Anyone who’s familiar with downtown Plain City, Ohio will recognize the site of the clocktower on the corner of the building at Chillicothe and Main streets. And that icon was recently given new life as a bar and restaurant, dubbed The Clocktower Kitchen & Bar!
The space has been gorgeously renovated and preserved, with original flooring and ceilings, bar features, and more details.
I appreciated the big, long bar. These would be great seats for dinner or drinks.
The cocktail menu covers a lot of creative takes on the classics. There are also some connections between the eatery and High Bank Distillery, so expect to see several of their spirits featured. This is the Midnight Bloom with High Bank vodka and the barrel-aged old fashioned.
Right from the get-go you’ll see interesting interpretations of pub classics, like these nicely battered onion rings made with pickled onions and a Szechuan ranch.
Our server recommended the poblano cornbread, too, and was spot-on. It’s a lovely skillet of cornbread served with a hot honey butter.
Same with the caramelized onion dip with fontina and bacon jam.
Highly recommend ordering this one! All the portions were generous, too.
Here’s the Snowball with tequila, Gran Marnier, coconut cream, and a toasted coconut rim.
And the Farmer’s National is made with Buffalo Trace, molasses bitters, smoked with pecan wood table-side.
Our server and the GM recommended the sweet potato gnudi – pillowy soft and swimming in a brown butter cream with sage, bacon, fontina, and pomegranate.
We spied the pork chop at the table text to us, and the two ladies sung its praises. Again, it’s a generous portion, served with whipped sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and a blackberry barbecue sauce. It leans a little sweeter, but it’s still nicely done.
Our server also convinced us to try the seasonal crumble for dessert, this one with apples and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Overall, it was a lovely meal at The Clocktower. Certainly worth making a regular stop if you live nearby, and even worth a drive for a fun lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch.
The space accommodates big groups, and there’s an upstairs event space, too.
If you’re lucky you can spy the event space, and if you’re even luckier you can see into the corner where the historic clock itself is still ticking! It’s a gravity-driven clock, built and installed in 1902 by the Seth Thomas Clock Company. The GM told us there’s a specialist who comes by regularly to service it.
The Clocktower Kitchen & Bar
101 S. Chillicothe St.
Plain City, OH 43064
(614) 873-2970
Web: theclocktowerkitchenandbar.com
FB: The Clocktower Kitchen & Bar
IG: @theclocktowerkitchenandbar