December restaurant news: 13 coming soon, 3 opened, 2 closed

If you know of a new restaurant coming to the Dayton area, email natalie.jones@coxinc.com with details.

RESTAURANTS COMING SOON:

Crumbl Cookies sets grand opening date for Huber Heights store

Crumbl Cookies in Huber Heights will open its doors at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 13, according to Cassidy Salisbury, a PR Strategist for Crumbl Cookies.

Salisbury previously said they are “very excited” to join the Huber Heights community.

The Huber Heights store is located at 8288 Old Troy Pike in the North Heights Plaza. The space is a newly created unit next to Premier Health Urgent Care.

New pizza shop coming to Bellbrook

Gionino’s Pizzeria, a franchise with two locations in the Dayton area, is expanding to Bellbrook.

Franchise owner Tony Clark told Dayton.com he recently signed the lease for his third location at 4447 W. Franklin St. (Ohio 725) at Wilmington Pike. The pizzeria is located in the same shopping center as Ariake Grille & Sushi Bar, which opened in late October.

Clark said he hopes to open the new location by summer 2023.

Gionino’s Pizzeria opened its first Dayton location at 1528 E. Third Street in 2019, followed by a Kettering location at 4015 Far Hills Avenue in 2021. The franchise started over 30 years ago in Tallmadge, a suburb of Akron.

Golden Corral to reopen in Beavercreek

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill is reopening Friday, Dec. 30 in Beavercreek, according to David Kirk, operations manager for Vitall Partners.

Kirk told Dayton.com they were hoping to open Dec. 23 but had to push the date back due to inspections and holiday schedules.

Vitall Partners is the new franchisee owner of the restaurant. Kirk explained this will be the company’s ninth Golden Corral. Vitall Partners owns the other Miami Valley Golden Corral restaurant on Miller Lane in Dayton, along with restaurants in Chillicothe, Eastgate, Grove City and Sandusky.

Crooked Handle to open new Piqua brewery in January

Crooked Handle Brewing Co. is opening the doors to its newest brewery at 123 N. Main St. in Piqua on Thursday, Jan. 5, according to owner Jason Moore.

Moore owns the brewery with his wife, Kristy, and longtime friends, Jeff and Emily Pedro.

The Piqua brewery is located in a 11,000-square-foot building that previously housed Piqua Granite and Marble Company.

Moore told Dayton.com they were approached by the city of Piqua regarding a vision of a brewpub anchoring the redevelopment of the Lock 9 Park on the corner of Water and Main Streets. He said the park, which is a DORA or “Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area,” is expected to have a splash pad, amphitheater and much more.

New lounge coming to downtown Dayton in former spot of Therapy Cafe

Dayton native Erin Parrott and her fiancé, Edward Joiner, are ready to bring “a luxury experience without the luxury price tag” to downtown Dayton.

The couple has plans to open The Reserve on Third, a new lounge, in the former space of Therapy Cafe on E. Third Street in summer 2023.

The 4,000-square-foot lounge will serve those 25 and up. Parrott said their goal is to create a niche environment where older, mature people can feel comfortable.

Guests will be able to have premium bottle service, concierge service and sections available for reservations, Parrott said. The Reserve on Third can be described as a cocktail lounge during the early evening and starting at 10 p.m. on the weekends there will be a DJ giving a nightclub vibe, she explained.

Hello Thai to open early next year in Beavercreek

If you’re a fan of Thai Kitchen in Miami Twp. or Thai Table in Washington Twp., the owner and her sushi chef have a new concept coming soon to Beavercreek.

Hello Thai, which will be located in the former Rapid Fired Pizza location at 3301 Dayton Xenia Road, is expected to open in January, according to owner Suwapat “Sue” Whitted. She told Dayton.com they are waiting on inspections.

Whitted described Hello Thai as a Thai and sushi restaurant with a full bar and family-friendly, casual atmosphere.

She says she is partnering with her sushi chef from Thai Table, Saard “Art” Sabsombat, on this new endeavor.

Sports bar with seafood applies for liquor license in Huber Heights

A new sports bar with seafood could be coming soon to the Huber Center just off of Brandt Pike and Chambersburg Road in Huber Heights.

According to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, MNIR Ventures LLC DBA Sands Seafood & Sports Bar applied for D1, D2, D3 and D3A permits on Nov. 25 for 6250-6254 Chambersburg Road.

