Coco’s Bistro and Why We Love It!

I tend to be the go to person in my circle of friends when it comes to restaurant recommendations and Coco’s Bistro is always at the top of my list. They use amazing ingredients, offer unique and delicious options, and always execute it all beautifully. Coco’s is also a special place for my husband and I. We met online and our very first date was at Coco’s back in 2016. Since then we go there every year on our “First Date” anniversary to celebrate another wonderful year together.

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This particular visit was for this “First Date” celebration, but we had the girls in tow. We go to Coco’s other than anniversaries and it’s one of Charlottes favorite places to eat. Freya has also been there with us two years running, so she’s a frequent flyer too. We love the fact that we can take both girls along with us if need be. They have a great kids menu, the staff always interacts with Charlotte, and they supply crayons to draw on the table top paper. These factors are huge for us, and we are so glad to know we can get a top notch meal and still bring our kids along for the fun.

Our Night Out

On this particular night out I actually met my husband there with the girls. He arrived before us and had some time to sit and unwind at the bar. That bar is where we sat at our first date and just looking at those seats gives me butterflies. It’s where this whole thing started for us and I’m a bit sentimental, I can’t help it. As usual we were greeted by the manager, Michael. He is so enthusiastic, chats it up with Charlotte, and is always dressed impeccably. I look forward to seeing his outfit every time we go. Michael led us to our table, a cozy spot near a window overlooking the entire restaurant and a great view of the sunset outside.

We started off our meal with drinks and a appetizer to share. Coco’s always has some amazing appetizer options and we usually use this opportunity to have the children try something new. This evening Kyle went with a Malbec and I snagged a Moscow Mule (both of these are our drinks of choice at most places) and we ordered their pickled deviled eggs. The drinks were great and the eggs were fun and had amazing flavor. I will say Charlotte was not a fan, but Freya gobbled them up. She’s definitely our little foodie.

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As I stated before, they accommodate for families in a way a lot of places don’t. They offer and kids menu that isn’t typical of other places. The options are very much kid friendly, but mock the sophistication of their regular menu. The ingredients are all fresh and locally sourced and so good for growing kiddos. They also bring kid dishes out ahead of time, so that you’re able to get the kids set up with their meals before the main entrees arrive. I know this stay at home mom appreciates a hot meal when dining out! After taking time to peruse the menu a bit, we all settled on what we wanted and placed our order. Charlotte always gets their cheese pizza. The sauce to cheese ratio is perfect and the crust is perfection. As this was Freya’s first time getting to order from the menu I selected their buttered past and parmesan featuring pasta from Grist Provisions which is based right here in Dayton. This dish was amazing. It was rich and creamy and so good. Freya enjoyed it immensely and Charlotte even said this would be what she ordered the next time we eat here. This particular evening I had them wait on Freya’s pasta and had them bring Charlottes pizza first, while the rest of nibbled away at their bread and butter, which is to die for. It’s one of my favorite parts of the meal if I’m being honest because it’s that good!

Side Note: Don’t mind Charlotte’s face in the photo below, she was mad I was making her wait while I took the photo.

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As for me, I almost always choose their beef options, tonight I got their filet with roasted carrots and mashed potatoes. My steak was cooked perfectly and my sides complimented the meat and sauce well. My husband went with their fish of the day which was sole. It was very light, but so buttery and flavorful. If you have the option of picking something fresh for that day from the kitchen, do it, because it’s always impeccable.

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This particular evening we chose to skip dessert as we were very full and in typical one year old fashion, Freya was DONE with the evening. In the past we’ve had them pack up our dessert to go, but we were all so pleasantly full that we opted out. In all we were there for about 2 hours from start to finish. We loving being able to take our time, talk to each other about a day and share in a dining experience like this with our girls. Coco’s will always hold a special place in our hearts and is a place we truly love and appreciate here in Dayton. We will continue to go again and again and suggest it to anyone and everyone who will listen to us. Thank you Coco’s Bistro for always being such a gem!