Dayton, We Weren’t Familiar with Your Food & Drink Game
Plus, CM Chicken opens a fourth location, Fat Arnie’s Sandwich Shop debuts and more local food news.
Day Trip
Dayton’s Food & Drink Scene is a Gem in the Making
By Andy Dehus
For a food seeker, Dayton does not reveal itself easily.
A meander throughout downtown Dayton shows off an extraordinary wealth of impressive architecture that reflects the city’s stunning boom-and-bust manufacturing history, but on a recent best-weather-of-the-year weekend day there were no crowds to hint at where the city’s beating heart lies. Even the historic Oregon District, Dayton’s oft-mentioned entertainment strip, was nearly deserted.
It took us a fair bit of exploration to realize that Dayton just doesn’t work like that. While there are loads of truly worthwhile destinations, they don’t generally coalesce into discernible centers of gravity. They just seem to exist on their own–one here, one over there and a “how did that get there?” or two thrown in for good measure.
South Park’s The Silver Slipper (1105 Wayne Ave.) falls into the last category, as its unmarked charcoal gray residential exterior absolutely begs to be overlooked. That would be a bad idea, because it’s an absolute gem of a neighborhood wine and cocktail bar with a fun range of small plates and an on-again-off-again $1 oyster night that continues until the last shell has been shucked.
Thanks to a tip from a service worker, we showed up for the oysters right as the doors opened at 5 p.m., and can report that the tasty bivalves lasted about 45 minutes before selling out. Silver Slipper’s small plates were roundly satisfying, the cocktails were on point and the vibe was surprisingly unpretentious for a hip “if-you-know-you-know” watering hole.
Similar can be said for Val’s Bakery (25 S. Saint Clair St.). A clear local favorite for pastry, long lines form for the bakery’s delectable range of goods that include pain au chocolat, Ferrero Rocher cruffins, and ham-and-cheddar monkey bread. Val’s coffee game is strong, as is its croissant technique, making Val’s a morning must in the Gem City.
Baked goods are one of the many choices on offer at the 2nd Street Market (600 E. Second St.), alongside a 45+-strong range of independent vendors offering prepared foods, crafts, farmers market goods and more. The market’s repurposed, turn-of-the-last-century train depot building is an absolute charmer, and the whole package radiates a community-pride feeling that gives the North Market a run for its money in both civic representation and selection.
A short walk away lies The Silos (810 E. First St.), a sprawling urban oasis of a beer garden that brings color, warmth and a sense of renewal to the industrial decay of its train-track-adjacent environs. Though there were four food vendors serving out of shipping container kitchens, we didn’t find it to be much of a food destination on our visit; however, as a place to relax with a cold drink in your hand while taking in the spirit of the town, a visit to The Silos is a truly worthwhile experience.
Closer to the city center lies Tony & Pete’s (129 E. Third St.) , a top notch deli run by a couple with restaurant experience in Chicago and NYC. Their bread is baked fresh locally, the ingredients are of a conspicuously high level of quality, and the deli turns them into a desirable range of sandwiches that keeps the business busy from open to close. Mortadella fans should not miss the deli’s White Collar sandwich, and the turkey pesto was also a near perfect example of the genre. Browsing the fun array of gourmet groceries makes the short wait for your sandwich fly by.
A few doors down you’ll find Joui (117 E. Third St.), a wine shop and bar with a clever cocktail menu and an impressively broad range of retail wine bottles from around the world. Miami Beach pastels adorn Joui’s striking art deco interior, making it a stylish setting for the barside show that was its Buffet Style cocktail, composed of amaretto, Goldschlager, absinthe, lime, simple syrup and ‘fire’. The bar’s nonalcoholic options were broad and intriguing with the light, refreshing Chai & Tonic impressing us with its balance and novelty. Tea and quinine—who knew?
If whiskey’s more your speed, then The Century Bar (18 S. Jefferson St.) is the place. The bar’s grandiosity cannot be overstated, both in the scale of its ornate carved wood and stained glass bar, and in the seemingly endless rows of bottles that live on it. The Century claims to have over 800 unique spirits, and you’d be a fool to doubt it. Whiskey, scotch and bourbon aficionados will be in heaven, and the barkeeps are more than happy to help you with the treasure hunt.
But, not before dinner, right? One of the hottest seats—the only one we definitely needed reservations for—was at Grist (46 W. Fifth St.). Operating as a bakery, grocer and–on Sundays–a cooking school, this Swiss Army Knife of a space is also a top-notch Italian restaurant, making all of its pastas in-house. Grist’s quaint, Old World environs make for a perfect setting for enjoying dishes such as a deeply satisfying scarpinocc de manzo, featuring braised beef and ricotta filled pasta with pecorino and a bone marrow jus. It was pure umami overload in the best way possible and an irrefutable justification of Grist’s popularity.
It says a lot about Dayton that we took in all of the above and still felt like we missed out on plenty. The group behind Jollity, a noted and now-closed restaurant in the Fire Blocks District, recently adapted their old space into an existing concept called Koji Burger (127 E. Third St.). The restaurant group is also opening a new high-end supper club experience called Fei.
Then there’s Sueño (a buzzy spot for wood-fired Mexican fare), its sibling subterranean cocktail bar Tender Mercy and—from the same owners—Three Birds, a casual neighborhood spot that opened in June.
And who can forget the nostalgia-packed, nationally recognized, cash-only steakhouse known as The Pine Club.
Anything else we’re missing? Let us know!
News & Happenings
Around the Columbus Food & Drink Scene
Chef Justin Wotring’s new sandwich concept, Caroline’s, is now open Thursdays through Sundays in the northeast corner of the North Market Downtown (59 Spruce St.). Wotring is a veteran Columbus chef whose resume includes COLO Market & Oyster Bar, Hoof Hearted and The Crest among others. Caroline’s menu includes fresh salads and sandwiches such as the Three Stacks with capicola, salami and pepperoni. Next door to Caroline’s, Wotring will also operate the newly relaunched North Market Butchery, which replaces Macelleria.
This week, the Korean fried chicken chain CM Chicken is celebrating the soft opening of its new storefront at 1011 W. Fifth Ave. in the Fifth by Northwest neighborhood. This is the fourth Central Ohio location for CM Chicken.
Fat Arnie’s Sandwich Shop made its debut this week inside Rafters Beer Pub at 4404 Indianola Ave. An early look at the menu reveals empanadas, burgers and sandwiches like the Cubano-inspired El Sanguich, featuring house-cured ham, coffee-chile-rubbed beef, pickled veggies, Swiss and aji verde (Peruvian green sauce). Coming soon are late night offerings and weekly specials.
Jennings Java Cafe (116 E Moler St.) is celebrating its first anniversary from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 25. The Merion Village coffee shop will be offering limited-edition baked goods and drink offerings, and its neighbor Isla will be slinging breakfast sandwiches.
Dayton is such a fun and underappreciated city. I really enjoy Lily's for the beignets and deviled eggs, and Branch and Bone is a fantastic little brewery (I'd argue better than many in Cbus)
Really enjoyed the Dayton write up. Added a few to my list for next time we’re down there!