The outdoor dining and drinking spots we crave most as the weather warms.
As an exercise, I spent time thinking about the patios I am most looking forward to planting roots at, to manufacture some serious vitamin D this summer.
I love all of the patios I’ve highlighted and am looking forward to visiting each one, but the five I’m highlighting today are patio gems that create an experience and offer unexpected surprises.
As we approach Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer, these are the patio visits I am most looking forward to.
Carillon Brewing Company
1000 Carillon Blvd, Dayton
937-910-0722 or www.carillonbrewingco.org
Why it rates? It’s a lovely outdoor option that has views of expansive lawn and the beautiful park. Besides a great outdoor space, Carillon Brewing Company is also home to the nation’s only production brewery in a museum. History buffs and folks who crave something that’s a little off the beaten path will find more than enough to like here. Some of the beers on tap are historically accurate recreations of the earliest beers made in Ohio’s breweries. If you haven’t been before, grab a flight of beers to get a sense of what it’s all about with a medley of flavors. Carillon Brewing Company ales use grain that has been floor malted just as it was done in the 19th century and, when available, Ohio-grown hops. All brewed in open copper kettles, fermented in oak barrels, and unfiltered. Most beers feature varying levels of tartness from the wild yeasts and bacteria that join in on the fermentation. The patio overlooks the grounds and it is a treat to enjoy a meal or a beer here on a nice day.
Be sure to order: The wurst platter ($19.52) featuring the choice of two wursts, topped with sauerkraut and potato wedges or the 8-ounce Carillon burger ($13.95), a juicy, beefy summer sandwich topped with bacon jam, lettuce, tomato, pickles, bier cheese and onion straws and served with Mikesell’s potato chips.
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Hidden Valley Orchards (HVO)
5474 N. State Route 48, Lebanon
513-932-1869 or www.hiddenvalleyorchards.com
Why it rates? To say I love this place would be a huge understatement. Robyn and Randy Lane have done amazing things with this since purchasing the property at the beginning of 2018. The sweet 65-acre Warren County family fruit farm used to be sleepy but it’s got new life thanks to the hip, shabby chic farm bar called The Crate Room that opens to one of the best patios in southern Ohio with a view that won’t quit. It’s a great spot to grab an HVO hard cider or one of the rotating beers from the tap room, walk out the garage doors on a good, sunny day and enjoy a “crop-tail” that will feel more like vacation than a farm. It also has an awesome new ice cream barn called “The COOP” that opened last year serving up soft serve ice cream, sundaes and waffle cones with options to slush, swirl or float. They have a full roster of events this summer and the one that has caught my attention is the “Open the Yearbook! HVO is going back to 1989!” party on June 4 from 6-9 p.m. featuring old school wine, beer and ’80s music.
Be sure to order: The “Hog Trough” ($8) soft serve sundae topped with hot fudge and caramel drizzle, all the toppings in the dip trough and whipped cream. Truly a cool, refreshing flavor overload. And don’t forget about the apples, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, grapes and, later in the year, pumpkins to be picked and fresh baked goods, wonderful coffee and other things for sale in their rustic country store.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Rip Rap Roadhouse
6024 Rip Rap Road, Dayton
937-236-4329 or ripraproadhouse.com
Why it rates? If the weather cooperates, Wednesday night bike night may attract 1,000 or more motorcycles, which is a sight to behold. And for those kinds of crowds you need plenty of seating and plenty of bars. Rip Rap Roadhouse has all that, plus live music, tasty food and stiff frosty drinks. The 1853 barn and the grounds are a nice change of scenery from more typical patios overlooking parking lots. This is the kind of spot that is a true original from location to landscape to the delicious comfort food selection that seems plucked from the “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” playbook.
Be sure to order: The applewood smoked wings ($10) are flavorful and can be eaten without sauce, although the sweet Thai chili delivers a nice roundhouse kick to the tastebuds. The “Grillbilly Jalapeno-Popper Grilled Cheese” with bacon ($9.50) is a rich delight. The burgers and pizza are solid, as is the rest of the menu which delivers big flavor, and more often than not, big calories. Save room for a monster shake that will blow your mind from the Rip Rap Roadhouse Shake Shake located next door. These shakes are next level — big, beautiful and over the top. They will definitely send you into sugar coma territory. One of the fall shake flavors, the Smores Galore, was so popular it was added to the permanent menu.
Smiths’ Boathouse Restaurant
439 N. Elm St., Troy
937-335-3837 or smithsboathouse.com
Why it rates? In late 2016, Smiths’ Boathouse Restaurant opened at Treasure Island Park in Troy. The location is picturesque and steeped in history. Conceived and funded by Hobart Brothers Co. and led by Edward and William Hobart, Treasure Island and Marina opened in 1946. The Boathouse was the center of activities including boat races, water skiing, family outings, dances and boat shows. The restaurant, located on the Great Miami River, features a beautiful patio with expansive views of the river and greenery. The menu features seafood, steaks and seasonal items.
Be sure to order: A tableside Caesar salad ($9 per person, two person minimum order) is based on the original recipe created in 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian restaurateur in Tijuana, Mexico. Using a wood bowl they will mix 1/4 teaspoon ionized salt, sardines, minced fresh garlic, Woostershire, dijon mustard, egg yolk, fresh lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, cracked pepper, and a few ounces of olive oil. It is then emulsified into a dressing. This is a production and a show that is fun to watch with a little history lesson thrown in. The result is a Caesar salad that tastes more fresh, bright and lively than any you have had in a very long time. Pair it with a bowl of the New England-style clam chowder ($8) and you have yourself a nice, light summery meal for under $20. The Maryland crab cakes ($14) were fantastic. Two generously portioned jumbo crab cakes were served with a cayenne and dill remoulade. If you call ahead and request it, you can have Bananas Foster. Otherwise you can get your sweet fix from dishes like lemon berry mascarpone cake, triple chocolate cake or a brownie sundae.
Ye Olde Trail Tavern
228 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs
(937) 767-7448 or www.oldetrailtavern.com
Why it rates? The patio on the side of this 19th century tavern is a little umbrellaed oasis parked in the middle of Yellow Springs’ main drag. It’s a lovely spot to grab a drink or a meal or both. Ordinarily a patio like this one wouldn’t be the stuff I dream about and long for, but its location (Yellow Springs), coupled with the unique 1827 building it is home to, elevates it greatly.
Be sure to order: Growing up in Cincinnati, I fell in love at an early age with goetta, a German breakfast sausage that blends beef, pork, oats and spices into a tasty pan-fried savory patty that you will either love or hate. It’s on restaurant menus throughout Cincinnati, but there are very few places in the Dayton area where I can get my goetta fix. I love Ye Olde Trail Tavern for many, many reasons and having a goetta sandwich on the menu is one of them. There are several other sandwiches on the menu inspired by German cuisine. They have great burgers, solid pizzas and some nice soups and salads.
Dayton Eats looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Share info about your menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of exciting outdoor spaces, new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? E-mail Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com with the information and we will work to include it in future coverage.
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