Ohio is a foodie paradise and some of the things to eat in Butler County are the reason why. I’ve always said Ohio is an underrated state and every time I visit a new county I am even more convinced it’s true.
Butler sits in the southwest corner of the state just 20 minutes north of Cincinnati and 30 minutes south of Dayton. With a thriving arts scene, eclectic shopping and one-of-a kind entertainment there is always something unique to find. The dining options are equally as diverse and modern as the rest of the county.
This unassuming, mom and pop style restaurant looked average from the outside, but walking in Lisa’s Kitchen was like walking into a party. The dining room was completely packed with more than a few families waiting. If that’s not a sign of good food I don’t know what is. Despite the crowd, the wait wasn’t long and before I knew it homemade biscuits and gravy were placed in front of me.
Lisa’s is famous for all day breakfast and double decker sandwiches. As good as the sandwiches looked I can never pass up true biscuits and gravy. Everything was homey and cooked well. It’s traditional diner food done well. Prices are reasonable too, so it’s a great place for a family breakfast.
The Butler County Donut Trail was started in January 2016, and features 11 locally-owned bakeries. Each bakery on the trail has their own unique flavors and house favorites. Some specialty doughnut flavors include smores, fruity pebbles, german chocolate and maple bacon.
The full Donut Trail spans 80 miles and takes approximately 4.5 hours to complete. Of course, you can take as much time as you want to visit them all! I stopped at 3 one morning and snacked on my doughnuts all weekend. Butler makes it even more fun with printable Doughnut Trail maps, passports, and free T-shirts for finishers!
Click here to print your own map and passport!
If you want to have an authentic drive-in experience Jolly’s is the perfect place to stop. Car hops deliver orders with a cute little tray that attaches to your car window. If you’re in a hurry you can always get it to go, but it’s fun to slow down and enjoy the experience!
The menu is full of drive-in favorites. I got to try the chili dogs, onion rings, french fries & cheeseburgers and it was all yummy, American style fast food, exactly as it should be. Whatever you decide to order don’t go home without trying the homemade root beer or a root beer float.
Troy’s Cafe is doing something different in Butler and it’s working! Fresh, creative food in a casual setting is perfect for lunch, but the curated beer and wine list makes it a great spot for date night as well.
The photo below is why I will never be a food blogger. When my Spinach Pesto Orzo arrived I took at least 5 bites before remembering to take a picture. It just looked too good. I added grilled salmon on top to make it more of a meal, but the orzo itself would have been plenty.
As promised it tasted extremely fresh and bright. Next time I’m in town I’ll be stopping in to try the Uovo Sandwich: Fried Egg, Opened Faced Sourdough, Aioli, Spinach, Tomato, Prosciutto & Parmesan.
It was a toss up where Rivertown Brewery should go on this list, but it ended up landing under food rather than drinks. The food is just too good to ignore. The drinks are too, don’t get me wrong. They are great actually. With over 30 varieties of beer on tap, it’s hard not to find one you love.
They are also on trend with sparkling mineral waters like cucumber lime and honey mango. If I lived in Hamilton this would be my summer hang out spot for sure.
Then there is that food I was talking about. Slow smoked BBQ is a house favorite and “must try.” As a former Texan I take BBQ seriously, and this is seriously the real deal.
Don’t be alarmed when a waiter strolls by carrying a burger with a lit sparkler speared through it. That would be the Highway 63 burger, and it’s now my favorite burger in Ohio. It’s a prime rib, angus and brisket blended burger, topped with a fried block of American cheese, bacon, jalapeno jack cheese, more of their in-house smoked brisket, lettuce, red onion, tomatoes and sweet and spicy pickles. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but everything works together in the best possible way.
NorthStar Cafe has actually been a go to spot for me for few years in Columbus, so I was excited to stop in the one at Liberty Center. The menu is made up mostly of salads, upscale sandwiches and thin crispy pizzas. Many of the dishes can be made meat and dairy free.
This is one of the few places I will order a salad for dinner. Their salads are full of fresh, healthy ingredients and they are so flavorful I never feel like I’m missing out on something. The Liberty Salad is my go to, it’s full of roast chicken, dates, avocados and almonds. Another popular option is the Buddha Bowl. Either Tofu or chicken is on top of brown rice with lots of veggies and finished with a peanut sauce. I have friends who eat this multiple times a week and refuse to order anything else.
There is a fun selection of cocktails, beer and wine but no matter what time of day it is I always order a fresh juice. Shooting Star is my favorite- orange, carrot, lemon and ginger juice. Although desserts aren’t on the menu, treat yourself to one of the giant cookies at the counter on the way out. They are worth every calorie.
I mentioned Jungle Jim’s in this post as a fun place just to go and explore, but with all the prepared food it would be easy to pick up an entire dinner from Jungle Jim’s and take it along on a romantic picnic. Or to your couch to watch Netflix, which is what I would likely be doing.
