DAYTON, Ky. — A new neighborhood bar and pizza joint is set to open in Dayton, Kentucky, this summer.
Wayfarer Tavern is opening in the historic Burton Building, located at 635 6th Avenue, in downtown Dayton. The Burton Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has also been home to a number or businesses, including Dayton City Hill, a movie theater, a former Kroger store and more.
No exact date has been announced for Wayfarer Tavern's opening, but it's slated for later summer 2024.
The bar and pizza restaurant is being helmed by restaurant industry veteran Mike Dew, who is a longtime partner in the Lang Thang Group that owns Pho Lang Thang, Quan Hapa and The Hi-Mark.
Wayfarer Tavern will offer pizza that's "an alchemy of East Coast thin and crispy bar style pizza with a Detroit-style caramelized cheese edge, and cut into squares, Midwestern tavern-style."
Dew's pizza style comes from his years of dough testing, recipe refinement and pizza exploration in places like Los Angeles, Italy, Philadelphia and more.
Dew then continued his pizza exploration with a pop-up at Over-the-Rhine's Pho Lang Thang before holding future pop-ups.
"I've always been passionate about restaurants in general, and pizza specifically," Dew said. "I'm excited to get a chance to combine a lot of ideas and references that I've been collecting over the years and put together what will hopefully become a must-visit restaurant for the City of Dayton and the entire Tri-State."
Wayfarer Tavern's menu will have classic pizzas like pepperoni and sausage, as well as more adventurous pizzas like the "Pickle Power," which has roasted garlic white sauce, pickles, crunchy potato chips, herbs and Dew's own ranch dressing recipe.
Other than pizza, guests can expect salads, bar snacks and other appetizers like pimento cheese, deviled eggs and more.
In terms of drinks, Wayfarer Tavern will have a full beer, wine, spirits and aperitif list.
Dew said he wants Wayfarer Tavern to be known as "a third place for all occasions," whether that be gathering with friends, enjoying pizza or unwinding.
"Living in Dayton, I would walk past the Burton building and envision what this space could become," Dew said. "When the opportunity to look at the space with the developer presented itself, I jumped at it. It is perfectly portioned for a restaurant, has huge windows that let in amazing natural light, and it is an awesome location in a growing city."
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