You won’t be in the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati region long before you hear about goetta or see it listed on a local menu. Goetta, pronounced get-uh, is served straight, in omelets, or as an ingredient in appetizers and main courses. Local restaurants offer goetta pizza, goetta tacos, goetta fried rice, goetta hush puppies, goetta quiche and goetta nachos!
Just What is Goetta Though?
Goetta is a Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky specialty! Next to the region’s unique chili, goetta is our most popular local dish. Its roots go back to the large population of German immigrants that settled in this area, bringing their traditional sausage recipes. Goetta is a sausage made with pork, spices, onion, and pinhead oats, aka steel-cut oats. It’s something like Pennsylvania’s scrapple, but goetta uses oats where scrapple uses cornmeal. The ingredients are mixed together and shaped into a loaf or roll which is cut in slices and fried. Due to the blend of oats and pork, goetta is famous for having a crispy fried exterior with a softer, some say "creamy", center.
Glier's Goettafest
This favorite local sausage is so popular there's a local festival to celebrate it -- Glier's Goettafest. In 2022 the Glier's Goettafest dates are July 28-31 and August 4-7, held at Newport on the Levee in Newport, Ky, just across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio. Goettafest is FREE to attend.
Goettafest offers a wide range of goetta dishes, like the famous goetta donut sandwich! At 2022's Goettafest you can also sample a goetta BBQ sandwich, a goetta burrito, goetta crab cakes, goetta mac, a goetta quesadilla, a goetta corn dog, and so many more delicious goetta treats! There are also tempting desserts on the Goettafest menus, like New York cheesecake, funnel cakes, and fresh baked strudel.
In between sampling goetta creations, enjoy a full schedule both weekends of live entertainment and family fun games.
But you don’t have to wait for Glier's Goettafest to try goetta. Many local restaurants have goetta on the menu. Stop by LIbby's Southern Comfort in Covington, Ky for their famous goetta hush puppies. . You could try the Armagoetta grilled cheese sandwich from Tom & Chee at Newport on the Levee or hit up the 24-hour diner, the Anchor Grill, “we may doze, but we never close” in Covington for their ever-popular hangover cure of goetta and eggs or their GLT - a goetta, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Head to Bellevue, Ky. for the Bellevue Bistro's goetta grilled cheese, or our to Ft. Mitchell, Ky. for the Greyhound Tavern's goetta eggrolls.
Have fun keeping an eye out for our unique and versatile sausage specialty!
