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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.
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.
This deeply rooted German Village restaurant has a bright dining room with pink-and-beige walls and linens. There's an extensive antipasti menu. Entrées might include pasta specialties such as spinach-and-cheese canneloni or veal classics such as saltimbocca, piccata (thinly sliced and sautéed, with a sauce of parsley, lemon juice, and pan drippings), or marsala.
