Those that live in the Columbus area are fortunate: Regardless of what you might be craving to eat, there’s likely a restaurant to suit your fancy.
And let’s face it: It’s been a long, hard year and treating yourself to a meal might just boost your spirits.
We’ve compiled a list of restaurants that have been reviewed by The Dispatch in the past six months or so, and we’ll continue to add to this list.
So peruse this sampling and be inspired to try out some of these destinations. But be forewarned: You might want to have a snack handy, because you’re bound to be hungry once you read on!
Pizza places
• Wizard of Za, 4214 N. High St., Clintonville
It isn’t uncommon for The Wizard of Za to have multi-week wait times for customers assigned to a waitlist, compiled from a reservation-only online-ordering system, that stretches into the thousands. So be prepared to jump through hoops if you currently want a pie from this breakout business that quickly evolved from a social-media sensation and home-cooked-pizza purveyor into an actual (if unusual) Clintonville pizzeria with a fancy Neapolitan-style oven.
More:Would you wait two months for a pizza? Customers clamor to get on Wizard of Za’s waitlist
Mexican food around Columbus
• Barra Tacos & Cocktails, 3051 Northwest Blvd., Upper Arlington
More:Behind the Menu | Barra Tacos boasts salsas made in-house, slow-roasted meats
• Tacos Don Deme, 75 S. Murray Hill Road, Far West Side
Columbus is dotted with so many places that offer delicious tacos nowadays that it’s hard to keep up with them all. The Far West Side is an especially rich area to mine for good Mexican food, and that’s where you’ll find Tacos Don Deme, one of my favorite new Mexican eateries.
Columbus restaurants:Tacos Don Deme one of the best Mexican eateries around
• 3 Brothers Diner, 3090 Southwest Blvd., Grove City
Founded by Nivardo, Filadelfo and Eliseo “Cheo” Cruz-Reyes, the siblings have created a house-made smoked chili sauce that is used in many entrees at the breakfast-through-dinner spot.
Columbus restaurants:Brothers Diner in Grove City turns out flavor-packed dishes
• Spicy Cup Cafe, 1977 E. Dublin-Granville Road, North Side
Spicy Cup Cafe should be on the top of your list if you’re looking for a scratch-cooking spot offering bargains on lovely Mexican-style pastries — such as the best churros in Columbus — as well as first-rate tamales and excellent breakfast sandwiches assembled with wonderful house-baked rolls.
Columbus restaurants: Food review: Spicy Cup Cafe serves up top-rate Mexican dishes, pastries
American cuisine around Columbus
• Boxwood Biscuit Co., 19 W. Russell St., Short North
Boxwood Biscuit Co. entered the Short North dining scene a few months ago with a homestyle breakfast-and-lunch menu with multiple embellishments from veteran local chef Tyler Minnis, co-owner of the operation.
Broken down, the menu keys in on three items — biscuits, fried chicken and gravy.
Columbus restaurants: Biscuits, fried chicken and gravy take flight at Boxwood
French Bistros around Columbus
• Nomad Hot Kitchen & Cool Spirits, 2050 Polaris Parkway, Polaris area
Even Patrick Daly has a difficult time describing his own restaurant, Nomad Hot Kitchen & Cool Spirits, which he said is more French bistro than upscale.
“I just consider us more of a good restaurant,” Daly said. “There’s something for everyone. …”
Columbus restaurants:Nomad’s coal-fired grills give extra sizzle to bistro-style fare
Gastropubs around Columbus
• The Royce Gastropub, 8791 Lyra Drive, near Polaris Fashion Place
When the Royce opened last July near Polaris Fashion Place, owner Walter Carpenter Jr. declared it a polished gastropub. Although customers often laud the restaurant for being much more refined, Carpenter said he’s sticking to his original portrayal.
“We are still in that lane,” he said. “I think the guests look at us a little bit different. We’re a little polished and put our own little touches on things to make it our own.”
Columbus restaurants:The Royce’s ‘polished gastropub’ fare comforting and delicious
Indian cuisine around Columbus
• Rooh, 685 N. High St., Short North
Upon its entry into the local dining scene, Rooh promised to be both Indian at its core and progressive in its style of cooking and use of ingredients. “I think the most important thing for us is balance,” said Bhavesh Kishinchand, owner of the local Rooh, which also has a locations in San Francisco and Chicago.
In other words, it’s about making Indian cuisine lighter and approachable both for seasoned and uninitiated eaters.
Columbus restaurants:Rooh in the Short North offers patrons reimagined Indian cuisine
Comfort food around Columbus
• Soulshine Tavern & Kitchen, 266 E. Main St., New Albany
Soulshine Kitchen & Tavern continues to enjoy its status as a comfortable New Albany restaurant serving unpretentious, homemade comfort food.
“We were trying to find that space between fine dining and casual national and local brands, and I think we did,” said Andrew Arthurs, who opened Soulshine with his wife, Shanda, in June 2017.
Columbus restaurants:Soulshine in New Albany maintains formula of affordable comfort food
• Tommy’s Diner, 914 W. Broad St.
