From Texas tenderloins, butterfly pork chops, chicken, fried veggies and ribbon fries to funnel cakes, elephant ears, deep fried Oreos, ice cream and lemonade, there’s something for every taste.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
New concessions this year include:
- Elefant Espresso (espresso, coffee, hot chocolate, bagels and macaroons)
- DugeDeez Mobile Kitchen (waffles and fruit, banana pudding waffles and ice cream)
- Whit’s Frozen Custard (pre-scooped custard cups, chocolate dipped bananas, frozen cookies with custard in between and Milton’s donut custard sandwich)
I stopped by the fair earlier this week for a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the food is made. CLICK HERE to watch the video.
The Montgomery County Fair runs noon to 10 p.m. now through Saturday.
READ MORE: Here’s a list of all food vendors at the Montgomery County Fair
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Family brings authentic Pakistani flavors to former Tank’s Bar spot
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
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.”
READ MORE: Owner shares journey of opening a restaurant
Agnes restaurant on Wayne Avenue partially opens
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 can pickup some grab-and-go options such as salads, fruit bowls and lemonades, in addition to ordering from their full menu.
In the meantime, customers are welcome to enjoy their food on the outdoor patio.
READ MORE: Agnes to open in former Corner Kitchen in Dayton’s Oregon District
Anticoli’s house dressing is now available locally
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
When Michael Anticoli closed La Piazza in Troy, he didn’t take the decision lightly.
“I didn’t take it lightly because I understood that I was third generation in the business,” Anticoli said. “When I did make the decision to close, I did it wholeheartedly and I did it for all the right reasons.”
Since then, Anticoli has been selling the restaurant’s house dressing on the side, three to four times a year, via his social media audience. At the end of 2024, he decided to do it full-time under Anticoli Specialty Foods.
READ MORE: Where you can get Anticoli’s house dressing
Looking for something to do this weekend?
Credit: James Czar/Grainworks Brewing Company
Credit: James Czar/Grainworks Brewing Company
Dayton Food Truck Rallies is hosting a two-day event at Front Street Studios with more than 50 food trucks.
The Great Dayton Food Truck Rally is 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at 1001 E. Third St.
There will be food trucks traveling as far as Indianapolis and Michigan featuring beverages, dinner and desserts.
READ MORE: What to see at The Great Dayton Food Truck Rally
Quick Bites
🍸 All The Best Delicatessen adds bar: The Washington Twp. restaurant is now serving cocktails, beer, wine and new bites. READ MORE
🍖 Prime BBQ opens restaurant on Brown Street: The first six customers every day through July 7, 2026 will receive a free lunch special.
☕ 7 Brew to open on West Chester church’s property: The company would lease a .7-acre parcel for the project. READ MORE
🍦 Ohio Ice Cream Trail: Here’s 150 places to get a cool treat throughout the state.
Best of Dayton: Health Foods Unlimited stays true to original mission
For nearly half a century, Health Foods Unlimited has been a cornerstone of wellness in the Dayton area — a mission that started with founder Dorothy Miller and continues today.
Now, as the Centerville health food store celebrates its 48 year anniversary, that mission remains true with Dorothy’s daughters, Rhonda Miller and Emilie Kulp, at the helm.
“We’re just here to help the community,” Miller said. “We have a lot of loyal customers. There are so many people that come in here every day and say, We’re so glad you’re still here.”
Health Foods Unlimited has been named the 2025 Best of Dayton winner in two categories: Best Health Food Store and Best Natural Food Store.
READ MORE: What to expect at Health Foods Unlimited
What I’ve been eating 🍽️
My husband and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary on Monday at Sueño. It was my husband’s first time at the restaurant.
If you’ve never been, I recommend ordering various plates and sharing them with your table.
We had:
- Esquites (charred sweet corn, serrano, pickled red onion, chipotle aioli and queso fresco)
- Tacos de Cochinita (adobo marinated pork, salsa tamulado and pickled red onions)
- Tamales (poblano rajas, chihuahua cheese, mole amarillo, sesame seeds and pistachio)
- Papas (fried potatoes, jalapeño, salsa chermoula and requesón)
- Pastel de Elote (sweet corn cake, blackberry-blueberry compote and honey whipped butter)
Everything was great, but my favorite dishes were the esquites and tacos de cochinita. They both had that perfect balance of spice and flavor.
If you haven’t been to Sueño, the restaurant offers a “Cantina Menu” at the bar from 4 to 6 p.m. with items that are “a little more approachable, a little more fun and less refined in comparison to the rest of our menu.”
READ MORE: Sueño, Tender Mercy owners adapt to new Dayton consumer habits
Community Gems 💎
The Miami Valley is a compassionate community, full of people who help each other in big and small ways every day.
The Dayton Daily News Community Gems initiative will highlight and honor people who give their time and effort to improve the lives of their neighbors and community. Tell us your stories and help us spread the good news.
CLICK HERE to nominate a Community Gem.
Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! If you see a new restaurant opening or are wondering when an establishment is expected to open, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out.
Remember to follow Dayton Daily News on Facebook or search our Food & Dining section for the latest stories. I’ll have continuous updates on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages.
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