Where to Eat in Butler County, Ohio

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.

Where to Eat in Butler County- Breakfast

Lisa’s Kitchen

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.

Butler County Doughnut Trail

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!

Bakeries on the Doughnut Trail

• Central Pastry Shop (Middletown)
• Holtman’s Donuts (West Chester)
• Jupiter Coffee & Donuts (Fairfield)
• Kelly’s Bakery (Hamilton)
• Martin’s Donuts (Trenton)
• Milton’s Donuts (Middletown)
• Mimi’s Donuts and Bakery (Millville)
• Oxford Doughnut Shoppe (Oxford)
• Ross Bakery (Two locations – Ross and Hamilton)
• Stan the Donut Man (West Chester)
• The Donut Spot (Fairfield)

Where to Eat in Butler County- Lunch & Dinner

Jolly’s

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

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.

Rivertown Brewery & Barrel House

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

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.

Jungle Jim’s

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!

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Where to Eat in Butler County- Desserts & Drinks

The Cone

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

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.

Flub’s

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