Columbus, OH restaurants???

[ChrisShort74]

The wife and I will be in Columbus on Monday and Tuesday the week of the Memorial Tournament to catch some practice rounds. Any suggestions on restaurants in Columbus? We are staying in the North Columbus area, but would drive if needed. We are not beer drinkers, so pubs or places with large selections of alcohol to choose from, doesn't matter. We like Mexican and Italian the best. However a nice steak would be great too.. Thanks

[CHuntsman]

Eddie Merlot's, Hyde Park, and The Top are great steakhouses, although they're not cheap. Eddie George's grille 27 is pretty cool, i am a buckeye though. Haven't been back in a few years but those would be my recommendations.

[moegolfer11]

Check out the Easton Town Center. Tons of restaurants, and shopping.

[SilverBullets]

The Short North is where you'll want to go. High St. in between OSU's campus and downtown.

 

Short North/Arena District:

 

Italian - Marcellas... Really loud place inside but outstanding food and a great overall experience. Most things are small plates so it's best to order a few things to share (i.e. get a pasta and a pizza, or two pastas and share them... mix in some apps).

 

The Pearl is a pretty cool gastro-pub in the short north. The menu is a bit unique but all of the good is really good. They pair kind of weird foods together (i.e. Hanger Steak over a bed of Kimchi) but it's really well done. Also has a great atmosphere.

 

Nada - A upscale Taco joint with some Mexican food offerings. This place is right next to Nationwide Arena in the Arena district. It would consider it a California taco place. Not really Mexican food parse but kind of Baja style tacos and food.

 

Condado - Another California style Taco place. In the Short North, on High St (like most other places lol). Not as upscale as Nada, but, probably even better tacos.

 

North Columbus:

 

The Whitney House - This one is more in North Columbus (in Worthington, right on high st). Not sure what I would consider this type of food (maybe American? Tavern? Farm to table-ish?) Kind of 'home-y' comfort food. Really good chicken and fish dishes

 

J. Liu's - May be packed since it's in downtown Dublin near Village. But a good and unique blend of Thai food and Italian. Seriously, but the thai and the Italian foods are really solid. Atmosphere is lacking but the food is good

 

Other areas:

 

Lindey's - This is my favorite spot in Columbus. It's in German Village which is just south of downtown (so it's a bit of a hike from North Columbus). It's an upscale American Bistro restaurant. They may have the best patio in Columbus. German Village is also a great place to get drinks. A lot of cool bars and restaurants in the area.

 

Wolf Ridge Brewery - Local Brewery right downtown. Really solid bar food and great beers.

 

Hudson 29 - There is one in Upper Arlington. It's a high end, probably the most expensive on this list, wine bar with foods inspired by Napa Valley. Everything I have had there is excellent.

 

That should help get you started (and this really is just a start of a list). Columbus is a seriously underrated food city. They have a plethora of great restaurants. There is no need to hit up a national chain restaurants. You will find better food, at a similar price, with a lot more atmosphere if you stay local. If you hit areas like Easton, as other posters have mentioned, you will find your typical chain restaurants at other more upscale malls (Smith and Wollensky, Ted's, McCormick Schmitt, Brio, Cheesecake Factory). It's a great outdoor mall, with a lot to offer, but if you want good food and want to eat at places you can't get outside of Columbus, I would avoid Easton. I moved out of Columbus in October but was a big foodie prior to moving. Since I have moved a bunch of new restaurants have opened and my parents keep reporting back to me about them. There are a lot of options to try.

 

Lastly, the 'famous spots':

 

Thurman's Café - Dive bar burger spot. Not even close to the best burger in town, IMO, but it's a Columbus thing. It was on Man Vs. Food and is a pretty cool experience.

 

Schmidt's - Traditional German cuisine. Get your fill of tubed meats and crème puffs. It's legit German food. Always a hit.

 

One last thing --- Get reservations. Especially that week. And most importantly if you go to any of the restaurants on the above list. The Short North gets packed. Monday and Tuesday may not be bad but anyone reading this going there on the weekend... get reservations. Columbus isn't the small town it used to be.

[onlyomar]

Silverbullets has good recommendations.

 

Marcella's is good for Italian. Chili Verde is my favorite southwestern. It's not really Mexican, it's New Mexican, but you probably wouldn't know the difference.

 

If you are in the Shirt North, a great little place is Brassica. Sort of a middle eastern Chipotle. Their pita is my favorite sandwich in Columbus. Then walk a block north and get Jeni's ice cream for dessert. Whatever you do, don't miss Jeni's while here.

 

Enjoy CBus! It's a great town.

[SilverBullets]

Silverbullets has good recommendations.

 

Marcella's is good for Italian. Chili Verde is my favorite southwestern. It's not really Mexican, it's New Mexican, but you probably wouldn't know the difference.

 

If you are in the Shirt North, a great little place is Brassica. Sort of a middle eastern Chipotle. Their pita is my favorite sandwich in Columbus. Then walk a block north and get Jeni's ice cream for dessert. Whatever you do, don't miss Jeni's while here.

 

Enjoy CBus! It's a great town.

 

Chili Verde is my jam. That place is legit.

 

And, unfortunately, I am 'that' guy.... I can't stand Jeni's... The only thing I have had that I would consider 'decent' is their oatmeal cookie ice cream sandwich.... luckily, my wife doesn't like it either... i'm more of a heavy cream ice cream guy (Greaters all day long).... luckily, Fry's in Phoenix sells Graeters!

[onlyomar]

Well, Graeters is great also, won't argue that point. But Jeni's Bramblebeery Crisp is tops IMO.

[Neverfadeaway86]

Chili Verde is excellent and I highly recommend it (if you like spicy food try the green sauce !), I have only been to the Original at Carriage Place but they also have another location up at Polaris which I've been meaning to visit. J Gilbert or J Alexanders in the Worthington area are both good steak spots. Senor Antonio's on Columbus Pike near Lewis Center is great and I highly recommend the Chimichangas

[Neverfadeaway86]

I have to say I prefer Graeters over Jeni's. Raspberry Chip for the win yum !!

[OrangeCrush]

For a light lunch, I recommend City BBQ for their pulled pork sandwiches!!!

 

Being a Bostonian, when I lived in Dublin I never found many places I loved there. Our style of cooking here in MA is a lot different. We used to go to this chinese place WINDCHIMES on Frantz Rd in Dublin (real close to Muirfield) that was very good.

 

I really liked the Arena District for a cool place to hang out downtown Columbus. I can't remember the names of the places we went to as this was 15 years ago.

[Neverfadeaway86]

Windchimes is legit, I have been going there since I was a little kid and it is owned by a very nice family who I've got to know over the years as well