Best of 2021: Top 10 Dayton area food and dining stories

Erica Blaire Roby is competing in season 2 of Food Network’s BBQ BRAWL that premiered on June 14. A new episode airs every Monday at 9 p.m. on Food Network and the season finale is planned for Aug. 9.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Erica Blaire Roby is competing in season 2 of Food Network’s BBQ BRAWL that premiered on June 14. A new episode airs every Monday at 9 p.m. on Food Network and the season finale is planned for Aug. 9.

All of 2021, restaurants, restauranteurs and grocers across the Miami Valley fought to navigate the ongoing COVID pandemic.

There were many stories of triumphs and new restaurant openings, some heart breaking stories of closures and lots of hopeful news along the way.

Here are the top 10 food and dining stories Dayton.com readers couldn’t get enough of this year:

1.🍴Mi Lindo Jalisco opening in former Washington Twp. burger joint

On the menu: "Molcajete Jalisco" from the soon-to-open Mi Lindo Jalisco Mexican restaurant in Washington Twp.

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In January, a new, locally-owned Mexican restaurant named, Mi Lindo Jalisco, opened with an extensive food and drink menu.

The space at 520 Miamisburg-Centerville Road (State Route 725) in the same retail center that houses Hauer Music was formerly occupied by EO Burgers. The burger restaurant shut down in October 2020, about three months after it opened following a relocation from The Greene Town Center.

Mi Lindo Jalisco is co-owned by three friends and business partners: Castro, Jose J. Lozano and Jose Luis Wicho. The three have talked about opening their own restaurant for years.

Read the full story here.

2.🍴‘Unfortunately, it is time to close the doors’ said owners of longstanding Centerville restaurant

A Montgomery County photo of the former Las Piramides Mexican restaurant in Centerville, at 101 W. Franklin St.,

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Many readers were saddened by the July news of Las Piramides Mexican restaurant in Centerville closing.

The restaurant, at 101 W. Franklin St., closed for the last time on July 6, according to Fabian Leon, son of one of the Las Piramides founders. The Centerville location opened in August 1993. The restaurant’s Huber Heights location, at 6290 Chambersburg Road, will remain open.

Read the full story here.

3.🍴Young’ Dairy’s Golden Jersey Inn shuts down, becomes special-events space

ajc.com

Credit: File Photo

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Credit: File Photo

Dan Young, owner of the Golden Jersey Inn, announced in February that the full-service restaurant that is part of the iconic Young’s Jersey Dairy, will not reopen but will instead be transformed into event space to be called Young’s Events Center.

The restaurant had been shut down since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It had operated for more than 20 years on the Young’s Jersey Dairy site.

Get all the details in the full story here.

4.🍴A CENTURY OF SLIDERS: White Castle turns 100

White Castle team members in uniform.

Credit: White Castle

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Credit: White Castle

Columbus-based White Castle officially turned 100 years old in March. Though many have assumed that one of the larger fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s, may have been the first fast-food restaurant, that distinction, according to several credible accounts, actually belongs to White Castle. Since 1921, the chain, which now operates more than 360 locations around the country, has been serving up its famous sliders.

White Castle was founded by Walt Anderson and Billy Ingram in Wichita, Kansas in 1921. Prior to founding White Castle, Anderson operated hamburger stands in and around Wichita. Anderson met Ingram, an insurance salesperson who saw potential —and profitability — in Anderson’s famous hamburgers.

Read the full anniversary story here.

5.🍴Great-granddaughter of Woody’s Market owner opens Dreamy Café

Tasha Walton the owner of Dreamy Cafe. Works on cleaning the vault door inside the restaurant. It was originally a bank, so there’s a walk-in vault that couples can request to eat in for a romantic dinner. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

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Dreamy Cafe opened in Feb. at 23 E. Central Ave. in downtown Miamisburg, a space that started out in 1928 as The Mutual Building & Loan Company and most recently was home to Blue Note Bistro & Lounge.

In August, however, Dreamy Cafe announced it would be closing in a Facebook post.

“One year ago today we got the keys to Dreamy and we started on our adventure to opening a fun establishment in Miamisburg. Not having any experience in the restaurant business we gave it our best. Our best was not good enough. Overhead compared to what we are bringing in, is not enough,” the café posted on Aug. 30.

Read the full story here.

6.🍴Dayton woman wins Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl”

Dayton's Erica Roby has won the title of 'Master of 'Cue on season 2 of Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

Credit: Staff

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Credit: Staff

“Dayton, Ohio is on the map!” declared Erica Roby as she raised a toast to her fellow “BBQ Brawl” competitors immediately after she was named Master of ‘Cue.

The season 2 finale of Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl” aired Monday, Aug. 9 with an all-day, “super-sized” barbecue competition. Three contestants remained, and in the end, the judges decided Roby’s food was supreme.

Read the full story of Roby’s big win here.

7.🍴Dorothy Lane Market announces plans for new grocery store

Dorothy Lane Market, 1940's

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In July, DLM announced plans to expand to Mason as a part of a new $150 million mixed-use planned community. The site is located at the corner of Mason-Montgomery and Western Row Roads—formerly the Western Row Golf Course.

Pending final planning commission, governmental and final city council approvals, the project is anticipated to break ground in 2022, according to a DLM release.

Read the full story here.

8.🍴The DLM ‘KILLER BROWNIES’ LAWSUIT ends after less than 24 hours

The Whiskey Pecan Fudge Brownie is the newest addition to Dorothy Lane Market’s Killer Brownie line-up. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Credit: Gina Weathersby

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Credit: Gina Weathersby

It was a big year in the news for Dorothy Lane Market.

A trademark-infringement lawsuit filed in March by the owners of Dorothy Lane Market on behalf of its local company that makes “Killer Brownies” persuaded the national food-recipe website Food.com’s owner to back down 24 hours later.

Killer Brownie Ltd. filed the suit against Discovery Communications LLC, based in Silver Springs, Maryland, in U.S. District Court on a Tuesday, and by the end of day Wednesday, Discovery Communications had agreed to Killer Brownie’s request to remove “Killer” references in brownie recipes on the Food.com website.

Read the full story here.

9.🍴Family-owned restaurant enters its 7th decade of serving great pizza in Vandalia

Steve and Sarah Dent, owners of Christy's Family Pizzeria in Vandalia.

Credit: Ashley Moor

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Credit: Ashley Moor

If you’re a resident of Vandalia, it’s likely that you’ve either heard of or frequented Christy’s Family Pizzeria. For those who live elsewhere in the Miami Valley, however, Christy’s may be more of a hidden gem.

In January, Dayton.com looked back on more than six decades of Christy’s Pizza and its history.

Read the full story here.

10.🍴Agnes makes home in iconic downtown Wympee building

Agnes All Natural Grill's soft opening will take place Tuesday, Sept. 7. The restaurant is also in the process of obtaining its liquor license (though not in time for the soft opening) in addition to building an outdoor dining area at the rear of the building that will seat 20.

Credit: Staff

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Credit: Staff

In Sept., a decade-old foodie stop, most recently located inside the Dayton Mall, brought its popular brown sugar lemonade to downtown Dayton.

Agnes All Natural Grill closed its Dayton Mall food court location, which opened in 2018. In July, owner Jose Estremera said he signed a five-year lease on the Wympee building, located at 416 E 3rd St. in downtown Dayton across from The Barrel House.

Read the full story here.

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