Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More
Butter Cafe on Brown Street has grown a loyal following over 13 years by serving up casual, quirky breakfast and lunch featuring fresh and organic ingredients.
They’ve just introduced their winter menu:
Including some new featured drinks, alcoholic and not. Be sure and check them out and tell them DaytonDining sent you!
Monday-Friday 8am- 2pm
Saturday & Sunday 8am – 3pm
*Free bowls for a year equals 24 free bowl vouchers.
*Given to winners through their Mad Rewards account.
Next 20 who order will win free bowls for a month!*
*Free bowls for a month equals 4 free bowl vouchers
*Given to winners through their Mad Rewards account.
*Free bowls for a month equals 4 free bowl vouchers
Friday 1/19 & Saturday 1/20 at the new Miamisburg location get $6 CHICKEN TERIYAKI BOWLS!
9474 N Springboro Pike
Miamisburg, OH 45342
Lorenzo Bas will open the doors to The Brunch Pub in uptown Centerville later this month, he’s just awaiting one more inspection before he announces the date. The building, which was built in the 1800’s served as the original Centerville High School has been under transformation for a couple of years. Bas, a 2016 graduate of Centerville High explained that because the building is listed on the historical register, it was a more difficult renovation than he expected, having to redo the electric and plumbing, it’s taken two years to get it done. After a tour last week I can tell you he’s done a terrific job on this building, that was most recently Las Piramides Mexican Restaurant.
Bas’s inspiration for the restaurant comes from the fact that he’s always hungry and he couldn’t find a brunch spot that offered what he wanted. So having grown up in the restaurant business, he got his first job at a local pizza parlor folding pizza boxes as a young teen, spent an enormous amount of time watching cooking videos and eventually got to work on the line at that pizza joint. His parents owned an eatery in Liberty Township, (they’ve since retired) it only natural for him to open his own place. He’s proud of the fact that all the breads, danishes, cookies, waffles and gelato’s will be made in house.
In chatting with Bas, his love of food and cooking comes through. He’ll be the Chef with a kitchen crew of 10 to execute his farm to table comfort food as he describes his menu. Bas has been inspired by his international travels, to recreate dishes he’s fallen in love with and is working with Liberty Farm Market to procure a lot of his herbs and vegetables. His plan is to offer a new menu twice a year. Here’s a peek at the opening dinner menu:
The bar which has a dozen stools along the bar and some high top tables will feature classic cocktails, craft beers and soda’s by the can, because he thinks the canned beverages have the best taste. The wine list will hightlight bottles from Argentina and Chile, Bas says “people think wines from France and Italy are the best, but I want to focus wines I’ve tasted in South America, which are more affordable and just at tasty.”
The fireplace room offers a place to enjoy a magazine and a drink, according to Bas. It’s corner banquette will be a great place for smaller groups and the other half of the room offers a semi-private area for larger groups.
101 W. Franklin St
Centerville, OH
Mon – Thurs 9am – 10pm
Fri & Sat 8am – 11pm
Sun 8am – 9pm
Brunch menu served up to 3pm
Ben Smith has spent most of life in the north Dayton area (Troy). He owns a small business and travels to car dealerships around a 16 county territory. He’s been doing this for 7 years and has always been drawn to the “honey holes” restaurants. So for his lunch he’ll stop and check them out these eateries. His father is a HUGE yelper with over a million views and 1000 reviews. He decided to piggy back off what he does is to do videos, so I started using tik tok.”
He calls his tik tok videos “straight bussin” which he says comes from my teenage children. They, and all the gen z kids, have new slang words that I’ve picked up and started using to make them cringe. (Bussin’ means really good, great)
We asked him about his favorite foods and he says, “I LOVE Clam chowder, Rueben’s, and Indian food. I‘ll try anything and I firmly believe that if it’s edible and prepared right, anything can be delicious!”
We asked him if he had to pick his final meal and here’s what he shared:
So now we’ve decided to share his video’s on local restaurants. Since he’s from Troy, it seems only right that we share this one on the eve of the opening of the 4th Old Scratch Pizza, which has remodeled the old fire house into a great eatery.
