Here’s a look at the 2024 food and dining scene:
Doubleday’s Home Plate opens in Washington Twp.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Doubleday’s Home Plate opened its doors in January at 998 Miamisburg Centerville Road in Washington Twp.
Owner Jon Thomas said this restaurants is a satellite location of the Doubleday’s Grill & Tavern restaurants in Centerville and Springboro. Customers can expect Doubleday’s favorites on the menu such as the pork tenderloin, chicken tender salad, Yuengling fish, wings, soups, classic mac ‘n cheese and much more.
Home Plate takes the simplicity and convenience of modern day dining and mixes it with an old-fashioned, family-oriented, mom and pop shop type of atmosphere that Doubleday’s never wants to lose, Thomas said.
They decided to offer a new fast-casual concept because the landscape of restaurants has changed quite a bit since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. From rising costs to more customers utilizing carryout and delivery, this allows them to feel out a new market and share their brand with new people.
Taco John’s opens first Dayton-area restaurant
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
After celebrating a grand opening in February, the Kettering Taco John’s closed its doors in September.
The restaurant was located at 4045 Wilmington Pike.
Meritage Hospitality Group, a franchisee for Taco John’s, that closed two restaurants in southwest Ohio plans to reopen as a different concept.
“We have made the difficult decision to close our Taco John’s restaurants. We appreciate our employees’ commitment and hard work as well as the community’s patronage as we have endeavored to make this concept a success,” a statement from Meritage said. “In regard to future plans, we intend to reopen as a different concept and look forward to once again serving the community in days to come.”
The Brunch Pub opens in Centerville
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Brunch Pub at 101 W. Franklin St. in Centerville is opened its doors at the end of January.
Customers can expect farm-to-table comfort food with menus changing twice a year, said Lorenzo Bas, the operator of the restaurant.
“At The Brunch Pub, we take pride in our commitment to sourcing the freshest ingredients from local farms,” Bas wrote on the restaurant’s website. “As a young chef, I’ve carefully crafted a menu that showcases the vibrant flavors of Ohio’s agricultural abundance. From Prime angus NY Strip Steaks to savory omelettes bursting with locally grown vegetables, each dish is a celebration of the region’s rich culinary heritage. The farm-to-table concept isn’t just a trend for us; it’s a way of life that allows us to support local farmers and deliver exceptional flavors to our guests.”
The restaurant features a modern, rustic, farmhouse vibe with dim, warm lighting. It’s divided into three areas featuring the main dining room, bar and party room/lounge. The lounge has a fireplace with a couch. Bas said this will be the perfect spot for someone that wants cheesecake and a scotch at the end of the evening.
Teriyaki Madness opens near Austin Landing
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Teriyaki Madness, a fast-casual Japanese restaurant franchise specializing in Seattle-style teriyaki, has opened near Austin Landing.
Customers may choose from various bowls loaded with chicken, beef or tofu, stir-fried veggies and a choice of white rice, brown rice, fried rice or noodles. All bowls are made-to-order and can be customized. The restaurant also has appetizers such as chicken egg rolls, edamame, chicken potstickers and crab rangoon.
Managing owner Rahul Patel encouraged guests to try the chicken teriyaki bowl or spicy chicken teriyaki bowl for their first time at the restaurant.
Gyro Center opens in Huber Heights
Credit: Robin McMacken
Credit: Robin McMacken
Gyro Center, a new restaurant serving Mediterranean and Turkish fare, is open in the the new Taylor-Mart Convenience Store, located at 6025 Taylorsville Road in Huber Heights
The restaurant serves American breakfast food like French toast, waffles and pancakes in addition to traditional Turkish breakfast items like olives, cheeses, deli meats, jams and a special dish called Menemen, which is eggs with tomatoes, said owner Ulka Kibarova. Lunch and dinner options include kabobs and gyros.
One dish Kibarova is excited for customers to try is the San Sebastian Cheesecake. She said this is a very special cheesecake where the top of it is broiled.
Old Scratch Pizza opens in Troy
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Old Scratch Pizza opened a new location in the former Troy Fire Dept. station at 19 E. Race St. in the heart of downtown.
There are several aspects throughout the building paying homage to the Troy Fire Dept. For example, there is a bench that remains from the fire station near the ordering area.
The Troy location is something owner Eric Soller and his wife, Stephanie, have wanted to do for a long time. Soller previously worked at Hobart for over 10 years and became a big fan of the city.
If you’ve never been, Soller recommends the Angry Beekeeper pizza featuring tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, spicy salami, house-made hot honey and olive oil.
Val’s Bakery opens in new spot downtown
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Val’s Bakery owner Paige Woodie opened the doors to her new space at 25 S. St Clair St. in downtown Dayton in January.
The new space provides more seating for customers and a much larger kitchen — allowing Val’s to offer more advanced pastries. Customers can expect a lot of new items made with croissant dough. From basic items like a chocolate croissant to specialty items like a croissant filled with Ube pastry cream. Woodie also plans to have Danishes, quiche, bread and their take on a honey mustard sausage roll.
Val’s Bakery also offers coffee and matcha. Woodie has partnered with Twisted River Coffee Roaster in Dayton and Namesake Coffee Roasters in Kettering for all of their coffee needs.
Agave & Rye opens ‘Lick My Chicken’ ghost kitchens
Agave & Rye has launched “Lick My Chicken” ghost kitchens offering chicken tenders, wings, waffle fries and much more at all of its Southwest Ohio locations.
Ghost kitchens, also known as micro-cloud kitchens or virtual kitchens, do not offer dine-in services. Instead, they operate on online-orders only through third-party delivery services like DoorDash or Grubhub.
The menu features a variety of EPIC chicken including the Grilled Crispy Chicken Burrito featuring chopped chicken tenders, mac n cheese, white cheddar, queso, sweet and spicy bacon and Agave BBQ. It’s then garnished with tobacco onions and cilantro and served with ranch. Another popular menu item includes the House Waffle Fries topped with queso, white cheddar, ranch, chopped sweet and spicy bacon, pico, Agave BBQ and a chopped house chicken tender. If you’re looking for dessert, they have funnel cake fries.
Crumbl Cookies opens in Centerville
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Dayton region’s fourth Crumbl Cookies opened its doors at 4457 Feedwire Road in between Donato’s Pizza and Sleep Outfitters in Centerville.
The 1,500-square-foot storefront is owned by Eric and Kendra Stringham, who also own Crumbl Cookies locations in Beavercreek and Huber Heights.
Crumbl Cookies opened its first store in the Miami Valley in February 2022 at 1520 Miamisburg Centerville Road in Washington Twp., followed by 2260 N. Fairfield Road, Suite G, in Beavercreek in July 2022 and 8288 Old Troy Pike in Huber Heights in January 2023.
The Reserve on Third opens in Dayton
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
The Reserve on Third, downtown Dayton’s newest lounge, opened its doors in the former space of Therapy Cafe at 452 E. Third St.
Dayton native Erin Parrott and her fiancé, Edward Joiner are excited to bring “a luxury experience without the luxury price tag” to Dayton.
The 4,000-square-foot lounge serves those 25 and up Saturday through Wednesday. Parrott said their goal is to create a niche environment where older, mature people can feel comfortable. On Thursdays and Fridays, the lounge will be open to those 21 and up.
Tokyo Grill & Sushi Buffet opens in Beavercreek
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Tokyo Grill & Sushi Buffet, an all-you-can-eat sushi bar and hibachi grill, is open in Beavercreek near the main entrance of The Mall at Fairfield Commons.
The restaurant offers a large variety of Japanese-style dishes featuring raw and fresh seafood in the former space of Bravo.
Customers can start by choosing ingredients such as vegetables and meats to build their own hibachi bowl. While the chef cooks the dish, customers may get items from the sushi bar and hot bar. The restaurant also offers a dessert bar.
