Cast your votes on the very best food in Dayton

Mark Twain is credited with saying, “the public is the only critic whose opinion is worth anything at all.”

And in that spirit, the annual Dayton.com “Best of Dayton” poll is back looking for your two cents on the best that our beloved town has to offer.

Food and drink dominate, with half of the 101 categories relating to one or the other or both.

Other areas in addition to food and dining and bars and nightlife are: outdoors, active lifestyle and recreation; shopping; services; culture, music and entertainment.

Not surprisingly, the categories of food and beverage caught my eye, and I found perusing the finalist list of great interest.

It’s an entertaining exercise ruminating on the spots and individuals I thought should win, who I was surprised didn’t make the list of nominees, and in some cases a few that I was surprised did. I was reminded of fond favorites that I have visited recently, beloved businesses I haven’t seen in a while and a few that I will be making my maiden voyage to soon.

Voting is now open at Dayton.com and will close on Dec. 20. The poll is interactive, customizable and easy to use. It even makes social media sharing a piece of cake. Visit www.dayton.com to let your opinion be known.

Whether you vote or not, the lists of dining related nominees below are fun to peruse and a solid way to find something new to liven up your dining routine.

BEST ASIAN FOOD

Ozu852

Sky Asian Cuisine

Thai 9

Shen’s Szechuan and Sushi

CJ Chan

China Cottage

Linh’s Bistro

Ginger & Spice

Akashi Sushi Bar

Kabuki

Fusian

BEST BAKERY

ele Cake Co.

Twist Cupcakery

Dorothy Lane Market

Ashley’s Pastry Shop

Cake, Hope, & Love

Moore Dessert Please

BEST BBQ

PA’s Pork

City Barbeque

Smokin Barrels, LLC

Company 7 BBQ

Smokin’ Bar-B-Que

Texas Beef and Cattle Company

Fatback’s Barbecue

Hickory River Smokehouse

OinkADoodleMoo

Double D’s BBQ

BEST BLOODY MARY

McGillicutty’s Pub

Bunkers Bar and Grill

Tank’s

Mack’s Tavern

Blind Bob’s

Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery

Lily’s Bistro

Trolley Stop

Mudlick Tap House

Meadowlark

BEST BREAKFAST

Bunkers Bar and Grill

Golden Nugget Pancake House

Tank’s

Blueberry Cafe

Butter Cafe

George’s Family Restaurant

BEST BRUNCH

Lily’s Bistro

Meadowlark

Butter Cafe

Blueberry Cafe

First Watch

Fifth Street Brewpub

Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery

The Dublin Pub

George’s Family Restaurant

Mudlick Tap House

BEST BURGER

Slyders

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Tank’s

Slim’s Neighborhood Bar & Grille

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers

Archer’s

Blind Bob’s

Voltzy’s

George’s Family Restaurant

Benjamin’s the Burger Master

BEST CHEAP EATS

Taqueria Mixteca

Tank’s

Hamburger Wagon

Hasty Tasty

Taco Loco

Slyders

George’s Family Restaurant

BEST COCKTAILS

Century Bar

Julia’s Nite Club

MJ’s on Jefferson

Salar

Wheat Penny

Hawthorn Grill

Lily’s Bistro

Club Masque

Coco’s Bistro

Corner Kitchen

BEST COFFEEHOUSE (CHAIN OR LOCAL)

Ghostlight Coffee

3rd Perk Coffeehouse & Wine Bar

Boston Stoker Coffee Roasters

Press Coffee Bar

Starbucks

Warehouse 4

Winans Fine Chocolates and Coffees

Dino’s Cappuccinos

BEST COLLEGE BAR

Milano’s

Timothy’s

W.O. Wrights Grill & Pub

One Eyed Jacks

Tuty’s Bar And Grill

Flanagan’s Pub

The Fieldhouse

BEST CRAFT BEER SELECTION

Bunkers Bar and Grill

Dayton Beer Company (downtown Dayton)

Chappys Tap Room & Grille

Ollie’s Place

Crafted & Cured

BEST DELI

Flyboy’s Deli

Charlie’s Deli & Catering

DiSalvo’s Deli

5th Street Wine & Deli

The Deli and Top of the Market

Dot’s Market Bull Pen Diner

BEST DESSERT

Chocolate Stout Bacon Cupcake (Ginniebug Creations)

Killer Brownie (Dorothy Lane Market)

Ice cream (Young’s Jersey Dairy)

Jo Jo’s Lava Cake (Fifth Street Brewpub)

Tiramisu (Mamma DiSalvo’s)

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding (Hawthorn Grill)

Chocolate Torte (Lily’s Bistro)

Beer Cake (Sea Jax Tavern)

Espresso Creme Brulee (Coco’s Bistro)

Butterscotch Pudding (Corner Kitchen)

Caramel cupcake (Moore Dessert Please)

BEST DINER

Hasty Tasty

Sam and Ethel’s (Tipp City)

George’s Family Restaurant

Dixie Diner (New Lebanon)

Waffle House

Abner’s Diner

BEST DIVE BAR

Mack’s Tavern

Red Carpet Tavern

Shroyer Inn

Oscar’s Bar & Grill

MacDiggers Pub

Kingspoint Pub

BEST DONUTS

Bill’s Donut Shop

Jim’s Donut Shop

Stan the Donut Man

Bear Creek Donuts

BEST FARMERS MARKET

2nd Street Market

The Heights Farmers Market

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

Troy Farmers Market

Best Fine Dining

Coco’s Bistro

Pine Club

Oakwood Club

Salar

Coldwater Cafe

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Rue Dumaine

Meadowlark

Corner Kitchen

Roost Modern Italian

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Zombie Dogz

The Wicked ‘Wich of Dayton

The Drunken Waffle

Hunger Paynes

Ramen Rickshaw

DD Sandwiches and Subs

BEST FRENCH FRIES

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

The Dublin Pub

Penn Station

McDonald’s

Sea Jax

Lock 27

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers

Basil’s on Market

Corner Kitchen

Roost Modern Italian

BEST GAY BAR

MJ’s on Jefferson

Club Masque

The Stage Door Musical Bar

The Right Corner

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Mack’s Tavern

MJ’s on Jefferson

The Pub (The Greene)

Fifth Street Brewpub

Bar Louie

Lily’s Bistro

BEST ICE CREAM

Graeter’s

Young’s Dairy

Ben & Jerry’s

JD’s Old Fashioned Frozen Custard

Ritter’s Frozen Custard

Cold Stone Creamery

Jet Freeze

Fronana

Ducky’s

BEST INDIAN FOOD

Amar India

Ajanta Restaurant

Jeet India

Maharaja of Dayton

India Chaat Cafe

BEST ITALIAN FOOD

Mamma DiSalvo’s

Franco’s Ristorante Italiano

Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen

Tony’s Italian Kitchen

Troni’s Italian Restaurant

Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Roost Modern Italian

Giovanni’s

Spaghetti Warehouse

Deroma Italian Restaurant

BEST LATE-NIGHT GRUB

Tank’s

MJ’s on Jefferson

Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery

Mack’s Tavern

Smokin’ Bar-B-Que

Waffle House

BEST LOCAL BREWERY

Crooked Handle

Hairless Hare Brewery

Warped Wing Brewery

Yellow Springs Brewery

Fifth Street Brewpub

Toxic Brew Company

Dayton Beer Company

BEST LOCALLY MADE SPIRITS

Belle of Dayton

The Spirits of Yellow Springs

Buckeye Vodka

Stillwrights Distillery

Staley Mill Farm and Indian Creek Distillery

BEST MARGARITA

El Toro

Elsa’s

Hawthorn Grill

El Meson

Chuy’s

Carmel’s

La Fiesta

El Rancho Grande

BEST MEDITERRANEAN/GREEK DINING

Olive Mediterranean Grill

Pasha Grill

Gyro Palace

Greek Isle Deli

BEST MEXICAN FOOD

El Toro

Taqueria Mixteca

El Rancho Grande

Taco Loco

Los Reyes

BEST PATIO

Trolley Stop

Wings Sports Bar & Grille

Fifth Street Brewpub

The Dublin Pub

TJ Chumps

Lily’s Bistro

Bargos Grill & Tap

Basil’s Dayton

BEST PIZZA (LOCAL OR CHAIN)