For starters, there are 1400 types of cheese available. Yes, that sounds overwhelming, but the employees are super friendly and knowledgeable if you need help. It would be a lot of fun to pick up some unique cheeses, meats from the butcher and fresh fruits for an impromptu cheese board. There is a huge wine section staffed with people who will help you find the perfect wine to pair with those cheese choices.
For something more family friendly, take a walk down the candy aisles and pick up some international candy for a movie night!
It’s not summer in Butler County if you don’t make a stop at The Cone for ice cream. The soft serve was voted best in Cincinatti, after all. What makes them stand out are the all natural flavorings like real fruit purees, citrus, peanut butter etc. All the fruit syrups are made in-house without artificial ingredients.
Even before I knew all that, one lick of the orange vanilla swirl cone and I knew it was something special. It tasted so real. I could taste actual vanilla, and the orange swirl was bright and tangy. I felt like this is what all those creamsicles I ate as a kid were supposed to taste like.
DogBerry Brewing is the place to go when you want to relax, have a beer and feel like you are part of the family. It has that laid back, local bar feel. They are a classic brewery, using old school traditions and new world tastes to brew a familiar yet exciting pint of beer. They are not a place that is following trends, but doing things their way instead.
There is a rotating selection of beer on tap and the bartenders are happy to help you find your favorite.
While I was at Petal and Wicks making a candle, I overheard some friends chatting about how excited they were about eating ice cream at their favorite place later that day. Of course I had to interrupt and ask where it was. Sorry ladies!
It was a little spot called Flub’s, and I would have driven right by without that tip. Flub’s was voted the best ice cream in Butler County, so definitely not a place to pass by! They’re famous for homemade sherbet, specifically blue raspberry. If you ask, they will put little candy eyes on too. I’m pretty sure this is for the kids, but obviously I got some for myself.
What I loved about it was the lightness and airiness of the sherbet. It didn’t feel heavy at all, perfect for a summer snack. For something more decadent try a Cyclone, vanilla ice cream mixed with your choice of toppings.
Further Reading: The Best Things To Do in Butler County, Ohio
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Great article. But, you left out the address of every place on the list. Readers should not have to research that on their own.
I never been to Ohio (except virtually via movies!) and it is very interesting some restaurants that you can enjoy. OMG for donuts, I love them :D
And I bet my boyfriend will enjoy the foods at Troy's Café :D
If you love doughnuts, this is the place for you!! :)
Highway 63 Burger is the one I am going to recommend to anyone heading to Butler County in Ohio. You totally got me into that Sparkle lit burger. I totally enjoyed the information on the doughnut trail as well.
A perfect thing to recommend! It was sooo good! :)
I love this post and pinned it to Pinterest! I could spend some time at all of those bakeries. And, I would love to take my kiddos to Flub’s for some ice cream!
Thanks for pinning Kristy! I bet your kids would LOVE Flub's. They have a ton of different flavors and those little eyes are just too cute.
I haven't heard about Butler County before but it looks like heaven for foodies! I was like OMG when reading about the Donut Trail. I also would love to try the Spinach Pesto Orzo with grilled salmon at Troy’s Cafe. Ice cream at Flub’s and The Cone look so yummy as well. Wanna try them all haha!
I don't blame you one bit for wanting to try them all! I want to go back ASAP and finish the doughnut trail.
I really love this because I'm from Clermont County, right next door to Butler County. If you can only visit one doughnut place make it Holtmans! and Jungle Jims is always a lot of fun.
Thanks for the tip Brittany, I haven't been to Holtmans yet but I will have to try it ASAP!
I am from Ohio and currently live in California and this post took me back. It is almost impossible to get good comfort food here in San Diego. I can't wait to get back to Ohio and try some of your suggestions. O-H
I bet you have some AMAZING food in Cali, but I know what you mean about comfort food! Sometimes it's hard to beat food from home. I hope you get to visit soon and get some!
My friends from Ohio have told me about the food there too! and she’s a major foodie. I’ve always been curious to go there. It’s not too far from my husband’s hometown, so I’ll be sure to make plans to visit there with the rest of my wannabe foodie family.
Hi Deb! You absolutely have to visit next time you are in the area. Ohio has a ton of amazing food. Feel free to reach out to me for suggestions!
Wow! There are so many great dining options in Butler County. All the food items look and sound delicious. I would love to try the cheeseburgers from Jolly’s, the Spinach Pesto Orzo from the Troy’s Café, the giant cookies at the Northstar Café and who can say no to doughnuts and a tempting swirl cone? Jungle Jim’s also sound great - 1400 types of cheese – that’s wow! Being a cheese lover, I would love to pick up a lot of unique varieties from there.
I for one can't say no to doughnuts and ice cream!
I am saving this post for later! Loving all the eateries there! The Doughnut Trail is definitely calling my name, haha!
I know exactly what you mean Clair, the Doughnut Trail calls my name way too often!