5 Best Local Favorite Restaurants in Dayton, Ohio

Dayton’s culinary scene is built on blue-collar roots, aviation history, and seriously loyal neighborhoods.

While it’s not as flashy as other Ohio cities, it’s all heart—with old-school diners, family-owned gems, and new chefs who respect tradition but aren’t afraid to take risks.

Here, regional comfort food and global flavor meet, and everyone has a strong opinion on where to get the best pies, burgers, or tacos. Dayton locals support their own—and the food tastes better for it.

Here are five local favorites that define Dayton dining:

1. The Pine Club

The Pine Club is the stuff of Dayton legends: open since 1947, unchanged and fiercely proud of its old-school ways.

There’s no reservations, no credit cards, and coats are still hung on racks by the door.

The steaks, aged in house and cooked over an open flame, are regularly voted best in Ohio.

The wedge salad and house-dressed tomatoes are cult favorites, and the bread basket comes with crackers and cottage cheese—a local tradition. Go for the New York strip or the bone-in ribeye, and revel in a place where history is just as rich as the food.

2. Wheat Penny Oven and Bar

Chef Liz Valenti runs this West Coast-meets-Midwest pizzeria where the crust is chewy, blistered, and a little sourdough magic shines through. Creative pies (try the Funghi with roasted mushrooms, or the Hot Honey) share the menu with roasted chicken, local veggie plates, and a killer cocktail program.

The décor is industrial-chic, the servers are all food fans themselves, and weekend brunch—featuring homemade pop-tarts—is always busy.

They use local produce wherever possible, and vegetarians/vegans feel right at home.

3. Taqueria Mixteca

This neighborhood taqueria draws crowds from all over Dayton with supersized platters, perfectly seasoned lengua tacos, and housemade salsas that pack both heat and flavor.

Birria, carnitas, and spicy enchiladas are highlights, and the horchata tastes homemade because it is.

It’s busy on weekends and at lunch, with local workers and families alike. Prices are easy on the wallet, and everything on the menu tastes like it could be straight from a Mexican grandmother’s kitchen.

4. Meadowlark Restaurant

At Meadowlark, chef Elizabeth Wiley makes modern comfort food sing: think pan-seared trout with lemony greens, fried green tomato BLTs, and decadent homemade pies.

The kitchen’s focus on Ohio produce and creative takes on classics (try their potato chips with housemade French onion dip) have made it a destination for weekend brunch and relaxed dinners alike.

Servers are genuinely friendly, and the space feels like your stylish friend’s house—if she also happened to be an award-winning chef.

5. Esther Price Fine Chocolates

Not a restaurant, but you can’t talk about Dayton favorites without mentioning Esther Price—a Dayton-based chocolatier since 1926.

Their dark chocolate pecan turtles, caramels, and opera creams are legendary throughout the region, often gifted at holidays and devoured by multi-generational Daytonians who wouldn’t dare serve another brand. Every bite tastes like hometown pride.