Hey Dayton!

Welcome to our weekly Dayton Food & Dining Newsletter! This week is Summer Restaurant Week throughout the Dayton area.

Since 2005, the Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Summer Restaurant Week has been helping bring customers out to enjoy special menus that often highlight the best seasonal produce and recipes our local establishments have to offer, according to my co-worker Alexis Larsen’s recent story.

This year’s promotion includes 26 participating restaurants and runs through Sunday.

One restaurant that stood out to me was Nick’s Restaurant in Xenia. For $30.25 you can get two meals.

Appetizer for two:

Entrée choices:

Dessert for two:

Meals this year range in price from $20.23 to $55.23 and a dollar from each meal sold will be donated to Brigid’s Path.

New restaurants participating this year are Little Fish Brewing Co. and Hotel Versailles + Silas Creative Kitchen.

» WHAT TO DO: Take a look at the menus

Ha Ha Pizza for sale in Yellow Springs

After a year of owning Ha Ha Pizza in Yellow Springs, Karen and Megan McDonald are announcing the longtime pizza shop is on the market due to personal health issues.

Ha Ha Pizza has been for sale since February after Karen became ill at the end of last year, Megan told me.

The mother-daughter team from the Fairborn and Enon area purchased the restaurant in June 2022 from B.J. Walters who had been part of the restaurant for 25 years.

“We’d purchased Ha Ha with big dreams and the intention of being here long term,” Megan said. “While we didn’t get to achieve all those goals we had, our favorite is remodeling the dining room. I still smile every time I see Chloé (Chicarelli’s) mural, and it is the highlight of our time here. We have loved getting to know the community and will miss it immensely.”

The McDonalds are seeking a new owner who would like to keep the business as Ha Ha Pizza and continue to grow with it. Anyone interested in purchasing Ha Ha Pizza should email Brandon Owens at brandon@fcbb.com.

Crafted & Cured adds bourbon, craft cocktail bar in Troy

Crafted & Cured has added a bar to its second floor featuring bourbon and craft cocktails at 8 S. Market St. in Troy.

Owners Andy Routson and Christian Alvarez reopened the establishment in early February after closing its doors in downtown Dayton in 2020.

The new cocktail/mixology program with a bourbon-centric focus prioritizes craftsmanship and exclusivity with a focus on flavor, aroma and finish, said Teresa Perretta of Crafted & Cured. This is in addition to its craft beer and charcuterie programs.

The new bar offers a predominant collection of bourbon, American whiskey, rye whiskey, Irish whiskey, Canadian whiskey, Scotch whiskey and more. In addition to 400 bottles available, the bar is stocked with a diverse selection of tequila, vodka, gin, rum and other liquors. The craft cocktail menu is broken into seasonal, classic and signature series cocktails.

Crafted & Cured’s new location was originally constructed in 1929 as The First Troy National Bank.

» PHOTOS: Take a look at Crafted & Cured’s new bar in Troy

Glazed Donut Eatery in Xenia to host donut eating contest

As Glazed Donut Eatery in Xenia marks two years, the donut shop is hosting a donut eating contest.

Anyone ready to take on “The Dirty 30″ will have one hour to eat 30 glazed donuts with three milks. If you’re able to complete the challenge, you will hold the title “Donut King or Queen” and receive a custom shirt. If you do not, you will have to pay $45.

Owner Clay Fillinger admits he has dabbled in competitive eating but was only able to eat 14 donuts when attempting this contest.

“It’s right at the fringe of insanity and it will work,” Fillinger said.

Since announcing the contest on July 11, Fillinger said he has had three to five people a day reach out to him wanting to do it. Those interested should email glazeddonuteatery@gmail.com or call 937-736-2031.

Quick Bites:

🍷 ‘80s themed wine dance party coming to Dayton: If you like wine and dancing to ‘80s music, you’ll want to be at Tender Mercy from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 and includes your first glass of wine.

🍪 Xenia bakery plans to close: Business owner Becky Hawkes has announced she will close FLOUR Bake Shop but plans to expand her gift shop, located next door. For more details, click here.

🧇 Taste of Belgium hopes to continue to expand in Dayton market: The Cincinnati-based restaurant held a ribbon cutting for its newest location at The Greene in Beavercreek.

🍝 New restaurant serving authentic Italian food opens in Xenia: Troni Brothers Italian Restaurant has opened its doors at 417 W. Second St. For more information about the restaurant, click here.

🍴 Dayton restaurant adds Sunday dinner service: After trying Sunday brunch for a year, the owners of Sueño have decided to discontinue it and add an extra day of dinner service instead.

Best of Dayton

Voting for our Best of Dayton contest kicked off Monday and the category with the most action was no surprise: Best Donuts.

Best Donuts had the most votes on the first day with tight competition already. Finalists include Baker Benji’s, Bear Creek Donuts, Bill’s Donut Shop, Jim’s Donut Shop, Stan the Donut Man and The Donut Haus Bakery.

This year we have 152 contests in nine categories: Around Town, Auto, Beauty & Wellness, Food, Dining & Drinking, Health & Medical, Home Improvement, Professional Services, Recreation and Retail. Voting runs through Friday, Aug. 11.

» WHAT TO KNOW: How to vote in this year’s contest

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.