Angela Lee
French onion chaat on a wood-fired tasting menu, Nutella-stuffed pancake balls at a century-old gas station, Manchurian fried chicken sandwiches from a ‘Top Chef’ alum, and more of Columbus’s best meals
Eating in Columbus is like experiencing a microcosm of the U.S., a mid-size land of milk, honey, and Buckeyes. In a single day you can experience a full range of traditions and inventions, from a fine dining legend holding court among the cobblestone streets of German Village to a food truck meting out birria tacos on hustling, bustling High Street, from flakey char siu at a boisterous dim sum parlor straight out of Hong Kong to nitro chai at a local culinary star’s counter spot.
Many of these businesses find homes among the city’s impressive, historic architecture, but plenty more have withstood the test of time in less auspicious homes. Take a look through the windows of a rusted hundred-year-old gas station to see crowds Instagramming pancake balls powdered with sugar and drizzled with sweet sauces. Follow the voices of gossiping aunties and uncles to a Ghanaian gem tucked in a strip mall. Or seek out the small, brick, Prohibition-era relic off the highway, which has become a go-to dive for people getting off work at all hours. Then check beneath the neon sign around the corner for a bedrock of Buckeye culture where alumni and new kids on the block meet over fresh, old-school doughnuts.
You will sample a bit of history and a lot of global flavors as you eat your way around the city’s essential restaurants, but every meal also reflects the quintessential character of Columbus. So grab a menu (or load up a QR code), gear up for a feast, and tip generously.
Angela Lee is a writer and photographer always searching for her next culinary adventure. Her work has been featured in Edible Columbus, Bon Appétit, and 614 Magazine.
