There are also a number of eateries that sound very interesting on the horizon.
A tap-house is coming to Greenville that will have an Annie Oakley theme and a new downtown Dayton bakery will specialize in gourmet cupcakes and desserts.
Here’s a look at some of the restaurant highlights for February.
New
Tricia’s Delicious Café
Credit: Mark Fisher
Credit: Mark Fisher
Patricia Rucker has opened a café inside the Dayton Metro Northwest Branch Library at 2410 Philadelphia Drive near Salem Avenue.
The cafe is located just inside the main entrance to the library, and it serves sandwiches, breakfast items, smoothies and coffee Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plans call for adding Saturday hours later.
The menu includes a Reuben Panini, BLT, Grilled Chicken Panini, Bagel Sandwiches, Muffins, Cinnamon Rolls and Salad Deluxe.
>>READ MORE: ‘Tricia’s Delicious Cafe’ now open in Dayton
Fratelli’s Famiglia Ristorante
Fratelli’s Famiglia Ristorante, which is Italian for Brother’s Family Restaurant, has opened in downtown Springfield. It is owned by Peter and Dominic Catanzaro.
The new restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Springfield at 42 N. Fountain Ave. Fratelli’s will join other businesses along the avenue including Le Torte Dolci, Salato Deli, Champion City Guide + Supply, Winans Chocolates & Coffees, Stella Bleu Bistro and Sip & Dipity Paint Bar on Fountain Avenue.
Junior’s Pizza, Wings & Subs
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
A Wilmington Pike beer-themed pub is transitioning into a family-oriented restaurant, with a new name to match its new concept: Junior's Pizza, Wings & Subs.
Gary Leasure Jr., owner of The Growler Pub & Grub at 3808 Wilmington Pike, said the business has morphed into the new restaurant.
Leasure said Growlers’ pizza and wings are the most popular items on the menu. Those popular items will continue to be offered on the new menu, which will expand to include a greater selection of salads, some new white-sauce pizza options, and some new sub sandwiches.
Coming Soon
The Wild Banana food truck
The Wild Banana food truck plans to be rolling in April.
It will feature an assortment of smoothie bowls in bright and contrasting colors. A variety of toppings, like organic granola, banana slices (of course), pineapple, strawberries, honey, peanut butter, hazelnut sauce and chia seeds, will be available accessories to your colorful smoothie.
Kia Cake & Company
Credit: Mark Fisher
Credit: Mark Fisher
A locally owned bakery that specializes in gourmet cupcakes and desserts is gearing up to open in the shadow of the Victoria Theatre, and its owner can’t wait to transform her home business to a bricks-and-mortar presence in downtown Dayton.
Kia Johnson of Dayton confirmed to this news outlet that she has leased space at 15 E. First St. on the ground floor of the Biltmore Towers and is shooting for a late spring or early summer opening of her new business. Kia Cake & Company will be a dessert cafe, with a focus on cupcakes and other sweet treats.
Dayton Street Eats
Credit: Dayton Urban BBQ
Credit: Dayton Urban BBQ
Scott Green founded the popular local food truck Dayton Urban BBQ eight years ago, and now he and partner Jerika Witt are gearing up to open a new bricks-and-mortar restaurant in south Kettering.
Renovations are underway at the new carryout restaurant at 5993 Bigger Road, and "Dayton Street Eats" could open as early as next month, Green told this news outlet. The space previously housed Shantz Express, also a food truck that launched a bricks-and-mortar presence, but shut down in October 2019 after about nine months.
The carryout restaurant’s menu will include a variety of traditional and inventive street food items inspired by different cultural influences, along with carnival-style favorite, including a signature funnel cake.
Sure Shot Tap House
Credit: File Photo by Jim Witmer
Credit: File Photo by Jim Witmer
The owners of the Sure Shot Tap House have announced a significant change of plans for their Annie Oakley-themed western tap house coming to Greenville: a change of venue.
The Bistro Off Broadway, which has served diners since 2007 at 117 E. Fifth St. in downtown Greenville, will shut down as of March 31, and the Sure Shot Tap House, which had been planned for 622 S. Broadway St., will instead move into the bistro space, and could open as soon as this summer.
The tap house will feature up to 50 draft beers, bourbons, ciders, seltzers and wines as well as a beer-inspired full menu.
