5 Of The Best Places To Eat In Columbus, Ohio

Since moving to Columbus, Ohio in 2005, I’ve become pretty attached to this city.

Going to school at The Ohio State University, getting my professional career off the ground, starting my own business, meeting my wife, and beginning our family here; it’s fair to say Columbus is very ingrained in my life! Traveling has always been a part of my life as well, in particular family vacations during childhood to all corners of the country, as well as studying and traveling abroad, taking cruises, and going on road trips. It’s certainly nice to call Columbus “home” at the end of the day though.

Here are my top five restaurants in Columbus, Ohio that you must try!

1. Columbus Brewing Company

2555 Harrison Rd, Columbus, OH 43204 (map, website)

First and foremost, I’m a huge fan of their beer! CBC IPA is my go-to, or at least one of my top go-to beers. On top of that, Columbus Brewing Company feature really incredible and unique food for a great price. I’ve always left the restaurant feeling 100% satisfied each and every time, no matter what I order. It’s close to a variety of other restaurants and venues downtown, so it makes a very nice stop if you’re already in the area.

2. Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace

248 S 4th St, Columbus, OH 43215 (map, website)

I think this is a growing trend, but Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace was the first one in Columbus to my knowledge. It’s basically a hotdog joint, but you can get nearly anything on it! It’s very small, but also very popular, so you’ll need to prepare for a wait if you’re going during a typical busy time of day. That’s not such a bad thing though, when you have 16-Bit Bar two doors down, where you can wait, have a beer, and play old arcade games while you wait! Some of my favorite hotdogs are the Nicola, Fire On The Rhein, and Puff the Magic Popper.

3. The Barn

1370 E Johnstown Rd, Gahanna, OH 43230 (map, website)

Classin’ it up a little here, The Barn may not be your every-night-out stop, but it’s worth the price. Cameron Mitchel runs a lot of restaurants in Columbus, and I truly love them all. This one is top of mind lately though since my wife and I went there recently. I had a 12-ounce New York Strip, au Poivre, and it was the best thing I’ve had in I couldn’t even tell you how long! Worth every penny and then some. On top of that, they have a Manhattan sampler for the Bourbon lover, which complimented the steak just wonderfully. They have a giant wine list, too. Like I said, I’d go to any CM restaurant, but this one has treated us right so far.

4. Local Cantina

743 S High St, Columbus, OH 43206 (map, website)

There are numerous Local Cantina restaurants throughout Columbus, but we go to the one in Gahanna. They have some really great tacos at a very reasonable price, and their free chips and salsa are killer. Perfect for a bike ride destination so you can hang out on the patio during the summer; they’ve got a great beer list, too. This is a go-to spot for lunch breaks and happy hours alike! I feel like its kind of hard to find good tacos in the Midwest sometimes, but these guys are doing it right as far as I’m concerned!

5. Tacos Fogoncito

51 South Hamilton Road, Whitehall, Ohio (map)

Tacos Fogoncito is truly a Columbus secret, and I’m not just saying that. Not many people know about this spot because it’s new, and located in a less than fantastic, yet certainly up-and-coming part of town. So you might want to stick to daylight hours when you stop by for a bite. But this one is legit and authentic Mexican cuisine, and it’s to die for! Their specialty is Tacos Pastor, which is basically spiced lamb on a spit, kind of like gyros, but the Mexican version. They also have a buy-one-get-one-free deal every Thursday on their Pastor tacos, and they’re only $1.50 to begin with. With low prices for such tasty and incredible food, I highly doubt it will stay a secret much longer!

Article written by Ross Worden. Check out Conquest Maps on Jetset Times SHOP, and follow on Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest.