10 Great Restaurants in Columbus

Lindey’s has been a staple of German Village for decades, serving up a menu of surf and turf to generations of diners hungry for steakhouse classics. Old school—and proud of it—with crisp white tablecloths and a glowing copper bar, Lindey’s offers up a chance to linger over timeless dishes. Diners can enjoy staples such as French Onion Soup or Steak-Frites while relaxing on cozy red leather banquettes.

Lindey’s 2 spacious outdoor patios are a Columbus favorite for summer brunch and special occasion dinners. Save room for their signature dessert, the Post Mortem, a decadent gooey house-made dark chocolate brownie topped with coffee ice cream and a Kahlua hot fudge sauce. Don’t miss looking for the colorful Koi fish swimming in Lindey’s courtyard pond.

Veritas may be one of downtown Columbus’s most exciting dining experiences thanks to its playful, modern technique-driven multi-course tasting menus. Seasonal ingredients, unexpected flavor combinations, a storied global wine list, and tempting artisanal cocktails make Veritas a popular choice with foodies and critics alike.

Based in the historic Citizens Trust Bank building, Veritas’s creative small plates draw inspiration from around the world. Look out for fun culinary collaborations such as their regular dining series, which celebrates the decadent cuisine of New Orleans. Game days can be spent upstairs in the Citizens Trust cocktail bar where there are innovative booze-spiked drinks—with plenty of zero proof options.

The Guild House is a modern American restaurant in the ‘art and soul’ of the Short North Arts District, offering up seasonally inspired, locally sourced dishes from morning till night. Whether you’re looking for a fun family lunch or an intimate dinner for two, The Guild House has you covered. Stylish Eames chairs, exposed beams on the high ceilings, and green glass chandeliers make for an airy space to meet friends for pancake brunch on the cozy over-stuffed leather sofa banquettes.

Share a cocktail for 2 served in a photogenic glass ‘porthole’ infuser; these creative drinks develop tableside—if you can wait!

The Pearl offers elevated tavern favorites, such as fish and chips or braised short ribs, and raw bar treats in Columbus’s buzzing Short North Arts District. Take a stool at the bar and feast on fresh-shucked oysters, or indulge in a seasonal seafood tower with plump, sweet Gulf shrimp, juicy lobster tail, and other treats served on ice. Pair with a wide variety of rare, limited, and local beers.

Don’t miss weekend brunch with The Pearl’s house-made sausage and piled-high pancakes, and save room for the giddy rush of the Brown Sugar pie! Cocktail fans should check out the ‘infusion locker’ with its wall of barrel-aging spirits.

Z Cucina di Spirito’s flagship Grandview restaurant is just minutes west of the downtown core, serving up tasty Italian classics alongside modern vegan ‘Impossible’ meat sauces and sausages. A staple of the Grandview community, don’t miss Z’s popular, long-running weekly specials such as Meatball Mondays and Tuscan Tapas Tuesdays, or the daily bar-only happy hours.

Taking its lead from the Italian ‘slow food’ ethos, Z Cucina di Spirito makes everything from its ricotta and mozzarella cheeses to hand-made pastas, sausages, and desserts in-house. The pizza and focaccia dough also features locally grown heirloom red fife grain from Shagbark Mill in neighboring Athens.

Mitchell’s Ocean Club is the first of the acclaimed ‘Ocean Prime’ restaurant chain, perched on the second level of the Easton Station building, serving modern American seafood and steaks. Enjoy prime cuts of premium steak, sushi, seafood, and modern American classics in this elegant spot in the heart of the thoughtfully designed Easton Town Center mall.

Land a coveted spot on the curved outdoor patio in the summer season to enjoy cocktails and people watching. Or you could splurge on their signature ‘smoking’ seafood tower. Don’t forget your camera to photograph this one, a multi-tiered extravaganza piled high with fresh oysters, shrimp, crab, and lobster, cascading with billowing dry ice.

Asterisk Supper Club in uptown Westerville does double service, offering up elegant afternoon tea by day, and American comfort food classics by night. As a teahouse, the Asterisk Supper Club boasts genteel sandwiches and scones arranged artfully on tiered stands amongst the bookshelf-lined walls, under the glinting chandeliers. At night, meet new friends at the communal dining table over buttery mashed potatoes and satisfyingly rich chicken pot pie.

The 1890 bar harks back to the area’s time as the ‘Dry Capital of the World’ and one of the first Prohibition towns. Head to Asterisk for Happy Hour cocktails and to raise a spirited glass.

Schmidt’s Sausage Haus has been a German Village legend since 1886, serving up hearty portions of bratwurst, schnitzel, and spätzle to an oompah soundtrack. Schmidt’s attracts a lot of attention, their Bahama Mama spicy sausage was voted the official food of Columbus, and it’s popular for good reason: the portions are generous, the food house-made, and the vibe pure fun.

Live entertainment comes in the form of German party duos playing oompah music—often in lederhosen—creating Oktoberfest happiness year-round. Try to leave room for the over-stuffed jumbo cream puffs, which switch up flavor each month.

Wolf’s Ridge Brewing is a multi-award-winning brewery, tap room, and dining room in downtown Columbus. You’d think beer would be the star at this popular craft brewery, but food takes an equal place in the spotlight with an in-house restaurant focused on local, seasonal delights and even features a multi-course chef’s tasting menu.

You can book a spot on the weekly brewery tour to get the low-down on the brewing process, taste through the beers, and learn more about their prize-winning sour barrel-aging program. If you’re visiting on Sundays, there’s usually free live music from local performers from 3 pm till 6 pm in the taproom.

The Thurman Café and its larger-than-life burgers have been a family-run German Village staple since the 1940s, but gained international popularity after appearing on the television program Man v. Food. The infamous ‘Thurmanator’ burger is a heart-stopping, jaw-defying combo of a double 12oz meat patty, 3 kinds of cheese, ham, onions, mushrooms, hot peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo. Rumor has it this piled-high burger was the preferred fuel-up meal for competitors in the local annual Arnold Schwarzenegger Sports Festival. Dare you try to finish it?

The Thurman Café doesn’t take reservations, but while you wait, you can play pinball and the claw machine in the buzzy waiting area.