While Tommy’s Diner might seem like a throwback from the past, its portions, prices and quality are hard to beat, said Michael Pappas, son of founders Tommy and Kathy Pappas. The Franklinton restaurant, founded in 1989 by the Pappas couple, remains a strong fixture on the Near West Side dining scene.
Columbus restaurants:Scratch-made diner classics makes Tommy’s a destination for more than 30 years
• What the Waffle, 695 E. Long St., King-Lincoln District
Whenever and whatever you order expect a bargain and, well, waffles. See, the restaurant’s namesake items — scratch-made if rather soft but good-tasting (malty, with a hint of cinnamon), deeply pouched and sizable Belgian-style waffles — appear in nearly every dish.
Columbus restaurants:What the Waffle in the King-Lincoln District serves tasty food at reasonable prices
• Wildflower Cafe, 3420 Indianola Ave., Clintonville
Multiple menus are offered. They cover weekday lunch and dinner services, weekend-only brunch and Saturday dinners plus weekly specials. Ranging from pancakes to crab cakes, the food advertised on the various menus is cooked from scratch and generally quite good.
Columbus restaurants:Restaurant review: Clintonville’s Wildflower Cafe puts plenty of comfort in comfort food
Barbecue around Columbus
• Big Daddy BBQ food truck, 1944 Morse Road, Northland area
Keith Speed opened Big Daddy BBQ food truck five years ago in the Northland area. “Brisket’s definitely our No. 1 sandwich,” Speed said, noting that Big Daddy’s sells 500 to 600 pounds a week during the busiest times.
“First of all, we buy the best meat we can find,” Speed said. “That’s the key to it being tender.”
More:Passion leads local man to produce fine barbecue via Big Daddy food truck
Indo-Paki cuisine around Columbus
• Tandoori Oven, 808 Bethel Road, Northwest Side
Naturally, given its name, the restaurant’s specialty is skewered meats cooked in the high-heat, clay-lined tandoor oven. “It keeps its flavor because there’s no direct contact with the fire,” owner Syed Abbas said.
Columbus restaurants:Specialty oven cooks up signature Indo-Paki dishes at Northwest Side restaurant
• Jasmine Fusion Cuisine, 560 S. High St., Brewery District
Largely because the owner-chef in charge of Jasmine’s one-man-band operation was Zulfiqar Ali — chef for eight years at excellent Tandoori Grill on Bethel Road — Jasmine evoked the adage about a book and its cover. Ali wasn’t quick to fill big orders (we waited upward of 30 minutes on visits), but his skill and experience guaranteed that most of his eatery’s Pakistani-and-Northern-Indian-influenced fare, some of which is culturally hybridized bar food, was terrific. It was also generally quite spicy and nicely priced.
Columbus restaurants:Food review | Jasmine Fusion Grill offers excellent curries and spicy but flavorful fare
Brewpubs around Columbus
• Saucy Brew Works, 443 W. 3rd Ave., Harrison West
The Cleveland-based brewpub offers a number of shareable items, such as the “saucy balls” — homemade meatballs covered in tomato sauce served in a skillet and showered with pecorino Romano cheese that’s bubbled up in the oven. They’re served with braided, house-made bread.
Wings ($9 for a half-pound, $14 for a full pound) are baked, not fried, as there are no deep-fryers in the place, so the result is a light crisp on the outside and moist inside, Young said. Customers can choose from a variety of house-made blends, including hot (a Nashville-style spicy sauce), a milder dry rub and Chinese kung pao, considered the least spicy of all.
Columbus restaurants:At Harrison West brewpub, little menu flourishes add up
• North High Brewing Co., 56 N. High St., Dublin
While North High Brewing Co. has established itself as a quality brewery, the Historic Dublin location has sweetened the pot by offering a modern pub menu.
House brews are used in many dishes. “We’re trying to branch out,” executive chef Ryan Oldham said. “What I try to do is evaluate the demographic, what the need is for the market and go after that. In Dublin, we kind of went for a more casual dining atmosphere.”
Columbus restaurants:North High Brewing puts strong emphasis on beer as well as food
• Shakers Public House, 385 Georgesville Road
Wings are a big deal at Shakers Public House. They’re hand-battered in hot-sauce-seasoned egg batter, dipped in flour and double-fried.
Naked tenders and boneless also are available. Customers can choose one of 14 sauces that range from mild to bold.
Columbus restaurants:Remodeled West Side pub Shakers Public House adopts classic bar menu
• Flatiron Tavern, 129 E. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District
After more than a year in business, the Flatiron Tavern continues its mission of being a wallet-friendly destination Downtown. “We’re still just focusing on good tavern food at good prices,” said Rachel Frye, who owns the spot with business partners Scott Schweitzer and Chris Huda.
Columbus restaurants:Flatiron Tavern boasts classic pub fare with a twist
Polynesian food around Columbus
• LemonShark Poke & Makai Grill, 3969 Merchants Row, Easton Town Center Entertainment District
The Hawaiian-themed restaurant centers on a fresh experience, whether customers grill their own food or get preassembled meals from the kitchen.
