by Rebekah Beamer / photos by Kyle Wolff

Milford, Ohio Every restaurant faced hardships throughout the pandemic, but for Bite Restaurant in Milford, OH, disaster struck twice when a kitchen fire in August 2020 closed them for several more months. “It was so crazy: People left bottles of wine, they left flowers, cards … it was almost like someone had died, and they were just devastated,” recalls owner Rachel Seeberger.

The love guests gave to Bite during those long months reflects the relationships they’ve built within their community—and it goes both ways. When they opened Bite, Rachel and husband Marc (who helms the kitchen) aspired to create a place where everyone was welcome. “We love them for exactly who they are, and to us food is love,” Seeberger says. “It’s self-love, and reflection, and nourishment of your body.”

A loving relationship with food and the environment of the restaurant draw diners to Bite. Seeberger, a skilled gardener, expresses this love through her horticultural expertise. Vegetables, herbs, fruits, and nuts grown on the restaurant’s two-acre property are plated right in front of guests.

Seeberger likens the restaurant to “a community resource center.” For example, the Clermont County Water Department is funding the development of an educational, sustainable rain garden on Bite’s property. The rain garden will concentrate the growing of food, learning, and sustainability into one location.

“It’s a perfect place to teach, because on a daily basis, you can come with your family and walk through the gardens,” Seeberger says. With its focus on small-scale agriculture, Bite keeps its food close to the source and close to the heart of Milford. During the trials of the pandemic and fire, the community sustained Bite with love, and in return, Bite feeds the community not just with delicious food, but also learning and love reciprocated.

Bite Restaurant
1279 State Route 131, Milford, OH
513.831.2483