Every place has its distinctive cubbies and hidden gems, but few are as lucky as we are in the Ohio Valley to be just a short, scenic drive away from the town of Yellow Springs. Since long before comedian Dave Chappelle called it home, Yellow Springs has served as a sanctuary for wealthy artists, broke hippies, visionaries, rebels, social dropouts, and every soul in between. All are welcome here.

And since no welcome is complete without a delicious meal, Ellie’s Restaurant & Bakery has perched since 2015 on the southern edge of town, inside Mills Park Hotel, serving homemade baked goods, gourmet beverages, and comfort foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Eating at Ellie’s feels kind of like being ensconced — you’re in a hidden gem within a hidden gem. It’s the type of place locals don’t want too many outsiders to know about. If co-owner Katie Hammond intended a theme, it’s most certainly upscale comfort, from the candle-white columns that flank the building’s exterior to its sunbathed lobby featuring splashes of fuschia and evergreen, plus a life-size tribute to Hammond’s beloved corgi, the O.G. Ellie.

Once inside, friendly staff and mouth-watering aromas kick the Southern vibe into high gear, and it becomes evident that this is no accident. After all, Hammond is a fourth-generation Yellow Springs native who studied culinary arts in South Carolina, where, in addition to thoughtful food preparation and menu creation, she learned the elusive art of hedging warmth and accessibility with enough privacy to make guests feel instantly at home.

It should come as no surprise, then, that the menu features lots of friendly, Southern-inspired ampersands: shrimp & grits, biscuits & gravy, chicken & waffles. Like any self-respecting hotel   restaurant, Ellie’s is known for its breakfast offerings, and the same delicate care given to decadent pastries and rich gravies shows up again in late-day creations like the Cajun Chicken Pasta and Sweet Tea Salmon Brulée.

Ellie’s is committed to sourcing ingredients locally whenever possible, partnering with Ohio operations like Peifer Orchards, Rue Farms, Great Lakes Growers, and Richards Maple Syrup, among others. But when they source from outside the region, it has to be the best. The restaurant’s famed grits, for example, come from South Carolina-based Anson Mills, which produces heirloom corn varieties that date back to the late 1600s.

At the moment, the hotel and restaurant, along with the entire town of Yellow Springs, is awash in its pinnacle holiday celebration. For Mills Park Hotel and Ellie’s, that means a splashy light display, swanky New Year’s Eve celebration, and more. This season, they’ll welcome longtimers and newcomers from all over the world seeking to take part in Yellow Springs’ scenic natural surroundings, rich diversity, quality amenities, deep history, and, of course, its signature weirdness. A cornucopia of hidden treasures, all co-existing in perfect harmony. 

Ellie’s Restaurant & Bakery at the Mills Park Hotel
321 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs
MillsParkHotel.com

Mon–Sat breakfast 7am–11am;  lunch 11am–2pm
Wed–Sat bar menu 2pm–5pm; dinner 5pm–9pm
Sun brunch 7am–2pm