Fabulous Food and Exciting Events in Miami County This Fall

There’s no denying that autumn is here–there’s a crisp breeze in the evening air (wellllll, kind of.. ), football season is kicking off, and you have a distinct urge to bake an apple pie. This time of year can get very busy, and it always seems to fly by. Sometimes you need to take a step back from it all and just enjoy the little things. A great meal and a fun outing can melt away the stress, and Miami County is full of amazing places to visit. Make the most of your fall with a visit to any of these enticing eateries and unique events.

Restaurants

Hickory River Smokehouse

Tipp City is home to one of the best barbecue joints in the county—Hickory River Smokehouse. Since 2006, diners have enjoyed the sweet, smoky flavors of Hickory River’s classic barbecue dishes.

Hickory River Smokehouse opened its first location way back in 1995, originally naming it “Longhorn Smokehouse”. Husband-and-wife team Brad and Krista Bowman later changed the name to reflect the innovative Midwest barbecue concept. Hickory River’s unique menu featured original recipes and awesome ingredients that propelled the restaurant to instant popularity. The Bowman’s success allowed them to create a franchise that now consists of six locations.

The Menu

You’d better bring a hefty appetite when visiting Hickory River because they certainly don’t skimp on their dishes. Generous meals feature plenty of juicy, tender meat and mouth watering side dishes. Diners love the popular “BBQ Dinner Plate”—the star of this show is your choice of pulled pork, beef brisket, baby back ribs, Polish sausage, or smoked chicken, turkey, or ham. Add on two hearty sides—options include (but are not limited to) homestyle favorites like potato salad, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, and Texas chili. As if that’s not enough, the dinner plate also includes homemade sweet cornbread or authentic Texas Toast.

Can’t choose just one of these tantalizing barbecue options? Try a “BBQ Combo Plate”, which includes all the same fixin’s but allows you to indulge in two or three meat combos. Feeding an army? Take home the “Family Pack Special”—two pounds of meat, three pints of sides, and six pieces of cornbread or toast.

Hickory River also offers incredible daily lunch specials, BBQ sandwiches, and other favorites such as chicken fingers and nachos.

Smith’s Boathouse

If you’re looking for a great meal in a scenic location, look no further than Smith’s Boathouse. Smith’s Boathouse is located in Troy’s Treasure Island Park, right on the banks of the Great Miami River. The restaurant boasts significant historical ties to the city and was named after the original 1946 boathouse.

The Smith family is proud of its deep roots in the community and they are dedicated to providing an exceptional dining experience for every guest. The warm, family-friendly atmosphere makes diners feel right at home, inviting them to enjoy a relaxing dinner filled with exquisite food.

The Menu

Smith’s Boathouse is well-known for its fresh seafood, superior steaks, and seasonal ingredients. Each dish is created with exceptional attention to detail, perfectly seasoned and beautifully plated.

Seafood fans have a lot of tempting options at the boathouse. Favorites include jumbo sea scallops served with a sweet and spicy bacon marmalade, North Atlantic lobster tails, and a classic fish and chips dish served with fries and a unique caper-dill tartar sauce.

If you’re feeling extra hungry, you can tackle the “Admiral’s Platter” and enjoy a taste of everything. This plentiful dish includes coconut shrimp, sea scallops, beer battered cod, hush puppies, fries, and coleslaw.

Maybe you prefer food that didn’t come from the sea—don’t worry, Smith’s Boathouse has you covered! The extensive menu features numerous options, including pasta, steaks, chicken, and salads. The “Boathouse Strip” is the restaurant’s signature steak–certified black Angus smothered with a savory parmesan cream sauce. Other popular choices are a pecorino crusted chicken parmesan, filet mignon, and a char broil flank steak served with rosemary risotto.

Have a vegetarian in the family? They’ll love the pasta primavera, filled with fresh seasonal vegetables and lightly tossed with olive oil, butter, herbs, and white wine. The portabella mushroom ravioli is also a star, topped with parmesan crème, basil, and freshly grated cheese.

3 Joe’s Pizzeria and Trattoria

3 Joe’s Pizzeria is a long-time staple in Piqua. For more than 50 years, the Williamson family has been dishing out mediterranean-inspired great pizza, pasta and sandwiches to the people of Piqua.

Joe’s Pizzeria opened in 1968 as a small self-service franchise and evolved to a full-service italian restaurant. Make reservations or enjoy fresh mediterranean-inspired dishes delivered right to your door. 3 Joe’s Pizzeria and Trattoria is open for lunch and dinner 7 days of the week.

The Menu

For lunch, enjoy a fresh salad with a personal pizza or bread stick. Joe’s offers Chicken Caesar, Grilled Chicken, and Garden Salads to accompany a personal pizza or pasta.

It wouldn’t be a Trattoria without a hearty selection of sub sandwiches! 3 Joe’s offers a large variety of classic Italian sandwiches like the Italian Meatball or the Classic Italian sub sandwich with ham, salami, and mortadella.

For Dinner, enjoy a classic plate of Spaghetti with Meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo or Cacio e Pepe for a vegetarian meal. With more than 15 pasta dishes, we are sure you will find one to suit your tastes!

Only mentioning a few of the menu’s items, this is a must-eat when in Piqua!

Events

October 

Fall Farm Fest (October 12, 12:00-7:00 pm, October 13, 12:00-5:00 pm)

Nothing says fall like bright orange pumpkins, thrilling corn mazes, and adorable scarecrows.

Visit the Fall Farm Fest at Lost Creek Reserve and Knoop Agricultural Heritage Center in Troy. This annual event is fun for all ages with a wide variety of classic autumn activities.

Get lost in a twisting, turning, six-acre corn maze or find out how accurate your shot is from the corn cannon. Take a wagon ride along Scarecrow Lane to gaze at all the amazing creations from local businesses and families–be sure to stop by the information booth after and cast a vote for your favorite scarecrow.

Wrap up the festival with “MOOvie on the Farm,” a family-friendly film following the festival (don’t forget to bring your own chairs and blankets).

Fees: General admission is free. There are charges for pumpkins, the corn maze, and the corn cannon. 

 

Harvest Days in Downtown Piqua (October 19, 10 am – 8 pm)

A brand new festival will parade through downtown Piqua in October! Harvest Days will have plenty of activities, food, drinks, music and more for the whole family to enjoy.

Throughout downtown Piqua, enjoy pumpkins, scarecrows, a tractor show, a Kid’s Corn Pit, Pooch Parade with costume judging, pumpkin bowling, chili cook-off and hayrides.

Bradford Pumpkin Show (October 8-10, 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm; October 11, 1:00 pm – 11:00 pm; October 12, 10:00 am – 11:00 pm)

We all know pumpkin is the reigning flavor of fall! Imagine a whole festival revolving around all things pumpkin, and you’ve got the Bradford Pumpkin Show.

Held in downtown Bradford, stroll down the streets of the most quaint community and experience the most popular festival in Miami County. Check the schedule of events for all of the information.

The midway will feature games, rides, crafts, contests, food, drinks and plenty of shopping opportunities! Be sure and grab a scoop of pumpkin ice cream, corn on the cob and other treats.

Free family event.

Tipp City Harvest Fest (October 19, 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm)

 

Mark your calendars for an adults-only spooktacular night at South 2nd Street and Main Street. Tipp City Harvest Fest will have live music, food, drinks, costume contests and a beer tent with craft and domestic brews on tap for the evening.

Admission is free, but make sure you get a babysitter and leave the ghostlings at home!

These are just a few of the exceptional eateries and spectacular upcoming events in this area. Please feel free to contact us to learn more about the wonderful ways to spend autumn in Miami County.