That still rings true today as the business turns 30.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
“Our goal is to have a family friendly atmosphere where you walk in and you feel welcomed,” McLaughlin said.
“They walk in as a customer and they leave as a friend,” Kreusch said.
When Bunkers first opened in the former space of Dottie’s Peacock Lounge, it had more of a bar atmosphere. In 2007, when smoking was banned in most public places that’s when the food part of their business started picking up.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Favorites on the menu include the chicken wings, chicken chunks, southwest eggrolls, quesadillas, cheese steaks, pizza, salads and soups.
Bunkers Sports Bar & Grill is located at 893 E. National Road in Vandalia.
READ MORE: How Bunkers was started 30 years ago
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Submarine House on Brown Street closes for renovations
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Submarine House on Brown Street in Dayton is temporarily closed for renovations as the owners prepare to reopen as the brand’s sports bar concept in spring 2026.
“This was the first Submarine House location and while it’s always been our goal to convert the space, the opportunity finally presented itself,” said Kelsey Mears, vice president of operations.
Submarine House is renovating its current space at 1137 Brown Street, along with the space next door that once housed U Design.
Village Family Restaurant in Waynesville has new owners
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
After being on the market for more than two years, Village Family Restaurant in Waynesville has a new team of owners that took over operations today.
The new owners are Angela Wagner and her daughter, Taylor Ritter, and Mike LaJeunesse, and his son, Jon LaJeunesse.
Their vision is to honor all that makes the diner special — from its loyal regulars to its classic menu.
“The biggest thing that we want to do is make sure that people in Waynesville know that we are going to protect those things they love — the traditions (and) the foods that made it," Wagner said.
“We’re going to continue the tradition of the family restaurant there,” Mike LaJeunesse said.
Quick Bites
⛽ Sheetz opens new location in Dayton: Here are 5 food items to try.
🍴 Curry & Grill Indian Restaurant opens in Vandalia: The restaurant offers a lunch buffet Tuesday through Sunday. It costs $16.95 for adults.
🍫 The Chocolate Festival returns: This family-friendly event is 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. READ MORE
Calzada’s Kitchen takes over Culp’s Café
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Calzada’s Kitchen, a family with more than a decade of experience working at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton, is now operating Culp’s Café.
Jose and Carol Calzada, with the help of their children Danny Cortes, D’juliana Calzada, Frank Calzada and Maui Calzada, are bringing “American brunch classics with a twist” to the restaurant.
“People can expect to see the same dishes they’ve had elsewhere, but they’re going to see a work of art,” Carol Calzada said.
“I tried to do the original menu we had at the old Culp’s,” Jose Calzada said.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Longtime staples such as “Rike’s” traditional pecan chicken salad and the nectar cream soda remain on the menu. New items include:
- Avocado Toast (slices of seeded multigrain bread with avocado spread, garlic herb cheese, cage-free eggs, sundried cherry tomatoes, radish, balsamic reduction and crispy fried leeks) $15
- Loaded Shrimp & Grits Bowl (cheesy grits loaded with buffalo shrimp, fried green tomatoes, spinach, bacon, hollandaise and basil purees topped with a cage-free sunny-side egg) $17
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
What I’ve been eating 🍴
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
On Monday night, I stopped by Felicity in Uptown Centerville for Chef Lester Gates’ “Gem City Autumn Glow” dinner.
The dinner started off with a plant-based krab cake featuring hearts of palm and chickpeas topped with julienned green apple, pickled mustard seeds and butternut squash mayo (pictured above).
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
This was followed by:
- Celery root pavé with chestnut purée and crispy brussels
- Fried ravioli served over a smoked Thousand Island sauce
- Yassa cauliflower and oyster mushrooms with charred broccolini and salsa macha (pictured above)
Dessert was chai-poached pears baked with vanilla cake, inverted and served warm with a quenelle of spiced cardamom ice cream that you could finish with a bourbon caramel sauce (pictured below).
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
This dinner was delicious! Follow him on Instagram for details on his next event.
A strawberry cake that speaks so you don’t have to
Columnist Whitney Kling is a recipe developer who lives in Southwest Ohio with her four kids. This week she shares a recipe for a strawberry (or any fruit) cake.
“This cake isn’t overly sweet so my kids often eat the leftovers for breakfast,” she writes. “As a dessert, it really is best with some vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. I also love it with plums or nectarines.”
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a pie plate or 9 inch cake pan.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
With a hand mixer, mix the butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low add in the egg, milk, and vanilla.
Slowly add the flour mixture until everything is incorporated. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared dish. Arrange fruit in a single layer, trying to cover the majority of the surface. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over fruit.
Bake cake for 40 minutes, or until a knife comes clean when center is tested (original recipe by Martha Stewart).
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