OPEN:
🔪Story’s Pizza & Smoothies
Story’s Pizza & Smoothies is reinventing itself with a move to new, larger location in a different city.
The business launched in December 2020 at a pop-up location inside Miami Valley Center Mall in Piqua. On Jan. 21, it opened a 1,500-square-foot location at 2741 West Alex Bell Road in Moraine. The new eatery serves New York-style pizza, real fruit smoothies and more.
The family-owned restaurant is the work of Ona Smith, her father, Steve, and her brother, Cory.
“In Piqua, we were really bigger than the opportunity that we were given there,” Ona Smith said. “The traffic started to slow up really bad, but I know our products that we put out are wonderful, so we wanted a better opportunity.”
Story’s features a Build Your Own Pizza option with a choice of 25 different toppings as well as specialty pizzas, a gluten-free crustless pizza bowl, pizza by the slice, and strombolis, a type of turnover stuffed with various toppings, pizza sauce and Italian cheeses.
🔪Nothing Bundt Cakes
Nothing Bundt Cakes in Beavercreek at 2418 Esquire Dr. Suite 4 opened in November 2021 under a soft opening status, but officially opened Jan. 21. This is the second Nothing Bundt Cakes bakery owned and operated by local husband-and-wife team, Jeff and Renee Hall.
In September 2018, the Halls opened their first Nothing Bundt Cakes shop in Miamisburg at 9632 Springboro Pike (Ohio 741) in the Shoppes at the Exchange retail center north of Austin Landing.
“It’s been a successful first three years with over 12,000 customers who subscribe to the bakery’s ‘eClub,’” said Renee Hall. “Not only do I have the pleasure of serving these delicious cakes to our community, we have been able to hire great people and invest in their futures. We also have the opportunity to give back to non-profit organizations which brings us such joy. The lives we get to touch has changed my life as well!”
COMING SOON
🔪Warped Wing Mason
The reigning king of Dayton craft beer is ready to open its highly anticipated Mason location.
The grand opening of the Warped Wing Brewpub & Smokery, located at 5650 Tylersville Road in Mason, will take place Feb. 4 during its regular hours of operation on Fridays from 11 a.m. to midnight.
“It was definitely a unique and rewarding experience melding what was once an old-world Irish pub and a fine dining restaurant into a brewery and taproom, but our contractors and design team knocked it out of the park,” said Nick Bowman, vice president of sales and marketing at Warped Wing. “I’m proud of what we’ve put together and excited to share it with the Mason community.”
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
🔪La Embajada Argentinean Cuisine
The restaurateurs who operate a popular local underground eatery are taking their cuisine to the masses.
Buenos Aires natives Jorge and Monica Fabregat plan to open La Embajada Argentinean Cuisine at 9486 Springboro Pike in Miami Twp. this March.
The husband-and-wife duo launched La Embajada Underground in 2014 but opening a brick-and-mortar location was always their original intention, Jorge Fabregat said.
“Right now, the Underground is kind of a selected group,” Fabregat said. “It’s (become known via) word of mouth and it’s a different ambiance with a single seating. This (new location) will allow us to do the same type of food but access a wider audience.”
🔪Bubbakoo’s Burritos
Work is continuing to renovate a restaurant space in downtown Springboro for a new Bubbakoo’s Burritos location at 47 N. Main St. next door to Cassano’s Pizza.
“Springboro is growing a lot and it was the nearest place to my home,” said owner Jatin Patel, who resides in Mason.
He said the new 24-seat restaurant is expected to open in late March and will feature tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, taco salads and quesadillas.
🔪Chicken Head’s
Chicken Head’s fans won’t need to wait as long as originally thought to get that signature Dayton chicken flavor.
Chicken Head’s, which closed its doors on W. Siebenthaler Ave. in Feb. 2021, will open a ghost kitchen inside the former Arepas & Co Colombian Comfort Food at 1122 E. Dorothy Lane in Kettering.
Ghost kitchens allow restaurants to utilize an existing kitchen space — sometimes shared with another business — to operate on a carryout and delivery-only basis without the expenses that come with an official brick and mortar operation.
Anthony Head, owner of Chicken Head’s, feels the space is an intermittent step for the restaurant ahead of its grand reopening at its new location at 865 North Main St. in Dayton. He wants to get the ghost kitchen up and running as soon as possible and expects it to be ready by the end of February or mid-March.
🔪 S.O.B: Son of a Butcher
From the creators of the wildly successful Agave & Rye restaurants comes a new steakhouse that’s set to open sometime in February, though an opening date has not yet been announced.
“From the founders of award-winning Agave & Rye, named one of the ‘Top 5 Hottest Brands 2021′ from National food industry media NRN, as well as ‘Top 20 NEXT-GEN Brands 2021′ from National food industry media FSR, they are excited to present to you, S.O.B: Son of a Butcher,” according to a release from Agave & Rye.
S.O.B: Son of a Butcher will be the first brick and mortar location inside the new event center, Shindig Park, located at 7630 Gibson St., S-110 in Liberty Township at Liberty Center. Shindig Park is a brand new event space developed by the founder of Agave & Rye.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
🔪Manna
Margot Blondet, owner and executive chef at Salar Restaurant and Lounge at 400 E. 5th St. in Dayton, has announced a new restaurant called Manna, expected to open this spring at 61 W. Franklin St. in Centerville.
Meaning “food from God to feed the soul,” Manna will offer Peruvian cuisine with a French influence, according to Manna’s general manager, Michael Sexton. Though the concept is entirely separate from Salar, Manna will include some of Salar’s fan favorite dishes on its menu.
An opening date has not been set, though Sexton said they’re aiming for a grand opening in either April or May.
“Contemporary Victorian” is how Sexton described Manna’s motif. Blondet has been collecting artwork from around the U.S. to fit her vision for the new restaurant.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
