“Trotwood was very good to us,” said Leiland Woods, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Melanie. “We were very well pleased with how Trotwood came out and supported us. They really did, but it wasn’t enough.”
For the business to thrive in Trotwood, it needed to pull customers from Clayton, Englewood and Dayton, and that was tough. Moving to Dayton’s Wright Dunbar District is expected to help.
“Overall, we had some great success there as far as building the brand, working out all the kinks that go along with opening a restaurant,” Leiland Woods said. “We were able to basically get our legs up under us and now poised for greater success.”
What to expect at the food hall
Ella Mae’s will likely open by Dec. 1 in the former space of The Lumpia Queen.
The owners wanted to be a part of W. Social Tap & Table because it’s in the middle of the redevelopment of the Wright Dunbar District. They said they like the vibe inside the food hall and the fact that the community can come in and try different cuisines.
Ella Mae’s will offer the same menu featuring favorites such as broasted chicken, fish and pork chops with sides of macaroni and cheese, collard greens and potato wedges. Everything is cooked with turkey.
The restaurant’s top seller in Trotwood was the four-piece broasted chicken dinner.
Broasted chicken is pressure cooked, instead of being fried. The secret ingredient is a special marinade.
The couple described the chicken as very moist. It’s often crispier and juicier than fried chicken, they said.
For dessert, they have banana pudding and peach cobbler.
Serving good food
The owners hope to give their customers a southern taste with their food to live up to the restaurant’s name, which is a tribute to Leiland Wood’s mother and their family and friends.
Leiland and Melanie Woods originally opened Ella Mae’s as a food truck in 2023 to serve their customers at Trinity Liquidations on Salem Avenue in Trotwood.
The food truck started taking on a life of its own, so the couple decided to pursue Ella Mae’s full-time. They closed the liquidation store in March 2024.
“I’m just looking forward to meeting some new people and giving them some good food,” Melanie Woods said.
MORE DETAILS
Wine Down Wednesdays at W. Social Tap & Table will be sponsored by Ella Mae’s. The restaurant will have crab leg boils and specials on wings.
For more information and updates, visit ellamaesbroasterhut.com or the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Natalie Jones writes about food and dining in Southwest Ohio with an emphasis on the Dayton region. She may be reached at natalie.jones@coxinc.com.
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