“We were very passionate about rolling out something that was very health-conscious,” said Kayla King, general manager of the restaurant, the first in the United States to unify both the California-based LemonShark Poke and Makai Grill under one roof.
Poke bowls, either signature or build-your-own, are incredibly popular among guests, King said. Hibachi bowls have received a warm welcome from guests, too, King said.
Columbus restaurants: Easton restaurant centers on seafood to tantalize the senses
Bistros around Columbus
• Nomad Hot Kitchen & Cool Spirits, 2050 Polaris Parkway, Polaris area
Even Patrick Daly has a difficult time describing his own restaurant, Nomad Hot Kitchen & Cool Spirits, which he said is more French bistro than upscale.
“I just consider us more of a good restaurant,” Daly said. “There’s something for everyone. I think there’s a hole in the market where a bistro would be.”
Columbus restaurants:Nomad’s coal-fired grills give extra sizzle to bistro-style fare
Italian/Lebanese food around Columbus
• Bistrolino Old World Kitchen & Bar, 495 S. 4th St., German Village
Samer Chedid and business partner Francesco Todisco opened Bistrolino a little more than a year ago in German Village. The restaurant features rustic cuisine, reflecting its owners’ backgrounds, Todisco from Italy and Chedid from Lebanon.
Columbus restaurants:Old World pizzas make the cut on Bistrolino’s menu
• Pasquale’s Pizza & Pasta, 558 W. Schrock Road, Westerville
Pasquale’s Pizza & Pasta began serving customers in Westerville back in the 1980s. The fact that Pasquale’s is serving today says a lot about the operation. I’m going to say more: If you like crispy thin-crust pizzas enriched with generous amounts of good cheese and toppings as well as old-school Italian-American food, you’ll like Pasquale’s.
American Bistro around Columbus
• Lindeys, 169 E. Beck St.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2021, Lindey’s in German Village is a staple of upscale-casual dining in central Ohio.
Columbus restaurants: Lindey’s staying power based on quality preparations
Himalayan-style dumplings around Columbus
• Momo Ghar, 2800 Festival Lane, Dublin
Momos are Himalayan-style dumplings, and Momo Ghar’s eight-per-order, entirely scratch-made momos (no store-bought dough here) are among the best dumplings in town. Several are offered and they’re all terrific.
Columbus restaurants:Food review | Momo Ghar in Dublin’s expanded menu boasts several ‘terrific’ dishes
Burgers around Columbus
• Preston’s: A Burger Joint, 59 Spruce St., North Market
Preston’s signature cheeseburger is as addictive as ever. Currently called the classic ($7; $10 for a recommended double), its smashed-and-seared, fresh-tasting patties (mine had a desirable hint of pink in the center) were flattered by melted American cheese, house pickles, shaved red onion, shredded lettuce, a zippy mayo-enriched “secret sauce” plus a puffy and sweet toasted bun. Given its fine, if familiar, ingredients and careful execution, the trendy and inhalable burger seems both newfangled and old-fashioned.
Columbus restaurants:Food review | Preston’s continue to delight with outstanding burgers
Seafood and sushi around Columbus
• Kintsugi Sushi Bar — North Market Bridge Park, 6750 Longshore St., Dublin
You really can’t go wrong with anything on the strong but navigable sushi menu. Said menu identifies the hand roll as Kintsugi’s signature item.
Columbus restaurants:Food review | Excellent spicy tuna and torotaku hand rolls noteworthy at Kintsugi Sushi Bar
African cuisine around Columbus
• Riziki Swahili Grill, 1872 Tamarack Circle South, Northland area
Plan on easy-to-love, good-bang-for-your-buck dishes bursting with widely accessible flavors. For comparison sake, Riziki’s Zanzibari-influenced fare shares characteristics with Mediterranean and mild Indian food.
Columbus restaurants:Restaurant review: Riziki Swahili Grill takes patrons on a tasty culinary trip to Africa
Asian food around Columbus
• Chilispot, 1178 Kenny Centre Mall, Northwest Side
Sampling Chilispot’s often fiery yet nuanced, party-in-your-mouth food will definitely grab your attention, though. Numerous real-deal Sichuan dishes are cooked there that exhibit the telltale yin-and-yang qualities famously described by the Chinese term “mala” — a coupling of “ma” (which means “numbing,” and is an effect produced on mouths by Sichuan peppercorns) and “la” (chile-detonated “spicy hot”).
Columbus restaurants:Food review: Chilispot knows how to do Sichuan right with well-made fiery dishes
Mediterranean food around Columbus
• Olive & Thyme, 4519 N. High St., Clintonville
Serving in Clintonville since November, Olive & Thyme occupies a big and bright space that still resembles the Panera Bread branch it previously housed. On the newcomer’s website, its food is described as “modern and traditional Lebanese-Mediterranean cuisine.” On a plate, the food evokes this description: If you like the fare prepared at Lavash Cafe (which is a couple of miles due south on High Street), you’ll like the food prepared at Olive & Thyme.
Columbus restaurants:Clintonville’s Olive & Thyme offers a lengthy menu of Lebanese-Mediterranean cuisine
