Dayton — the Gem City, birthplace of aviation — has a food identity all its own. It invented a style of pizza (thin, square-cut, edge to edge), it guards a 1913 hamburger stand and a 24-hour donut shop people drive across the state for, and its Old North and Oregon District neighborhoods hide Eastern European, Spanish, and Mexican gems. Two people can eat the Gem City's best without breaking a twenty. Here is where.
🌆 Local Dayton Deals
🍕✓ verified
Marion's Piazza
Pizza for Two
The home of Dayton-style pizza since 1965 — thin, edge-to-edge crust cut into squares — served in a beloved Italian-piazza setting across nine area locations. Two share a medium pie for around $20.
A nationally renowned Centerville donut shop open 24 hours since 1960, famous for glazed twists and sugared jelly donuts made fresh around the clock. A dozen and coffee for two runs well under $20.
A tiny Miamisburg burger stand slinging the same spiced, deep-fried sliders since 1913. Order a handful each, bring cash, and eat in your car; two eat for well under $20.
Dayton's go-to Mexican since 2005, family-owned and famous for birria, tacos, and the cheesy queso bean dip. Cheap and generous; two eat for well under $20.
One of the oldest pretzel bakeries in the country, hand-twisting soft and hard pretzels in Dayton since 1906 and run by the fifth generation. A bag of fresh pretzels for two costs just a few dollars.
Eating cheap in Dayton: the Oregon District just east of downtown is the walkable hub — Taqueria Mixteca and downtown brunch spots are close by. Order Marion's pizza “square cut” the way Dayton does it, and bring cash for the Hamburger Wagon out in Miamisburg. Smales Pretzel Bakery keeps limited days (Wed–Sat), so check before you go.
🍽️ National Chains in Dayton
🍕✓ verified
Cassano's Pizza King
Pizza for Two
A Dayton pizza institution since 1953, slinging thin square-cut pies across dozens of Pizza King locations. A medium pizza to share lands two right around $20, and a single pizza plus a side comes in cheaper.
Grilled subs, cheesesteaks, and wings from the chain founded near the University of Dayton in 1973 — the first to bring East Coast-style cheesesteaks to the area. Two regular subs land around $18, under the cap.
Cincinnati-style chili ladled over spaghetti and buried in cheese, plus cheese coneys — and yes, Dayton has Skyline too. A 3-way runs around $8 and coneys about $2.50 each, so two eat for well under $20.
2 entrees + 2 sides + 2 fountain drinks starting at $19.99. Entrees include 10 boneless wings, the All-American cheeseburger, or crispy chicken dippers; sides are fries, tots, or wedges. Dine-in or order via the BWW app. Pricing runs higher in a handful of states.