Nicholas Lambrinides


Nicholas Lambrinides was a Greek-American entrepreneur who built the Skyline Chili chain of chili restaurants based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Early life

Lambrinides was born a Greek in Kastoria, then part of the Ottoman Empire, now in Greece. He emigrated to the US in 1912 at age 33.

Restaurant owner

In 1949, Lambrinides and his three sons opened a small restaurant in the Cincinnati area now known as Price Hill. They named the restaurant Skyline Chili because of its panoramic view of downtown Cincinnati.
Cincinnati-style chili is a sauce usually used over spaghetti or hot dogs, that contains a blend of spices that with a distinct taste. The recipe for Skyline Chili is a well-kept family secret among Lambrinides' surviving children.

Personal life

Lambrinides and his wife had at least three sons.
He died in 1962.