Court Street's restaurant shuffle has a new contender. Frontera Cuisine quietly opened today in downtown Cincinnati, taking over a storefront along Court Street Plaza. The taqueria pitches itself as an authentic, taco-focused concept aimed at courthouse workers and downtown diners who want something beyond the usual grab-and-go chains. Its arrival adds another locally owned option to a stretch of Court Street known for a steady churn of small restaurants and pop-ups.
Co-owners signed a three-year lease for the space most recently occupied by Hawkers Alley, as reported by the Cincinnati Business Courier. According to the Courier, the concept is meant to “fill a gap” for downtown diners looking for sit-down choices instead of quick-service chains.
Where It Sits
Since its 2021 revitalization, Court Street Plaza has turned into a curated run of eateries, shops and regular programming that caters to both lunch and evening crowds. The plaza's listings already include Pata Roja Taqueria, Court Street Kitchen and Brewd among nearby tenants, and local coverage has tracked the steady additions to the block. Court Street Plaza and CityBeat have followed the neighborhood's changing lineup.
What It Replaces
The storefront most recently housed Hawkers Alley, an Asian street-food spot that lists its address as 28 W. Court St. With Frontera moving in, the block's offerings shift from Hawkers Alley's Southeast-Asian menu to a Mexican-taco focus. Hawkers Alley lists the former address.
What To Expect
The Cincinnati Business Courier reported that the co-owners signed a three-year lease and framed Frontera's opening as part of a broader push to expand sit-down dining options for courthouse-area customers. For now, downtown diners can count on another independent option on Court Street as the plaza continues to evolve, with local coverage and the plaza's tenant listings expected to surface menus and hours as Frontera rolls them out.