A banner was hung at the soon-to-be restaurant that appears to be housed where Deroma Italian Restaurant was formerly located, right beside the City of Huber Heights Division of Water & Wastewater.

Bellbrook’s first brewery expected to open in 2023

The city of Bellbrook is expected to have its first privately-owned brewery in April 2023 in the heart of downtown.

Miami University graduates Jeff Bean and his wife, Julie, are excited to add something new to their community. Bean, a Cincinnati native, told Dayton.com Julie was born and raised in Bellbrook. After graduation, they moved back to her hometown to live and raise a family.

Sugarcreek Brewing Company will be located at 26 E. Franklin Street in the historical Sugarcreek Township House. The 4,400-square-foot space will feature a tap room with 10 taps and seating for 75 to 100 guests, Bean said. They will also have outdoor seating and food trucks on site.

The 10 taps featured will be rotating taps of hand-crafted IPA forward, seasonal and experimental type beer selections, Bean said. Two examples of beer that will be on tap are The Golden Eagle Ale, a golden ale, and The Rookie, a blonde ale. Bean said The Rookie is named after his late brother-in-law, Tony Ernst, who held several football and basketball records at Bellbrook High School and the University of Dayton.

Huber Heights tortilla factory closes, new restaurant to open soon

A tortilla factory in the Powell Plaza Shopping Center at Old Troy Pike and Powell Road in Huber Heights is stopping production just as a new restaurant plans to open in the space early next year.

Dayton.com reported in mid-November that Mr. Pollo Mexican Grill is expected to operate out of the space at 4480 Powell Road. At the time, the city believed the food manufacturing business would continue, but operations will discontinue.

However, the soon-to-be restaurant is expected to open in mid-January, according to the owners’ representative.

Millard said the permitting and inspection process for occupancy is underway in addition to a review of proposed signage for the site.

New entertainment center with mini-golf, bowling, self-pour taps, more coming to Beavercreek

A one-of-a-kind entertainment center is coming to Beavercreek across from The Greene Town Center.

On Par Entertainment will be located in the space that previously housed FITWORKS along with the vacant space next to it in the Greene Crossing shopping center on Indian Ripple Road.

Daniel Huiet, who owns the entertainment center with his business partner, Emanuel Gana, said the entertainment center will have enough games and activities for over 350 people to be playing at one time. This includes karaoke rooms, bowling, darts, mini-golf, foosball, ping pong and more.

The entertainment center will have three bars with 102 self-pour taps featuring craft and domestic beer, wine, seltzers and cocktails. In addition to a limited food menu with wings and appetizers. Huiet said they plan to expand the menu at a later date.

On Par will be a family-friendly establishment early in the day, but will be strictly 21 and older after 7:30 p.m., Huiet said. The anticipated opening date of the entertainment center is Aug. 1, 2023.

New family-owned coffee shop coming to Centerville

A family-owned coffee shop with a focus on sustainability, education and inclusivity is expected to open by March in Centerville.

ContempoRoast, owned by Mindy Hoffbauer and her son, Andy, will be at 967 S. Main St. in the space that most recently housed a hair salon.

“We’re hoping almost like a wine bar atmosphere,” Andy said. “We want to really focus on the subtleties and the tasting notes of the coffee for those that want to dive deeper into improving their palate.”

To do this, the coffee shop will feature a coffee lab where guests can order flights and attend tastings or classes.

If you’re not interested in diving deeper into coffee, they will have seasonal flavored lattes, affogatos with ice cream, espresso drinks, drips, pour overs, cold brews, teas, lemonades and more.

Five Guys renovating Centerville storefront for new restaurant

A fast-casual chain known for its burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and fries plans to open a new location just south of Cornerstone of Centerville.

Akron-based GPD Group recently received a zoning permit for a Five Guys restaurant at 5808 Wilmington Pike, just south of Feedwire Road. The space, which is next door to Godfather’s Pizza, was previously occupied by a bank.

A schematic floor plan obtained by this news outlet shows a 3,135-square-foot storefront and seating for 64 customers.

The next step for the project would be renovating the storefront, township officials said.

Casey’s plans to demolish W.O. Wrights in Beavercreek, build convenience store

Casey’s General Store has had its plans approved by the city of Beavercreek to demolish the W.O. Wrights bar and grill and build a convenience store and gas station.

