It’s a business that has been around since 1869 and one that hundreds of thousands of us flock to in a calendar year to relish in simple pleasures and simple food.
If you haven’t been in a while it looks very different than the Young’s you probably remember.
A massive new 22,000-square-foot facility with more than twice the space and ample indoor and outdoor seating has replaced the original structure that stood the test of time serving the community at large since 1968.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
On August 23, 2021 Young’s Jersey Dairy posted about the change with plenty of insights about what was about to take place.
“Often we are asked, ‘What’s Next?’ We’ve been serving guests on our farm since the late 1950s, and we’ve made many changes. The answer to ‘what’s next’ this week is the biggest change we’ve ever done. Many of you have visited Young’s over the past year, and have watched the new Dairy Store being built – located a couple hundred feet behind the current Dairy Store ... As our business grew it became obvious we needed to build a bigger building to give us the room to take better care of our guests. So, about three years ago, we began planning for a new Dairy Store.”
It’s open, impressive and has twice the restroom space. It’s no longer a crowded, challenging, tight space to navigate, but an open ample space that can accommodate hundreds of people quickly and efficiently without all of the traffic jams you were faced with in the old building. There is far more inside seating for up to 250 people and plentiful seating on the outdoor “Cow Patty-O” that is opened seasonally.
Credit: Staff
Credit: Staff
The ice cream and cheese production has been moved into the new building behind six large observation windows in order for customers to have a front seat view to how their favorite dairy products get made. A farmstead cheese shop selling Young’s branded memorabilia, homemade treats and decor has been added as well as a private party room for birthdays and small events that can be rented out.
It’s quite the evolution from 1869 when you set eyes on the massive historical timeline on the walls that greet you when you walk in.
Credit: Staff
Credit: Staff
Young’s may be known for its ice cream, but it has a very fine cheeseburger ($4.40 for a single and $6.95 for a double). They also offer deep-fried breaded cheese curds ($4.85) that can come in traditional, Buffalo, or, my personal favorite, sweet chili, that dances in your mouth with a little zing and a zap of heat as you bite into the delectable, chewy and squeaky deep friend cheese.
Credit: Alexis Larsen
Credit: Alexis Larsen
There’s also a pulled pork sandwich ($5.25) and a buttermilk chicken sandwich (ask for extra pickles, $7.50) in addition to other basic menu options.
Throughout the year they offer special seasonal menu items like a smoked sausage currently on the menu that can be ordered plain ($5.95), with sauerkraut ($6.95) or Cincinnati-style with chili, cheese and onions ($8.50). On weekends they offer a full breakfast menu from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
No one forgets about the ice cream which can be ordered by the scoop, in a sundae, as a milkshake or pre-packaged to take home.
In their new-fangled digs, customers have the added the option of ordering from the table with a QR code. Get your lunch or dinner and then order the freshest of fresh scooped ice cream without the wait in line. They’ll bring it to you. There are so many options, but for those who love chocolate and peanut butter consider sharing a double Buckeye sundae ($7.25) made with chocolate peanut butter and P-nut butter ice cream topped with hot fudge, peanut butter, whipped cream, Reese’s Pieces and a homemade buckeye. It’s a delightful sugar coma that you might regret, but certainly not while you are eating it. An old school banana split ($7.50) is lighter with classic summer flavors that aren’t so heavy.
At any time orders can be made online for pick-up or while at the restaurant at https://youngsdairy.com/online-ordering. The family has truly done a phenomenal job of thinking about convenience and the customer experience to leverage and build on decades of serving others.
It’s not the best food or the best ice cream I’ve ever had, but, collectively, Young’s is a fun, satisfying setting full of a wide range of delightful simple pleasures that don’t ever disappoint. And in today’s world that’s something very special indeed.
For those who can’t get enough of watching the cheese and ice cream production, you can book a tour for $5 a person, ages five and up, with one of Young’s dairy experts who will tell you the story of the cheese and ice cream production at Young’s. Each ticket includes one cheese item from the cooler (small cheese block, cheese sampler or curd sampler). If learning about what you eat is of interest, visit the website in advance for availability for the Farmstead Cheese and Ice Cream Making Tours.
In addition, from July 1-10, Young’s is promoting an Independence Day Family Value Week with a special wristband that is good for all day unlimited family fun on the farm. Play Udders & Putters miniature golf, swing in the batting cages and driving range, take a wagon ride on the farm, fly down Cowvin’s Fast Slide and hang out in Cowvin’s Kiddie Corral. Each wristband is good for all day fun on the date purchased. Wristbands are $16 for those 12 and older and $10 for ages 11 and under.
I don’t have to tell you to finish the day with some ice cream, even if it’s your second round. Treat yourself!
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.
DAYTON EATS
Turn to us every Sunday in Life & Arts for the latest menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes, and culinary adventures brought to you by contributing writer Alexis Larsen. Bon appetite!
HOW TO GO
What: Young’s Jersey Dairy
Where: 6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd., Yellow Springs
More info: https://youngsdairy.com or 937-325-0629
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