BLACK DIAMOND TAVERN

BY NICHOLAS DEKKER PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS CASELLA

A True Diamond For Bourbon Fans

Southeast Ohio is experiencing a renaissance, with new lodges and cabins, expanded park spaces, additional campgrounds, and the revitalization of historic small towns that dot the region. In Shawnee, once a key city in coal mining country, an investment group is injecting new life in the town by renovating historic buildings into restaurants, theaters, music venues, and lodging.

One of the centerpieces is the Black Diamond Tavern, housed in a structure originally built in 1877 as a saloon and entertainment venue. The building served as a bank in the early 20th century before becoming the long-time Shawnee Grill; in its last incarnation it was Desperado’s Bar and Grill, which closed in 2016. The structure was crumbling, with the first floor falling into the basement, before the Black Diamond Development group stepped in to purchase the building and refurbish it.

The Black Diamond Tavern draws on local ingredients to build a menu of creative bar favorites. Grab a table or a seat at the bar and order queso fries, pickle chips, onion rings, or mozzarella sticks. The menu is rounded out with salads, sandwiches, wings, and pizzas. Guests visiting Black Diamond Tavern for the first time are encouraged to order the signature Black Diamond Burger, a towering concoction made from grass-fed Mt. Airy Beef raised in Somerset. It layers the patty with a choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion on a toasted potato bun. For a taste of a camping trip in burger form, try the Shawnee Campfire Classic, topped with baked beans and two slices of American cheese.

But the real claim to fame, said Jazzma Quinn, social media coordinator for the tavern, is the bourbon selection. The tavern has developed a following from nearby cities like Columbus, where guests visit to see the evergrowing collection of hard-to-find and high-end bourbons and whiskeys. The Black Diamond group is even working with Columbus’ Watershed Distillery to produce their own unique barrels of bourbon to be featured at the tavern.

Black Diamond Development group, in conjunction with the Black Diamond Regional Visitors Bureau, hopes to bring even more visitors to the region with the Southeast Ohio Bourbon, Brew & Wine Trail. They’re aiming to launch it in 2023, with upwards of 20 stops spread across 14 counties. The trail will emulate the popular Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a membership-based endeavor that links both retailers and manufacturers of wine, beer, and distilled spirits.

Visitors and residents will be able to visit the many unique venues across Southeast Ohio, especially while camping, staying in a unique bed and breakfast, or cozying up in a cabin. In addition to uniting the many hard-working winemakers, brewers and distillers, the Southeast Ohio Bourbon, Brew & Wine Trail aims to boost tourism dollars and help revitalize many of the former coal towns throughout scenic Wayne National Forest.