Joella’s Hot Chicken
Joella’s Hot Chicken plans to open next month at 5016 Deerfield Blvd. in Deerfield Twp. inside the Deerfield Towne Center.
The fast-casual restaurant serves hot chicken and made-from-scratch Southern side dishes. Its Southern-inspired menu includes all-natural chicken that is brined to lock in juiciness and flavor. Favorite menu items include Jumbo Tenders, Big Wings, and Joella’s famous Chicken and Waffles.
Tuscany’s Grill & Market
Credit: Mark Fisher
Credit: Mark Fisher
A restaurateur who owned or operated Italian restaurants in the Dayton area for more than 15 years has purchased the Cork-N-Bottle Minit Market and American Grill in Centerville and will transform it into “Tuscany’s Grill & Market.”
Mefail “Meef” Demnika — founder of the former Kettering restaurants La Pergola, Toscani’s (later Arthur’s), and Palermo’s Restaurant — confirmed that he has purchased the Cork-N-Bottle Minit Market business and leased the space at 881 E. Franklin St. just east of Centerville High School.
Plans call for expanding the sandwich shop’s menu to feature pizza, meatball subs and other Italian specialties, Demnika said. He also applied to the Ohio Division of Liquor control for a full liquor license for the space.
Tavolo Modern Italian
The founder of Tavolo Modern Italian says construction is ahead of schedule for the downtown Sidney restaurant that he's confident will be worth the drive for foodies throughout the Miami Valley.
“Tavolo Modern Italian will soon be a destination for people all over the Dayton area, and I believe the main factor will be the experience,” the restaurant’s founder, Rocco Catanzarite, told this news outlet. They hope for a mid-April opening.
Tavolo’s menu will feature signature items such as Wagyu beef meatballs, beef short-rib ravioli, many classic Italian dishes made from house-made fresh pasta.
Bibibop
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Bibibop Asian Grill plans to open its second Dayton location at The Cornerstone of Centerville Development tentatively in late March.
The restaurant will be located at 5225 Cornerstone North Blvd., in the Cornerstone of Centerville space that previously housed MOD Pizza.
Bibibop offers a fast-casual, build-your-own service concept similar to Chipotle.
>>READ MORE: Bibibop plans to open second Dayton location this spring
Fun Mon Lau Bistro
Credit: Mark Fisher
Credit: Mark Fisher
A new Asian restaurant is in the works in the South Towne Centre in Miami Twp.
Fu Mon Lau restaurant is gearing up to open at 2008 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, in space that previously housed a Qdoba restaurant.
“The focus of the restaurant is on authentic Cantonese cuisine, but we will also have popular Chinese dishes that folks are familiar with,” a spokeswoman said. “Our menu is still being finalized.”
redBerry
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
A breakfast, lunch and brunch restaurant is gearing up to open this spring in the former Sherwood Shopping Centre in north Troy, and its co-founder has some impressive restaurant lineage.
The founders on Tuesday announced the name of the restaurant: redBERRY, a tribute to its home city and the Troy Strawberry Festival. The new restaurant will serve a "classic breakfast and lunch menu" from its location on the south corner of the retail center located in the 900 block of North Market Street in Troy.
The menu will include items such as egg skillets, biscuits and gravy, and French toast, as well as soups, fresh salads and sandwiches.
>>READ MORE: New restaurant coming to Troy this spring
Donatos Pizza
Credit: Photo by Judy Damewood
Credit: Photo by Judy Damewood
The franchise owner of a Harrison Twp. restaurant heavily damage by the Memorial Day tornadoes is putting the finishing touches on a completely rebuilt eatery that is on course to open this spring.
The Donato’s Pizza store at 5120 N. Main St. had to be demolished because of the damage sustained last year, when parts of the structure collapsed.
The new restaurant design will give diners more room in the 16-seat dining room, and will offer one other important amenity: a call-ahead pickup window.
Closed
Credit: Mark Fisher
Credit: Mark Fisher
LaRosa's Pizzeria has closed its third Dayton-area restaurant in the last four years, reducing its presence in the Dayton-area market from five locations in 2016 to two.
The Kettering LaRosa’s, which has been open since 2007, closed its doors for good on Sunday, Feb. 16, LaRosa’s officials said in a release. That leaves two Dayton-area LaRosa’s remaining, in the Cross Pointe Centre in Centerville and at 7712 Hoke Road in Englewood.
