Lily's Brings Southern Flavor to Dayton

Tucked into a century-old, labyrinthine building at the western end of Dayton’s hip Oregon District, Lily’s epitomizes what makes the city’s culinary scene so much fun: The food here is delicious, and there’s a total lack of pretentiousness in the dining experience. 

“It’s like going to your quirky friend’s house down the street with the best thrifted or vintage decor,” says Sara George Roseberry, assistant general manager at Lily’s. “There’s a basis in Southern hospitality in our service, drinks and food.” »

The back courtyard patio, with its weathered brick walls and greenery, makes you feel like you’ve stumbled into a cafe in the French Quarter. Emily Mendenhall and her family opened Lily’s in 2013 after a few years living in New Orleans. (When Emily moved on in early 2026, her brother Nate took over.) Meals at the bistro are always best started with an order of beignets, which are inspired by those offered at New Orleans’ famed Cafe du Monde.

The menu at Lily’s is simple but thoughtful. Overseen by kitchen manager Olivia Feior, it includes Southern classics like shrimp and grits, as well as typical pub favorites like cheeseburgers, but also sees rotating items come and go, such as Japanese pot roast with yuzu glaze. The restaurant’s fried chicken has developed a bit of a following, and it can also be found on the brunch menu in the form of chicken and waffles. The kitchen also offers as many vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options as possible. 

“We always say, no matter what, it’s just dinner, but it is dinner,” Roseberry says of the service staff’s attentive but relaxed vibe. “It may be as simple as dinner with a partner or celebrating an anniversary, but these are memories you’re including us in.”

The bar program, run by bar manager Jaime Heck, features a rotating list of local craft beer and a thoughtful wine list, but the focus is on the eclectic and always-changing cocktail list. There’s an emphasis on older drink recipes, biased toward tiki classics.

“We always work to be fun and fanciful with our cocktails,” Roseberry says. 

Finally, be sure to check out the 70-foot-long, exterior mural featuring portraits of 100 cats on the building’s western side. Tiffany Clark organized a team of artists to paint the portraits, which were commissioned by locals who paid to have their felines immortalized. (Money raised went to local animal organizations.) It’s one more colorful and unexpected detail of this quirky establishment.

329 E. Fifth St., Dayton 45402, 937/723-7637, lilysdayton.com