Part 1: Is Columbus a Good Food City?
Plus, in food news: Mezcla is coming to Italian Village, and a Detroit-style pizzeria is opening in Short North.
Is Columbus a Good Food City?
By Andy Dehus and Bethia Woolf
It’s a question we come across frequently online, on Columbus Food Adventures tours and in casual interactions with people who learn of our involvement in the local food world: Is Columbus a good food city? Some (particularly people online) simply state a verdict—be it good, bad or meh—no question marks involved.
While we may lack that level of keyboard warrior confidence, we like to think we make up for it with curiosity, which led us to the seemingly obvious question: What makes a good “food city” anyway?
Spirited discussion ensued, leading us to land on three big abstract concepts we believe capture the essence of a thriving food community:
Culinary Creativity
Culinary Diversity
Local Food Traditions
Over a series of posts, we’ll explore what each concept means, and offer our personal, experience-based opinions on how Central Ohio stacks up. First up: Creativity.
Culinary Creativity is Alive and Well in Columbus
There’s a reason so many restaurants offer burgers: They sell. The same goes for gringo tacos, fried chicken, and any of a number of ubiquitous, same-old, same-old comfort foods. You could almost forgive the casual observer for thinking that the safest and most commonplace of menu items are the essence of Central Ohio food.
This isn’t true, of course, but a comment found in an online thread encouraging people to share their “hot takes” on Columbus exemplified this line of thinking: “For a ‘foodie city,’ as so many seem to call it, there is a distinct lack of variety in creative and novel food options.”
A hot take indeed, and one that’s useful for prompting the question: How much creativity/novelty does a city need to satisfy its quota for being considered a “foodie city?”
Our best answer: There is more creativity in Columbus than any person specifically seeking experiences of that nature could reasonably exhaust.
As a couple whose primary job over the past 15 years has been to stay on top of the latest in all things food-related in Central Ohio, we can tell you plainly: You can’t keep up with everything that’s new and novel in Columbus no matter how hard you try. Not even close.
This thought prompted us to start brainstorming a list. (Bethia is nothing if not an avid list-maker.) Just off the top of our heads, we compiled the following collection of people and places that exemplify creativity in our food scene. We’re sure this is not a complete list. We’re just two people in the 14th-largest city in the nation, and countless farmers market vendors, bakers and chefs are crafting new specials and flavor combinations every day.
Chefs and Restaurants
At the top of the list is chef Avishar Barua, a James Beard-nominated chef who fuses his Bengali heritage with American fast food and a passion for travel. Whether it’s the breakfast menu at Joya’s Cafe or the tasting menu at Agni, his pursuit of novel flavor combinations and cultural fusion is undeniable. Another chef who continually impresses me with his innovative techniques and unexpected flavor pairings is Andrew Smith, soon to open Isla.
Haru Omakase, one of last year’s standout new restaurants, also caught my attention with its creative approach to sushi. Who else combines Japanese curry into a nigiri preparation? Chef Yudi Makassau credits his Indonesian background for allowing him to be more inventive with classic Japanese sushi techniques. Another chef deserving recognition is Josh Dalton at Veritas, who constantly reinvents his supper club menus with global influences, currently drawing inspiration from Korean cuisine. Hat tips are also due to the teams at Chapman’s Eat Market and Comune.
Bonifacio also belongs on the creative list, earning national recognition for its modern take on traditional Filipino dishes. Though a bar first, Cobra’s food menu features unique spins on noodles, dumplings and even crab rangoon. Ajumama redefines Korean American street food, while Rooh elevates Indian cuisine with an upscale twist.
Bakeries and Sweet Treats
Columbus boasts an abundance of bakeries, and creativity flourishes in this sphere. Mugwort macarons at Mjomii, everything bagel croissants at Fox in the Snow, peaches and cream cruffins at James Beard-nominated Dan the Baker—there’s always something new and tempting.
The latest dessert creations offered by Helen’s Heavenly at 698 Restaurant in the Short North are another constant source of excitement. Standout bakeries include Three Bites Bakery, where Isabella Bonello merges her Filipino and Italian heritage to create delights like turon croissants and baklava morning buns; and Bite This by Annie, which infuses a goth aesthetic into its bakery with items, such as baker Annie Dickson’s inventive bagel bombs. Meanwhile, Rose Dough Donuts, which is getting a brick-and-mortar storefront soon, is constantly surprising us with ever-changing flavors.
Several bakers have homed in on a single item, pushing its boundaries in ways previously unseen. Two that immediately come to mind are The Buckeye Lady and Angie’s Rainbow Cookies. Who knew these classic treats could come in so many flavors and colors?
Ice Cream
When people think of creativity in Columbus’ food scene, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams often comes to mind first. Ironically, We’ve heard complaints that Jeni’s flavors are too creative! Everything Bagel, Green Smoothie, Nebula Berry, Cosmic Bloom, Sparkling Cherry Pie—the list goes on.
