1. Jay’s Seafood, 225 East Sixth Street, Dayton
Located in the historic Oregon District, Jay’s has antique mahogany and red velvet décor to go along with a classic seafood menu. It is located in the former Dayton Corn and Grist Mill building, which was constructed in the 1850s, and the bar comes from the original Pony House Restaurant, which opened in 1882 and drew many well-known visitors.
Pony House owner James Jacob Ritty commissioned wood carvers from Barney and Smith Car Works to turn around 5,400 pounds of Honduras Mahogany into a bar, and fortunately, it was preserved when the establishment closed.
2. The Dock, 250 West Main Street, Enon
This destination restaurant makes you feel like you are in the Florida Keys with its patio and koi ponds. The dining theme of tropical paradise flows throughout the restaurant with an indoor waterfall, palm trees and saltwater aquarium, and it’s a spot for seafood lovers looking for a more casual atmosphere.
3. The Dewberry 1850 at the Dayton Marriott, 414 South Patterson Blvd., Dayton
This laid-back gastropub, owned by the University of Dayton, offers all farm-to-table cuisine and a large bourbon selection, including one of their own barrels. The story of this restaurant has everything to do with how UD was founded.
When a priest from Cincinnati was sent to minister to the sick at Emmanuel parish in Dayton during the middle of the cholera epidemic, he ended up buying Dewberry Farm – 125 acres of vineyards, orchards, a mansion and farm buildings – from a man whose daughter had died for cholera the year before, and he turned it into a school for boys. St. Mary’s, as it was called then, assumed its present identity in 1920, and The Dewberry maintains the university’s farm roots.
4. Nick’s, 1443 N Detroit St, Xenia
This long-time roadside sports bar is a quaint, cool place. There is a patio, and the establishment has kept up the tradition of cooking homemade meals in a cozy, fun-filled atmosphere the same way Nick Malavazos did when he opened it in 1949. Nick’s was voted People’s Choice Best Wings at the Kickin’ Chicken Wing Festival five years in a row.
5. Thai 9, 11 Brown Street, Dayton
Located in the Oregon District, Thai 9 is unique with its authentic, upscale Thai cuisine and some of the best sushi around.
6. Meadowlark, 5531 Far Hills Ave, Dayton
Meadowlark is a chef-owned and operated restaurant and a true Dayton original. This New American spot provides a neighborhood vibe in a brick-exposed setting, and the ever-changing menu features high-quality ingredients.
This is contemporary everyday cooking, all made from scratch (right down to the caper mayo and ketchup) and served with local pride.
Credit: Contributed photo by Alexis Larsen
Credit: Contributed photo by Alexis Larsen
7. El Meson, 903 East Dixie Drive, Dayton
Owned by the Castro family (siblings Bill and Marie operate it now, but their parents, Gloria and Herman, still work there), this Dayton gem offers a wide array of authentic Latin cuisine you cannot find elsewhere.
The restaurant has an indoor patio that even in winter makes you feel like you are somewhere warm, and every year the Castros take a trip to Central or South America, the Caribbean or Spain and bring back new recipes to try.
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