Aladdin's Eatery Clintonville is a levantine restaurant in Clintonville, Columbus.
Aladdin's Eatery on North High Street in Columbus's Clintonville is the city's Lebanese Mediterranean counter with mezze and a vegetarian menu.
Signature dishes: Lebanese mezze plate, Pita-rolled wraps
Must order: The hummus and baba ghanoush mezze with warm pita, plus a chicken shawarma rollup.
Tip: Walk-ins steady; vegan and gluten-free options are clearly tagged on the menu.
Address: 2931 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202
The Sycamore on East Sycamore Street has been a Columbus German Village gathering room for over a century, now a wine-and-bites bar since 2021.
Signature: Bar pizzas, Local cheese plates
Order: A bar pizza off the small-plates list plus a glass from the rotating natural list.
Tip: Walk-up seats at the bar; weekend brunch fills a small dining room.
Bodega on the corner of North High and Third Avenue in Columbus's Short North runs the city's largest craft beer list with a tight gastropub menu.
Signature: Smash burger, Craft draft list
Order: The smash burger with a flight from the rotating Ohio brewery taps.
Tip: Kitchen runs until 01:00 on weekends; one of the few solid late-night sit-down rooms in the Short North.
Northstar Cafe on North High Street is the Columbus Short North outpost of the founded-here chain, with the Big Sky organic burger and Yoga bowl.
Signature: Big sky organic burger, Northstar bowl
Order: The Big Sky organic burger with the side salad and a fresh-pressed juice.
Tip: Counter ordering, no reservations; weekend brunch waits an hour, weekday lunch is easier.
Hoof Hearted Brewing on East Fifth Avenue in Italian Village runs the brewery's Columbus taproom, with house-brewed lagers and the kitchen's smash burger.
Signature: Smash burger, House-brewed lagers
Order: A flight of the rotating IPA and lager line, with a smash burger.
Tip: The Marengo brewery is the production site; this is the Columbus pour room with a kitchen.
Land-Grant Brewing in Columbus's Franklinton runs the 12,000 sqft renovated factory taproom on West Town Street, with the largest beer garden.
Signature: Beer garden plates, Rotating food trucks
Order: A pint of the Land-Grant Greenskeeper Pilsner plus whatever food truck is parked that night.
Tip: The Wintergarden adds seasonal heated tents; The Extension on West Chapel runs Land-Grant's cocktail and natural wine line.
Graeter's at Easton Town Center is the Columbus-edge French-pot ice cream counter, churned in two-gallon copper kettles in Cincinnati since 1870.
Signature: Black raspberry chocolate chip, French pot ice cream
Order: A scoop of the black raspberry chocolate chip; it is the Graeter's signature for a reason.
Tip: Easton fills up on weekend evenings; the Bethel Road and Hilliard locations move faster.
