It was a perfect, cool autumn day for exploring Mt. Adams near Cincinnati’s downtown.  I started my journey at Rookwood and The Celestial, checking out the view from Hill Avenue and made my way to the parking garage on St. Gregory’s.  For a daily fee of $3, I  had plenty of time to check out my old stomping ground in the glorious Queen City.

I was surprised to find a coffee shop had replaced the corner book store that I had frequented just a few years ago and learned it had been opened by former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker, Dhani Jones.  The Bow Tie Café, opening in 2010, is conveniently located in the charming downtown of Mt. Adams where both indoor and outdoor seating are available.  Offering a great selection of coffees, teas, drinks and café sandwiches, it is the perfect location for meeting up with friends or enjoying a cup of coffee while reading the weekend paper.

I was curious to learn more about the name of the shop and found myself reading through photos and news clippings displayed on the walls of the cafe.  I soon discovered that Jones was inspired by Kunta Littlejohn and his friend’s fascination with bow ties.  “If you wanna be somebody, you gotta rock a bow tie,” and hence the name, The Bow Tie Café.  Littlejohn, a childhood friend of Jones, was later diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma so Dhani Jones started the Bow Tie Cause, a foundation to raise money for organizations that support leukemia and lymphoma research.  Today, Kunta is in remission and plays an integral part in the organization as Chief Inspiration Officer.

Breakfast is served here throughout the day with a wide range of options such as breakfast sandwiches, waffles, burritos and eggs made to order. Additional fare includes granola with yogurt, bagels with cream cheese and cranberry nut oatmeal.

For lunch, patrons can dine on burritos, tacos and quesadillas as well as sandwiches and wraps. Brunch is also served with a mix of lunch and breakfast items to include Eggs Benedict.

I enjoyed reading the list of sandwiches and wraps because there were so many choices on the menu.  Club sandwiches, pesto chicken salad, cold cut sandwiches and buffalo chicken wraps are perfect for a light lunch served with kettle style chips and a dill pickle.  The vegetarian includes creamy hummus, baby spinach, red onion, tomato, lettuce, pecans, cranberries and balsamic dressing.

For salads, the selection included The Cobb, Southwest Salad, and Chef Salad, with spinach and garden salads as well.  Starting at just $7, each salad is made fresh daily.

After studying the menu, I wished I had not already eaten breakfast, but I was happy to enjoy a cup of coffee on the piazza.   In addition to The Bow Tie Café’s food selection, the drink menu was just as extensive.  With Bloody Mary’s, Whole Fruit Smoothies, Organic Teas and Coffee Cocktails, there is no shortage of refreshments.

Bow Tie Café is one of the few Cincinnati locations that offers Intelligentsia Coffee and Espresso.  These coffees are produced from all over the world under the “Direct Trade” label.  What this means is that fair wages, which are set above the international trade standards, are paid directly to the growers.  The process of making the coffee is also ensured by the trade organization to guarantee a high quality product for the customer.  There are approximately 30 types of coffees which can be purchased at The Bow Tie Café and each are hand crafted and made to order.

For now, I will chill out in the outdoor seating area, enjoy my café mocha and know that the proceeds of my purchase are going to a great cause.

Have you visited The Bow Tie Café in Mt. Adams?  I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below!  If you have any additional recommendations for things to do, venues to see and places to eat in Mt. Adams, I would love to hear from you as well!  Many thanks for reading about my experience at The Bow Tie Café and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Bow Tie Café
1101 St. Gregory Street
Cincinnati, OH  45202
Telephone: 513 621 2233

I enjoyed the cafe mocha that I had ordered for my morning coffee and returned on another visit to have lunch, where I had a difficult time choosing between the street tacos stuffed with chipotle chicken with cilantro lime slaw and queso fresco (which is amazing by the way) or the spinach salad served with red onions, dried cranberries, pecans & queso fresco cheese with raspberry vinaigrette.  I selected the salad and have since visited the cafe several times and have enjoyed each item I have ordered.

To learn more about Dhani Jones’ charities, check out his website at www.bowtiecause.org.

Where to Stay:

Springhill Suites by Marriott Cincinnati Midtown
610 Eden Park Drive
Cincinnati, OH  45202
Telephone:  513 381 8300

Books to Read: 

• Eligible:  A Modern Retelling of Pride & Prejudice, by Curtis Sittenfeld
• Running, by J.T. Cooper
• Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison
• Beloved, by Toni Morrison
• Double Dutch, by Sharon M. Draper
• Romiette and Julio, by Sharon M. Draper

Photo Guide for Mt. Adams:

• The view from the Mt. Adams Steps
• Eden Park Twin Lakes Overview
• Rookwood Pottery, the location for the famous pottery once made here
• Eden Park’s fountain and gazebo
• The Monastery at St. Paul place
• The Blind Lemon’s firepit
• The view from Mt. Adam’s Park
• Celestial Restaurant in Mount Adams – The restaurant is now closed, but you may still be able to use the parking lot.

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