Newsletter: So many restaurants on the way, plus ice cream shops open today ice cream🍦

Hey Dayton!

Welcome to our weekly Dayton Food & Dining Newsletter! This week I’ve been celebrating my birthday with some of my favorite foods around the Dayton area and of course I wanted to share my experiences with you.

Last night we had carryout from the Beavercreek Pizza Dive. If you have never been, it’s definitely worth checking out (especially on a Tuesday night because they have bogo pizza deals). We had a pepperoni New York style pizza with breadsticks and sweet garlic butter sauce. The sauce is very unique and I recommend getting a few extras, so everyone can have their own sauce to dip their pizza and breadsticks.

This morning, I’ve already had a donut from Stan The Donut Man and I am planning to eat dinner at the new El Toro restaurant at The Greene. When I went there in January to take photos, I was in awe of the decorations.

The family-owned Mexican restaurant features several elements throughout the space to give customers a look into their culture. One of the main areas has a layout similar to a hacienda. The district manager explained to me that a hacienda is a large house in Mexico that features a patio surrounded by balconies and a garden or fountain in the middle. El Toro has recreated two balconies on each side of the room with Mexican-styled decorations and a handmade tree in the middle. To see photos of the space, click here.

I will finish my birthday celebrations tonight with Jet Freeze! The Beavercreek ice cream shop is one of my favorites because of the many memories I have of going there as a kid. My grandparents lived right down the street and a cup of chocolate soft serve with rainbow sprinkles was a must and still is. Today is the shop’s opening day, along with The Dairy Station in Xenia. Click here to find out when your favorite ice cream shop is opening. Let me know where your favorite place to get ice cream is by emailing me here. I’ll be sure to check it out if I’ve never been!


Neighborhood bar near UD to reopen under new ownership

Kramers, a neighborhood bar near the University of Dayton known for its pizza, is reopening next week under new ownership, according to a post on the bar’s Facebook page.

The post said the bar is currently closed, but will reopen under new ownership at 11 a.m. on March 8.

According the bar’s website, Elmer Kramer opened Kramers in 1933 during Prohibition.

“It wasn’t until the prohibition lifted that Elmer was able to add carry out beer, and open the local bar,” the website said. “Kramers was known as a sports bar because many people would choose Kramers as there place to “tailgate” before UD basketball and football games.”

For 55 years, Kramers was solely owned and run by the Kramer family. In 1988, Tom Zimmerman joined the current owner at the time and added a pizza oven, simple bar food and liquor, the website said.

According to the website, the bar is still family owned and operated through the legacy of Tom Zimmerman.

Have you ever been to Kramers? Share your favorite memory by emailing me here.


New restaurant, bar to open inside Hollywood Gaming

Barstool Sportsbook, a new restaurant and bar, is opening inside Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway on Sunday, March 12 at noon.

The new space will feature a full-service bar, food service and VIP space. Jennifer Woffindale, director of marketing at Hollywood Gaming, said the restaurant will have bar food including burgers, pizza, tacos, sandwiches and more.

The full-service restaurant will also have 35 TVs and a 34-foot-wide jumbotron above the bar area.

Barstool Sportsbook is joining four other dining venues at the racino: Skybox Sports Bar, Take 2 Grill, Wahlburgers and Zombie Dogz.

A ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday, March 10 from 3 to 4 p.m., but the space will not open to the public until Sunday, March 12.


Miamisburg-based food truck closes

A Miamisburg-based food truck known for its Chicago dogs and loaded tots has closed its operation, so the owner can spend more time with his family.

Scott Whitfield, the owner of Underdogs Mobile, told me he became conscious last year of how much time and mind commitment there was to running his food truck.

He said he decided to close the food truck because he wanted to be more present in his family’s life, which includes his 5-year-old daughter, Cora, and wife, Liz.

Whitfield said he has since returned to the corporate world, but has hopes of someone continuing his business or buying the food truck and equipment inside to start another concept.

If you know of a new food truck opening up this season, email me here with details. I would love to feature them in our upcoming coverage!


Quick Bites:

💙 Mikesell’s selling cases of chips: Dayton’s favorite potato chip company is selling cases for $20 each from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday at 1610 Stanley Ave., while supplies last. The company is accepting cash only.

🛒 Sweet P’s Handcrafted Ice Pops now available at Dorothy Lane Market: Customers can now buy four-packs of the company’s most popular ice pop flavors at all three market locations. To find out which flavors are available click here.

🍩 Dayton area donut lovers share their favorite shops: Click here to find out why they can’t get enough of these shops.

🍺 Lock 27 Brewing partners with Colorado brewery: The two breweries have teamed up to produce a beer made with whole fruit.


Tell Us:

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 up, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out.

Also, 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 or Twitter pages.

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