Marion’s Piazza

Dewey’s Pizza

Old Scratch Pizza

Joe’s Pizzeria

Wheat Penny

Cassano’s

BEST PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH

Flyboy’s Deli

Wheat Penny

Coco’s Bistro

Franco’s Ristorante Italiano

Thai 9

Lily’s Bistro

Coldwater Cafe

Citilites

BEST PLACE FOR A PICNIC

John Bryan State Park

Cox Arboretum and Gardens MetroPark

Carillon Historical Park

Hills and Dales MetroPark

Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark

RiverScape MetroPark

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWNER

Pine Club

Marion’s Piazza

Fifth Street Brewpub

Thai 9

Wheat Penny

El Meson

Meadowlark

Oakwood Club

Coldwater Cafe

Corner Kitchen

BEST SANDWICH

Lady Marmalade (The Wicked ‘Wich of Dayton)

The Liberty Reuben (Flyboys Deli)

War Pig (The Drunken Waffle)

Super Cheesesteak (Submarine House)

The Ruck (Dublin Pub)

Salmon B.E.L.T. (Fifth Street Brewpub)

Avocado and Goat Cheese BLT (Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery)

My Way Grilled Cheese (Tank’s)

The Bradshaw Bird (Mack’s Tavern)

Jaxwood Club (Sea Jax)

BEST SEAFOOD

Jay’s Seafood

Sea Jax

Red Lobster

Sweeney’s Seafood

Bonefish Grill

The Dock

Best Secret Menu Item

Philly Beer Cheese Steak at Flyboy’s Deli

Dumpster Fries at Rooster’s

Hula Hoops from Blind Bob’s

Savage Wings at Sea Jax Tavern

Garlic Salad at Red Carpet Tavern

Jalapeno Ranch Dip at Chuy’s Tex-Mex

BEST SPECIALTY FOOD MARKET (ETHNIC, GOURMET, ETC.)

Dorothy Lane Market

Frieszell Liberty Gardens

Jungle Jim’s

La Michoacana

Wise Choice British Foods,Gifts & Candies

BEST STEAK (CHAIN OR LOCAL)

Pine Club

Oakwood Club

Texas Roadhouse

Carvers Steak & Chops

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

LongHorn Steakhouse

The Paragon Supper Club

BEST SUSHI

Ozu852

Ariake Sushi Bar

Thai 9

Fusian

CJ Chan

Akashi

BEST TACO

El Toro

Taqueria Mixteca

Taco Loco

Chiapas Mexican Grill

Taqueria Garcia

BEST VEGAN DINING

Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery

Wheat Penny

Meadowlark

Christopher’s

Butter Cafe

BEST WINE SELECTION (RESTAURANT)

Corner Kitchen

The Wine Gallery

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Oakwood Club

Coldwater Cafe

BEST WINE SELECTION (RETAIL)

Ray’s Wine Spirits Grill

Arrow Wine

Dorothy Lane Market

Belmont Party Supply

Bodega Wine and Specialty Foods Market

BEST WINGS

Bunkers Bar and Grill

Roosters

Lock 27

Fricker’s

De’Lish Cafe

FRIENDLIEST STAFF / BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE

Flyboy’s Deli

Bunkers Bar and Grill

George’s Family Restaurant

Mack’s Tavern

MJ’s on Jefferson

Corner Kitchen

Dayton Eats looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Share info about your menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? E-mail Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com with the information and we will work to include it in future coverage.

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