Wot-a-Dog: Best Coney This Side of Cincy

Wot-a-Dog was my first job (yes as a carhop, but no, not wearing roller-skates) so it holds a dear space in my heart. Not only does it set my precedent for how root beer tastes, but also how a coney tastes. Skyline and Gold Star have nothing on Wot-a-Dog.

Sure, it's about a twenty or thirty minute drive from Dayton. But trust me, it's worth the gas (maybe in both meanings of the word––heyo!). It's a straight shot from 75. Just take 75 north to 4 north and follow it on state route 235. (You'll also pass a great nursery with the most beautiful, healthy flowers around: Meadowview.)

The food is pretty good but what really makes Wot-a-Dog special is the experience. Go on a sunny Monday night for their weekly cruise-in and see all the old classic cars as you sway to 50s music. You'll feel like you were teleported to the musical Grease.

Here are a couple different options for meals or just get all of it and have a smorgasbord with your Wot-a-Companion.

Footlong coney with cheese and onions

Onion Rings with rebel sauce

Root beer float

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and jalapenos

Curly fries

Milkshake

There's a bike trail directly behind Wot-a-Dog so you can even go for a leisurely stroll afterwards to burn some of those tasty calories. Wot-a-Dog is only open seasonally, so make sure you put a rush on it and get there before mid-September. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

Jeni’s Ice Cream

I have a pretty intense love for Jeni’s ice cream. If you’ve never been, go ahead and just stop reading this post and drive straight there. I give you permission. It’s that good.

This season she rolled out a new flavor that was like a symphony in my mouth: rhubarb & lime cardamom. I tried it as a float with the rhubarb Dry Soda. So there was this wonderful texture extravaganza with bubbly soda, velvety ice-cream, and fluffy homemade whipped cream. The wild berry ice-cream with the lavender Dry Soda is also life-changing as a float.

I know I’m the target demographic, but I just can’t help but be a huge brand fan. They try to use local whenever possible; they favor flavor instead of sugar; they’re very experimental with mixing in uncommon herbs; their ice-cream shops are beautiful and inviting; and their blog, saltycaramel, is wonderfully written with great pictures. It’s no wonder they’ve branched out to include so many stores. They got it right.

All of the descriptions are fantastic, but here’s one I particularly like:

“Rockmill Golden Ale & Apricots, Rhubarb & Lime Cardamom Yogurt, Strawberry Buttermilk--when I taste these intensely flavorful new ice creams, they remind me of growing up in the summer in the Midwest, of flying down gravel roads in a fearless, handsome boy’s car, the cassette deck blaring as cornfields whizzed by and all cares flew out the windows into the hot and heavy humid air.

All right now dig in. Summer is to be shared.”

Go ahead and read all the descriptions. It's worth the cravings you'll have afterwards. Here's what you should look for at stores (you can find some flavors at The Winds Cafe and Dorothy Lane Market):