Opening
Gionino’s
Dayton’s first Gionino’s Pizzeria has opened. The pizza restaurant is located in a former tire shop at 1528 E. Third St., near DK Effect.
The franchise has about 45 locations between Cleveland and Canton, with a Columbus location as well. The first Dayton shop will primarily be pick-up and delivery, according to the owners. A small dining area seating 14 is available.
“What differentiates us, personally, from other local pizza shops is we do the fried chicken,” owner Tony Clark said. “Where I’m from, pizza and fried chicken go hand and hand. ... Down here that isn’t quite the case. So I think people are going to be really excited about the quality of the fried chicken and the wings also.”
Stacked Pickle
Ohio’s very first Stacked Pickle has opened its first Dayton-area location near the Dayton Mall.
Stacked Pickle, a sports-themed restaurant chain, will open at the former Roosters site in Miamisburg at 103 N. Springboro Pike in Miamisburg, records show.
Established in 2010, Stacked Pickle is owned and operated by former Indianapolis Colts football player and Super Bowl Champion Gary Brackett.
The chain serves American foods like wings, burgers, fried pickles and sandwiches. The restaurant chain has nine Indiana locations, according to its website.
Jimmy John’s
A new Jimmy John’s restaurant has opened at 220 N. Main St. in the Biltmore Towers.
The expansion of downtown Dayton’s daytime office population and its residential population, along with development in and around RiverScape, made the Biltmore Towers location attractive, the franchisee said.
The restaurant is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and has delivery by bicycle.
Black Rock Bar & Grill
Credit: Black Rock Bar & Grill- Toledo
Credit: Black Rock Bar & Grill- Toledo
The new Black Rock Bar & Grill is officially open after several months of being in the works in front of the Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek.
The free-standing restaurant built on the site of the former Don Pablo’s restaurant next to Panera Bread in front of the mall opened at 11 a.m. on, Monday May 20.
The restaurant serves steaks, seafood and other entrees on a 755-degree volcanic rock, allowing diners to cook their meals to their liking. Black Rock also features an assortment of appetizers, sandwiches and desserts, as well as a full-service bar that includes 17 craft beer taps and signature cocktails.
Dunkin’ Donuts
The Dayton area’s eighth Dunkin’ doughnut shop location opened its doors on May 23.
The new shop is located at 168 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Road in Fairborn. Pat Gilligan, the franchise owner for Dayton- and Cincinnati-area Dunkin’ Donuts, has said the Fairborn location has strong demographics and traffic counts.
Two additional Dunkin’ shops are in the works: on Harshman Road in Huber Heights and on North Fairfield Road in Beavercreek.
Bridgette’s Cakes & Pastries
Credit: Bridgette's Cakes & Pastries
Credit: Bridgette's Cakes & Pastries
A Dunbar High School grad has taken her desserts on the road. Judging by the offerings on the menu, that’s a very delicious thing.
Bridgette Rodgers said she is ready for its first full season with sweet and savory dishes.
On board at each stop is a bevy of dishes from Rodgers Fiesta menu (tacos and similar dishes), All-American menus (burgers and other American classics) or her chili cheese menu.
But the desserts that earned Rodgers local fans always seem to steal the show.
Four of a dozen cakes created by Rodgers — her banana pudding cake, her red velvet cake cheesecake and Reese’s cake included — are featured at each event her business attends.
Stella Bleu Bistro
Stella Bleu Bistro celebrated its grand opening this week, marking the start of another business in downtown Springfield.
The bistro’s owners are Shawn Osterholt and Darin Mitchell. Osterholt is a local physician and investor, while Mitchell served as an executive chef at the Urbana Country Club and Coco’s Bistro in Dayton.
Mitchell said most of the food in the restaurant is made in-house, including the ketchup and mustard.
“I love food, so do the guys that work for me,” Mitchell said. “So we love to have fun coming up with a menu and different options.”
The menus for both lunch and dinner feature a variety of dishes including steak, seafood, pasta and vegetarian options.
Coming Soon
Chicken Salad Chick
One of the first Ohio locations of the nation’s only Southern-inspired, fast-casual chicken salad restaurant has settled on when and where it will open in Warren County.
Chicken Salad Chick’s new franchise in Mason will open this fall at 6209 Snider Road in the Snider Commons shopping center.
Chicken Salad Chick’s menu features more than a dozen kinds of chicken salads along with pimento cheese or egg salad, served by the scoop, in bread, toast or a croissant. There’s also a selection of side dishes, soups and desserts.
Club Oceano
Club Oceano, a new and locally owned seafood restaurant, is now hiring as it gears up to open in the 8,000-square-foot space that previously housed McCormick & Schmick’s seafood restaurant at The Greene.
The new restaurant’s founders are shooting to open this summer, possibly as early as July.
The new restaurant will serve a variety of seafood dishes with Cajun, Mediterranean and Asian influences, according to a release.
The Chicken Spot
Credit: Anthony Head
Credit: Anthony Head
The opening date has been set for a new, locally-owned chicken filet sandwich shop.
The Chicken Spot will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, July 6, according to a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Located at 3261 W. Siebenthaler Ave., Anthony Head and a business partner are opening the new restaurant.
Head said his carry-out business will specialize in “ChickenHead” chicken sandwiches.
Head said chicken breast will be double breaded, brined in salt and sugar, deep fried in peanut oil and served on a toasted bun. The shop will also sell some sides and Kool-Aid.
Jamaican Joe’s
It all started with a dream.
Now a pair of high school sweethearts are hoping Dayton falls in love with their jerk chicken-infused menu.
Alana and Anthony Brookshire plan to officially launch their new food truck, Jamaican Joes, this month.
The new truck’s menu puts a Jamaican jerk chicken and spicy jerk sauce twist of American favorites.
Closing
Burger King
Credit: Provided
Credit: Provided
A Kettering Burger King restaurant at 1431 E. Dorothy Lane has closed as the company finishes construction on a new location.
Burger King plans to move the restaurant to a new location it’s currently building in the Meijer parking lot at 4085 Wilmington Pike.
Wright Café (closed temporarily)
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
The Wright Café in Vandalia closed just before Memorial Day weekend.
Michael Dixson, president of El Paso, Texas-based Prestige Development Group and the owner of The Wright Cafe, told this news outlet in an email on Memorial Day, May 27, that the restaurant at 3324 Benchwood Road would reopen "sometime later, but for now, we need to regroup."
The owner and some of the restaurant’s employees disagree on the reason the restaurant has temporarily closed, and the restaurant suffered some minor damage in the Memorial Day tornadoes.
