Food and dining news: The intention at CULTURE, a bartenders pop-up venture and more

Hello, Dayton food fans.

There has been a lot of food news reported this week. Dayton Daily News Food Writer Nina Weierman met with Chef Dane Shipp at CULTURE in the Oregon District, who says years of trial and error, feedback and refinement have shaped his approach, one that now feels both deliberate and confident.

And how you learn is “you get in there, you make some stuff, you fail, you get better at it. That’s just how I operate. By now, I’ve learned so much, and I’m confident with what I’m making. That’s why I was confident enough to open the restaurant. I didn’t want to do it until I was sure,†he said.

Read more about the restaurant and its owner here.

In other food news, our annual guide to local restaurant and bar patios is up: Writer Alex Cutler has a giant list available now. Check it out.

Make sure you are voting for your favorite restaurants and bars in our annual Best of Dayton contest, which is open now and closes May 15. Be sure to vote daily until then!

ðŸ¹Dayton bartender finds new path through pop-up events

Kelli Nikanowicz built her career behind the bar, developing cocktail menus, studying spirits and cultivating a loyal following in Dayton for over a decade. Now, she's taking a different approach, one that trades a permanent space for a series of one-night events designed to bring people together.

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ðŸºBock Family Brewing in Washington Twp. to become North Sea Brewing under new ownership

A local brewpub in Washington Twp. is entering a new chapter as three Dayton-area residents prepare to take over operations and rebrand the business while keeping much of what customers already know.

JT Rusch, Bill Perry and Matthew Greene announced they have purchased Bock Family Brewing, located at 8150 Washington Village Drive, and will begin operating the business as North Sea Brewing in May. The public-facing venue will be called the North Sea Bierhall.

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🥗Silos Food Hall & Bar in Dayton expands hours, adds Friday lunch service

Located at 810 E. First St. in Dayton, The Silos is adding lunch service and will now be open from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. The business move was in response to “growing demand†from customers, according to Teresa Perretta, a spokeswoman for The Silos.

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🌮It's all about options at this year's ‘The Real Taco Fest' in Cincinnati

Festivalgoers will have a chance to try exclusive tacos at The Real Taco Fest when it returns to Cincinnati's Smale Riverfront Park in May. There will also be an early tasting window that starts at noon.

“The biggest change this year is we are doing one long session now, instead of two. This year, we are going to run continuously from noon to 8 p.m.,†said Ben Howard, producer of The Real Taco Fest, which is Saturday, May 16.

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👩â€ðŸ³Why coconut milk and curry paste are 2 must-haves in your kitchen stash

Chef Whitney Kling writes: “As life gets busier, and you rely on convenience meals more, it's important to evolve the items in it. Otherwise we risk buttered noodle burnout. This is where I implore you to purchase two things: a couple cans of coconut milk and a multi pack of Maesri masaman curry paste on Amazon or your local Asian Grocery Store. These little cans can be mixed any which way and contain flavors that take chefs hours to develop. The different colors (curry types) have different nuances.â€

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ðŸ¹Cinco de Mayo is up next

Anther food-centric holiday is on deck: Cinco de Mayo is Tuesday. In the news world, that's also Election Day, so we'll be working hard in the newsroom while you are out there enjoying the cuisine and margs at local Mexican restaurants. Here's a list of places to check out.

Cheers!

The Best of Dayton 2026 contest has been open for voting since April 20 and thousands of vot…

The Best of Dayton nominations are in, and the ballot is open for voting.