| *** By Golly’s to open restaurant in Springfield Credit: Bill Lackey A restaurant brand that originally opened in Milford in 1983 is expanding outside the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky market. Known for its burgers, chicken wings, hand-cut waffle fries and festive environment, By Golly’s is a family friendly bar and grill. It will be located in the former space of the Springfield Roosters at 1720 N. Bechtle Ave. “We know we want to grow outside of Cincinnati,” said owner Lance Sizemore. “We’ve been looking at Dayton, Springfield, Lexington and Louisville as our next market.” READ MORE: The owner’s connection to Springfield and when they’re hoping to open The Gem City Kitchen is serving homestyle food at the Dayton Arcade Credit: Natalie Jones Business owner Tony Cochran said he would watch his grandmother, Stella, cook when he was growing up and always thought, “One day I’m going to do this.” After operating in Clayton, Cochran’s restaurant, The Gem City Kitchen, is now at the 6888 Kitchen Incubator inside the Dayton Arcade serving homestyle food like grandma used to make. Cochran said his menu is a reflection of several Dayton restaurant pioneers such as Shield’s Barbecue, Huffies BBQ and Hook’s Bar-B-Que. CLICK HERE to find out more about the menu. Quick Bites 🥪 Submarine House to open sports bar in Piqua: The restaurant will open this spring at 311 N. Main St. 🥨 Smales Pretzel Bakery to open new location at Dayton Arcade: Because the space is only 300-square-feet, employees will hand roll the pretzels — something they haven’t done in nine years. READ MORE 🍣 FUSIAN closes location in Dayton region: The restaurant at 1024 Miamisburg-Centerville Road in Washington Twp. closed its doors after service on Feb. 28. 🐟 It’s fish fry season: Here’s a list of events planned in Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties. A pepperoncini martini? Tony & Pete’s pours briny drink Credit: Natalie Jones In addition to serving old-school style sandwiches, Tony & Pete’s in Dayton’s Fire Blocks District is serving up a unique drink that customers are not overlooking. The sandwich shop has lunch beers — and pepperoncini martinis. “When we first opened, we thought we were going to have like five or six cocktails... and were going to do a little bartending,” said Justin Simmons, who owns the sandwich shop with his wife, Kathleen Roll. “The sandwiches just keep us too busy, so we have paired it down to just one cocktail.” The pepperoncini martini is their take on a dirty martini. It is made with Tanqueray London dry gin, dry vermouth, honey and pepperoncini brine. The most important part, the pepperoncini brine pairs well with the sandwiches and gives a little spice and acidity that the owners were seeking. Will Tony & Pete’s in Dayton expand? Owner says it’s likely. Community Gems 💎 The Dayton Daily News Community Gems initiative highlights people who give their time and effort to improve the lives of their neighbors and community. Do you know someone like this in your community? Follow this link to nominate them. Connect with me ✉️ Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! If you see a new restaurant opening or are wondering when an establishment is expected to open, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out. Remember to follow Dayton Daily News on Facebook or search our Food & Dining section for the latest stories. I’ll have continuous updates on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages. | 