9 Dayton go-to comfort dishes
By: Vivienne Machi, Staff Writer
There are certain foods that just go so well with bad Ohio weather, whether it's frigid snow or dreary rain. Hearty soups, mac n’ cheese, sandwiches that heat up your belly. There’s a reason we call them comfort foods.
And when it’s gross outside and it’s time to decide what to eat, it might be hard to motivate you to get out and about; maybe you’ll opt for the old packet of ramen just so you don’t have to make a grocery run. But if you do brave the weather, these delicious meals will be waiting for you as a reward.
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Coco’s Bistro’s Italian Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque
Coco's Bistro's Italian Grilled Cheese and Tomato Bisque. Photo Source: Coco's Bistro250 Warren St., (937) 228-2626. 228coco.com
Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Really, is there any better food pairing than the gooey, heavenly cheese squeezing out between slices of crunchy and buttery toast, basically designed for dipping into creamy tomato soup? Cocos’ Italian Grilled Cheese sandwich ($12) kicks it up a notch on panko-breaded sourdough for extra crunchiness and a four-cheese blend that pairs oh-so-well with their creamy tomato bisque ($4 by itself).
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The Dublin Pub’s Cheese Fries
The Dub Pub's Cheese Fries. LISA POWELL / STAFF300 Wayne Ave., (937) 224-7822. dubpub.com
Our former iteration Active Dayton named these the No. 1 fries in Dayton, and for good reason: The white wine sauce really amps up the melted cheese and bacon-covered potato fries, and just a few bites in, you already know you’re headed for a heavenly food coma. The cheese fries ($8.99) are on the Dub Pub’s starter menu, but if you don’t share (and trust us, you won’t want to), they can be a meal unto itself.
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The Trolley Stop’s Pulled Pork Sandwich
The Trolley Stop's pulled pork sandwich. KATIE GAST / CONTRIBUTED530 E. Fifth St., (937) 401-1101. trolleystopdayton.com
You can always tell when pulled pork is freshly made, and oh boy, is the Trolley Stop’s pulled pork sandwich ($9) melt-in-your-mouth fresh, never frozen. Pair it with house-made apple slaw, chipotle mayo, and pickles on a pretzel bun, and that, friends, is a sandwich that will treat you right through the darkest winter days.
Voltzy’s Root Beer Stand’s Voltzy Burger
4668 Springboro Pike., (937) 299-1440. Facebook
Voltzy’s may not serve his burgers out of a trailer anymore, and his menu may have grown this past year, but whether you’ve been a customer for 20 years or you just discovered the tiny house on Springboro Pike, you know the Voltzy burger’s ($3, $4 for a double) rich combo of burger, ham, raw onions, and cheese is king. Bonus points in the winter for the special sauce, which includes enough horseradish to ward off any imminent cold.
Hickory Bar-B-Q’s Hungarian Cabbage Rolls
1082 Brown St., (937) 228-5252. hickorybarbq.com
As far as warm, hearty, winter meals go, cabbage rolls and other Eastern European fare do an excellent job of heating you up from the inside, filling your belly with delish meat and veggies rolled up in silky cabbage leaves. Hickory Bar-B-Q has been serving up some of the best around town for years for only $12.25.
Lily’s Bistro’s Bone-In Pork Chop
Bone-in smoked pork chop: check. House-made apple “mostarda”: check. Red cabbage and creamy mashed potatoes: check. Between this dish ($23) and their Sunday night family-style fried chicken dinners, Lily’s has the comfort food checklist on lock.
The Oakwood Club’s French Onion Soup
2414 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood, (937) 293-6973. theoakwoodclub.com
Where to even start with the divine nature of French Onion Soup, and its necessity in the cold months? Only the Gauls could envision something as simple as dropping a load of tear-inducing onions into beef broth, crumbling some stale bread on top and loading the whole thing up with cheese, having such a perfectly savory end result. The Oakwood Club has been serving their Baked French Onion Soup Au Gratin ($4.95/cup; $5.95/bowl) for over 50 years, and will have you sipping and slurping your way to happiness, decorum be damned.
Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen’s Baked Ziti
3002 Woodman Drive, (937) 293-9133. jikitchen.com
Meat. Cheese. Noodles. Baked together. What could be more comforting? Not only is the dinner-size baked ziti portion a steal for $8.99, but your lunch for the rest of the season should be set for $6.99 (plus fresh baked garlic rolls!).
Blind Bob’s Bar’s Pickle Soup
430 E. Fifth St., (937) 938-6405. blindbobs.com
If you’ve had Bob’s pickle soup before, you already know. If you haven’t, let us just say as former pickle haters, this soup will convert you. You will order a cup ($2.50) and then wish you got a bowl ($4). Without the tang of the pickles, this would still be a hearty and delicious potato soup. But let’s not be boring here. You can still add a little pizzazz to your winter meals.
Need more? Comfort yourself with:
- Couch Potatoes from Tank’s Bar and Grill
- 15-layer lasagne from Spaghetti Warehouse
- Herb Roasted Half Chicken from Carillon Brewing Co.
- Turtle Soup from Amber Rose
- Country Fried Steak from Corner Kitchen
- Mac n’ cheese from Peach’s Grill or Crossroads BBQ
- Cheeseburger from Benjamin’s the Burger Master
- Pho from Linh’s Bistro
- Meatball grinder sandwich with homemade meatballs from DiSalvo’s Deli
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