16 editor picks in Columbus.
16 restaurants in Columbus, editor-picked for restaurants open monday. Open on monday, the day most kitchens go dark. All restaurants in Columbus.
Schmidt's Sausage Haus on Kossuth Street is Columbus's canonical German Village hall, run by the Schmidt family since their 1886 meatpacker.
OrderThe Bahama Mama sausage plate followed by the cream puff, sized to two hands.
TipNo reservations, expect a wait on football Saturdays; walk in mid-afternoon for the shorter line.
Lindey's on East Beck Street has been German Village's brick-paved district anchor American room since 1981, with a covered patio in Columbus.
OrderThe roasted half chicken from the Lindey's classic menu and a glass of bubbles on the patio.
TipValet parking is complimentary; patio is first-come first-served weather permitting.
Comune on Parsons Avenue in Columbus's Schumacher Place is the plant-forward dining room serving in-season vegetable plates and small dishes.
OrderWhatever the kitchen is doing with that week's farm haul, plus the seasonal cocktail.
TipReservations on OpenTable; the menu changes weekly, follow the Instagram for the day's pickup.
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.
OrderA scoop of the black raspberry chocolate chip; it is the Graeter's signature for a reason.
TipEaston fills up on weekend evenings; the Bethel Road and Hilliard locations move faster.
The Pearl on North High Street is the Cameron Mitchell oyster bar and gastropub anchoring the Columbus Short North strip with a deep raw bar.
OrderHalf-dozen oysters from the daily list and the steak frites.
TipReservations on OpenTable, but the bar takes walk-ins; oyster happy hour weekdays from 16:00.
The Old Mohawk on Mohawk Street in Schumacher Place has been a Columbus German Village tavern since 1933, with turtle soup and a tavern burger.
OrderA cup of turtle soup followed by the tavern burger and a cold draft.
TipCash-friendly bar; weekend lunches are the easiest seating, dinner gets a wait.
Brassica on North High Street in Columbus's Short North is the Mediterranean fast-casual counter with hearth-baked pita and house-made falafel.
OrderBuild a bowl with falafel, roasted carrots, hummus and the marinated eggplant.
TipNo reservations, line moves fast; the to-go counter side door beats the dining room queue at lunch.
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.
OrderThe Big Sky organic burger with the side salad and a fresh-pressed juice.
TipCounter ordering, no reservations; weekend brunch waits an hour, weekday lunch is easier.
Land-Grant Brewing in Columbus's Franklinton runs the 12,000 sqft renovated factory taproom on West Town Street, with the largest beer garden.
OrderA pint of the Land-Grant Greenskeeper Pilsner plus whatever food truck is parked that night.
TipThe Wintergarden adds seasonal heated tents; The Extension on West Chapel runs Land-Grant's cocktail and natural wine line.
Forno Kitchen and Bar on North High Street is Columbus's Short North wood-oven Mediterranean room with a long bar and a weekend brunch service.
OrderThe wood-oven pizza of the moment, plus a brunch mimosa flight on Sunday.
TipBrunch fills first; reserve on OpenTable for any seating after 10:30.
Tucci's on North High Street in Historic Dublin has run as the Columbus suburb's Italian seafood room since 1992, with a fine-wine cellar list.
OrderThe whole-fish special of the night plus a glass from the deep Italian list.
TipReservations on OpenTable; the bar holds a few walk-in seats Tuesday through Thursday.
Hofbrauhaus Columbus on Goodale Boulevard in Grandview Yard is the city's full-scale Bavarian beer hall, with house-brewed lagers and pretzels.
OrderA house pretzel with mustard, the schnitzel platter and a one-liter Mass of the Original lager.
TipLive oompah Friday and Saturday nights; outdoor biergarten in season is the best seating.
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.
OrderThe smash burger with a flight from the rotating Ohio brewery taps.
TipKitchen runs until 01:00 on weekends; one of the few solid late-night sit-down rooms in the Short North.
Yellow Brick Pizza on West Rich Street in Columbus's Franklinton is the West Side arts district craft-pizza counter for thin-crust pies and pepperoni slices.
OrderThe margherita whole pie and a slice of the pepperoni for the road.
TipCounter service; whole pies take a 20 minute wait. The East Market location on Kelton runs longer evening hours.
Aladdin's Eatery on North High Street in Columbus's Clintonville is the city's Lebanese Mediterranean counter with mezze and a vegetarian menu.
OrderThe hummus and baba ghanoush mezze with warm pita, plus a chicken shawarma rollup.
TipWalk-ins steady; vegan and gluten-free options are clearly tagged on the menu.
Donatos Pizza, the Columbus thin-crust square pie founded by Jim Grote on Thurman Avenue in 1963, defines the city pizza with pepperoni to the edge.
OrderThe signature pepperoni in the original square thin crust.
TipThe original 1963 Thurman Avenue location reopened in 2023 for the 60th anniversary; the South James Road shop is closest to the family operations.