Blue Berry Cafe opens Kettering restaurant
Credit: Alexis Larsen
Credit: Alexis Larsen
The Blue Berry Cafe has officially opened the doors to its new restaurant location at 2932 S. Dixie Drive in Kettering in the former space of the Golden Nugget Pancake House.
Winsupply Inc., a Moraine-based company, purchased the site of the shuttered Golden Nugget Pancake House in October 2023.
Customers can expect a menu focusing on breakfast staples that they have grown to love over the past several years. The Blue Berry Cafe does have plans to add soups, salads and other creative items, but they are starting off with what they know — massive pancakes, homemade omelets and Tony Darden aka the “Muffin Man.”
The Blue Berry Cafe reopened in Bellbrook at 129 W. Franklin St., across from Dot’s Market, in April.
Izakaya opens in Beavercreek
Izakaya, an anime-themed restaurant and bar at The Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek, was met with “overwhelming support” during opening weekend.
The restaurant is located on the upper level of the mall near Morris Furniture in the space that previously housed Spinoza’s Pizza and Good Spirits.
Customers can expect pizza, spirits, Korean corn dogs and Japanese pop culture, a press release from the mall previously stated. There will also be karaoke nights and anime watch parties.
El Taco Veloz Mexican Street Tacos opens in Riverside
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
El Taco Veloz Mexican Street Tacos is open in the former location of Salsas Mexican Restaurant in the Airway Shopping Center near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
This is the third El Taco Veloz restaurant location in Ohio. Nearly five years ago, owner Roberto Vargas opened his first location near the University of Cincinnati. This was followed by a second location in Milford.
Vargas said they are known for their street tacos and margaritas. Their menu also features appetizers like corn on the cob, nachos, soups, salads, tortas, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas and much more.
Chiapas Mexican Grill opens third restaurant location in the Dayton area
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Chiapas Mexican Grill is open in the former home of Thai Kitchen at 8971 Kingsridge Drive in Miami Twp., near the Dayton Mall.
Jairo Ramirez, the manager of the new location, said the owners want to continue expansion and share the cuisine of Chiapas, a state in Southern Mexico where they are from. Customer favorites at the restaurant include the street tacos featuring meats such as seasoned chopped steak, grilled chicken, al pastor, chorizo, carnitas or cow tongue, tamales, soups and the Mole del Sur, a grilled chicken breast topped with mole sauce.
Chiapas Mexican Grill’s other locations in the Dayton area include 298 N. Main St. (Ohio 48) in Centerville and 2733 West Alex-Bell Road near Springboro Pike (Ohio 741) in Moraine.
El Toro opens Vallarta, a new Mexican seafood restaurant, in Beavercreek
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
The owners of El Toro have opened Vallarta, a new restaurant concept featuring Mexican seafood, across from The Greene Town Center in Beavercreek.
The restaurant’s name, Vallarta, comes from the Mexican city of Puerto Vallarta that’s known for its rich and flavorful seafood, said Enrique Alvarez, El Toro’s district manager. The owners realized most people weren’t familiar with this type of seafood cuisine, so they wanted to share it with people in the Dayton area.
For those who don’t like seafood, Vallarta offers several traditional Mexican dishes that customers have grown to love like Carne Asada, Pollo Feliz, birria tacos, taco salads and much more.
Crumbl Cookies opens in Troy
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Another new Crumbl Cookies location opened March 22 at 1849 W. Main St. in Troy. The store is in the Troy Towne Center near Walmart and Kohl’s.
The new store is owned by Reggie Germany and his wife, Keah. Reggie Germany is a former NFL player for the Buffalo Bills, as well as a former Ohio State football player.
The couple opened their first store in the Dayton area at 1530 Miamisburg Centerville Road in Washington Twp. in February 2022.
Dunkin’ and Popeyes opens in Xenia
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Xenia Dunkin’ at 2014 Main St. near the ALDI grocery store opened in March featuring a double drive thru.
Customers can expect their favorite signature cold beverages such as iced coffee served through a tap system and a front-facing bakery case with donuts and other baked goods.
Gilligan Company is also the franchisee of the new Popeyes restaurant that opened next door at 2028 W. Main St.
Hidden Valley Orchards in Lebanon welcomed Dayton Barbecue Company
After joining Hidden Valley Orchards in Lebanon as a permanent vendor in March, The Dayton Barbecue Company is looking for a new location to serve its southern style barbecue.
“As of Dec. 28, Dayton Barbecue Company will no longer be a part of the Hidden Valley Orchard family,” Evans said in a video posted on social media. “This change was not something that I saw in the future. We thought this would be home for us for awhile.”
Evans thanked Randy and Robyn Lane, the owners of the orchard, for welcoming them into their space and giving them the opportunity to make the orchard their own.
“With that, we are going to be moving forward with a new location,” Evans said. “We are currently exploring different options right now that’s going to best fit us.”
Victor’s Taco Shop opens on Far Hills near Kettering
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Victor’s Taco Shop’s newest location at 5837 Far Hills Ave. in Washington Twp., near the edge of Kettering, is open.
“We’ve been wanting to come to the Kettering area for a couple years now,” co-owner Jonathan Gaytan previously said.
Gaytan was eyeing this location, which was previously a Taco Bell, for about three years now but every time he inquired about the space someone else had been in contract. Gaytan said when the contract fell through, the timing was finally perfect.
The 2,000-square-foot building features a dine-in area with seating for around 55 people and a drive-thru.
Honey Toast opens in Fairborn
Honey Toast, a new breakfast and brunch spot, is open at 130 N. Broad St. in Fairborn.
The restaurant is located in the former space of Tudor’s Biscuit World that closed its doors in January after serving breakfast and lunch for nearly five years.
For those that want something sweet for breakfast or just want to add a dessert to their meal, should try the restaurant’s signature honey toast — a Japanese dessert.
Outback Steakhouse opens in Centerville
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Outback Steakhouse has opened its new re-designed restaurant at 5181 Cornerstone North Blvd. in Centerville.
The average Outback Steakhouse is 6,000 square feet, but the 4,694-square-foot Centerville restaurant optimizes back-of-house space to reduce its footprint, the company said in a release.
The new location features a new interior design and a mural created by artist Lindsey Jenneman. Inspired by the Dayton area’s aviation roots, the artwork depicts a koala wearing sunglasses, with the Wright Brothers and American flag in the reflection.
Popeyes celebrates grand opening in Huber Heights
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Dayton area’s newest Popeyes at 7666 Old Troy Pike in Huber Heights celebrated its grand opening March 26.
Popeyes was founded in 1972 in Arabi, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The fast-food chain was once a Dayton area mainstay with multiple locations in the early 1980s. When those closed, the region went without a Popeyes for several years. Gilligan Company led the chain’s Miami Valley resurgence when it acquired the Harrison Twp. and Springfield Popeyes locations in 2016.
Gilligan Company owns a total of 34 Popeyes Louisiana Chicken locations in the Indianapolis, Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus markets.
Dunaways opens in Troy
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Dunaway’s Beef ‘n Ale in Troy reopened under new ownership March 15 with a three-day St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
The restaurant was previously owned by Sandy and Brenda Dunaway, who operated the Irish pub for 33 years until they were ready to retire at the end of February. When the couple first opened the establishment it was more of an east coast deli with sandwiches stacked high with meats. Over the years, it eventually morphed into a dive bar with food.
The new owners are Dan and Nicole Burns, a husband and wife duo known as general contractors throughout the Troy area, Andrew Circle, an architect, and a fourth partner. The four real estate investors said they saw a lot of potential in the establishment.
Hummus Mediterranean Food opens in Springboro
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
A new restaurant in Springboro is taking Mediterranean food to the next level by allowing customers to build their own bowls and hummus.
Owner Hamzeh Odeh opened Hummus Mediterranean Food in the former spot of Sweet Tooth Crepes and Shakes at 75 N. Main St.
