The Pearl is a new american gastropub restaurant in Short North, Columbus.
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.
Signature dishes: Oysters on the half shell, Steak frites
Must order: Half-dozen oysters from the daily list and the steak frites.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable, but the bar takes walk-ins; oyster happy hour weekdays from 16:00.
Address: 641 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215
Speck Italian Eatery on North High Street in downtown Columbus is the modern Italian counter for fresh pastas, wood-fired pizza and house salumi.
Signature: Hand-rolled pastas, Wood-fired pizza
Order: Whichever house-rolled pasta is on the chalkboard, plus a slice of speck off the salumi list.
Tip: Reserve on Tock for the prime 19:30 window; the bar seats face the pasta pulling 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.
Signature: Wood-oven pizza, Weekend brunch
Order: The wood-oven pizza of the moment, plus a brunch mimosa flight on Sunday.
Tip: Brunch fills first; reserve on OpenTable for any seating after 10:30.
Speck Italian Eatery on North High Street in downtown Columbus is the modern Italian counter for fresh pastas, wood-fired pizza and house salumi.
Signature: Hand-rolled pastas, Wood-fired pizza
Order: Whichever house-rolled pasta is on the chalkboard, plus a slice of speck off the salumi list.
Tip: Reserve on Tock for the prime 19:30 window; the bar seats face the pasta pulling 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.
Signature: Wood-oven pizza, Weekend brunch
Order: The wood-oven pizza of the moment, plus a brunch mimosa flight on Sunday.
Tip: Brunch fills first; reserve on OpenTable for any seating after 10:30.
Comune on Parsons Avenue in Columbus's Schumacher Place is the plant-forward dining room serving in-season vegetable plates and small dishes.
Signature: Seasonal vegetable plates, Grain bowls
Order: Whatever the kitchen is doing with that week's farm haul, plus the seasonal cocktail.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable; the menu changes weekly, follow the Instagram for the day's pickup.
Joya's Cafe on High Street in Old Worthington is Chef Avishar Barua's Bengali American Columbus daytime room, named for his mother Joya, since 2022.
Signature: Bengali breakfast plates, Chai with house pastries
Order: The Bengali breakfast plate and a cardamom chai off the tea list.
Tip: Barua was a 2024 James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes semifinalist; weekday mornings move faster than weekend brunch.
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.
Signature: Turtle soup, Tavern burger
Order: A cup of turtle soup followed by the tavern burger and a cold draft.
Tip: Cash-friendly bar; weekend lunches are the easiest seating, dinner gets a wait.
The Wolf's Ridge Brewing dining room on North Fourth Street downtown Columbus runs a chef-driven new American menu alongside the brewery taproom.
Signature: Beer-pairing plates, Pizza Kitchen pies
Order: Whichever beer-pairing plate the kitchen is featuring with the seasonal IPA on tap.
Tip: Dining room reservations on OpenTable; the Pizza Kitchen takes counter walk-ins.
