Guy Fieri reveals Cincinnati chili order, calls town ‘really cool’ food city

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The Mayor of Flavortown declared Cincinnati “one of the really cool food cities” with “next-level chefs” in a visit to Jungle Jim’s on May 5.

Emmy-winning TV presenter and celebrity chef Guy Fieri, best known for his Food Network show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” gushed about the Queen City’s culinary scene during an appearance he made at Jungle Jim’s in Eastgate to promote his Santo Spirits brand.

“Cincinnati continues to grow and emerge as one of the really cool food cities. You’ve got a lot of culture, a lot of history and then you’ve got all kinds of next-level chefs coming up,” Fieri said at the Jungle Jim’s event, which was open to the public.

Fieri added that he filmed at three Cincinnati-area restaurants as part of his beloved “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” series, but he won’t share which they are yet.

“(They) are what I call ‘destination restaurants,’ like you would drive a couple hours to come and get to one of these restaurants. And I’m not going to tell you what they are yet. You probably already know, but they’re big and they’re hot. Get ready,” the restaurateur said.

Fieri, who proclaimed he’s a Cincinnati-style chili-lover, said his go-to order is a five-way, though he wishes he could go beyond and add even more toppings.

“I like spice, I want jalapeños, but I don’t think you can go past a five-way right?” Fieri said. “If you go to Flavortown with it … because how great would it be to have some crumbled-up Fritos on top and some jalapeños on top, maybe some fried shallots. I could let it roll.”

The TV personality added that he tried a Cincinnati chili pizza earlier in the day, which he called “jaw-dropping.”

Fieri’s tequila brand, which is a collaboration between him and his friend, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar, launched in 2019 with a selection of tequilas featuring bold and authentic flavors. Fieri and Hagar’s brand has several award-winning spirits, including Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, a 110-proof Blanco Tequila and Mezquila, the world’s first tequila and mezcal blend.