@straightbussinfood Old Scratch Pizza, Troy Ohio #food #review #foodie #eats #dayton #delicious #pizza #woodfiredpizza #woodfire #bestfood #unique #bussin #taste #dinner #lunch #eat #local #smallbusiness
19 E Race Street
Troy, OH 45373
Monday : Closed
Tuesday – Thursday : 11am – 9pm
Friday – Saturday : 11am – 10pm
Sunday : 11am – 9pm
I admit I was a girl scout. And for those of you who know me, it will come as no surprise that I was determined to sell more cookies than any of the other girls. I went up and down my street, knocking on doors for orders. I called all my relatives and perfected my telemarketing skills. I asked my dad to get his co-workers to buy from me. And he said NO! But he did offer to take me to work so I could ask for the order. I worked hard and sold hundreds of boxes and was sure I’d win the Cookie title.
Well as it turns out, I didn’t. Some little girl named Susie did. She lived down the street from me and I never saw her ask any of our neighbors to buy cookies. I asked her how she did it and she said it was easy-her mom and dad got all the orders for her. I was mad and didn’t think it was fair and complained to my dad about it. He told me life wasn’t fair, never would be, but that I’d really won, and I’d appreciate it some day when I realized that I had gotten much more out of it than Susie had. Not what a 9 year old girl wants to hear. So I’m sure I sulked around for a while, until something else captured my attention.
But now many years later, I get it. My dad was right- I had won! I’d learned how to set a goal, prospect customers, perfect my sales pitch, work on my organizational skills, plan the logistics of delivery, handle money, make change and enjoy quite a few cookies, too!
And that’s why I implore you to only buy cookies from Girl Scouts. I know there are many well intentioned parents that want to help their daughters, and help support the troops so they can put on all the programs they have scheduled; but please help them by letting them sell! And I still pledge to buy cookies from any girl scout who asks.
Gluten free? Try Caramel Chocolate Chips
Vegan? Try Thin Mints
Kosher? Halal? Try them all! Every flavor variety is kosher and Halal certified.
If you don’t know a Girl Scout already, mark your calendar for February 16, when customers who do not already know a Girl Scout can go to gswo.org/findcookies to purchase cookies to be shipped directly to their homes. This link also can be used to find a local booth or purchase cookies for donation to military and veterans’ organizations and local foodbanks.
Do you know what’s even sweeter than Girl Scout Cookies? Every box of cookies you buy from your neighborhood Girl Scout stays local. Proceeds from your purchase help fund incredible adventures like camping and bold ideas like a local recycling program. The Dayton region has over 5000 girl scout that will benefit from your support when you purchase cookies from a local Girl Scout today!
Hot chocolate plus your favorite booze feels like heaven on earth on a cold day. May we suggest some classic combinations to warm you up?
Baileys Irish Cream
Baileys Irish Cream is an aged whiskey mixed with cream (both the whiskey and cream are sourced in Ireland) and cocoa flavorings. A generous splash of this liqueur will give your hot chocolate an even greater milky richness as well as a silky smooth finish. Despite containing cream, the bottle has a shelf life of 2 years, so you can store it in the refrigerator or a cool dry place until you’re ready to make your next batch of hot chocolate.
Kahlúa
Containing small amounts of caffeine, Kahlúa will give you a slow release of energy when it’s mixed into your warm wintery drink. Consider this version of spiked hot chocolate the perfect swap for an after-dinner cup of full-caff coffee—this mix is like dessert + coffee, all in one cup. The liqueur is flavored with vanilla and arabica coffee, with its major alcohol content coming from rum.
Spiced Rum
You won’t need more than an ounce or two to feel the boozy punch with spiced rum. The signature golden color is a result of the rum aging in wooden barrels, and contributes to the spirit’s rich flavor. The rum’s spiced profile comes from a blend of allspice seeds, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. All of these tasty elements make a great complement to chocolate and will be an excellent addition to
Cointreau or Triple Sec
For a change, why not add an orange touch to your hot chocolate? This might sound weird, but it is definitely feasible, and take note– delicious. Orange liqueur like Cointreau or Triple Sec can spike your simple hot chocolate into a boozy yet orangy cocktail– without omitting the chocolate’s goodness.
Peppermint Schnapps
Peppermint Schnapps is a mint-infused liqueur that tastes like boozy candy canes. It is a staple drink during the winter or holiday seasons. But one thing you need to learn is that – this liqueur is great in choco-based cocktails.vSo why not try this spirit with your mug of hot chocolate?
Tequila
Never tried a Mexican-style hot chocolate? As soon as you’re used to its chili-spiced flavoring, you can try the Mexican hot cocoa skewered with tequila.
ce you savor this recipe’s goodness, you can’t help but want more
Peppermint Schnapps is a mint-infused liqueur that tastes like boozy candy canes. It is a staple drink during the winter or holiday seasons. But one thing you need to learn is that – this liqueur is great in choco-based cocktails.