Hummus Mediterranean Food allows customers to build their own bowls for $11.99 with hot toppings such as rice, chicken shawarma, beef and lamb gyro, falafel, corn, red kidney beans, fajita and cream peas and carrot. Cold toppings include tomatoes, red onions, red cabbage, lettuce, pickles, Turkish salad, banana peppers, black olives, feta cheese, coleslaw and turnips. Bowls can then be topped off with tahini, tzatziki, garlic or hot sauces, as well at Greek or vinaigrette dressing.
The restaurant has sandwiches and wraps, as well as sides like fries, baba ghanouj, grape leaves or falafel. Customers can also build their own hummus by adding garlic oil, cilantro, jalapeno, lime, nuts, veggies or meat.
Time4Thai opens in Dayton near Huber Heights border
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Time4Thai has opened in the former space of Time4Noodle in the Cloud Park Plaza off of Brandt Pike.
Somthob Junpan and his wife, Wachiraporn Pooeuhan, are originally from Thailand and wanted to open their own restaurant after many years of experience making Thai food. Time4Thai will offer more Thai food than the previous restaurant.
Recommend dishes include the Avocado Rolls, Summer Rolls, T4 Appetizer Combo featuring spring rolls, money bags, crispy crab cheese, pot stickers and shrimp blankets, Som Tum (papaya salad), Beef Salad, Tom Kha Soup, Beef Noodle Soup, Green Curry, Pad Thai , Pad See Ew, Crab Fried Rice, Basil Salmon Delight, Orange Chicken, Spicy Bamboo, Eggplant Delight or the Sweet Rice with Mango.
Mun-o-Salwa opens in Riverside
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Mun-o-Salwa, a new halal restaurant, has opened in Riverside with a menu of anything from BBQ, burgers and fried chicken to paratha rolls, chicken over rice and Indian/Pakistani cuisine.
It is located at 3937 Linden Ave. in Riverside and open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily .
While the restaurant serves halal food, it is not specifically for Muslims only. Anyone and everyone is welcome at the restaurant.
The family-owned business started from the idea that there aren’t many options in the Dayton area for Muslims on a halal diet. The co-owner believes opening a restaurant was something they had to do for their community.
Raw juice bar opens inside Gem City Market in Dayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Jus Juic’n has opened its third location in the Dayton region inside Gem City Market.
The raw juice bar has 10 different varieties of juices, fruit smoothies, a green smoothie and a limited food menu featuring turkey burgers, salmon burgers, vegan chicken burgers and vegetarian chili.
Shari Mann, president of Jus Juic’n, recalled a trip to Disney in 1999 when they saw a juicer and her husband, Jimmy, said they had to have one. The couple was choosing a healthier lifestyle, so they bought a juicer and started juicing for themselves.
Mann began by juicing from her basement and invited her friends from bible study to try it. Next thing she knew, in 2011 they were asked to open a spot inside the downtown Dayton YMCA at 316 N. Wilkinson St. In 2017, they opened a second location inside the Reibold Building at 117 S. Main St. in Dayton.
Blue Sky Coffee opens near Wright State University in Fairborn
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Blue Sky Coffee, a new coffee shop and creative space, is open across from Wright State University in the Emergence Center at 3070 Presidential Drive.
Owner Matthew Stevenson said it’s a traditional coffee shop with espresso drinks like americanos, lattes and cappuccinos. Syrups include chocolate, caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, Irish cream and lavender. They also offer drip coffee, cold brew and a variety of teas from Poppets Coffee. Stevenson has partnered with Twisted River as the shop’s main roaster and together they have created a Blue Sky Blend. He described the blend as earthy, nutty, chocolatey, warm and inviting.
Blue Sky Coffee has also partnered with Sweet Adaline’s Bakery in Tipp City and Sugarcreek Twp. to offer baked goods such as coffee cakes, tarts and cookies.
Ray’s BBQ opens in Beavercreek
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Ray’s BBQ has officially opened its doors at 3311 Seajay Drive in the Beaver Valley Shopping Center in Beavercreek.
Owner Ray McIntire, a fabricator by trade, started building smokers as a hobby in the early 2000s. He notably began cooking contest BBQ around 2013.
Ray’s BBQ has been a year in the making. The restaurant officially opened its doors March 30 in the former home of Wedig’s Restaurant & Tavern. McIntire has completely remodeled the space and plans to operate on limited hours until he finds employees.
The menu includes staples like pulled pork, brisket, ribs and wings as well as sides like smoked kettle chips, coleslaw and mac-n-cheese.
Teapot Cafe Lounge opens in Dayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Teapot Cafe Lounge, Ohio’s first infused coffee shop lounge, is now open to the public at 146 E. Third St. in Dayton.
The establishment brings West Coast coffee shop vibes to the Midwest.
Guests can order coffee or tea beverages infused with cannabis derived extract, said manager Kourtlawn Koron. The menu features drinks that are not infused. Guests must choose the strain and dosage of cannabis when ordering. Types of strains include Gorilla Glue, Permanent Marker and LA Fog. Doses range from eight to 66 milligrams.
Napoli’s opens in Beavercreek
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Napoli’s Pizza has opened a second location in the Dayton region after serving the Miamisburg community for about four years.
The new pizza shop is located at 3783 Dayton Xenia Road in Beavercreek across from Knollwood Garden Center and Landscaping.
Customers can expect New York style pizza with appetizers such as meatballs, breadsticks, garlic bread and garlic rolls. The pizza shop also has calzones, stromboli and pasta dishes. Desserts include cannoli, lemoncello, tiramisu, carrot cake, chocolate cake and New York cheesecake.
Napoli’s Pizza opened its first location at 718 N. Heincke Road in Miamisburg in 2019.
Rum Runners Cafe opens in Kettering
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Rum Runners Cafe has opened its doors in Kettering.
The restaurant, located in the former space of Christopher’s Restaurant at 2318 E. Dorothy Lane, has a 1920s prohibition, art deco theme with a “Great Gatsby” essence. Burgers are named after gangsters, chicken sandwiches are named after flappers and female rum runners, and loaded baked potatoes are named after Irish mafia members.
Owner Jamie Campbell and her partner share a love of rum, hence the restaurant’s name. They also have a rum-based BBQ sauce line. Rum Runners Sauces come in Sweet Rum, Honey Rum, Spicy Rum and Rum & Coke.
OH! Boba opens on Brown Street near University of Dayton
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
OH! Boba has opened the doors to its new boba tea shop near the University of Dayton in the former space of Val’s Bakery.
Customers can expect a variety of fresh-brewed teas, milk teas, fruit teas and smoothies. It recently introduced a Cat Paw Mochi Waffle, adding a savory side to the menu. Customers may order pizza or jalapenos and cheese flavors, as well as sweet flavors such as apple pie and strawberry and chocolate.
This will be OH! Boba’s third location in the Dayton region. The first brick-and-mortar location opened in Troy at 217 SE Public Square in 2022 and the second location opened in 2023 inside COhatch The Market in downtown Springfield.
Mamacitas Cantina opens in Dayton’s Belmont neighborhood
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Mamacitas Cantina, a Latino-fusion restaurant, is now open in Dayton’s Belmont neighborhood.
Customers can expect a variety of plates from eight different countries around the world including Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela.
The 4,600-square-foot restaurant with seating for around 150 people has a tropical vibe. This is not only represented in the decor, but the drinks that will be offered. Customers can expect four different flavors of margaritas, a variety of cocktails topped with fruits, candies and flowers, signature shots like the chiliguaro, as well as spirits and beers. Nonalcoholic options include sodas and made-from-scratch smoothies.
Panda Express opens in Washington Twp.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Panda Express opened its doors at 1035 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Washington Twp. on May 8.
It offers a variety of entrees such as Firecracker Shrimp, Orange Chicken, Black Pepper Angus Steak, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, Broccoli Beef or Kung Pao Chicken. Sides include Chow Mein, fried rice, white or brown steamed rice or super greens.
