Topic: Columbus: Restaurant News & Info

[Columbo]

Red Robin’s Burger Works set to open by Ohio State campus



Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc., a chain with plenty of suburban, sit-down experience, is testing its small-shop, fast-casual potential near Ohio State University.

The Greenwood Village, Colo.-based chain expects to open Red Robin’s Burger Works across from the Ohio Union at 1708 N. High St. on Monday. It’ll be just the second Burger Works for the more than 450-restaurant chain. The first opened last year in Denver, with a third site in a Denver mall set to open this spring.

The arrival of Burger Works was confirmed last fall but Red Robin (NASDAQ:RRGB) declined to comment on its Columbus plans at that time. Brian Bogue, the restaurant’s general manager, said in a press release the campus location allows Red Robin to reach customers it couldn’t in the past through the chain’s four traditional restaurants circling the Interstate 270 outerbelt.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/03/20/red-robins-burger-works-set-to-open.html

That building looks much better with all the new signage and awnings.

[Columbo]

Columbus Underground's weekly restaurant roundup contained a notice about a new downtown restaurant:

Dempsey’s Restaurant is now open, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.  Open daily from 7 am – 11 pm, view menus on their website www.dempseysdowntown.com.  Dempsey’s is located at 346 S. High Street.

Columbus Underground also had nice review of some outdoor patios for Columbus-area restaurants: The List: 9 Patios That are Open Early

[ColDayMan]

Cameron Mitchell adding Pearl oyster bar in Short North



Cameron Mitchell Restaurants LLC will open its first new brand in five years this fall.

The Columbus-based restaurant company’s newest nameplate is the Pearl Restaurant, Tavern & Oyster Room and will fill the former home of the Burgundy Room at 641 N. High St. in the Short North. This is Mitchell’s first new restaurant brand since he rolled out Marcella’s, coincidentally right across the parking lot from the Pearl, in 2007.

As the restaurant descriptor reveals, it will be a tavern and raw bar with a menu of local and organic comfort food inspired by “the country’s best cafes, corner taverns, neighborhood bistros, seaside shacks and roadside joints.” The menu will have fresh oysters and big plates, plus house-made charcuterie and made-from-scratch pies.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/04/06/cameron-mitchell-adding-pearl-oyster.html

[ColDayMan]

DiBella’s opening 2nd area sub shop at Lennox



If there is a slice of dining that gives consumers more choices than burgers, it may be the sub-and-sandwich segment.

Central Ohio is dominated by stalwart chains such as Subway, Jersey Mike’s Subs and Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, but some of the new entries have been growing, too. Jacksonville, Fla.-based Firehouse Subs arrived in Columbus two years ago and has three shops. Jason’s Deli, based in Beaumont, Texas, is up to three stores as well. The locally owned Philly steak rivals Steak Escape and Charley’s Grilled Subs continue to grow.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/04/06/dibellas-opening-2nd-area-sub-shop.html

[ColDayMan]

Restaurateur to dish out pizzas at Columbus Commons



As Columbus Commons readies for its second spring, the downtown park is getting a second dining option.

Kevin Ames will be opening Lola’s Pizza Shack along with his Burgers Dogs and Fries shop in the park May 5. As with his burger and hot dog joint, which operated in the warm months last year, the menu is straightforward with an assortment of individual and 12-inch pizzas priced between $6 and $8 for the smalls and $10 to $12 for the bigger ones.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/04/12/restaurateur-to-dish-out-pizzas-at.html

[WalkerEvans]

Phillip’s Coney Island to be Reborn in The Short North
By: Walker



Phillip’s Coney Island has been a Short North staple for over sixty years, and a new chapter for the restaurant will begin later this summer when new owners Randy and Tina Corbin reopen the space with business partner Karmen Dann.

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/phillips-coney-island-to-be-reborn-in-the-short-north

[WalkerEvans]

The El Camino Inn to Serve Tacos & Tequila Downtown This Summer
By: Walker



A small stretch of South Fourth Street will be growing a little more vibrant this summer as The El Camino Inn prepares to open their doors. The venue is under the same management as next door neighbor Little Palace (as well as The Rossi and Club 185) and will feature taco-truck style tacos served up indoors.

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-el-camino-inn-to-serve-tacos-tequila-downtown-this-summer

[WalkerEvans]

Whit’s Frozen Custard Opening in The Short North
By: Walker



Warm summer-ish weather is already upon us, and The Short North will gain another place to cool down this June when Whit’s Frozen Custard opens at 841 North High Street in the Dakota Building. Launched in Granville, this Central Ohio business has quickly expanded with over a dozen locations stretching from Delaware to Athens and beyond.

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/whits-frozen-custard-opening-in-the-short-north

[Columbo]

And as if taco trucks, food trucks and a street food hub weren't enough, there's another food trend coming to Columbus - the pop-up restaurant.  Ladies and gentlemen, Back Door Burritos!

On Restaurants | Backdoor pop-up
By Denise Trowbridge, The Columbus Dispatch

Last year, Justin Boehme brought a food trend that’s better known in big cities — the pop-up restaurant — to Columbus.  He opened the back door of his restaurant, Da Levee at 765 N. High Street, on a Friday night and sold carryout burritos to hungry late-night revelers.  Backdoor Burritos was born, and he’s been serving burritos from the back door every weekend since.

