You have many fantastic dining options in Dayton, Ohio. The Gem City is known for its wide variety of attractions, our aviation heritage, popular ‘Daycations’, and the Dayton Ale Trail with more than 30 regional breweries.
The 18 best restaurants in Dayton, OH, listed below, represent our city’s tastiest locally-inspired offerings.
Amar Indian Restaurant
$$ | (937) 439-9005 | WEBSITE
With three Dayton area locations, Amar Indian Restaurant offers savory options from the Indian subcontinent. Crisp samosa pastries, paneer dishes, and a variety of naan flatbreads accompany tandoori and vegetarian dishes.
Chicken, fish, lamb, and seafood specialties are prepared with curries, korma, saag, and spicy masala sauces. The biryani rice dishes include vegetarian, meat, and seafood options.
Consider complementing your meal with a delicious lassi or mango milk shake. In addition to the Miamisburg Centerville Road location, Amar India North in Dayton and Jeet India Restaurant in Beavercreek are the other convenient locations.
Amber Rose Restaurant & Catering
$$ | (937) 228-2511 | WEBSITE
Since 1990, the Amber Rose has brought a taste of Eastern European to the Old North Dayton neighborhood.
Operating in a 1910s building that once served as a general store and delicatessan known as Sig’s, the lunch and dinner selections include German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, and Russian cuisines.
The soup and sandwich combo is a popular lunchtime choice. Those with hearty appetites will enjoy the Lithuanian cabbage roll, beef stroganoff, schnitzels, pot roast, and grilled sauerbraten options.
In addition to a wide selection of European brews and wines, this restaurant also specializes in catering.
Carillon Brewing Company
$ | (937) 910-0722 | WEBSITE
Those with an interest in the intersection of beer-brewing history and German food will enjoy a visit to the Carillon Brewing Company near the Wright Brothers National Museum.
The only museum-based production brewery in the United States, this venue provides a peek at the early beer industry of Ohio in the mid-1800s.
Although menu options are limited, the wurst platters, reubens, wurst on a bun, and sauerkraut balls capture the tastes of the German immigrants who settled in this area more than 150 years ago.
Seasonal brews, including the popular dark brown porter beer, accompany the German dishes on this trip into our area’s tasty history.
Coco’s Bistro
$$ | (937) 228-2626 | WEBSITE
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Jim Gagnet and Karen Wick-Gagnet have been familiar names in the Dayton restaurant community since opening their first establishment in 1996.
Coco’s moved to its current location in 2011, bringing their New American and fusion cuisine to the Historic South Park neighborhood.
Popular lunch items include the grilled cheese, shrimp & linguine, Bourbon Street salad, French lentils, and their rendition of the Cuban sandwich on a challah bun. Salads, pizzas, and dinner entrees are joined with a variety of wines and beers.
Dublin Pub
$$ | (937) 224-7822 | WEBSITE
At the crossroads of Fifth and Wayne, the Dublin Pub opened in 1998 on a long neglected property. For more than 20 years, this pub and restaurant have hosted countless weddings, celebrations, and memorable meals.
The Dub Pub cheese fries, Guinness beer cheese, and their reuben and poutine fries prove there are many ways to skin a tasty potato.
In addition to the popular fish & chips that one might expect, seafood lovers rave about the sea monger platter.
Their sandwiches include options you would expect, such as reubens and a monster grilled cheese. The brisket mac & cheese, shepherd’s pie, and corned beef & cabbage are staples of this mouth-watering menu.
Fifth Street Brewpub
$$ | (937) 443-0919 | WEBSITE
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If the walls could talk, this building in St. Anne’s Hill Historic District would share stories going back to the 1850s. Opened in 2012 as a co-op, this brewpub offers bottles and drafts for those wanting to experience the local brewing culture.
Burgers, sandwiches, and wraps accompany these delicious beers, as do featured specials such as Olga’s Ukrainian borscht, the three-cheese grilled cheese, and their spicy honey Sriracha-infused chicken mac.
This hidden gem shines in a neighborhood that has been a historic district since 1974.
George’s Family Restaurant
$$ | (937) 275-0705 | WEBSITE
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Since opening in 1994, this North Dixie Drive eatery has been a popular go-to spot for griddle specials, omelettes, breakfasts, and burgers.
With Greek-inspired dishes and American fare, there are many options for diners to select. George’s signature ‘broaster’ meals, burgers, gyros, and Philly steak sandwiches have attracted satisfied customers for nearly 30 years.
Jimmie’s Ladder 11
$$ | (937) 424-1784 | WEBSITE
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For a great meal and a wide variety of beer selections near the Miami Valley Hospital campus, Jimmie’s Ladder 11 has you covered.
Opened on 11/11/2011 in the former Ladder 11 firehouse, this family-operated restaurant offers a wide range of pizzas, pastas, and specialty sandwiches.
Owner Jimmie Brandell has preserved much of the history of this 1892 firehouse, while also crafting a menu based on family favorites and his many years in the local restaurant community.
The building’s party loft and hors d’oeuvres menu are perfect for special gatherings.
Joe’s Pizzeria
$ | (937) 253-8154 | WEBSITE
A tradition of crafting pizzas with generous toppings that almost always touch the crust has defined Joe’s Pizzeria for more than 60 years. Opened in 1959, this casual destination offers tasty pies that locals prefer over the national chains.
The simple dining room has been a popular gathering place for generations of pizza fans, as well as those who enjoy burgers, sausage and meatball sandwiches, and spaghetti dishes.
Located a short drive from the National Museum of the US Air Force, this eastside establishment has fans throughout Dayton who enjoy their dine-in and take-out pizza selections.