This restaurant is the first in the region to feature the company’s new prototype, which is “designed to accommodate the increased demand for online ordering and drive-thru channels,” according to Chain Store Age, which reports on retail, including restaurants.
Mission BBQ opens near Dayton Mall
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Mission BBQ opened its doors at 2500 Miamisburg-Centerville Road near the Dayton Mall on May 7.
“We are excited to serve our community in Dayton, Ohio and we look forward to being a contributing partner for years to come,” said Kevin Kirtley, regional director of operations for the new restaurant.
Customers may order from a menu featuring authentic BBQ including baby-back ribs, chicken, salmon, brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, sausage and turkey. With every entree, customers may add one or two made-from-scratch sides such as Maggie’s Mac-N-Cheese, baked beans with brisket, cole slaw, green beans with bacon, fresh-cut fries or the Super Seasonal Baked Cheesy Potatoes.
The Mayflower opens in Troy
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
After opening in May, Troy’s newest cocktail lounge, restaurant and live entertainment venue will undergo a change in ownership and operation starting Jan. 1, 2025.
The Mayflower, currently operated by A.M. Scott Distillery, will soon be led by Wes Martin, owner of Busted Brick Realty, LLC and Village Vantage, who purchased the iconic building in 2022. Under the umbrella of Village Vantage, Martin and his partners will own and operate the venue, a press release from the venue stated.
“Step into the charm of history. At The Mayflower, we invite you to experience the perfect blend of vintage elegance and modern indulgence,” the venue’s website states. “Sip on meticulously crafted cocktails, indulge in dinner offerings, and immerse yourself in the magnetic energy of live entertainment.”
The legal name and identity of The Mayflower is subject to change, but the intent is that the nature of the entities remain, the release said.
Jersey Mike’s Subs opens in Englewood
Jersey Mike’s Subs has opened its doors in Englewood at 537 S. Main St. in the former space of Ulbrich’s Hometown Bakery.
The sub shop is known for its meats and cheeses being sliced on the spot and piled high on in-store baked bread. Customers love getting their subs made the “Mike’s Way” with onions, lettuce and tomatoes topped off with red wine vinegar and an olive oil blend.
Franchise owner Ted Tolliver manages several Jersey Mike’s locations in the area including 7630 Old Troy Pike in Huber Heights and 2831 Wilmington Pike in Kettering.
Ford’s Garage opens at Liberty Center
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Ford’s Garage has officially opened its doors in the Liberty Center lifestyle complex in Liberty Twp. It offers comfort Americana food and is decorated with classic Ford vehicles and memorabilia.
The restaurant is across from The Square and next to Cowboy Sally’s Texas BBQ at 7517 Gibson St.
Must-try Black Angus burgers include the Ford’s Signature Burger, The Estate Burger and The Jiffy Burger. Other favorites include the Beer Battered Fish N’ Chips, Blackened Salmon, Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends Melt, Mama Ford’s Homemade Meatloaf and the Chicken Henry. The restaurant also has a variety of macaroni and cheese and several salads.
Biggby Coffee opens in Kettering
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Biggby Coffee has opened its newest location in the Dayton region.
The Kettering coffee shop is located at 2061 E. Dorothy Lane in the strip mall between City Barbeque and Taco Bell.
The coffee shop is “a safe space for people to hangout” with a lounge area, eight-top table for groups and two study pods with USB outlets and dimmable lights. They also have outdoor seating and a drive-thru.
Mz. Jade’s Soul Food opens inside W. Social Tap & Table
Mz. Jade’s Soul Food opened inside W. Social Tap & Table at the end of June.
Dayton residents can expect a variety of soul meals served with their choice of two sides. Meals include salmon patties, tilapia, whiting, cod, catfish, half pound of shrimp, chicken wings, soul fried chicken chunks or hand-breaded porkchops. Sides include macaroni and cheese, candied yams, collard greens, cabbage, French fries, sweet honey corn muffins, coleslaw, potato salad or rice and gravy.
Other items on the menu include seafood boils (only available on Saturdays) and “The Lizzy Green,” a sandwich inspired by the owner’s great great grandmother featuring white bread, one piece of catfish, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and soul sauce served with fries.
Tandoor India and Pizza opens in Huber Heights
Credit: Robin McMacken
Credit: Robin McMacken
Tandoor India & Pizza is located at 7695 Old Troy Pike in the Waynetowne Plaza Shopping Center.
The restaurant has a large menu of appetizers, breads, soups and specials with chicken, lamb, beef, seafood or rice. They also offer many vegetarian options. Customer favorites include the Chicken Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken and Garlic Nan.
There is a section on the menu featuring dinner specials that feed two. Dishes include Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian Thali, Special Thali, Chole Bhature, Aloo Poori, Egg Curry or Egg Bhurji.
Jubie’s Creamery opens in Troy
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Jubie’s Creamery has opened its doors in Troy at 79 Foss Way in the former home of Oh Crêpe.
Julie Domicone, a Miami Valley native who owns the ice cream shop with her father, Fred, and mother, Stacey, opened Jubie’s Creamery in Fairborn at 471 W. Dayton Yellow Springs Road in 2018. This was followed by a Moraine location at 2749 W. Alex Bell Road in 2022.
The Troy ice cream shop is a little bit smaller than Jubie’s Fairborn and Moraine locations. It does have a drive-thru window.
Legacy Pancake House opens in West Carrollton
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Legacy Pancake House has opened in its new spot in West Carrollton.
Nancy Maybury and Mary Teegarden, the mother-daughter duo that own Legacy Pancake House, purchased Holly’s Home Cooking, located at 489 E Dixie Drive, in February.
“We are very excited to reopen Legacy Pancake House in West Carrollton,” Maybury previously said. “Our customers and staff have been waiting for this moment and we are excited to see some old faces and meet new ones.”
Legacy Pancake House was previously located at 1510 N. Keowee St. in Dayton for nearly 16 years until it was destroyed by a fire in October 2023. The restaurant was a total loss and has since been demolished.
Blimpie opens inside Dayton gas station
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Blimpie is back in the Dayton region! The sub shop’s only location in the Miami Valley is now open inside the Shell gas station at 4700 Linden Ave. in Riverside near Carroll High School.
Blimpie is known for slicing its meat made-to-order. Customers can customize a variety of cold and hot subs with different kinds of breads, cheeses, toppings and dressings.
The most popular sandwich on the menu is the Blimpie Best featuring ham, salami, capicola, prosciuttini, provolone, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, vinegar, oil and oregano.
Sramble by Cafe 19 opens in Brookville
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Scramble by Cafe 19, a new breakfast restaurant with French toast, waffles, biscuits and gravy, sandwiches and platters, is now open in Brookville.
The owners of Cafe 19, who operate two coffee shops in the Dayton region, wanted to open a full-service restaurant after having a high demand for their food at their Englewood location.
The Brookville restaurant will offer customer favorites from the Englewood location, as well as additional items like breakfast platters — allowing customers to get more food for the price.
Taste of Belgium opens at Austin Landing
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
After being open less then six months, Taste of Belgium has closed its doors at Austin Landing.
The bistro had opened at 10267 Penny Lane in Miami Twp. in July.
“Closing our Austin Landing location was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we needed to make to ensure the survival of our business as a whole,” said Taste of Belgium founder Jean-Francois Flechet in the statement. “While we originally chose this site for its promise as a vibrant community hub, shifting dynamics have made it challenging to meet our goals. Despite our efforts, we were unable to generate the momentum needed to thrive in this location.”
Taste of Belgium’s Beavercreek bistro remains open.
Troni’s Pizza & Pasta opens in downtown Dayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Troni’s Pizza & Pasta had opened in the lobby of the Stratacache Tower on North Main Street in downtown Dayton in July. The restaurant has since closed.
