Local shops embracing the art of charcuterie
Beautiful snack boards of gourmet meats and cheeses are attracting new fans and enjoying a moment in the foodie spotlight.
DAYTON — Although there’s nothing new or thoroughly modern about beautifully arranging meats and cheeses into a delightful charcuterie board, the gourmet snack plates do seem to be attracting new fans and enjoying a moment in the spotlight.
“Pronounced shahr-kyutuh-ree, it is a French word that comes from chair, ‘flesh’ and cuit, ‘cooked.’ It refers to cooked, cured or smoked meats such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, rillettes, galantines, pâtés and dry-cured sausage,” according to centeroftheplate.com.
Charcuterie has been considered a French culinary art since at least the 15th century and has long been a staple at dinner parties, brewpubs and other social gatherings. However, with the rise of social media and the popularity of showing off an elegantly plated meal, charcuterie has been rising to the top of newsfeeds in recent months.
Business Insider reported in January 2020 that, “a search for ‘charcuterie’ on Instagram yields nearly one million results, and on Facebook there are hundreds of public and private groups dedicated to the art form.”
Charcuterie board prices can vary widely depending on what a customer is seeking. Most boards come custom-made, with meats, cheeses and accompaniments. Here are some go-to spots in the Dayton region for a top-notch charcuterie board. Pricing details and more information are available on the web sites.
Whether looking for a more traditional board, something more modern that bends the “charcuterie rules,” or even an all-vegan
board — these Dayton spots have you covered.
Dayton Charcuterie Gal
Contact: Facebook | (937) 815-0802
Dayton Charcuterie Gal serves up charcuterie boards almost too pretty to eat — emphasis on almost. Established in 2019, the business creates a variety of cheese boards and charcuterie boards, and even leads workshops on building charcuterie boards.
Jerardi’s Little Store
Contact: 7325 Peters Pike, Dayton | (937) 890-8858 | jerardislittlestore.com
Jerardi’s Little Store takes charcuterie up a notch with its spreads with grilled vegetables, olives, breads, fruits and nuts. The Italian deli, fine-wine shop and catering business will customize a charcuterie board to whatever the customer wishes.
ele Cake Co. Bistro & Wine Bar
Contact: 3680 Rigby Road, Miamisburg | (937) 384-2253 | elecakeco.com
The bistro location of ele Cake Co. serves lunch, dinner, wine and food pairings and charcuterie. Ele’s boards come with toast points, sliced fruits, pickled peppers, Gherkins, Marcona almonds, roasted garlic, honey, three meats and five cheeses. The meats and cheese selections rotate regularly.
Café 1610
Contact: (937) 815-1610 | 521 Wayne Ave., Dayton | Facebook
With an assortment of tasty, prepared vegetables, homemade pita and delicious vegan cheese, Dayton’s newest downtown vegan restaurant adds extra fun to their charcuterie boards in place of the meat.
Many Loves Charcuterie
Contact: Facebook | (937) 408-9269 | manylovescharcuterie@gmail.com
Many Loves Charcuterie will deliver in the greater Dayton and Springfield areas. Its charcuterie options include specialty boxes, catered to the customer’s event and special-event needs, as well as “snack glasses” and other charcuterie creations.
“With one of our uniquely curated charcuterie boxes or boards, you can experience the ambience of a delicious meal at a fancy restaurant — in the comfort of your own home!” the business says on its Facebook page.
Let It Brie Bellbrook
Contact: Facebook | (937) 559-1482
Let It Brie specializes in customized charcuterie boards, boxes and “table scapes.” The Bellbrook-based home business starts at a baseline pricing of $10 to $12 per person, and the options are flexible if a customer already has a board they can use at home. Let It Brie does deliver.
Boardful
Contact: Facebook | (937) 581-5004
Based in the Cincinnati area but delivering to Dayton, Boardful creates “handcrafted graze boards, boxes and tables” that are all customizable. The best way to start a Boardful order is to direct-message its Facebook page for a quote on a spread.
Charcuterie by Marie
Contact: Facebook | charcuteriebymarie@gmail.com
Charcuterie by Marie is a Troy-based charcuterie business run out of the home of Marie Francis, although Francis said there are plans to expand outside of the home. Charcuterie by Marie also sells small boxes of charcuterie munchies out of Rosebud’s Ranch and Garden in Piqua.
Om Nom Mobile Café
Contact: Facebook | (937) 770-4488
Om Nom Mobile Café is proudly Dayton’s first plantbased food truck and popup shop that delivers. It not only sells 100% vegan charcuterie boards, but also specializes in doughnuts. The food truck asks customers give at least a 24-hour notice on any charcuterie board order.
Chaffee’s Brewhouse
Contact: chaffeesbrewhouse.com | 15 S. 2nd St., Tipp City
Chaffee’s is a neighborhood spot in downtown Tipp City that puts a special focus on its charcuterie boards to pair with its extensive menu of craft beer, craft cocktails, mocktails and wine.