Though the building has served many purposes over the years, The Swire Inn remains a late 19th-century house at heart, with a front porch and an entry that feels like crossing the threshold into someone’s home. That feeling is reinforced by the people who return week after week.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
“We have regulars who fill the bar every Tuesday and Wednesday night, and they’ve been coming in for years,” Hamilton said. “Over time, those connections grow. These aren’t just customers anymore. They feel like family, and this place feels like my second home.”
Hamilton started working at The Swire Inn six years ago as a part-time server and has since risen through the ranks.
While many restaurants talk about personalized service, at The Swire Inn it shows up in small, repeat moments, remembered preferences and conversations that continue week after week. As the pace in the kitchen allows, Head Chef Corey Estes can often be found in the dining room, stopping at tables to ask how meals are landing and what guests are enjoying. Estes takes that feedback seriously and uses it to shape his menu and choices for specials.
Recently, a regular guest called ahead with a request for ham and bean soup. Because the ingredients were already in the kitchen, Estes made it the evening’s special.
“I like knowing what the guests like. I try my hardest to see what people enjoy and what they don’t, and I make changes based on their feedback,” Estes said.
Specials are not limited to the kitchen. Hamilton also creates the cocktail menus at The Swire Inn, updating them seasonally and paying close attention to what guests are gravitating toward. Social media plays a role in that process, she said, especially when certain drinks or flavors gain momentum.
“Social media is such a big thing,” Hamilton said. “When the espresso martinis went viral, we were doing things like that. If something is peaking and people want to see it right away, we’ll hop on it and make it a cocktail of the week.”
Those rotating cocktails often draw new guests through the door, while giving regulars something new to try alongside familiar favorites such as the Swire Burger or the Reuben. One of The Swire Inn’s most talked-about menu items is its deviled egg appetizer. Move over paprika, because these eggs are anything but traditional, rotating through inventive flavors such as Pad Thai, Skyline chili and hot honey peach.
Estes changes the deviled egg flavors a few times a week, often based on what ingredients are available and what guests are responding to. The rotating approach allows him to experiment without straying too far from what diners recognize.
“With the eggs, I just take what people expect and kind of just upscale it a little bit,” Estes said.
That willingness to experiment has also led to unexpected favorites, including the Ugly Donut Burger, a special that paired a burger with a glazed donut from longtime Middletown donut shop Central Pastry Shop. What began as a limited idea quickly gained attention and eventually earned a place on the menu, reflecting both the restaurant’s creativity and its commitment to supporting local businesses.
“Growing up in this area, and living here my entire life, I’ve always felt a connection to the companies around us. I’ve been going to Central Pastry Shop since I was a kid. I am so glad we have this partnership,” Estes said.
That sense of community carries through the rest of the experience at The Swire Inn. Live music is featured throughout much of the year, with performances on the patio during warmer months and inside when the weather turns cooler. An upstairs banquet space hosts events ranging from reunions to showers, most recently a Middletown High School class reunion.
Reflecting on the warmth and comfort guests experience at The Swire Inn, Hamilton said.
“I don’t know if it’s the original brick, the fact that it’s a house or just all the history that’s here,” Hamilton said. “This building has been around since the 1800s, and you feel that. I love this place, and I love the people who come here. Over time, those customers really do become friends.”
Nina Weierman is a freelance writer and mother living in Centerville, Ohio. More about her projects and writing can be found at linktr.ee/ninaweierman.
HOW TO GO
What: The Swire Inn
Where: 64 S Main St., Middletown
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Online: facebook.com/theswireinn
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