Owner Beto Troni, who operated the restaurant with his wife, Qelja, previously described the establishment as a New York, Florida-style pizzeria catered to those on the go. There was a large display window featuring a variety of 20-inch pies, calzones, strombolis and garlic rolls.
201 Tavern opens in Old North Dayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
A new restaurant serving pizza, subs and more opened in the former spot of Paisano’s Pizza Pub in Old North Dayton.
Christine Fowler, who owns 201 Tavern with her husband, Shante, said she has always wanted to own her own restaurant/bar. Fowler had been working at the post office for about 12 years when the opportunity to open a restaurant came about. She said she is friends with the Condi family, who previously owned and operated Paisano’s Pizza Pub for more than 50 years. The restaurant had closed in September 2023.
“This isn’t the same place as I like to remind the people, sadly, and it’s not the same menu. The Condi family took all of their recipes with them, which I was completely fine with,” Fowler said. “They closed their chapter and I’m starting mine.”
The restaurant, located at 201 Brandt St., has been completely remodeled from the bar top that once contained boxing trading cards to the ceiling that was covered in boxer names.
Frost Factory opens at Austin Landing
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Frost Factory, a boutique bar with boozy slushies, cocktails and shots, is now open at Austin Landing.
Jamie Gregory, who owns the bar with her husband Kei, originally opened The Frost Factory in 2020 at the Liberty Center in Liberty Twp. She recalled being in Texas for one of her son’s basketball tournaments and going to a hole-in-the-wall daiquiri bar. That’s where the idea to open a bar with boozy slushies came about.
“We want to be more than that and that’s what this (location) is for,” Gregory said.
The Austin Landing location has nearly double the space compared to their bar previously at the Liberty Center. Gregory hopes to partner with other businesses in the Dayton region to host a variety of events like bingo and karaoke. The new space has several TVs perfect for football season. They are planning to have beer and seltzer specials during the big games.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill opens in Centerville
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
A new fast-casual restaurant serving modern interpretations of Mediterranean favorites is now open in Centerville.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is at 5409 Cornerstone N. Blvd. in the Cornerstone Plaza. The 1,500-square-foot space once housed Which Wich Superior Sandwiches.
Customers can expect classic dishes like The Great Greek Gyro, lamb, steak or chicken Souvlaki plates, Greek salads and four signature house-made dips including Hummus, Tzatziki, Melitzanosalata (eggplant dip) and Tirokafteri (spicy roasted red pepper). The restaurant also has desserts such as Baklava, Baklava Ice Cream and Rice Pudding.
7 Brew opens in Springfield
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
The first 7 Brew drive-thru coffee stand has opened in the region with two more on the way.
7 Brew officially opened July 15 at 2001 E. Main St. in Springfield near the intersection of South Belmont Avenue. Customers can expect teas, lemonades, smoothies, shakes, as well as their own branded energy drinks.
“We have over 20,000 flavor combinations,” said regional manager Maddie Turner.
The company opened another 7 Brew location in Beavercreek, just south of the intersection between North Fairfield and Rex Drive, in front of the new REI Co-op, in October. This was followed by a stand in Springboro at 827 Central Ave. in the Midway Plaza Shopping Center in December.
Entropy Brewing opens in Miamisburg
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Springboro natives Brianna and Jordan Joo found themselves in desperate need of a date night after a miscarriage in 2018. They wanted to go to a brewery to talk, but didn’t have a babysitter for their daughter. They had joked that someone needed to open a brewery in the Dayton area with an indoor playground, but over the next couple of months they realized they should be the ones to do it.
Entropy Brewing Co. is a 10,000-square-foot brewpub in Miamisburg featuring an indoor playground, outdoor patio and a speakeasy in the basement.
The brewery features a total of 16 taps including beer, cold brew coffee, a margarita mix and eventually root beer. Jordan is planning to have about four staples and the rest of the taps will be rotating.
The food menu features a variety dips like guacamole, salsa, queso and corn dip. Brianna said the guacamole is her homemade recipe that she has been making for years and the corn dip was inspired by a friend’s recipe. They also have tacos, burgers and sandwiches.
Waffle House opens in Xenia
The Dayton area’s newest Waffle House has opened.
Tom Blanton, vice president of J. Thomas & Co., which owns 19 Waffle House locations in the region, said the Xenia location at 1963 Harner Drive opened July 30.
“We’re trying to expand our footprint in the Dayton area,” Blanton said. “All of our stores in Greene County have always done well and we just wanted to move into Xenia. We thought that would be a good market for us.”
Thai Village opens in Centerville
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
After selling Thai Table in June, former owner Sue Whitted has opened a new restaurant a few miles down the road at Cornerstone of Centerville.
Thai Village, located at 5201 Cornerstone N. Blvd. in the former space of CoreLife Eatery.
Whitted was still in the process of creating the menu in June when she announced the new restaurant, but said customers can expect Thai, sushi and American-Thai fusion with meats like steak and lobster used in Thai food. The restaurant will have a full bar. It’s also located in a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA).
La Petite Kitchen opens at 2nd Street Market
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
La Petite Kitchen is one of the newest vendors at 2nd Street Market serving Euro-American inspired cuisine.
Owner Donald Whitcomb opened his first iteration of La Petite in the Oakley Kitchen Food Hall in 2021. He operated there for about year before moving to Asheville, North Carolina to be a restaurant consultant.
Whitcomb moved to the Dayton region for the opportunity to once again own and operate his own spot.
La Petite Kitchen features Carbonnade, the national dish of Belgium that’s also known as Belgian Beer stew. It features beef shoulder that is simmered in Belgian beer, brown sugar, onions, thyme, bay leaves and mustard. It’s then served over house made mashed potatoes.
Other popular items La Petite Kitchen offers includes Brussels-Style Belgian Waffle, Croque Monsieur or the American and Euro-style grilled cheeses and smash burgers.
Centerville’s first Chipotle opens
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Chipotle Mexican Grill opened its first location in Centerville on Aug. 20.
The restaurant is located at 1033 S. Main St. in the Centerville Place shopping center along Ohio 48 near the Kroger Marketplace.
The 2,325-square-foot restaurant features the brand’s signature Chipotlane, a drive-thru pickup lane that allows guests to pick up digital orders without leaving their cars. The restaurant also has a 500-square-foot patio.
The Centerville location marks the 12th Chipotle restaurant in the Dayton region. In May 2023, a new Chipotle restaurant opened at 4215 Linden Ave. in Riverside.
House Blend Café by Luxe Omni opens in Centerville
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Before moving her brokerage to Uptown Centerville in April, Christina Gentry had talked about hiring a barista and giving away free coffee to simply do something nice for others.
That idea came into fruition on Aug. 16 when she officially opened House Blend Café by Luxe Omni, a donation-based coffee shop open on Fridays and Saturdays at 58 E. Franklin St.
House Blend Café offers a variety of hot and cold coffee beverages such as Americanos, cappuccinos, frappes, lattes, espresso and cold brew. They also have Turkish coffee, Dalgona coffee and several teas.
The menu does not include prices, but customers are welcome to donate what they can. 100 percent of net proceeds will go towards charity.
Socialite Cafe opens in Kettering
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Socialite Cafe, a European-style cafe in Kettering with coffee, tea, sandwiches and more, is open at 4011 Marshall Road behind Speedway.
Owners Scott and Rebekah Allendevaux have spent the last 10 years traveling back and forth from the United Kingdom to Kettering and plan to share their experience through the new cafe.
Socialite Cafe has partnered with Proud Hound in Cincinnati as its coffee roaster and offers espresso, cortados, flat whites, cappuccinos, lattes, Americanos, cold brew and more. Teas on the menu include black, green and herbal.
The cafe will have an assortment of bakery items from Purely Sweet and Ordinarie Fare. During breakfast, customers can expect oatmeal, parfaits, chia seed pudding, a lox box with smoked salmon, capers, red onion and cream cheese and sandwiches.
