to midnight Saturday and Sunday, noon to midnight. Lebanon’s DORA hours are Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. Opt for a fried chicken dinner ($24.95), braised lamb shank ($36.95), hickory roasted prime rib ($37.95), maple glazed salmon ($28.95) or a vegetarian couscous, mushroom and vegetable “cobbler” which sees a bed of pearl couscous topped with mushrooms, roasted garlic, green beans, dried tomato, spinach and goat cheese cream topped with a buttery biscuit crumple ($22.95). No trip to Lebanon for me is complete without a stop at the Golden Lamb ( Make it casual at the Black Horse Tavern or head to the dining room. Thursdays so a drink works before going to the market. They have a wonderful list of summery cocktails to choose from as well as a hibiscus lemonade ($2.99) for those looking for a treat sans alcohol. Personally I’d stop by Greenhouse Cafe ( and grab a hibiscus mojito to go ($9).

Little Miami Farms has had petunia baskets, tomatoes, veggie and herb seedlings, patio plants and perennial flowers Glory Farms has sold fresh spinach, lettuce, jams, maple syrup, honey, shortbread, cookies and sweetbreads, mini desserts and pies and that’s just a few of the many vendors that come to sell the wonderful bounty they are harvesting this season. The month of May saw Goodlife Farms selling pasture raised beef, pork and GMO-free chicken, along with more than 30 varieties of tomato plants, and a large selection of herbs and pollinator plants. And now, you can grab a beer or wine from a nearby establishment and sip while you shop. now through October in Bicentennial Park, located at the corner of Mulberry and Cherry streets. If I were you I would plan a trip to Lebanon to coincide with the Lebanon Farmers Market held every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. Grab a patio drink and appetizer at Table 33, head to Moeller Brew Barn for dinner and finish up at any one of the downtown Dayton or Oregon District restaurants for dessert. When the larger map goes into the effect the world of downtown Dayton is now your oyster. Throw in a Levitt concert or a First Friday shopping experience and you’ve got yourself a happening night. Figuring out a way to make it even more of an experience makes it so much more savory. That’s just one of endless adventures you can plan for yourself zig zagging around 5th Street. Why not start at the Trolley Stop with a cocktail on their wonderful courtyard patio and work your way down to Lily’s equally excellent patio for a nightcap and dessert? In between stop at Roost, Jay’s, Salar or Thai 9 for dinner. Until the new boundaries go into effect it’s just in the Oregon District. This district runs seven days a week from noon to midnight. That means hopping from place to place, especially in the summer, will become much more of an experience with no need for everyone to “finish up” before going to the next destination. Holy DORA Batman! The Oregon District’s DORA is about to get a whole lot bigger, expanding to the entire downtown with a footprint that is nine times larger. Other nearby restaurants include Chuy’s, BJ’s Brewhouse, Dewey’s Pizza and the aforementioned Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, which is a great place to start the night with some bar bites like crispy fried green tomatoes with bacon jam, charred corn salsa, goat cheese, pickled onion and cilantro or the crispy cauliflower tossed in Thai chili sauce with green onion and pumpkin seeds or a summery burrata bruschetta or end it with dessert or a drink at the bar. With a great cocktail list and a solid list of wines and a housemade sangria, this is a perfect spot to start or finish any night. They can go casual with a handheld sandwich like their Cuban ($15) layered with slow roasted pork, black forest ham, housemade pickles, swiss cheese, Dijon mayo and pineapple jalapeno cream cheese or you can go with an elevated entree like the Moroccan lamb meatballs ($25) served on a crispy potato pancake with rataouille and a spicy tomato chutney or their Southern style shrimp and cheesy grits ($26). Want appetizers before heading for something meatier at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill? Split the honey fried chicken tacos ($14) or an order of white cheddar cheese curds tossed in cinnamon brown sugar and served with house jalapeno raspberry jam ($12).

This is a spot that can provide you with whatever experience you are looking for. is the restaurant that is at the top of my personal list of favorites. This mixed use development has several restaurants to hop to and from with a beverage in hand and a park in the middle to sit at and watch the sun go down.

Dora great big world