Celebrating a year of bold bites, local favorites, and the stories behind every plate.

Bite Club started one year ago with a simple idea: eat great local food, and tell people about it. At the time, it felt like a dream assignment. Try good food and write about it. Easy.

But it didn’t stay simple for long.

I remember reading through the comments on one of my early posts and realizing that people weren’t just tagging friends; they were saying they had no idea the place even existed. Others were sharing experiences, encouraging people to go, and building on each other’s stories.

Facebook comment examples

Then the restaurant owner called me. Not just to say business had picked up, but to talk about the people. About how many had shown up, both in person and online. How overwhelmingly supportive they were — and how much it meant to her.

That was probably the first time it really clicked for me: That this column could be more than just me trying food and sharing my thoughts. I could tell real stories about these places and the people behind them.

Because there are incredible spots in this community that people walk past every day without realizing what they are missing. Not because they aren’t worth noticing, but because no one has pointed them out.

When someone does, people respond.

The Response

Over the past year, Bite Club stories reached more than 247,000 readers and generated more than 477,000 social media views. The articles themselves were read more than 38,000 times.

That doesn’t include Munch Madness, a pizza bracket featuring 17 local spots that quickly took on a life of its own, getting more than 18,000 votes and drawing hundreds of reader comments along the way.

Those numbers matter for one reason.

When these stories run, people discover new places. They try something different, they share it with someone else, and local businesses see the ripple effect.

Bite Club stopped being just about food reviews a long time ago. Instead, it became about the people. The risk they take when they open their doors, the pride they carry in what they serve, and the decision to keep going even when it’s not easy.

Notable bites

I wrote 21 articles highlighting more than 60 local businesses. Each one was chosen for a reason, each with something worth talking about.

But, as I reflect on the year, a few meals stand out. Some were part of the original stories, others came from going back again after the fact.

Peanut butter acai bowl from Dulce Amor, cold and refreshing with layered peanut butter richness, tart fruit, and crunchy granola that all come together in one balanced bowl.

The Grinder Bowl from Pump and Grind, comfort in a bowl with scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, biscuit, sausage gravy, and cheese, paired with their Butter Nutter iced latte that tastes just like the cookie.

Shrimp and grits from Marie’s Soul Creations, buttery and rich with smooth grits, tender shrimp, and sausage that brings deep-layered flavor.

Tau Wok from Vivian’s 500 Park Ave Cafe is slightly spicy and well seasoned, especially when mixed with a Greek salad that adds acidity and crunch to cut through the heat. The leftovers easily stretch into multiple meals, which I usually turn into a burrito at home.

Black Cap short ribs from Gertz Culinary with Black Cap hot sauce, melt-in-your-mouth tender with a subtle heat and tang that ties the plate together. This felt like community on a plate.

Philly steak and cheese loaded baked potato from Hamilton’s on Main is creamy and indulgent with seasoned steak, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and garlicky sauce melting into the potato base.

Cali burrito from Abuelos Mexican Grill, steak, queso, sour cream, guac, lettuce, and seasoned fries packed into a dense layered bite. Add an order of the fruit ice cream for dessert.

Half Baked Bistro’s jerk chicken, spicy and tender, paired with Granny’s Ugly Bar for dessert, sweet, salty, and balanced.

Dan Lew Exchange’s dynamite shrimp. perfectly cooked and lightly sauced with heat, paired with a Verona espresso martini that is creamy, bold, and coffee-forward, each sip filling me with warmth.

The people behind the plates

The food was next level, but what stayed with me most was the people; the stories, the families building something of their own and inviting the community to share it. 

And it was a lot of fun! I’m grateful for the connections I formed throughout it all.

This year made me a better writer, a better listener, and a more thoughtful storyteller. Because people can tell when you care, and they can definitely tell when you don’t.

And I didn’t do any of it alone.

A lot of these meals came with people behind the scenes, friends, coworkers, and partners who showed up for taste tests, second opinions, and long meals that turned into longer conversations.

  • Behind the scenes with Char-Bougie
  • Behind the scenes at Chinatown
  • Vivian’s 500 Park Ave. Cafe
  • Fast Eddies winner of Munch Madness 2026
  • Marie’s Soul Creations
  • Munch Madness taste testing
  • Bite Club – Savor & Sip 2025
  • Weber’s Bar – Savor & Sip
  • Behind the scenes at Jones Potato Chip factory
  • Half Baked Bistro
  • Behind the scenes at the Greek Festival 2025
  • Jones Potato Chips
  • Behind the scenes at Dulce Amor
  • Arbor Creek Gardens & Floral
  • Exclusively Yours Catering – Savor & Sip 2025
  • Behind the scenes at Arbor Creek Gardens and Floral
  • Bytchn Kitchen
  • Dan Lew Exchange – Savor & Sip 2025
  • Abuelos Mexican Grill
  • Dairy Land – Savor & Sip 2025
  • Behind the scenes at Pump and Grind

What’s next

Year One showed me the baseline. People here show up for local places when they know about them.

Year Two is about getting out of my routine and letting more of you decide where I go next.

That means going further across Ashland, Delaware, Knox, and Richland counties. Finding the places people overlook. And spending more time where food and community collide.

Be part of Bite Club

Tell me where I should go next. Tell me where you already go, the meals you swear by, and the spots that feel like yours.

I want to try your favorite comfort foods, the odd combinations, the hole-in-the-wall places you defend without hesitation.

And the ones you haven’t tried yet, but keep hearing about.

Because Bite Club works best when it is all of us trading places, sharing what we find, and pushing each other a little outside our routines.

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