Lily’s Dayton
$$ | (937) 723-7637 | WEBSITE
A reinspiration of the former Lily’s Bistro, the brunch and dinner offerings bring Gem City diners a taste of Southern or Polynesian comfort food.
Brunch features shrimp and grits, Benedicts (including an outstanding Sautéed Crawfish Étouffée), beignets, and the popular ‘hangover bowls’ with eggs, cheese, tater tots, and meat selections to get you moving.
For dinner, popular appetizers are the deviled eggs and Caribbean pulled pork nachos. Lousiana-inspired short rib or fried oyster po’boys, as well as a General Tso Boy and Vietnamese pork belly banh mi are highly popular selections.
Poke bowls, Buddha bowls, and mac ‘n cheese selections round out this treasure in Historic Oregon.
Linh’s Bistro
$ | (937) 252-1857 | WEBSITE
Phan and Hoa Nguyen left Vietnam in 1983. After working in and establishing successful Chinese restaurants in the Dayton area for many years, they planned to retire. Those plans changed in 2013 when they opened LInh’s Bistro.
Their current bistro in the Airway Road shopping center near the National Museum of the US Air Force offers an extensive selection of authentic Chinese and Vietnamese dishes that stay true to their Asian roots.
Much more than spring rolls and phở, this restaurant’s full menu includes special family dishes and selections that have created a new generation of repeat customers.
Local Cantina Water Street
$ | (937) 999-4230 | WEBSITE
In recent years, a number of taco stands and Mexican restaurants have entered our community’s foody landscape. A popular downtown option a few steps away from the outfield of Day Air Ballpark is Local Cantina Water Street.
With an ever-changing “Weekly Taco Feature” and all of the dishes you would expect, this destination provides a rich menu of Mexican selections for those in town attending a Dayton Dragons ballgame or wanting to enjoy a tasty lunch or dinner break.
Oakwood Club
$$$ | (937) 293-6973 | WEBSITE
Those seeking a fine steakhouse and memorable dining experience should consider the Oakwood Club on Far Hills Avenue.
Since its opening in 1962, this Dayton destination has won acclaim for its Midwestern Angus beef, seafood brought in daily from coastal destinations, and an impressive variety of wines to accompany any meal.
The fine booths and intimate atmosphere take diners back to a time when a high-class meal mixed the finest ingredients, impeccable service, and attention to detail.
Crab cakes, surf and turf options, and hand-cut marbled steaks win great praise from regulars and newcomers alike. The filet mignon, porterhouse, and prime ribeye steaks are seasoned and broiled with great care.
Pasha Grill
$$ | (937) 429-9000 | WEBSITE
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Located in the Greene Town Center near Interstate 675, the Pasha Grill’s extensive menu satisfies those in southwestern Ohio who have a passion for excellent Turkish and Middle Eastern fare.
The sampler dishes offer a taste of the most popular appetizers, and the shephard salad gets positive reviews. Diners may choose to add gyro, falafel, feta, salmon, or grilled chicken to their salads for extra taste.
The kebab and rice dishes earn high reviews, especially the doner kebab (also known as the ‘Turkish gyro’).
Yogurt-infused kebabs have the perfect array of Mediterranean spices. The doner special and mousakka are top house specials. Vegetarians will enjoy the tasty falafel dinner or okra stew.
Salar Restaurant and Lounge
$$$$ | (937) 203-3999 | WEBSITE
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Located in the Historic Oregon District a short walk from downtown, Salar blends Peruvian, French, and Mediterranean traditions into a memorable dining experience.
A Green Certified Restaurant, Salar celebrates the food legacy of Peru through its wide variety of dishes, ranging from beef saltado and seafood rice, to the Machu Picchu pork chop or vegan and gluten free options.
Salar also offers a variety of upscale dining options, including private rooms and the popular Chef’s Table that allows guests to view into the kitchen.
Slyder’s Tavern
$ | (937) 258-1222 | WEBSITE
Located in the heart of the Belmont neighborhood along Watervliet Avenue, Slyder’s Tavern has been a great destination for burgers since opening in 1948.
This establishment features a regularly rotating array of craft beers on tap, as well as homemade chili and perfectly spiced wings that get top reviews.
Weekday specials include the ever-popular fried walleye on Fridays. Parents will appreciate the selections on the kid’s menu that make this bar and grill a popular destination for all ages.
Thai 9 Restaurant
$$ | (937) 222-3227 | WEBSITE
Thai 9 is the perfect place to enjoy tasty Thai offerings, as well as a full range of sashimi and sushi dishes.
The Historic Oregon District destination has a variety of craft brews and wines to complement their lunch and dinner Asian menu selections.
The extensive combination of Japanese and Thai appetizers, soups, noodles, stir-fry, fried rice, and curry dishes make this a popular go-to destination for Asian cuisine in Dayton.
With more than 30 sushi rolls available, diners can select from fish and vegetarian options. The chicken, salmon, shrimp, and steak teriyaki selections are delicious. Dessert options include fried banana and mango sticky rice.
Wheat Penny Oven and Bar
$$ | (937) 496-5268 | WEBSITE
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Known for its eggplant fries and pepperoni gumbo appetizers, this popular Wayne Avenue destination specializes in California-style pizza, Italian cuisine, and American fare.
A wide variety of vegetarian and meat options are available as small or large round pies. The warm focaccia bread goes along perfectly with eggplant parmesan, or pasta dishes such as the green lasagna with cheese and tomato.
The Wheat Penny burger is a popular item, and diners should also ask about the weekly special burger available from the kitchen.
A Tasty Summary
This list of the 18 best restaurants in Dayton, OH focuses on hometown favorites. These tasty treasures of Gem City are found in Dayton-based eateries, rather than national or regional chains.
Our selection covers a variety of ethnic dishes found throughout the city. We encourage you to visit our local restaurants.
