Columbus, home of the Ohio State University and birthplace of the legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus, has lengthy been a sports-and-beer city. But dazzling monetary growth, buoyed by a booming style enterprise, has stimulated its foods and drinks scene. Indie wine stores, craft breweries, distilleries or even a neighborhood meadery have proliferated throughout the city’s neighborhoods, from the art galleries of the Short North to the historical enclave of German Village.
Where to Sip
The Short North neighborhood, to begin with an art hub, has evolved into a energetic drag at night time. Don’t omit Wine on High, which has been identified because the vicinity’s first-class retail store/wine bar. Nearby, Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro teaches visitors approximately wine through flights at various tastings stations. The older neighborhoods of Bexley and Worthington function outposts of House Wine keep and bar, which pours from sixteen–24 Enomatic taps. Don’t see what you like by using the glass? Buy a bottle and revel in it on-premise for a $five corkage price. Those curious about honey-based totally mead can prevent with the aid of Brothers Drake Meadery to strive an array of flavors. Over in Grandview, The Twisted Vine is a conventional wine keep that’s located a stone’s throw from Spagio Wine Lounge. The latter hosts themed tastings, like Rosé the Riveter or sustainably farmed wines.
For spirits aficionados, a more recent local regulation permits distilleries to serve cocktails if additionally they promote meals. The fine of the bunch: Middle West Spirits, domestic to Service Bar, and Watershed Distillery, with its accompanying Watershed Kitchen & Bar.
Embrace the Sporting Spirit
Ohio State athletics engender extra allegiance, arguably, than maximum professional sports activities teams. For publish-sport tipples after Buckeyes soccer video games, head to Trillium Kitchen & Patio for wines like Heitz Cabernet in three- or six-ounce pours thru Coravin.
Join enthusiasts of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, who play at the Nationwide Arena, for drams at Euro-centric cocktail den Denmark, or grasp with devotees of Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew Soccer Club at Growl!, which offers a slew of wines, craft beers and Middle Eastern/Mediterranean bites. Dublin, approximately 20 mins from Columbus, hosts The Memorial Tournament, an annual PGA Tour event, at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Its course changed into designed with the aid of golfing seasoned and Upper Arlington native Jack Nicklaus. After the 18th hollow, leave the inexperienced and opt for bottles and Mediterranean bites at Napa Kitchen + Bar.
Out for Grub
At Service Bar, Chef Avishar Barua updates acquainted comfort foods like a fish sandwich made with thick, triple-breaded, flaky sea bass served with cocktails made from the residence spirits. Ambrose and Eve has a comparable vibe, with Chefs Matthew Heaggans and Catie Randazzo slinging jumbo plates of cereal-milk pancakes and meatloaf made for two. Get to Katalina’s early for platters of breakfast tacos or candy stuffed pancake balls.
You won’t assume it, but Columbus has super pizza. Tommy’s Pizza, close to the Ohio State University campus in Upper Arlington, is an institution. Try a pie with pepperoni and banana peppers. Paulie Gee’s, from Brooklyn, New York, also opened an outpost in the Short North.
For quality eating, Veritas promises an indulgent night of food and wine pairings from Chef Joshua Dalton and Sommelier/Manager Greg Stokes. The Refectory & Bistro, nearly 40 years vintage, stays the grand dame of French food and has a killer wine program, besides.
Shop the Short North and Downtown
This buzzy swath hosts a burst of impartial shops. Quinci Emporium sticks out for wine-related paraphernalia from glasses to decanters. The owner, Antonietta Deborah Qunici, additionally offers Italian cooking and wine-pairing instructions. Stroll closer to downtown for North Market, a food and artisan dealer hall. Grab chili spice blends and other seasonings at North Market Spices LTD or small-producer wine picks at The Barrel and Bottle. Don’t pass over a scoop of quirky ice cream flavors like goat cheese with cherries at loved Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.
