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Real German Food in Over-the-Rhine

In July 2019, I spent a few days in Lübeck in northern Germany. I fell in love with the history, the architecture, the food, and the people. I had visited Germany several other times so I was already acquainted with much of the culture. However, Lübeck seemed to be a bit different with its medieval influences and its access to the Baltic coast. In addition, I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I felt a sense of familiarity about the city.

Until I returned to Cincinnati…

A year or two prior to my trip, I stumbled upon an amazing schnitzel sandwich at Cincinnati’s world-famous Oktoberfest. I chatted a bit with the owner of the business and enjoyed hearing the accent of a true German. I was intrigued by his story, a man determined to share the food and culture of his homeland.

It wasn’t until my trip in 2019 that I put it all together. The local Cincinnati business was called “The Lübecker,” and the owner Olaf Scheil hailed from Lübeck. I was there in 2019, the home of Olaf, where the seeds for his Cincinnati business were planted!a plate of food sitting on top of a wooden table

I have since followed Olaf as The Lübecker popped up at various local festivals. But I was thrilled to discover he now has a permanent location at Queen City Radio in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. He and his wife Rachel operate their business out of several shipping containers in the beer garden, and their truly authentic German street food is a perfect fit for the neighborhood.

a group of people standing in front of a buildingYou can visit The Lübecker Wednesday through Sunday at Queen City Radio to choose from the authentic German menu of schnitzel, currywurst, pretzels, and Jäger Fries. Or join us on our Signature Over-the-Rhine Tour, and you just may get to sample a bit of everything! Trust us, the food is sehr gut!