Earthly Goods

Just Frites
1621 Dana Ave., inside Listermann
Brewing Company

Brunch: 12–3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

www.facebook.com/JustFrites

Smoothies are all well and good, but sometimes you want a little extra from your breakfast, and it’s not a shot of wheatgrass.

“Who doesn’t love fries?!” says Rachel Appenfelder, the owner of the recently opened Just Frites. The 2016 Bockfest Sausage Queen, Appenfelder’s culinary expertise goes well beyond that.

“Fries make people happy and I love happy people,” says Appenfelder. “I knew it was a great food that a lot of people love – waffle fries, basic fries, sweet potato fries, curly fries, steak fries. And tots, because they aren’t fries, but who doesn’t love tots? 

Another thing people love, especially in Cincinnati, is beer. So the restaurant’s location inside Listermann Brewing is makes perfect sense to Appenfelder.

“I’ve known the family for years, through a lot of our shared love of all things beer and Cincy German heritage…And now fries, ” she says.

Initially, Appenfelder thought the concept would be a food truck, then eventually opening as a brick and mortar location.

“A week later this opportunity came up and I jumped on it. (It’s) been a dream to work with my friends all day,” she says. “It’s an amazing, happy vibe here and I love coming to work.”

Of course, fries make sense for the beer-drinking crowd, and the Just Frites options certainly beat drive-thru choices. But the variety of fried potatoes work surprisingly well at brunch as well. 

Whether you want to add an egg to You Goetta Be Kidding Me or have one top off Just Frites’ “Liquid Gold” cheese sauce, you can have brunch your own special way. Looking for a sweet? Just Frites also has mini cream puffs. The full menu is also served at brunch, with burgers, fry flights, and “Full Flex Fries,” all available.

“They can also work for the veggie vegetarians and meat eaters because of the different topping options,” says Appenfelder.

Along with the amazing food, Listermann has a huge taproom, making it a great place to catch up with a large group of friends or for families to let the kids run free. As the weather warms up, the patio provides even more seating. 

“Work doesn’t really feel like work when you love it!” says Appenfelder, “Especially if you’ve got tots.”