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Though dubbed the "Fast Food Capital of the World" by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal (Wendy's and Max & Erma's are both headquartered here), Columbus features a lively restaurant scene. Eateries tucked into Downtown, the Short North, German Village, and surrounding suburbs offer everything from down-home barbecue to haute cuisine.
Go for the food, not the surroundings. The tables are crammed together, there's no table service, and smokers sit in the parking lot. You'll be rewarded, however, with big portions of North Carolina–style barbecue or ribs dressed with corn, baked beans, and other traditional fixings. The approach has worked, as City Barbecue has several Columbus locations and has expanded into the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Toledo areas.
Inside a German Village town house, this spot is fancy without feeling stuffy. Locals frequent the bustling bar at night. Contemporary Italian-American cuisine means entrées like chicken-sausage lasagna, grilled marinated quail, or mushroom ravioli on the seasonally changing menu. Check out the intimate outdoor patio, which seats 24 in the summer.
Steaks are named after famous Ohio sports figures, such as Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, auto racing star Bobby Rahal, and former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar. The Kosar, a filet mignon topped with lobster and béarnaise sauce, is the most popular dish. The seafood is straightforward: lobster tails, king crab, skewered shrimp, and surf and turf. All three restaurants—downtown, in Upper Arlington, and in the northwest suburb of Dublin, offer cozy dining rooms with dark wood and fireplaces. There's live entertainment Wednesday–Sunday.
The two-story, airy space with exposed beams, a streamlined stainless steel bar, and 10-foot-high windows belies the hearty comfort food served. In a refurbished building in the Market Exchange District, Indian Oven specializes in northern Indian, Pakistani, and Bengali food. The open kitchen sends out korma dishes with chunks of vegetables or meats cooked in a creamy sauce with nuts, tandoori dishes roasted in a clay oven, and goat rezala (sautéed in butter, garlic, ginger, & spices, and served with a curry sauce). Cool things down at the end of a meal with a creamy fruit custard, a family recipe.
The more than 80 menu items are printed on chalkboards at this New York–style deli in German Village. It's known for its Reuben sandwiches, and open-air dining is available.
In a mid-1800s building in German Village, this somewhat boisterous bistro has high ceilings, big windows, and walls covered with artwork. Specialties of the seasonally changing menu usually include steak and rack of lamb. Save room for their signature dessert, the Post Mortem, a rich homemade brownie served with coffee ice cream and a Kahlua hot fudge sauce. There's entertainment Thursday and a Sunday brunch.
On the first level of Miranova Office Tower in the Brewery District, M makes a whiz-bang first impression with its elegant entry bar. Sheer curtains, lighted theatrically for dramatic effect, separate tables and a patio with stunning views of the Scioto River and Downtown skyline. Selections such as ahi tuna with cucumber and artichoke-risotto-and-truffle mac and cheese are joined by stalwart standbys such as New York strip and salmon with potato gratin at this special-occasion spot.
A renovated bank building near the State House is one of the most atmospheric restaurants in town, with subtle lighting, a darkwood bar, original art deco paintings, velvet-draped walls, and ornate 20-foot-high ceilings. A baker's dozen of dry-aged and prime steaks delights carnivores, while chicken and seafood offer lighter alternatives.
One of German Village's first pubs, this eatery in a 1933 building is famous for its horseshoe-shape bar. Pictures of staff and customers cover the walls. With the food a cut above "pub grub," it's one of few places that stays open until midnight on weekdays and 1 am on the weekends. Specials are ever-changing and there are all-you-can-eat quesadillas nights. Popular dishes include the roast beef sandwich with chicken salad on top and beef stew served in a hollowed-out round of bread.
Accordion players serenade and servers are decked out in Bavarian costumes at this popular two-level, beer hall–style restaurant in an 1880 brick building in German Village. Specialties include German pasta and their signature Bahama Mama—a giant bratwurst served with your choice of toppings, such as sauerkraut and mustard. Save room for large, overstuffed cream puffs.
This grand Bexley institution with wood paneling and leather booths serves filet mignon, ribeye steak, porterhouse, and other chops and ribs. A pianist entertains on Monday and Thursday–Saturday.
The Worthington Inn, with its antiques-filled dining rooms, is about 15 mi north of Downtown. New Zealand rack of lamb and grilled salmon are specialties. Don't miss the bountiful Sunday brunch of shellfish, waffles, eggs, desserts, and cheese. Open-air dining is available on the front porch with cast-iron furniture or in the brick-paved courtyard. There's live jazz on Fridays.