Experiment with whatever liquors you have on hand. Top your hot chocolate off with a vanilla vodka infused whip cream for a little extra kick!
As the holiday season approaches, we wanted to inform you that some of our local food businesses will be taking a winter break. We assure you that this break is necessary for staff to recharge after the busy holiday season and to prepare for the upcoming year. We’ll keep updating the list as we hear about more temporary closings.
Baker Benji’s – will reopen 1/7 at 6am
Demnika’s Italiano – will be closed until January 10th
Heathers Cafe – closed Dec 30 – Jan 6
Latin Arepas Cafe will reopen on Jan 7th
Mamma DiSalvo’s closed 12/30 – 1/7
Partial to Pie Bakery – closed 12/24- 1/6
Roma – closed from New Year’s Day until Tuesday January 7th
Roost Modern Italian – closed through Jan 8th
Rumbleseat Wines – closed Dec 30 – Jan 12
Smales Pretzel Bakery – closed Dec 23- 31
Steak Thyme – closed Jan 1 – 8
The Donut Haus– closing at noon on 12/23 and reopening 1/9 at 6am
Tony & Pete’s – closed Jan 1 and reopens Jan 7th
The Neighborhood Nest – closed 12/25 – 1/7
Serial entrepreneur James Williams celebrates the first anniversary of his Flying Pig Tavern in Fairborn. Williams played with the Dayton Rugby Club, who eventually merged their team with an Air Force Team called the Flying Pigs, which is where the name for the bar came from. Featuring Soft Tip Dart machines
as well as Steel Tip Dart Boards, a free pool table and Friday night karaoke make for a great draw and folks come from all over, according to Williams. Growing up in Riverside, a lot of his Stebbins High School buddies have become regulars.
James and his wife Lacey with Santa.
Over the holidays Flying Pig hosted a Tips for Toys promotion and they ended up raising $25,000 and were able to purchase 70 Bicycles and numerous other toys, which were given away on Dec 23rd to over 1000 families in need.
“We just love helping people, helping families, and kids. It’s just an amazing feeling in your heart to be able to help people,” James Williams, the owner of Flying Pig said.
136 N 1st Street,
Fairborn, OH, 45324
Crumbl Cookies is offering Free Delivery Day today available exclusively for orders placed on the Crumbl App, while supplies last.. The offer is valid on delivery addresses within a 10-mile radius of a Crumbl location.
Crumbl was founded by two cousins, Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley. The pair decided to go into business together while Hemsley was still in college. Jason’s love of technology and Sawyer’s affinity for branding seemed to lend itself to starting a business, and the cousins ultimately decided, “Let’s just do something really cool and we’re going to do cookies.” It’s hard to ignore how delectable these cookies are, especially with social media constantly being flooded with posts about them and their growing popularity.
Dayton’s 4th Crumbl Cookies is opening its doors on Friday, Jan. 12 at 8am at 4457 Feedwire Road in between Donato’s Pizza and Sleep Outfitters in Centerville.
Here’s a look at this week’s collection:
What Da Pho, a fast casual Vietnamese Eatery opens its second location in Huber Heights today, Jan 1st . The first 50 guests when they open at 11am will receive a $50 gift card. All day long everyone can enjoy 30% off all orders for the entire day!
Wat da Pho is a family-owned Business that is proudly serve a few authentic Vietnamese dishes Pho is their specialty noodle soup, and they keep it most authentic dish with only a few tweaks from their own family recipe added to the mix. They also have a wide variety of non-authentic dishes as well, from Stir-fried Lo Mein to Rice Dishes, even an entire page of Vegetarian dishes to choose from.
Unlike the Beavercreek location, co-owner Steven Huynh explains, “This is the very first version of the express location that we have. “If this one is successful, soon we’re going to open the next one.”
This restaurant offers a self-order kiosk as well as counter service. It seats about 40 people and has an outdoor patio, as well.
7612 Old Troy Pike
Huber Heights, OH 45424
937-723-7357
Mon – Sat: 11am – 8:30pm
Sunday: 11am – 8pm
We cover a lot of bar and restaurant stories on our website, Dayton Dining Facebook page and Dayton Foodies Group and as look back on 2023, here are our most read stories of the year.