The gas station chain is in talks to purchase the bar and grill, located at 3979 Colonel Glenn Highway in Beavercreek, and plans to raze the existing structure on the property and redevelop the site with a convenience store and fuel sales facility, per the company’s zoning application to the city.

Owner of W.O. Wrights Don Massengale confirmed the business had been in discussions with Casey’s for a possible sale, saying it is not final as there are some outstanding issues to consider. W.O. Wrights does not have a closing date set and will be open for business as usual for now, he said.

RESTAURANTS OPENED:

Wahlburgers opens at Dayton racino

Wahlburgers, known for its famous burgers topped with a signature sauce, opened Thursday, Dec. 29 at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway.

This will be the first Wahlburgers in the Dayton area. Wahlburgers is also located in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus.

Over the summer, Hollywood Gaming’s sister property in Columbus opened a Wahlburgers. Positive feedback from that location prompted discussions of a Dayton venture.

Wahlburgers was constructed in an unoccupied space in the racino’s food court area next to Take 2 Grill.

District Market opens in Dayton

District Market, a new place to grab a bite to eat or purchase other food-related items, is now open at 200 Wayne Avenue.

The marketplace, located in Dayton’s Oregon District, is a platform for small businesses to sell their food, learn and grow before venturing out on their own. The market will be similar to The Entrepreneurs Marketplace previously located in the Wright-Dunbar District.

It features six different food businesses including CheezCake Lab, Fruitilicious, Kula Kula, Sisters, Moo’s Ice Cream and N’Dulge Luxe Treats. The vendors will serve anything from soul rolls, pasta, gumbo, salads and quesadillas to fruit cups and cheesecake, explained Tae Winston, owner of District Market.

In addition, there will be seven local companies on the shelves of the market with wine slushy mix, rum cakes and more.

Jimmy John’s opens with drive-thru in Huber Heights

A new Jimmy John’s location has opened in Huber Heights off Brandt Pike.

Franchisee partners Chelsie Mangen and Michael Poelking began the process of expanding the Jimmy John’s brand this summer. Mangen and Poelking currently own and operate the Jimmy John’s franchise location in Troy. Poelking also owns and operates Marian Lanes in Huber Heights.

Located at 3034 Harshman Road, in what was formerly Gold Star Chili, the new location, which is equipped with a drive-thru, opened Thursday, Dec. 22.

Charleston, Illinois-based Jimmy John’s first opened in 1983. Known for being “Freaky Fast,” the chain now has franchise-owned and operated locations across the country.

RESTAURANTS RELOCATE:

Thai restaurant moving to former spot of Rusty Taco near Dayton Mall

Thai Kitchen in Miami Twp. is moving about a mile down the road to the former space of Rusty Taco.

The restaurant has plans to move to the new space, located at 2335 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, in January, according to owner Suwapat “Sue” Whitted.

Whitted has operated Thai Kitchen at 8971 Kingsridge Drive behind the Dayton Mall since 2017. When they make the move across the street from the mall, she said they plan to add a full bar and sushi.

The restaurant is also gaining space. Whitted said the restaurant currently seats 50 people and will soon be able to seat 80 to 100 with the addition of a patio.

Pizza restaurant to move into former Chicka Wing spot

Cassano’s Pizza King has plans to relocate its restaurant at 5118 Brandt Pike in Huber Heights to the former spot of Chicka Wing.

CEO Vic “Chip” Cassano III confirmed the move is expected to happen in March or April.

“We have a lot better visibility there,” Cassano said. “The location we currently have now is kind of hidden a little bit.”

Cassano’s Pizza relocated its Xenia location earlier this month for better visibility as well.

Along with the move, Cassano said the new Huber Heights location will feature a pick-up window and new concept dining room with décor depicting subway titles, the history of the company and a family atmosphere — similar to the Xenia location. The dining room is expected to seat 40 people whereas their current location seats 12, Cassano said.

Cassano’s Pizza opens new Xenia location

Cassano’s Pizza has officially moved its Xenia location into the space that previously housed Rapid Fired Pizza on Progress Drive.

CEO Vic “Chip” Cassano III told Dayton.com the pizza shop closed its doors on N. Allison Avenue after closing one evening and reopened the next day at 4 p.m.

The Xenia Cassano’s had been located near Doug Adams Stadium for decades.

