CINCINNATI — Sam Beltsos, the founder of Cincinnati’s iconic Price Hill Chili, has died at 88 years old.
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Beltsos died early Sunday morning after a roughly 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s, our Cincinnati news partner WCPO-9 TV reported.
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Beltsos founded Price Hill Chili, which is located along Glenway Avenue on the west side of Cincinnati, in 1962.
The family restaurant, now operated by Sam’s son Steve Beltsos, serves the Beltsos family’s own Cincinnati-style chili recipe. It is also known for its breakfast options, double-decker sandwiches, and more.
Beltsos’s restaurant first started as only a small room before its expanded into several additional spaces, including a screened-in patio and The Golden Fleece lounge, WCPO-9 TV reported.
Beltsos and his family created a spot where generations of west-siders have dined, especially after church services on Sundays and following Elder High School football games on Friday nights.
Price Hill Chili has also become a hot spot for several political candidates to go to while in Cincinnati, WCPO-9 TV reported.
Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou posted on X, remembering Beltsos.
“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know Sam,” Triantafilou wrote. “He was close with my parents, and my mother remains close to Sam’s wonderful wife. Sam’s warmth, dedication, and vision turned a small neighborhood diner into a cherished gathering place for generations. His legacy of hospitality and community spirit will live on in every meal and memory shared at Price Hill Chili.”
Steve Beltsos told WCPO-9 TV that funeral arrangements for his father have not yet been made.
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