For lunch, the menu features a variety of sandwiches and salads. In the evenings, the cafe plans to offer charcuterie boards and wine. It will also eventually have a full case of hand-dipped ice cream and smoothies.
Butterbee’s opens in Xenia
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Butterbee’s American Grille has officially opened in Xenia next to Skyline Chili on Progress Drive.
The Xenia restaurant will be Butterbee’s fourth location. Butterbee’s first opened in Mt. Orab in 2006 and expanded to Cincinnati in 2009 and Milford in 2014.
The family-friendly, sports-themed restaurant is famous for its hand-breaded chicken tenders and fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs.
The David Restaurant Group, who also owns and operates the Xenia Skyline Chili, saw Xenia as a “natural fit” for a Butterbee’s location because of its small-town feel.
Side Piece Soul Cafe serving meals from 6888 Kitchen Incubator at Dayton Arcade
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
After grieving the loss of several family members in Cleveland, Briana Parks and her partner, Marcus Parish, moved to Dayton for a fresh start.
They originally came to Dayton for an opportunity to open a restaurant, but when those plans didn’t pan out as expected Parks went on a hunt for a kitchen space.
Side Piece Soul Cafe now serves a variety of soul food such as fried porkchops, sautéed chicken, fried chicken, corn bread, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potato yams from 6888 Kitchen Incubator at Dayton Arcade.
On Aug. 19, her business launched on DoorDash.
Boss Potatoes finds home inside 6888 Kitchen Incubator
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Dayton native Martina Scott has quadrupled her customer base since she started cooking from her home almost four years ago.
On Aug. 7, she started her first day as a member of 6888 Kitchen Incubator, 32 S. Ludlow St., at the Dayton Arcade because she needed more space and wanted to cook outside of her home.
Boss Potatoes offers baked potatoes with a wide variety of toppings and options.
I Heart Ice Cream opens in Dayton’s Wright Dunbar neighborhood
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Ever since Liz Smith was 14 years old she has dreamed of owning an ice cream shop. That dream became a reality on Aug. 8 when I Heart Ice Cream officially opened its doors in Dayton’s Wright Dunbar Historic Commercial District.
The Thai-inspired rolled ice cream shop is located at 9 N. Williams St.
I Heart Ice Cream offers rolled ice cream with a variety of toppings. Favorites include the Oreo (a vanilla base with Oreos, whipped cream and chocolate syrup) or Berries & Cream (a vanilla base with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and sprinkles). Smith’s favorite is the Reese W/A Spoon (a chocolate base with peanut butter, whipped cream, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and chocolate syrup).
The ice cream shop also offers boba, milkshakes, bubble waffle cones and Belgian waffles with a variety of toppings. Smith has plans to add a hot menu of hotdogs and brats once she feels they are established.
KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot opens near Dayton Mall
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
A new restaurant merging traditional Asian Hot Pot and Korean BBQ kicked off its soft opening on Aug. 12 near the Dayton Mall, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page.
KPOT, an all-you-can-eat dining experience, is located at 2148 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in the former space of Logan’s Roadhouse in Miami Twp.
Described as leading a cultural dining revolution, the restaurant is the brainchild of four friends from different backgrounds who blended their cuisines over a shared table.
Hot Pot is an Asian cooking method where food is prepared using a simmering pot of soup stock. Guests will have a variety of soup bases, sliced meats, seafood, vegetables and other items to choose from. Korean Barbecue is explained on its menu as a popular method in Korean cuisine of grilling meats like beef, pork or chicken. The menu also includes BBQ seafood and vegetables.
Yellow Springs Baking Company opens storefront
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Yellow Springs Baking Company has opened a storefront in Yellow Springs after leaving 2nd Street Market in May.
The bakery, located at 108 Dayton St., is now known as Yellow Springs Bakery & Cafe. Customers can expect favorites such as cinnamon rolls and croissants, as well as scones, cardamom buns, cookies and other baked goods.
Karina Tafolla, who owns the bakery with Rob Houk, said the bakery will also have handmade empanadas. The menu will start off with chicken, beef and veggie empanadas and eventually they will introduce new flavors such as a steak fajita.
In the mornings, the bakery will have a variety of pastries and after lunchtime they hope to carry more desserts like specialty cakes and parfaits. They plan to try different flavors to see which ones are customer favorites.
2 restaurants open near Wright State
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The University Shoppes, located across the street from Wright State University, has added two new restaurants to its lineup with a cafe coming soon.
Baba BQ and Jyot India Restaurant have joined several other restaurants in the shopping center including Dad’s Wings & Burgers, First Watch, Flying Pizza, Kung Fu Tea, Leaguer Baker and Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
Baba BQ, a Middle Eastern grill and cafe, opened its doors in early July at 2624 Colonel Glenn Highway where Crazy King Burrito was previously located.
Jyot India Restaurant opened its doors in late July at 2620 Colonel Glenn Highway in the former space of Timmy’s Wok.
Cafe Attaleia opens in Clayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Cafe Attaleia is serving American and Mediterranean-style breakfast and lunch in the Randolph Plaza on North Main Street in Clayton.
The new cafe is an extension of Cafe Terra Mediterranean Cuisine, located at 8351 N Main St. in the same plaza. Former owner Tolga Ka originally opened Cafe Bliss in 2023 at this location featuring American breakfast, but after customer requests he reopened a few months ago under a new name with Mediterranean breakfast as well.
Ahmed Salem, who is originally from Cairo, Egypt and now lives in Cincinnati, became owner of both establishments in July.
Everything at Cafe Attaleia is made fresh. Customer favorites include Menemen (scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions sauteed with feta sucuk) and Simit (a sesame bagel that can be served with eggs or on a plate with olives, tomato, cucumber and white cheese)
Halal Burgers opens second location
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Halal Burgers in Washington Twp. has opened a second restaurant location south of Dayton.
The new fast-casual restaurant serving burgers, wings and chicken tenders using halal meat is located at 7037 Yankee Road in Liberty Twp.
Abbad Tahir opened the original restaurant with his two brothers at 767 Lyons Road in Washington Twp. near J. Alexander’s and Chappys Social House in Nov. 2023.
SushiNero opens in Miamisburg
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
SushiNero, a new Japanese-Spanish fusion restaurant with sushi, small plates and entrees, is open in Miamisburg.
The restaurant is located at 20 S. First St. in the former space of Watermark.
The chef at SushiNero is originally from Japan and had lived in Spain for a period of time. That’s where owner Lauren Stites got the idea to have a Japanese-Spanish fusion restaurant. She said there are many similarities between Japan and Spain in regards to the use of seafood like squid and octopus in their cuisines that they plan to play into.
The menu features sushi, tapas and entrees. The restaurant will have some Americanized dishes including a burger with an Asian twist. Must try items include the Iberian Roll (a shrimp tempura sushi roll topped with seared steak and a chimichurri sauce), Karaage Fried Chicken with gochujang sauce and Pork Belly with tamarind salsa.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers opens in Englewood
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
A new fast-casual restaurant known for its steakburgers, shoestring fries and frozen custard is now open in Englewood.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is located at 910 S. Main St.
This was the former site of Bolts Sports Cafe, which closed its doors in June 2023 after 30 years in the community. The building was razed in March to facilitate the development of the 2,500-square-foot Freddy’s restaurant.
The Englewood restaurant is the third Freddy’s location in the Dayton region. Other locations include 3227 Kemp Road in Beavercreek and 5501 Wilmington Pike in Centerville.
Yumi Boba Tea opens at The Greene in Beavercreek
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Yumi Boba Tea is open at The Greene in Beavercreek in the former space of Wick Therapy Candle near Panera Bread.
