Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area

Middletown was Ohio’s first Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area! AKA DORA District.

Hours of operation:  7 days a week, noon to midnight

How It Works:

You can purchase a beverage from a liquor permit establishment within the DORA boundaries and walk around our downtown DORA district with your drink! Sip, stroll and explore! To be able to do so, you will need to purchase a $1 DORA cup, simply request that your beverage be placed within one of the designated DORA plastic cups if you wish to leave the establishment. Drinks cannot be taken out of the establishment without being in an official DORA cup. No cans, no glass bottles, and no outside drinks are permitted within the DORA.

Rules:

  1. Tell your bartender you want a DORA cup, good to use from Noon-Midnight.

  2. Purchase your drink at a DORA designated establishment.

  3. Drink and Stroll inside the DORA boundaries, look for signs!

  4. Please finish your drink before entering another DORA designated establishment (ie- you are not allowed to take your alcoholic DORA drink from one bar/restaurant to another establishment that serves alcohol).

Current establishments authorized to sell are:

  • Forest Hills Country Club

  • VUE 791 @ Forest Hills Country Club

  • Gravel Road Brewing

  • The Sorg Opera

  • The Swire Inn

  • The Windamere

  • @theSquare

  • PRIMO Italian Steakhouse

  • West Central Wine

  • La Chona Margarita House/Bar Bunny

  • Merkels Tavern

  • The Slice

  • Olde Central Tavern

  • DC Roadhouse

  • The White Dog Distilling Company

  • N.E.W. Ales

  • Middletown Lyric Theatre

You Can:

  • Purchase a drink at an authorized location and walk around the DORA using an official DORA Cup.

  • Take a purchased drink into a non-liquor serving establishment if the owner allows

  • Drink responsibly and have fun

You Cannot: 

  • Bring your own drinks into the district

  • Walk around with a purchased drink not in a designated DORA plastic container (no cans, no glass, no outside drinks are permitted)

  • Take a beverage purchased at one liquor serving establishment into another liquor establishment

  • Act like a fool and ruin it for everyone

Boundaries: 

The map below outlines the boundaries of the DORA. In short, it is from the riverfront to Clark Street in downtown Middletown. There are signs posted when you reach the edges of the districts, please keep an eye out for them.