Shaken, Stirred, and Victorious: A Look at the Winners of the Tenth Annual Battle of the Bartenders

By Alexis Larsen, Dine Out Dayton Correspondent, April 24, 2025

Great bartenders don’t just pour and stir — they design experiences.

Over the course of the year no event in our region showcases this better than the Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Battle of the Bartenders (MVRA).

This event doesn’t just put a spotlight on the culinary talents, but the innovation and creativity that happens behind the bar and the way that it can enhance the dining experience.

A well-made cocktail is a passport. Bartenders play with history, regional ingredients, and global influences to stir up an experience in every glass and the best of them transport you.

On April 23 talented staff and owners from ten local restaurants offered attendees the most creative cocktails and food pairings they could conceive of including defending champion Louis Connelly of Meadowlark and reigning People’s Choice winner Marci Johannes of Mr. Boro’s Tavern.

It was a tough competition with El Meson taking home two awards — Best Pairing from the team of judge’s and the People’s Choice Award bestowed by the crowd gathered to eat, drink and be merry.

Their drink, the”Bad Bunny” was infused with hibiscus flowers. peach nectar. Buckeye vodka and your choice of peach bitters (good bunny) or spicy bitters (bad bunny). They paired it with their traditional Paella Valenciana, a beautiful bubble pan of seafood, pork, chicken, chorizo, rice, peas, garlic, tomato, lemon, onions and pimentos.

Mr. Boro’s in Springboro was the runner up as the People’s Choice with their “Citrus Got Real made with Buckeye Vodka, Solerno Liqueur, Milagro Tequila, basil infused simple syrup, pineapple and orange juice and a punch of jalapeno juice. The judge’s chose Smith’s Boat House as their runner up for best cocktail with their excellent Garden Party offering made with Buckeye Vodka, green garden juice, apricot, fennel and rhubarb, lemongrass infused elderflower, honey and lime and a spot of saline to bring flavor forward.

The winner of the 10th annual buckeye vodka contest was Thomas Morris at Wheat Penny Oven and Bar for a perfectly realized tiki offering that surprised and delighted the judges called Queen Stays Queen, a popular phrase associated with Sandra Diaz-Twine, a two-time winner of the reality show Survivor where she highlighted her dominant and strategic gameplay, especially in relation to her “queen of Survivor” status. It struck every right note and was masterfully done. The coconut shrimp and bang bang sauce was a perfect accompaniment.

The event has a rich history of celebrating the most exceptional mixology talent and recipes. Morris retakes his title that he previously won in 2023. All of the restaurants brought their best ideas from the decor that they used to put their areas together to the collaboration between the kitchen and the bar staff.

“The Buckeye Vodka Battle of the Bartenders is where innovation meets inspiration — it’s a wildly fun, high-energy celebration of the incredible talent shaking up Dayton’s cocktail scene. Every year, these bartenders bring bold ideas, daring flavors, and a whole lot of heart to the table. It’s not just a competition — it’s a showcase of the creativity, craftsmanship, and community that make this region so exciting to taste and explore,” said Amy Zahora MVRA Executive Director.

Here’s a look at winners taking home the main title with bragging rights over the years:

• 2025: Thomas Morris, Wheat Penny, with “Queen Stays Queen”
• 2024: Louis Connelly, Meadowlark, with “Shanghai Noon”
• 2023: Thomas Morris, Wheat Penny, with “Stop and Smell the Roses”
• 2020: Roland Eliason, The Winds, with “Gold Blooded”
• 2019: Carolyn Porter, Meadowlark, with “Duchess of Earl”
• 2018: Brock McKibben, Wheat Penny, with “Merchant’s Wife”
• 2017: Bill Castro, El Meson, with “Tamiami Miami”
• 2016: Nikolaus Hunt, Coco’s Bistro, with “Coco’s Ruby Slipper”
• 2015: Amber Brady, Lily’s Bistro, with “Rosemary’s Babee”
• 2014: Dustin Wade, Meadowlark, with “The Root of All Evil”

This event is a wonderful reminder that a perfectly crafted cocktail can turn a moment into a memory — whether it’s clinking glasses with friends or savoring a quiet solo sip. Great cocktails bring people together and create spaces where stories unfold.

As the evening concluded, attendees raised their glasses to a decade of exceptional mixology and community spirit for an event that celebrated a decade of bringing the best behind the bar to the front of all of our minds.

Cheers to the bartenders who shake up the status quo, and to every glass that tells a story.

Alexis Larsen is the Miami Valley Restaurant Dine Out Dayton Correspondent and is the Dayton Dish food columnist for the Dayton Business Journal. For the latest news coming from MVRA restaurants and events visit dineoutdayton.com/news.