Some entrepreneurs are opening new restaurants, while others are relocating or expanding. Here’s what we know:
Agnes 🍖
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Agnes has opened the doors to its bodega-style pickup location on Wayne Avenue, as the sit-down part of the restaurant is planned to open later this month.
Jose Estremera, who operates the restaurant with his brother, Harvey Sims, said customers are able to pickup grab-and-go options such as salads, fruit bowls and lemonades, in addition to ordering from their full menu.
“A lot of people travel to the Caribbean and they can’t get back, but they can come to Agnes and get that same experience they had,” Estremera said.
Orders can be placed in-person, online or via phone for pickup at 263 Wayne Ave., next to Luna Gifts & Botanicals. This part of the restaurant is planned to feature Caribbean dry goods.
Estremera hopes to open the sit-down part of the restaurant, in the former location of Corner Kitchen at 613 E. Fifth St, in mid-July.
Little Bear 🍳
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The owners of Meadowlark Restaurant and Wheat Penny Oven & Bar are opening a new breakfast and lunch restaurant this fall in the Dietz Block building on Wayne Avenue.
“Since COVID, we’ve really not been able to brunch at Meadowlark and Wheat Penny and they’re both staples at both restaurants,” said Liz Valenti, who owns the restaurants with her business partner, Dave Rawson. “On a weekly basis we have people calling us to say, “please do brunch.””
The restaurant was planned to be named “Little Bear” after Valenti’s dog, but due to trademark concerns, they are reconsidering the name.
Customers can expect “simple brunch items, as well as things that are a little more out there.”
The restaurant is expected to offer one menu all day with the selection going beyond breakfast and brunch. There will be grinder sandwiches, cold meat sandwiches, soups and salads, as well as world cuisine.
There will also be a grab-and-go station featuring pre-packaged soups, salads and dinners for customers to pick up and take home.
Good Hands Bread Co. 🥖
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Andrew Fisher, owner and founder of the Good Hands Bread Co., is opening a bakery inside the Dietz Block building, set to open later this year.
Founded in 2021, the shop operates out of 2nd Street Market and specializes in sourdough bread and pretzels.
“We’re really looking forward to breathing new life into the space,” said Fisher. “We couldn’t be happier with the location. It’s right down the road from 2nd Street Market where we set up every weekend, and it’s less than a mile from all seven restaurants we’re currently working with.”
Good Hands Bread Co. previously planned to open a location in Moraine. However, financial limitations caused the project to be cancelled.
Construction is still ongoing on the site, but Fisher hopes to open by the end of the summer. The bakery will continue to be at 2nd Street Market Friday through Sunday.
Bootleg Bagels 🥯
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Bootleg Bagels, a bakery brand based in Yellow Springs, is planning to open a brick-and-mortar spot in Dayton at 735 Wayne Avenue.
“I’ve been looking for a place for a couple years now, and some things just fell through. Some things weren’t a match, and this place really felt good,” said Owner Benjamin Bullock. “Wayne Avenue is really seeming to be on an uptick — especially with restaurants.”
Bullock started Bootleg Bagels in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. What he thought would only last about two weeks, has turned into five year endeavor.
Since signing the lease earlier this year, Bullock has been finalizing the drawings of his new 2,300-square-foot space. After submitting them to the city, he’s hoping to open sometime this fall.
Customers can expect their favorite bagels, along with an expanded selection of baked goods, hot and cold sandwiches, coffee and other drinks. There will be limited seating inside the bakery.
MADE Studio & Shop 🥣
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
When Sarah Richard opened MADE, a ceramic art studio in Dayton’s St. Anne’s Hill neighborhood, she realized pretty quickly that they would run out of space.
After almost three years at 1619 E. Fifth St., she’s preparing to make a move to 735 Wayne Ave. — a space that’s nearly seven times bigger than her current building.
Clients can expect new offerings such as clay memberships and intermediate classes, as well as added services such as sewing, yarn work, floral classes and seasonal crafts.
“In a culture that desires immediacy, clay forces you to slow down and appreciate... skilled craftmanship,” Richard said. “It’s an art form that takes a long time to actually get good at. I want to be a studio where everybody feels comfortable to try anything. You should be celebrated for giving it a go.”
With the move, MADE will be rebranded to MADE Studio & Shop. Richard hopes to open mid- to late-fall.
Food Castle 🍛
Credit: Contributed Photo
Credit: Contributed Photo
A new restaurant is hoping to open this month in the former location of Tank’s Bar & Grill on Wayne Avenue.
Food Castle is a halal, Pakistani and Indian eatery offering hearty meals such as biryani, karhai and barbecue.
“I noticed that we don’t have many places locally serving authentic Pakistani food,” owner Nadia Qartain told the Dayton Daily News. “I really wanted to introduce my region’s flavors that I’m very proud of to the community I live in.”
Qartain is originally from Karachi, Pakistan. She moved to the region 13 years ago when she married her husband, Qartain Ahmed.
Food Castle’s specialty will be the barbecue beef bihari, a popular Pakistani and Indian dish featuring strips of grilled, marinated beef.
Other items she recommends include the chicken tikka, kababs, white karhai and black pepper karhai.
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