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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.
Seasonal ingredients are the focus at this Brewery District spot. Below street level, the restaurant occupies an 1820s beer cellar with stone vaulted ceilings, brick walls, and trophies from local celebrity chef Hartmut Handke. The menu might include Caesar salad garnished with fresh salmon and served in a baked Parmesan cheese shell, New York strip, and herb-crusted lamb. Single-malt Scotch, fine cognac, and cigars cap off an elegant evening.
On the second floor of the Sheraton on Capitol Square, the lavish Plaza has a spectacular view of the state capitol building and an outdoor fountain courtyard. The views are eclipsed by the food. Imaginative appetizers complement fine Continental-inspired fare that might include osso buco, Wiener schnitzel, or a New York strip steak.