The Taiwanese bubble tea shop and Vietnamese deli first opened in the Airway Shopping Center at 170 Woodman Drive in Riverside in 2020. Two years later, a second location opened at 204 N. Springboro Pike in Miamisburg.
Bubble tea, or Boba, is a Taiwanese drink that emerged in the 1980s, consisting usually of fresh-brewed tea mixed with milk or fruits and topped off with chewy tapioca balls. Customers are able to customize their bubble teas and adjust the level of sweetness with different ingredients and toppings.
Yumi Boba Tea has a variety of drinks including fresh brew tea, fruit tea, milk tea, lemonade, smoothies and coffee. Food options include mochi donuts and Korean corn dogs.
Build-your-own breakfast burritos now in Dayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
A new food vendor is setting up on East First Street at 420 Dayton offering build-your-own breakfast burritos and sandwiches.
“There’s not very many breakfast places and the ones that are here don’t cater to breakfast burritos,” said Doug Underwood Jr., who owns Breakfast on the Run with his partner, Melynn Hefley. “It was a niche that Dayton severely needs.”
All burritos start at $6 with the customers’ choice of a protein (eggs, chorizo, bacon or sausage) and cheese (four-cheese blend or queso chihuahua). Other ingredients like tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, peppers, fried potatoes and salsa is available for an additional charge.
Breakfast on the Run also has sandwiches such as the Egg McDougie with egg, Canadian bacon and American cheese on an English muffin. The business also offers the Skippin’ Burrito, a deconstructed burrito served in a coffee cup.
Culina opens in Dayton’s Oregon District
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Roost Modern Italian in Dayton’s Oregon District returned to its original fine dining concept in November after rebranding to Culina — a fine casual service model offering Italian-inspired small plates.
“While the change to the Culina concept from Roost has been well received, our loyal customers have spoken,” a press release from the restaurant stated. “So much so, that the decision has been made to return to the Roost Italian offering classic Roost entrees and sneaking in some of Culina’s most popular small plates.”
Downs rebranded Roost Modern Italian in September “to be more relatable to the Dayton market.”
“Fine dining is not dead, but it’s difficult,” Downs previously said. “We just don’t want to be a celebration place. We want to be a place you can come all the time.”
Sip Coffee Co. opens brick-and-mortar shop in Tipp City
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Sip Coffee Co. started in 2020 as a mobile cart serving lattes at weddings, bridal showers, graduation parties and other celebrations. Two years later, owner Brooke Deaton bought a camper off of Facebook Marketplace, redid it and started serving drinks in West Milton near McDonald’s.
“It was seasonal, so every winter I had to shut down,” Deaton said. “A brick-and-mortar was always a dream.”
That dream became a reality when she signed the lease to her new brick-and-mortar location in July at 128 E. Main St. in Tipp City. The coffee shop officially opened its doors last week featuring “a pretty simple menu with limited flavors like caramel, mocha, honey and vanilla.”
Sip Coffee Co., which uses Purebred Coffee Co. in Troy as its roaster, is known for The Nova, a latte flavored with sweet and condensed milk. It’s similar to a Spanish or Cuban latte.
Mort’s East opens in Kettering
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
One of the owners of the new Mort’s East, a neighborhood tavern in Kettering, says they want to see the space packed like it used to be when it was Murray’s.
Mort’s East offers a full bar with food such as applewood smoked wings, burgers, sandwiches, pizza and salads. It is located at 2866 S. Dixie Drive in the former space of the Buckin’ Donkey.
“Back in the day this place used to be Murray’s,” said Aaron Delidow, who owns the tavern with Bob Hochwalt. “Murray’s was packed from morning to night and that’s what we’re trying to get back to.”
Narco Burger opens in Riverside
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
After much anticipation, Narco Burger is now open in Riverside on Spinning Road — less than five minutes from Carroll High School.
The restaurant officially opened its doors on Oct. 14 offering burgers, chicken, wraps, salads, sides such as seasoned fries, fried pickles and hot cheese bites, smoothies and desserts such as Mehaffies Pies.
Customer favorites include the King Burger, a triple smash burger with grilled onions and American cheese topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and Narco sauce on a toasted brioche bun. The Narco sauce is the restaurant’s homemade burger sauce that’s sweet with a little bite. It’s similar to Thousand Island dressing.
The restaurant also has lightly battered, crinkle cut fries seasoned with its signature Narco seasoning.
Red Bird Pizza opens in Miamisburg
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Red Bird Pizza, a new East Coast inspired pizzeria, is now open at 18 N. Second St. in Miamisburg.
“Our team is small,” said Christian Clothier, who owns the pizza shop with his neighbor, Ife Olaore. “We want to be protective over the energy that we have, so if that means we make 50 pizzas at night until we find the right person, then that’s what we’ll do. Hopefully people can understand that our goal is ultimately quality and doing something special.”
Clothier is a pizza connoisseur who is originally from New Jersey. Before he moved to the region in 2012, he worked at Carpe Diem Pub and Restaurant in New Jersey for four years.
He was planning to open a pizzeria in 2012, but plans were put on hold. In 2020 when Clothier moved to his current home, Olaore introduced himself as a neighbor and soon after they became close friends.
Olaore recalled finding out about Clothier’s dream to open a pizzeria and his experience of trying a slice for the first time. He said it was the best pizza he’s had in his entire life and remembered asking, “Why hasn’t the world experienced this pizza?”
Wingstop opens in Huber Heights
Wingstop is continuing to expand throughout the Dayton region with a new restaurant location now open in Huber Heights and several others on the way.
The Huber Heights Wingstop is located at 6243 Old Troy Pike in the College Square Plaza next to Jet’s Pizza.
The restaurant offers classic and boneless wings, tenders and chicken sandwiches that are cooked to order. Customers can choose a variety of flavors from Mango Habanero, Cajun or Original Hot to Hot Honey Rub, Hickory Smoked BBQ or Lemon Pepper. The menu also features fresh-cut, seasoned fries.
Wingstop opened another location in the Dayton region at 2811 Wilmington Pike in Kettering.
Matria Patisserie opens at 2nd Street Market
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
2nd Street Market’s newest vendor Mariano Rios of Matria Patisserie is bringing unique interpretations of croissants and other pastries to downtown Dayton.
Customers at 2nd Street Market can expect three to four different types of croissants each week. He’s made black forest, crème brûlée and brownie croissants, as well as more traditional flavors such as butter and almond.
He’s also put an Argentinean twist on the croissants by using quince paste or zapallo en almibar (caramelized squash).
Rios, who was born and raised in the Argentinean region of la pampa, earned a culinary degree in Argentina in 1997. Since then, he has cooked professionally in places like Buenos Aires, Patagonia, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Taylor’s Coffee & Creamery opens in Waynesville
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Taylor’s Coffee & Creamery, a one-stop shop for coffee, donuts, baked goods and ice cream, is open at 195 S. Main St. in downtown Waynesville.
Jona Powell, owner of Buckeye Charm, was the driving force behind the new coffee shop. She knew the owners of Hubbard’s Cupboard were moving away and wanted to fill a hole in the community.
“We weren’t going to have a coffee shop in our retail district in downtown Waynesville and that is extremely imperative for our retail district that we have one,” Powell said.
She teamed up with her two friends, Julie Abel, owner of JBA Bakes, and Angie Wagner, who was once a Waynesville resident of 15 years.
“Jona is such an intricate part of where Waynesville is going,” Wagner said. “She’s enhanced and added to the life and culture here and I think we can be a great compliment to that.”
Linh’s Bistro opens second location in Sugarcreek Twp.
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
Linh’s Bistro opened a second restaurant location at 6008 Wilmington Pike in Sugarcreek Twp., across from Miami Valley Hospital.
Vu Hoang, who owns Linh’s Bistro with his brother, Thuy, said the new restaurant location will offer Vietnamese cuisine including pho, banh mi sandwiches, rice dishes, vermicelli noodle salad bowls, stir fried noodles and specialty drinks like sugar cane juice.
