SoOh Spotlight: Olive

Kimberly, the owner of Olive on E. Third in Dayton, was kind enough to answer my questions for today's SoOh Spotlight. Olive is a new restaurant that opened just last month but has already proven that it is an important addition to the downtown Dayton area. Olive's focus on locally sourced food makes for a unique and tasty experience which I know people will enjoy for years to come. I've had the pleasure of eating at Olive and today I have the pleasure of spotlighting it!

Tell me a little about your restaurant and the food that you serve

We are a locally sourced mediterranean, american restaurant featuring items you'll recognize with a fresh twist. With only 800 sq ft total to store, prep, cook, serve and eat, we mandated that every ingredient we let in the door must be able to be used at least four ways to be on the order sheet! on the mediterranean from portugal all the way around to morocco, they use all the same basic ingredients, each country just does different things to them to make them their own. We dabble in all the genres. We are housed in the 1938 Wympee Diner, which we have gutted and completely refurbished, wired and plumbed inside over the last 8 months, but have maintained the original facade outside. We did add a patio though! we are locally sourced to the farthest extent we can be with our menu and ingredients, even down to our music, which has all been donated by local artists, and architected by on air personalities at WYSO (our local independent radio station). We also are a vendor for Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams out of Columbus!


How did you decide what to serve on your menu? 

It's all things I (the owner) eat regularly, or missed having from my backpacker days in my youth in Europe (I took enough money for two months of traveling on my own and ended up staying for 2 1/2 years, living, traveling, finding work all throughout Europe). All are influenced by the mediterranean locale and the ingredients we could find locally (both seasonal and year round via high tunnels) and independent partner farms we've found in southern states.


How is your restaurant influenced by the Southern Ohio area? 

We have menu items that change in flavor from day to day based on the farms/producers that brought us product that day, our 'Summer in a Bowl' salad and desserts and soup specials all can change daily based on what extras farmers may bring us after their Saturday markets (we buy seconds and leftovers at a reduced price when they come to our back door after they are done at the Saturday markets especially). All our dairy comes from Star Dancer Creamery in New Carlisle... they even make our signature greek yogurt that we tested in two hour increments while it sat to get the perfect texture and flavor. They just let us know that they'll have to buy another jersey cow soon to keep up with production! we use over local 40 farmers/bakers and producers, everything we do is influenced by these people! we can't get everything local obviously, but we try to be upfront about where we get our supplies. No matter what though, it's always fresh, whole product that we preped ourselves and we make everything from scratch. We don't even own a can opener, and there is no microwave.


What part of Southern Ohio do you live in and how long have you been here?

I'm in the greater Dayton area and I've been here about 18 years. I've worked and played in downtown dayton for the last 9 years, so there was no where else in my mind to open our little dive.

What are your top 3 favorite places to eat in Southern Ohio? 

My friend Tom's kitchen, Rue Dumaine, and Christopher's Restaurant

What are your top 3 favorite go to events in Southern Ohio?

Cityfolk festival, Dayton's Music Fest, Downtown Dayton's Urban Nights

What are your top 3 favorite places to thrift in Southern Ohio?

I've never been much of a shopper... I like experiences more!

Anything else you would like to share about yourself, your restaurant or Southern Ohio?

You can find a lot about our story at olivedive on facebook.