"Empress Chili is the parlor that started it all. Founded in 1922, the restaurant served performers and patrons of the Empress Theater in downtown Cincinnati, from which it drew its name. That original location has since closed, but the spirit lives on at a location in Alexandria, Kentucky. The Papakirk family, which operates Camp Washington Chili, acquired Empress from its previous owners in 2012, but kept the Empress recipe the same. In February 2020 they sold the parlor to Alexandria resident Steve Martin. Unique on the menu is a chili pizza, a crust topped with mustard, onions, chili, and cheese." - Andy Brownfield