Hoof Hearted Brewing Fifth Avenue is a pub food restaurant in Italian Village, Columbus.
Hoof Hearted Brewing's Fifth Avenue Italian Village taproom runs the brewery's Columbus pour room with house IPAs and lagers alongside a smash burger.
Signature dishes: Smash burger, House lagers
Must order: A flight of the rotating IPAs with a smash burger.
Tip: The Marengo brewery is the production site; this is the Columbus pour room.
Address: 26 E 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201
Land-Grant Brewing in Columbus's Franklinton on West Town Street runs the largest outdoor beer garden with rotating food trucks and Wintergarden tents.
Signature: Rotating food trucks, Beer garden plates
Order: A pint of the Greenskeeper Pilsner with whatever food truck is parked.
Tip: The Extension on West Chapel runs Land-Grant's natural wine and cocktail line.
Pho Asian Noodle House on West Lane Avenue near Ohio State runs Columbus's reference Vietnamese counter for pho and banh mi at a college-town price.
Signature: Pho tai, Banh mi
Order: A bowl of pho tai with the herb plate, plus a banh mi to go.
Tip: Cash and card; lunch is faster than the OSU weeknight rush Walk-ins usually OK.
Northstar Cafe on North High Street is Columbus's Short North outpost of the founded-here chain, with the Big Sky burger and the Northstar daily bowl.
Signature: Big Sky organic burger, Northstar bowl
Order: The Big Sky organic burger with a fresh-pressed juice.
Tip: Counter ordering, no reservations; weekend brunch waits an hour.
Northstar Cafe Beechwold on North High Street in Clintonville is the original Northstar location, with the Big Sky organic burger and the Yoga bowl.
Signature: Big Sky organic burger, Yoga bowl
Order: The Yoga bowl with grilled tofu, plus a side of sweet potato fries.
Tip: Counter ordering; weekend brunch fills the patio by 09:00 Walk-ins usually OK.
The Pearl on North High Street is the Cameron Mitchell oyster bar and gastropub anchoring the Columbus Short North restaurant strip with a raw bar.
Signature: Oysters on the half shell, Steak frites
Order: Half-dozen oysters from the daily list and the steak frites.
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins; oyster happy hour weekdays from 16:00.
Schmidt's Sausage Haus on Kossuth Street in German Village is the canonical Columbus German hall, with the Bahama Mama sausage and the fist-sized Cream Puff.
Signature: Bahama Mama, Cream Puff
Order: The Autobahn buffet with the Bahama Mama, followed by a cream puff.
Tip: No reservations; mid-afternoon is the shorter line.
