American Gastropub$$short-northMon-Thu 16:00-02:00; Fri-Sun 11:00-02:00
Bodega on the corner of North High and Third Avenue in Columbus's Short North runs the city's largest craft beer list with a tight gastropub menu.
Signature: Smash burger, Craft draft list
Order: The smash burger with a flight from the rotating Ohio brewery taps.
Tip: Kitchen runs until 01:00 on weekends; one of the few solid late-night sit-down rooms in the Short North.
Healthy American$$short-northDaily 08:30-22:00
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.
Pub Food$$italian-villageWed-Thu 16:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 14:00-23:00; Sun 14:00-19:00; closed Mon-Tue
Hoof Hearted Brewing on East Fifth Avenue in Italian Village runs the brewery's Columbus taproom, with house-brewed lagers and the kitchen's smash burger.
Signature: Smash burger, House-brewed lagers
Order: A flight of the rotating IPA and lager line, with a smash burger.
Tip: The Marengo brewery is the production site; this is the Columbus pour room with a kitchen.
Pub Food$$franklintonMon-Thu 15:00-22:00; Fri 15:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-21:00
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.
Ice Cream$downtownMon-Thu 11:00-21:30; Fri-Sat 11:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-18:30
Graeter's at Easton Town Center is the Columbus-edge French-pot ice cream counter, churned in two-gallon copper kettles in Cincinnati since 1870.
Signature: Black raspberry chocolate chip, French pot ice cream
Order: A scoop of the black raspberry chocolate chip; it is the Graeter's signature for a reason.
Tip: Easton fills up on weekend evenings; the Bethel Road and Hilliard locations move faster.
Pizza$german-villageDaily 10:30-23:00
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.
Signature: Edge-to-edge pepperoni, Thin-crust square pie
Order: The signature pepperoni in the original square thin crust.
Tip: The original 1963 Thurman Avenue location reopened in 2023 for the 60th anniversary; the South James Road shop is closest to the family operations.