Dayton Food Scene: Desperate Times, Desperate Pizza?
So, another local restaurant expands. Big deal. I swear, every week it's the same story: "Mom and Pop Shop Opens New Location!" Cue the confetti and the carefully staged photo op. But let's be real, does anyone actually care about another pizza joint slinging mediocre pies in a dying mall food court?
The Top Hat Sports Grill in St. Paris – because, offcourse, every culinary empire starts in St. Paris, Ohio – is opening a second location in Piqua. Specifically, inside "The Social at Piqua Center," which, if I'm reading between the lines correctly, is what they're calling the sad remains of the Miami Valley Centre Mall. RCS Construction and Brait Capital swooped in like vultures in 2023 to "transform" the food court. Transform it into what, exactly? A slightly less depressing version of what it was? I'm picturing those sad little tables, the lingering smell of stale popcorn, and the echoing screams of children whose parents promised them Sbarro.
Chris and Heather Kelly, the owners, apparently didn't have much restaurant experience before opening the original Top Hat in May 2024. He liked to cook, she was a server. And now they're expanding? Maybe I'm missing something here. Is this some kind of elaborate performance art piece about the illusion of success in late-stage capitalism?
Pizza, Pizza, Everywhere...
Okay, so the original Top Hat is "known for its pizza, burgers, and wings." The new location will have a "limited menu," but thankfully, all the pizza options will be available, including such culinary masterpieces as BBQ Pulled Pork or Chicken, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and… Pickle. Pickle pizza? Seriously? Are we just throwing darts at a wall of ingredients now? What's next, sauerkraut and gummy bear pizza? Don't give them any ideas.
They'll also be serving appetizers like fried banana peppers, fried ravioli, and pretzel bites. Because nothing says "fine dining" like a basket of deep-fried everything. Sandwiches include the house breaded pork tenderloin, Philly cheesesteak, and chicken bacon ranch (again with the chicken bacon ranch!). A chicken tender basket is also available, for the discerning palate.
Heather Kelly is quoted as saying they're "excited to have another location and be back in our hometown where we both grew up and graduated from." Aw, that's...nice. But does that translate to good food? Does nostalgia equal flavor? I'm not convinced.
The Dayton Dining Scene: A Race to the Bottom?
Natalie Jones, who "writes about food and dining in Southwest Ohio," can be reached at natalie.jones@coxinc.com. I'm sure she's a lovely person, but I can't help but wonder if she ever gets tired of writing puff pieces about mediocre restaurants. Then again, maybe that's just the state of the Dayton dining scene. A constant churn of forgettable establishments vying for a shrinking pool of customers.
This whole thing reminds me of that viral pizza place in Los Angeles that everyone was losing their minds over. The one with the giant, greasy pepperoni slices that you had to order online at exactly noon and fight tooth and nail to get a reservation. Was it actually good? Who knows. But people were willing to jump through hoops for it. Is that what The Top Hat is hoping for? A manufactured sense of scarcity and hype?
But wait a minute... am I being too harsh? Maybe this is a genuinely good pizza place. Maybe the Kellys are hardworking, salt-of-the-earth people who just want to serve their community. Maybe the Piqua Center is on the verge of a renaissance, fueled by fried banana peppers and pickle pizza. Maybe...nah.
Another Mall Bites the Dust
I'm not saying The Top Hat will fail. Maybe it'll thrive, defying all logic and reason. But let's be real: this is a pizza place opening in a dying mall food court. The odds ain't exactly in their favor. And honestly, I'm not sure I care enough to even find out.
So, What's the Real Story?
It's the same old song and dance: local business tries to make a go of it in a world that's increasingly stacked against them. But forgive me if I don't exactly break out the champagne. I'll stick to my usual cynicism, thanks.