.
- The pasta was just as delicious and sizable as the dinner portion. The crusty bread was, too.
Reality check: I made the mistake of looking at the clock.
- Sotto wasn't rushing me, but my lunch hour certainly was. Somehow 2pm approached and I still had pasta on my plate.
- I wasn't the only diner left, but nobody wants restaurant staff waiting on them so they can close and reset for the dinner rush.
The intrigue: Part of what makes Sotto, well, Sotto is settling in, ordering a few things and savoring the experience.
- That's hard to do on a one-hour lunch break.
My advice: If going for lunch, check the menu beforehand and order quickly.
- Want the full, leisurely experience? Go when you can stay a while.
Worst-case scenario, you go back. Lunch doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
If you go: 118 E. Sixth St., downtown. Lunch menu.