Ethnic cuisines offer an outstanding opportunity to broaden your horizons and introduce your family to new tastes and cultures. Fortunately, you don’t have to master global cuisine to enjoy this experience. Mason, Ohio, offers several delicious options for ethnic cuisines ranging from Mexico to the Mediterranean and beyond. Check out these top picks in the local area.

Raja India Restaurant

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At Raja India, you can take advantage of a decade of experience with North Indian food. This cuisine focuses on thick savory sauces and rich spices. As is traditional with many Indian dishes, a significant portion of the menu is vegetarian, with options like aloo vindaloo, chana masala, and paneer makhani. You can also enjoy Indian classics with chicken, lamb, or shrimp. The lamb and shrimp curry is a particular specialty of Raja India.

These warm, flavorful dishes are the perfect antidote to a gray day in Mason. If you’re looking for a kid-friendly approach to Indian cuisine, try starting with the naan. Raja India serves this flatbread in a variety of flavors, including garlic, onion, chicken, aloo, and paneer. The paratha is another simple flatbread that offers an accommodating introduction to this type of flavorful ethnic food. You can dine in at Raja India or order your meal through a delivery service.

Phoenician Taverna

For Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine, Phoenician Taverna is a must-taste in Mason. The menu features a wide variety of authentic options, including falafel, shawarma, tabbouleh, kibbeh, and kebabs. Many of the options are vegetarian, like the fatayer b’jibne and fatayer b’sbanigh (cheese pies and spinach pies, respectively). The restaurant uses a vertical rotisserie to cook many of its meats, giving the shawarma a particularly outstanding reputation for top-notch flavor.

Though there is no kids menu, fun options like the dip trio can provide an easy introduction to new flavors. The menu also features some familiar favorites like the taverna fries, which are French fries dressed up with sumac and parsley and served with garlic whip. Don’t forget to save room for dessert. You’ll find traditional baklava on the menu, plus Lebanese versions of bread pudding, cheese tarts, and sweet cheese crepes.

Thai Spicy

Thai Spicy serves Thai cuisine from all parts of Thailand, providing a variety of flavorful options to explore. Reviewers praise not only the food but also the friendly staff and quiet atmosphere. While this is a great destination for dining in, you can also order online for convenient carry-out options if you prefer to pick up your dinner and take it home.

The extensive menu has a little of everything. Start with a green papaya salad (som tum) or the Thai-style salad (num tok) flavored with mint and mixed with a lime sauce. For your main, you can choose from a wide variety of fried rice, pad thai, curries, stir-fries, or noodle dishes. Among the house specials, you’ll find a mouthwatering crispy duck served in tangy brown sauce with a helping of steamed vegetables on the side.

Thai Spicy has an extensive sushi, nigiri, and sashimi menu. Among the specialty rolls are several intriguing options, like the Snow White roll with white tuna, cream cheese, mango, spicy mayo, and masago. The hot veggies roll packed with cucumber, avocado, asparagus, and sweet potato is a perfect pick if you’re hoping to avoid fish while still getting the sushi experience. For dessert, you can treat your family to options like fried banana, mango sticky rice, or Thai coconut milk ice cream.

El Trompo Mexican Grill

If you’re looking for authentic Mexican fare, El Trompo is just what you’re after. The kitchen features a trompo to prepare the meats, just the way they would in Mexico. The trompo is a vertical spit that spins like a top, roasting the meat evenly on all sides. To prepare the tacos al pastor, the chef slices meat off the spit and lets it fall directly onto the waiting tortilla. Some onions, cilantro, pineapple, and salsa are all the taco needs to reach perfection.

If the tacos al pastor aren’t for you, you’ll find an abundance of other options on the menu, including nachos, salads, quesadillas, fajitas, burritos, and chimichangas. There are plenty of choices outside the tortilla as well, like the El Dorado, which features chicken breast or rib-eye with shrimp, spinach, avocado, creamy sauce, and rice and a salad on the side. 

El Trompo is among the most kid-friendly picks on our list. Here, you’ll find a full kids’ menu that includes pint-sized servings of tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or quesadillas. You can also opt for American favorites like a burger, chicken tenders, corn dogs, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, or mozzarella sticks and fries. 

Luigi’s Ristorante Italiano

Luigi Berardo, the founder of Luigi’s Ristorante, was born and raised in Buronia, Italy, so you know that this Italian restaurant will put an authentic spin on its cuisine. You can start with antipasti like bruschetta, calamari, or arancini. Luigi’s always has a freshly made soup of the day and several salads you can order as starters or up-size to serve as your main course. The menu delivers Italian favorites with a gourmet twist, like the Tortellini Alfredo Con Pollo Alla Griglia, which features cremini mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, baby spinach, and grilled chicken.

Though there is no kids menu, Luigi’s has a selection of pizzas that should make any family happy. Some entrees, like the lasagna, will be familiar to many kids as well. You can top off your meal with sweet treats like tiramisu, triple chocolate mousse trifle, or Luigi’s authentic cannoli.

Luigi’s makes a great choice for a parents’ night out as well. The menu has plenty of upscale picks, including ribeye, filet mignon, and New Zealand lamb. Luigi’s also has a full bar and an excellent wine selection to complement your meal.

These restaurants let you tour the world from the comforts of your hometown. Did we include your favorite ethnic restaurants in Mason on this list? If we missed an outstanding spot, contact our team at Crème de la Crème and let us know so we can update our listings and provide the best recommendations in town.