Best Of2025

Best of Cincinnati 2025 Issue Cover
Best of Cincinnati 2025 Issue Cover

Best Repair of an Essential Cincinnati Bridge

The folks who started a fire under the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, aka the “Big Mac,” on Nov. 1 probably didn’t intend to disrupt Cincinnati’s traffic patterns for months as repairs were made to replace a section of melted steel girders. But that was the result since southbound I-471 traffic had to snake through Newport from Downtown Cincinnati. Backups, slow-moving traffic and short tempers were the side effects. Kudos, however, to the hardworking crews that suffered through a colder, snowier winter than usual to get things running again. 

City Life

Image: City Life
Here are the 2025 Best Of Cincinnati® Reader and Staff Pick winners for City Life.

Best Conservative: JD Vance

  1. JD Vance
  2. Liz Keating
  3. Joe Deters

Best Developer: 3CDC

  1. 3CDC
  2. Al Neyer
  3. Over-the-Rhine Community Housing

Best Do Gooder: Matthew 25: Ministries

  1. Matthew 25: Ministries
  2. Longbottom Bird Ranch
  3. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
  4. La Soupe
  5. ArtWorks Ohio
  6. Innocence Project
  7. Life Food Pantry
  8. ArtsWave
  9. The Friends of the Public Library
  10. Aubrey Rose Foundation

Best Friend to the Environment: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

  1. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
  2. Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub
  3. Longbottom Bird Ranch
  4. Great Parks of Hamilton County
  5. Cincinnati Parks
  6. Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
  7. Krohn Conservatory
  8. Cincinnati Nature Center
  9. Indigo Hippo
  10. The Friends of the Public Library

Best Journalist: Bob Herzog (WKRC)

  1. Bob Herzog (WKRC)
  2. Jessica Schmidt (FOX19)
  3. Megan Mitchell (WLWT)
  4. Tana Weingartner (WVXU)
  5. Lucy May (WVXU)
  6. Tricia Mackie (FOX19)
  7. John Matarese (WCPO)
  8. Keith Pandolfi (Cincinnati Enquirer)
  9. Nick Swartsell (WVXU)
  10. Becca Costello (WVXU)

Best Local Activist: Jimmy Longbottom

  1. Jimmy Longbottom
  2. Jim Tarbell
  3. Missy Spears

Best Local Cause: Cincinnati Animal CARE

  1. Cincinnati Animal CARE
  2. Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio
  3. Longbottom Bird Ranch
  4. Matthew 25: Ministries
  5. Freestore Foodbank
  6. SPCA Cincinnati
  7. ArtWorks
  8. Cincinnati Public Radio
  9. Aubrey Rose Foundation
  10. ArtsWave

Best Local Elected Official: Aftab Pureval

  1. Aftab Pureval
  2. Greg Landsman
  3. Charmaine McGuffey

Best Local Podcast: Cincinnati's Crime Vault: Beyond the Broadcast

  1. Cincinnati's Crime Vault: Beyond the Broadcast
  2. Cincinnati Zoo Tales
  3. Jungle Jim's Podcast

Best MBA Program: University of Cincinnati

  1. University of Cincinnati
  2. Xavier University
  3. Northern Kentucky University

Best Northern Kentuckian: George Clooney

  1. George Clooney
  2. Nick Clooney
  3. Maryanne Zeleznik
  4. Kathrine Nero
  5. Missy Spears
  6. Cris Collinsworth
  7. Otto M. Budig Jr.
  8. Amy McGrath
  9. Gary Holland
  10. Lucy May

Best Northern Kentucky Neighborhood: Covington

  1. Covington
  2. Newport
  3. Union

Best Park (City): Smale Riverfront Park

  1. Smale Riverfront Park
  2. Eden Park
  3. Ault Park
  4. Washington Park
  5. Devou Park
  6. French Park
  7. Mt. Airy Forest
  8. Alms Park
  9. A. J. Jolly Park
  10. Bellevue Beach Park

Best Park (County): Cincinnati Nature Center

  1. Cincinnati Nature Center
  2. Sharon Woods
  3. Winton Woods

Best Philanthropist: Anthony Munoz


  1. Anthony Munoz
  2. Bootsy Collins
  3. James “Jungle Jim” Bonaminio

Best Place to Take a Visitor: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

  1. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
  2. Findlay Market
  3. Jungle Jim's International Market
  4. Over-the-Rhine
  5. Smale Riverfront Park
  6. The Banks
  7. Cincinnati Art Museum
  8. Cincinnati Reds Game
  9. Cincinnati Museum Center
  10. The Friends of the Public Library Warehouse

Best Playground: Smale Riverfront Park

  1. Smale Riverfront Park
  2. Washington Park
  3. Parky's Farm

Best Private School: Cincinnati Waldorf School

  1. Cincinnati Waldorf School
  2. Elder High School
  3. Saint Xavier High School

Best Progressive: Aftab Pureval

  1. Aftab Pureval
  2. Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney
  3. Kari Bloom