Chip said it was a tough decision to move, but he feels like the new location is perfect for the restaurant and its customers. He explained the new location offers better visibility and more convenience, including a new pick-up window.

RESTAURANTS CLOSED:

Evans Bakery closes in Dayton

Evans Bakery, located at 700 Troy St. in the Old North Dayton neighborhood, closed its doors at the end of business on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Filled with a desire to do something different with their lives, Jennifer Evans and Matt Tepper moved from Michigan to Dayton to restore the bakery Evans watched her parents operate for 35 years. She admits she hated working at the bakery growing up, but “looking back on it, it was wonderful. They taught me a very strong work ethic. They taught me how to get things done and how to just live a good life.”

Evans said there was no one single reason why she and Tepper decided to close the bakery. They both said they are tired and ready to focus on other endeavors, including spending more time with their family.

“We would love to sell the bakery, so that it continues to operate the way people are accustomed to,” Evans said. “If somebody else wants to come in and do some other retail enterprise in here that would be our second best option.”

For nearly 100 years, there has been a bakery on the corner of Troy Street and Warner Avenue, Tepper said. He explained they have a photo of the bakery dating back to at least 1926.

Christy’s Catering closing in Huber Heights: ‘We really enjoyed what we did’

The owners of Christy’s Catering in Huber Heights is closing its doors at the end of the month after nearly 23 years in business.

Mike Ivory, who owns the catering business with his wife, Joanne, said they are ready to retire.

“We have been able to enjoy many, many weddings, anniversary parties, surprise birthday parties,” Ivory said. “It is always so neat to see everybody in such a good mood.”

In 1960, Christy’s Pizza opened on Brandt Pike in Huber Heights and was owned by Dan and Betty Collinsworth, Joanne’s parents. The couple took over the business in 1988 and relocated to 6488 Chambersburg Road. In 2000, they closed Christy’s Pizza and opened Christy’s Catering.

RESTAURANTS EXPAND:

The Sugar Guild adds Friday breakfast, lunch at Red Carpet Tavern

After closing The Sugar Guild in late August, Chef DD Pearson has revived her brand at The Red Carpet Tavern on Wayne Avenue in Dayton’s Belmont neighborhood.

The Sugar Guild is adding Friday breakfast and lunch along with serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

“The Sugar Guild is reintroducing the Friday lunch and bringing back some of Dayton’s favorites,” Pearson said.

Favorites include fish and chips and Dominic’s garlic salad dressing.

She added Red Carpet Tavern recently received its Sunday liquor license and will begin serving cocktails on Sundays at the beginning of the new year. The Sugar Guild will also feature its own specialty cocktail menu.

Baked goods from Yellow Springs Baking Company now available at W. Social Tap & Table

W. Social Tap & Table is partnering with Yellow Springs Baking Company to bring specialty baked goods to West Dayton.

“We were seeking to add some exceptional baked goods to the W. Social food offerings,” said Cheryl Dillin, chief brand officer with Dillin Corp. “Working with Yellow Springs Baking Company is a natural addition to our café and breakfast options along with creative alcoholic beverage parings to enjoy all day long.”

The baked goods are available for purchase at The Bar and Miller’s Grind & Brew. Customers can purchase cinnamon rolls, croissants, scones, muffins, cookies and more.

Dillin said Stephanie Wessling, W. Social Bar partner and manager, secured their partnership.

“The owners, Karina and Rob, take time to make pastries the proper classic European way,” Dillin said. “They use high quality products and have an exceptional facility. Their talent and passion shines through in every bite of every pastry they offer.”

Troy driving range featuring bar, restaurant and heated bays now open year-round

A 22-acre family-owned driving range in Troy that houses a bar and restaurant has announced it will stay open year-round.

Long Shots, located at 2315 S. County Road 25A, has added 10 individually heated bays, a self serve ball dispenser and lights, according to a press release.

“This allows patrons to hit golf balls into the range outside without the weather hindering that swing,” the release noted.

In addition, Long Shots has a HD golf simulator located inside the restaurant that guests can rent for extra tee time, parties, corporate events or just to have a good time.

The restaurant features a variety of different items such as pizzas, subs and more. They also have a fully stocked liquor bar along with a rotating lineup of 16 craft beers on tap. Customers are able to eat or drink in an enclosed patio with heaters throughout the winter.