But Jeni’s isn’t the only game in town. The Dusty Touch, based out of The Kitchen Columbus, recently introduced a Dirty Martini ice cream flavor. Little Ladies Soft Serve constantly delights with inventive new sundaes, andJ Pops and Rime Time keep things fresh with their unique popsicle flavors.
Pop-Ups and Collaborations
One of the factors keeping Columbus’ food scene dynamic is the sheer number of pop-ups. Some of the creative forces behind these “kitchen takeovers” include Damian Ettish from Fetty’s Street Food, Silas Caeton (and other members of The Lox bagel team), Karma Masri of Casa Karmelitas, private chef Carrie Young (@Ohio.Carrie.Cooks) and Lara Pipia of SoHud Squirrels.
One notable collaborative pop up is Bao Down Columbus, where groups of chefs compete to see who can make the best bao in a given theme (the next one is Feb. 18). These pop-ups are fleeting, making them easy to miss—but they’re a vital part of the city’s culinary experimentation.
Cocktails, Booze and Coffee
Columbus’ cocktail scene is overflowing with creativity. Some standout programs include Law Bird, Denmark, I Like It Like That, The Bottle Shop, Understory, Watershed, Echo Spirits and Service Bar. If you want a true sense of the depth of innovation, check out one of the many craft cocktail competitions that happen throughout the year.
Creativity also thrives in our coffee roasters, and coffee shops. Recently we’ve been impressed with the seasonal drinks at Little Cat including boba flavors like persimmon, Buddha’s hand and toasted rice milk. Meanwhile, over at Royal Flamingo Coffee in Grandview, Bryan Brzozowski is constantly experimenting with new roasts and flavor profiles.
Many of our local breweries run experimental batches and collaborations. Of note are the experimental IPAs that Columbus Brewing Co. releases and Seventh Son’s sour program. Land-Grant's new experimental taproom has tons of interesting stuff, like wine-beer hybrids and more.
Unique Products and Miscellaneous Finds
A stroll through local farmers markets or makers markets reveals a wealth of novel products. Prospect Jam Company offers unexpected flavors like pineapple jam with aged rum and orgeat. Bocadillo produces Mexican-inspired chili crisps. Numerous makers put their own spin on salsas and hot sauces, ensuring there’s always something new to discover.
Final Thoughts
We haven’t even touched on the diversity of Columbus’ food scene—a topic for another day–but rest assured, experiencing diverse cuisines is another avenue for culinary novelty. Stay tuned for a future post exploring just how much variety Columbus has to offer.
So, what do you think? Have we made a strong enough case for the depth of creativity in Columbus’ food scene? We hope so. But creativity isn’t something we can take for granted—it needs to be celebrated, nurtured and supported. Economic realities make it easy for businesses to want to stick to proven sellers like fried chicken, burgers and chocolate chip cookies. If we want more risk-takers, we need to support them—both financially and by spreading the word.
We’d love to hear about other people who are doing creative things in the Columbus food scene! Please share other examples in the comments.
Notes
Around the Columbus Food & Drink Scene
We finally know what will fill the former Market Italian Village space at 1022 Summit St., which has been empty since the restaurant abruptly closed in September 2022. Chef Garrett Talmage, whose experience includes Cosecha and Gala Park, plans to open a Mexican-inspired concept called Mezcla, meaning “mix” in Spanish. Mezcla is looking to open this spring, according to a post on Instagram.
The Hills Market Downtown is under new ownership and will soon get a new name. The new operators are Sherry and Rezi Bayegan, owners of the Persian pop-up and catering company Charmy’s Persian Taste. Charmy’s has long operated out of Hills’ Downtown location, and the market will be renamed Charmy’s Market starting March 1.
Black Pony Pizza is currently under construction at the corner of Starr Avenue and High Streets in the Short North. The new spot promises Detroit-style pizza, including the Venetian Way (with potato, pancetta and pesto) and the Dark Horse (with garlic balsamic mushrooms, a three-cheese blend and balsamic herb ricotta).
I think the question of support is what actually gets to the heart of the matter: if a city doesn’t support creativity, can it really be said to be a good food city? Portland’s culinary scene is diverse and exciting in part because the population supports its creative chefs. I can’t tell you how many people in Columbus I’ve met who describe themselves as a “foodie” who lists something like Cooper’s Hawk or Cap City Diner as their favorite restaurant. Meanwhile many of the “Top 10” restaurants continue to struggle and are always on the brink of shutting their doors.
I agree on the risk aversion, although one of the things I appreciate about Columbus is that there are a lot of affordable creative food experiences, too (including several listed in this article). We love to splurge on Agni, Veritas, or Andrew Smith's meals, but it's much more often that we grab a meal at Joya's, a new pizza at Paulie Gees, a Warrio's special, or a Little Ladies sundae of the week. I think there's plenty of low-risk culinary novelty at lower price points in Columbus, and those places seem to be well supported. I hope the higher end places are successful, too, because we'll absolutely take one of those over Coopers Hawk or a Cameron Mitchell restaurant when a birthday or special occasion rolls around. Andrew Smith's meals, in particular, have blown us away (and are often completely booked even on a Tuesday or Wednesday night).