Our fifth most read story fo the year was Downtown Brewery Closed. On Oct 17th we announced the fate of Lock 27 Brewing & Taproom closing, six years after it opened the doors near the Dragons Baseball stadium. The good news, their suburban space in Centerville is staying open.
Our fourth most read story also came in Ocober when a Dayton Eatery Named to Yelp’s Top 100 in Midwest. The husband and wife couple, Casey and Patrick that own and operate Grist in Downtown Dayton got some national recognition for their specialty pasta market and restaurant that serves lunch and dinner, sells pasta, bread and other treats to go, as well as offering cooking classes.
Coming in as the 3rd most read story, On Oct 7th we revealed that the Doubleday’s Chain Introduces New Concept. According to Doubleday’s
management Home Plate will open late Jan/early February. With only 20 seats, the concept will concentrate on carry out of Doubleday’s favorite, soups, salads and sandwiches.
Our second most popular posting happened on On June 30th we announced the the management change at Treasure Island, with Dana & Katherine Downs taking over July 1st. Slight menu modifications were predicted to ensure the efficiency and success of the restaurant. Well, as we all know now, that didn’t last long and the restaurant has been handed back to owner Duane Issacs and closed temporarily. Rumor has it that former General Manager Nancy Zechar will be reopening Treasure Island mid January.
Dayton937.com’s Most Read Story of the Year: In Sept of 23 we announced the Ownership Change For Bill’s Donuts. Lisa Tucker sat down with our own Bryan Suddith to talk about the business her family had run since 1960. A long time beloved business that did so much for the community, this announcement was a big shake up for the Miami Valley. New owners Marshall and Amy Lachman have lived up to their pledge to not change anything stay involved with supporting our community
As the winter season approaches, we wanted to inform you that some of our local restaurants and breweries will be taking a winter break. We assure you that this break is necessary for staff to recharge after the busy holiday season and to prepare for the upcoming year. We’ll keep updating the list as we hear about more temporary closings.
Bear Creek Donuts is currently closed and reopens Jan. 7th at 6am.
Brixx Ice Company will close Dec 24th and reopen on Jan 5th
Devil Wind Brewing will be closed Dec 31 and reopen on Jan 9th
Hole N One Donuts will be closed January 1-7 and reopen January 8 at 6am
Napoli’s Pizza Closing at 8pm New Year’s Eve and will open back up on Tues, Jan 9th at 4pm
Roma’s Pizza&Pasta is closed and will reopen Jan 8th at 11am
Rumbleseat Wine will be closed for Winter Break and reopens January 8th.
Say Yes Cakes will be closed untilJanuary 11.
Silas at Hotel Versailles is closed and will reopen at 7am on Jan 8th.
The Barrel House will be closed from Jan 1 – 11, reopening Jan 12th at 11am.
The Donut Haus will be closed Jan 1 -6, reopening Jan 7th at 6am
The Engineers Club will be closed through Mon, Jan 8 and will reopen Tues, Jan 9, 2024.
The Root Beer Stande is closed Dec 23 and will reopen Jan 5th weather permitting.
Troni’s Italian Restaurant will be back open Jan 8th
Zinks Meats & Fine Wines will close Dec 31 and reopen on Jan 8th
Planned2Give is launching a new fundraiser this January, based on the same format as their very successful Donut Fest on Tour. Buy a Ground For Hounds ticket booklet and use it to get a free coffee (up to a $5 value at eight area coffee houses) and the proceeds benefit Paw Patrol.
You can pick up tickets:
Sat, Dec 30th from 9-11am at Ghostlight Midtown- 800 S Patterson Blvd in Dayton
Sun, Dec 31 from 9-11am at Gather 37 W 4th St in the Dayton Arcade.
Rabbit Hole Books and the Dayton Book Fair are looking for porcelain and other ceramic tea cups to be donated for an upcoming fundraiser they are hosting. It can be a single cup or a set. Funds raised will go to the Book Fair building fund, as they have outgrown their current building. 
Cups will be used for a Lewis Carroll birthday Tea Party on Saturday January 27th from 1pm to 4pm at the book shop. Carroll was an English author, poet, mathematician and photographer who’s most notable works are Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass. For $10 guests will get a cup to traditional tea, teacakes, biscuits and tiny sandwiches
If you have any tea cups to rehome, please deliver them to Rabbit Hole Books 29 West First Street downtown or Dayton Book Fair, 2181 Embury Park.
