So, you’re in Butler County, Ohio and are looking for some amazingly-delicious restaurants, right? Where do you go? What do you eat? I mean, where are the spots the locals go for really great food? From ice cream to donuts and everything in between, here are our eight must-try restaurants in Butler County, Ohio!
Sometimes having the pleasure of exploring my own state is the business. Ohio is filled with that cool, Midwest feel, fun cities and, of course, amazing restaurants. With gastro-travel being huge right now, it was an easy decision to hop in the car and road trip to a place I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting: Butler County, Ohio. Here are my choices for dining in the county.
1. ROLL ON IN
Have you ever heard of a sushi burrito? Honestly, I had no idea until we visited ROLL ON IN in Hamilton, Ohio. The restaurant just opened and it’s such a hip spot to enjoy everything completely customizable.
Here’s the scoop: we picked a protein and base, then added in our fave veggies and sauce. I really loved the chicken rice bowl compliments of its simplicity. The Kid really dug the Tempura Shrimp Noodle Bowl with a side of Fried Dumplings.
Butler County Donut Trail
The Donut Trail in Butler County is all the rage right now. At the time this post was written there were 12 spots on the official Trail, but honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if more are added soon. Here are three to test drive when you visit:
2. Ross Bakery in Hamilton, Ohio – What you’ll get is a classic, no-frills style of donut shop experience. What you won’t get are high prices.
On its menu is everything from a Pretzel Donut to seasonal flavors – and prices start at $1.00.
3. Kelly’s Bakery in Hamilton, Ohio – Kelly’s Bakery is just lovely. It’s light and airy with a few window tables.
Filled with a girly vibe, we had some very tasty, unique donuts including a Fruity Pebbles style. Prices start at 85 cents (right?!) and even Old Fashioned Sour Cream style on Wednesdays.
4. Mimi’s Donuts & Bakery in Hamilton, Ohio – Yeast, cake, donut holes, minis – you name it, it’s on the menu. My picks are definitely the Lemon Glazed and Triple Chocolate. Prices start at 50 cents for minis.
It was fun to sit at the counter and taste test a few of the popular ones. The mini jelly are so good!
5. Jolly’s Drive In
Talk about old school in the best way possible! Remember seeing 50’s television shows where the waitresses would come to the car windows with the orders? That’s Jolly’s.
We visited the location in Hamilton, Ohio, and were dumbfounded by the great service and super low prices. It has hot dogs that are delish, popcorn, burgers, apple fritters, and Brown Cows. What’s a Brown Cow? A classic root beer float with vanilla ice cream. Did I mention its footlong hotdogs are $2.20? That, too.
6. Bagel & Deli Shop
Located in Oxford, Ohio, Bagel & Deli Shop has been around for nearly 50 years. Not only are the steamed bagel sandwiches tasty, Miami University students have created small posters of their faves and they hang all over the back wall.
We had a chance to talk to the owner and he’s just as cool as the restaurant. If you have a chance, ask him about those fun signs and what his favorites are. As for me and The Kid, we loved the Turkey Hummer: turkey, provolone, hummus, tomato and onion on bialy.
7. The Cone
Ice cream is my favorite food; no surprise there. And when it comes to ice cream, Ohio ice cream is right at the top of the list. Here’s where The Cone in West Chester, Ohio, comes in to add to my list of faves. Shaped like a giant orange swirl soft serve and surrounded by kiddie rides and smaller cone statues, it was voted “Cincinnati‘s best Soft Serve” by Cincinnati Magazine.
The Cone uses natural ingredients in its ice cream and prides itself on being SOY FREE, GLUTEN FREE, and EGG FREE. Yeah, it gets an A+ in those categories, too. When you visit, try an orange swirl or peanut butter soft serve – you won’t be disappointed.
8. High St. Cafe
Another cool location in Hamilton, Ohio, is High Street Cafe. Known to locals for its fresh comfort food and scratch-made bakery items, the vibe is the coolest. It’s filled with trinkets and antiques that, should you fall in love with one, you can buy.
The menu is a classic one, but using fresh ingredients makes the items taste even better. We visited High Street Cafe for breakfast on our last morning and I can attest to the quality and deliciousness of both the Morning Star and Breakfast Burrito. The portions are large, the prices are affordable, and service was impeccable. That’s the trinity of restaurant greatness in my book.
Where We Stayed
Our hotel for the length of our stay was the Courtyard by Marriott in Hamilton. At the time this post was written, I’ve never had a bad stay at a Courtyard location and this one was no exception. The Kid and I each had our own queen bed and plenty of space in a separated living area. We had free wifi which worked very well and there was no issue with parking as it has its own lot.
As for the bathroom, it was very clean. The sink area had lots of room for makeup and toiletries and the shower/tub was good, too. The view was lovely and we got to look at the view of the
The lobby had several, highly likable qualities. First, there’s Plaza One Grille with a Starbucks in the lobby. Second, there are both an indoor pool and 24-hour gym room just off the lobby. Third, if you need to hop online, there are computers with printers available. Time your visit right and you may just have the opportunity to catch some live entertainment at the outdoor patio.
Disclosure: I was graciously hosted by the folks at Visit Butler County, Ohio, to give you fine folks the scoop on what makes it so fun. All opinions are my own!