This will be their first time offering banh mi sandwiches with proteins including char siu (BBQ pork), thit Nguoi (Vietnamese cold cut), shredded chicken and beef meatballs.
This location will not offer full-service. Instead, customers will order at two kiosks where they can easily customize dishes to their liking. They will then receive a pager and when the food is ready it will buzz. If customers prefer not to use the kiosk, there will be someone at the front counter to take orders.
New Dunkin’ location opens near Austin Landing
A new Dunkin’ location has opened in the Miami Valley.
The coffee shop is located at 9960 Summit Point Drive in Miami Twp., just outside of the Austin Park Apartments near Austin Landing.
This location will feature “a side-by-side drive-thru to make running on Dunkin’ faster and more convenient than ever before.”
On the inside, customers can expect their favorite signature cold beverages such as cold brew coffee served through a tap system and a front-facing bakery case with donuts and other baked goods. Next Gen restaurants also feature an area dedicated to mobile order pick-ups. Guests who order ahead via the Dunkin’ App can track the status of their order on a new digital order status board.
miDDay opens in Dayton
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
miDDay, a new cafe featuring coffee and elevated American cuisine, is open at 800 S. Patterson Blvd. next to Old Scratch Pizza in the former space of Ghostlight Coffee.
Owners Greg Innocent, Chris Cheng and Taylor Moberly want to be known for great coffee and equally great hospitality.
“It’s coffee reimagined,” Innocent said. “We really want people to experience coffee in a way that it’s connected to the people they encounter when they are here.”
Moberly, a Piqua native with about 10 years of experience in the coffee industry, will head the cafe’s coffee program. She said customers can expect a core menu of drinks typically found in every coffee shop as well as seasonal beverages and a trendy menu highlighting popular drinks on TikTok.
In addition to coffee, customers can expect elevated American cuisine with an egg sandwich expected to be the star of the show during breakfast. The menu also includes waygu burgers, salads, wings and more.
Table 33 opens in Dayton Arcade
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Table 33 opened its doors to the public at its new spot in the Dayton Arcade in November.
“To ensure a smooth and efficient opening, we’ll be starting with a smaller, streamlined menu, carefully crafted to highlight some of our best offerings. This approach allows us to focus on delivering exceptional quality and service as we welcome you back,” the restaurant said in a social media post.
The restaurant is located at 45 W. Fourth St. in the Arcade’s Commercial and Fourth Street buildings. This was the former home of Est! Est!! Est!!!, an Italian restaurant that closed in July.
Table 33 is launching dinner service on Dec. 31 and will begin regular dinner service on Jan. 2.
Glazed Donut Eatery opens second location near Wright State
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Glazed Donut Eatery has opened its second location near Wright State University.
The doughnut shop is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 3800 Colonel Glenn Highway Suite 200 in Fairborn. This is the former location of Gigi’s Cupcakes that most recently housed Mamaw’s Bakery and Gifts.
The Fairborn location will have the same doughnuts as its flagship location in Xenia, but it will not carry specialty coffees due to its proximity to Starbucks. The doughnut shop will have drip coffee.
Business will continue as usual at its Xenia location, 607 N. Detroit St.
Mulberry & Main opens in former Brookville firehouse
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Brookville natives Brandie and Jeff Wright lived in New York City and Philadelphia before moving back to their hometown with their two daughters.
“While living in the bigger cities, we always enjoyed walking around and discovering new coffee shops,” Brandie said. “After having our first born and becoming a stay-at-home mother, I found myself often searching for unique coffee shops to visit with my daughter.”
The thought of opening their own coffee shop became their next big endeavor when they returned to Brookville, but soon it turned into an 8,000-square-foot building that they’ve spent the last three and a half years renovating.
The couple opened Mulberry & Main, a bistro with a coffee bar and 15 beer taps, at 130 Main St. in Brookville’s original firehouse in early October.
Toasted Brunch Bar + Cafe opens in Beavercreek
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Toasted Brunch Bar + Cafe, a new restaurant concept specializing in traditional American and internationally fused breakfast, lunch and dinner, is open just outside of the Mall at Fairfield Commons in the former space of Melt Bar & Grilled.
“Through our U.S. and international travels, we have had the opportunity to experience unique flavors that have not been explored in this area,” said Enrique Alvarez, El Toro’s district manager. “We are excited to welcome guests and share our passion for food with everyone.”
Toasted Brunch Bar + Cafe is an extension of the El Toro brand.
The cafe offers a mix of traditional breakfast items such as eggs, bacon, pancakes and French toast, as well as modern twists of avocado toasts, chicken and waffles, pancake tacos and various brunch sandwiches.
Coffee Bar by Val’s Bakery opens in Kettering
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Val’s Bakery owner Paige Woodie opened a new drive-thru only coffee stand in Kettering at 5707 Bigger Road. This is the former location of Sassy Acai Bowls in the middle of the Oak Creek Plaza, across the street from Thai Street Noodles.
Coffee Bar by Val’s Bakery will feature Val’s traditional coffee menu with a twist.
“We have rotating seasonal drinks at the bakery and once we rotate out of a drink, there’s some drinks throughout the year that we get asked for over and over again,” Woodie said.
Val’s seasonal drinks will be available year round at the coffee stand. Customers can expect drinks like the cookie butter latte, cinnamon toast crunch latte, tiramisu cold brew, strawberry matcha latte and mango matcha latte.
The Silos: Bar opens before 4 food vendors
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Silos, a new food hall and beer garden near 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton, has invited the public into its space for a soft opening of the bar as final inspections are being completed for its four food vendors.
The bar, featuring nearly 16 taps of Ohio-made beverages, is open 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The four food vendors are expected to open in January 2025.
The Silos invited friends and family into the space in early December.
“It went wonderfully,” said Wes Hartshorn, who owns The Silos with Shannon Thomas. “We spent a year physically working here and physically building the place and going through all of the things in which that demands. The moment customers started coming in to purchase drinks that’s when it turned the page.”
Chicken Salad Chick opens in Centerville
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
The Dayton region’s first Chicken Salad Chick celebrated its grand opening Dec. 18 in Centerville.
“We’ve seen strong community support and enthusiastic adoption of our brand in Ohio, and we’re excited to continue our expansion in the state,” said marketing manager Hannah Verdun. “We believe Dayton’s vibrant community will enjoy our wide variety of delicious chicken salad options, and we look forward to becoming a part of this growing area.”
The restaurant occupies 2,800-square-feet of the mixed-used development’s newest building at 5264 Cornerstone North Blvd. The 10,000-square-foot space described as the “Shoppes at Cornerstone IV” is the final retail building being developed on the property.
Yellow Springs Smokehouse opens
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
After closing Calypso Grill and Smokehouse in October, Yellow Springs restauranteur Brian Rainey has teamed up with his longtime friend, Dayton chef Gavin St. Denis, to open a new barbecue concept.
Yellow Springs Smokehouse was planning to do a soft opening over the winter, but it has evolved faster than expected. The restaurant’s dining room is open noon to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Customers can also order carryout or delivery via DoorDash.
“Part of what we set out to do here was to create something that’s sort of community focused in the sense that it’s affordable,” St. Denis said. “We’re trying to create a budget friendly, simple place for lunch and dinner.”
Charcuterie business opens coffee bar inside Maraluna in Oakwood
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
A Pretty Picnic, a small business specializing in charcuterie and grazing boards, has opened a coffee bar inside of Maraluna in Oakwood.
Owners Austin Kohlberg and Chase Kreitzer started using the commercial kitchen space in the back of the store in 2023.
“We were really lucky that Maraluna moved into here because they were wanting to get someone in this coffee bar space,” Kohlberg said.
The space was previously occupied by Katie Mathews, the owner of Ordinarie Fare, who is opening a new concept in The Silos in downtown Dayton.
About the Author