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/03/20/backdoor-pop-up.html

Backdoor Burritos Brings More Late Night Dining to The Short North
By: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground

It’s after midnight.  You’re awake, hungry, and tired of the same old options.  Enter Backdoor Burritos.  Backdoor is a new concept operating out of the back entrance of popular cajun restaurant Da Levee, located at 765 North High Street in The Short North.

“Every decent sized city I have ever been has late night burritos,” says owner Justin Boehme.  ”Columbus just has pizza and gyros, so I think this is exactly what the Short North needs.”

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/backdoor-burritos-brings-more-late-night-dining-to-the-short-north

[Columbo]

Milo’s Deli & Cafe is expanding their footprint in downtown Columbus.  Last year, the longtime Franklinton restaurant took over operations of the Ohio Statehouse cafe.  This year, they are launching Milo’s Capital Cafe Food Cart at the corner of Broad & High just outside the Ohio Statehouse.  More about this from Columbus Underground at the link below:

Milo’s Deli Launches New Food Cart at Broad & High

[Columbo]

A new Cameron Mitchell gastropub concept restaurant will be going into the former Burgundy Room space in the Short North at 641 North High Street.  The new restaurant, to be called The Pearl, is scheduled to open in Fall 2012.  More about this below from Columbus Underground and the Columbus Dispatch:



Columbus Underground: Cameron Mitchell Opening The Pearl Gastropub in The Short North

Columbus Dispatch: ‘Gastropub’ headed to Short North


EDIT: ColDayMan also posted a Business First article about this earlier in this thread here, which I missed before posting this.

[Columbo]

The owner/operator of Cafe Lola at Broad & High has opened Streetfare by Lola in the lobby of the Fifth Third Building at 21 E. State Street.  Streetfare by Lola opened in December.  This is the fourth restaurant for Kevin and Lori James near the Capitol Square in Downtown Columbus.  In addition to Cafe Lola, they also operate Burgers Dogs and Fries in the Broad & High development and the seasonal Burgers Dogs and Fries at the kiosk in Columbus Commons park.

Business First:  Cafe Lola operator setting up in Fifth Third tower

Columbus Underground:  Streetfare by Lola Opens Downtown on Wednesday

Columbus Dispatch:  Food cart comes inside at Streetfare by Lola - Couple with three other Downtown ventures is serving up quick lunches from Fifth Third Center

An update on the above reported Streetfare by Lola concept.  The first Streetfare location opened December 2011 in the Fifth Third Center tower at southeast corner of State & High.  Now, according to the April 24, 2012 'On Restaurants' column from the Dispatch, a second Streetfare by Lola location opened on April 23rd in the U.S. Bank Building at the northwest corner of Broad & High.

[ColDayMan]

An urban Waffle House.  The end of times is near...

Waffle House squeezes in at OSU as it expands college locations



One of the best-known names in ’round-the-clock dining has landed near Ohio State University with an eatery that could be one of the busiest in the chain.

Norcross, Ga.-based Waffle House Inc. opened at 1712 N. High St. on May 15. Spokeswoman Kelly Thrasher said it’s a standard size, seating 35, but not a standard location being nestled in an existing urban building as opposed to standing on its own near an interstate and the suburbs. The company began opening on or near college campuses in 2010.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/05/25/waffle-house-squeezes-in-at-osu-as-it.html

[GCrites80s]

Back when I used to get hungry after drinking (I think it stopped when I grew out of pounding Natty Light from kegs), places like the Waffle House really did hit the spot. We used to hit up the American Restaurant in New Boston for salty, greasy booze-absobring sustenance.

[Columbo]

An urban Waffle House.  The end of times is near...

So Glen Beck was right after all!  Time to stock up on gold and MRE's.

But seriously, GCrites is right on the mark.  An OSU Waffle House should do a great after-bar business.

[ColDayMan]

Supreme Buffet operators promise big American, Asian food selection



For those with a hankering for sushi and mashed potatoes, the place to get it is opening near Hilliard this month.

Supreme Buffet & Hibachi Grill will take over the old home of Salvi’s Bistro, which moved to Dublin in 2010. The 9,700-square-foot space is at 1323 St. James Lutheran Lane, off Renner Road and in sight of the Interstate 70 and Hilliard-Rome Road interchange.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/01/supreme-buffet-operators-promise-big.html

[Columbo]

A number of reports (links below) about downtown restaurants expanding their hours later into the evening and into late night during the weekend.  Cafe Napolitana north of Broad on High Street, J. Gumbo's east of High Street on Gay Street and Cup O Joe/MoJoe Lounge in the renovated Lazarus Building facing South High Street have all expanded their hours this year:

Business First: Café Napolitana adding dinner hours as owners aim to ‘grow with the city’

Columbus Underground: J. Gumbo's Downtown Columbus Expands Hours

Columbus Underground: Downtown MoJoe Lounge / Cup O Joe

And then there's a restaurant expanding their hours in the opposite direction.  Late Night Slice, a pizza place that serves the late night bar crowd in the Short North, is expanding into daytime hours to serve up pizza by the slice to the lunch and early dinner crowd through its daytime alter-ego, Mikey’s Quick Slice:

Columbus Underground: Mikey’s Quick Slice Brings Popular Pizza to Daytime Hours

[Columbo]

The new sign is up for the Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse in the Arena District.  The Dispatch reports it will open this month.  Photo of their sign above the Marconi & Nationwide entrance from Columbus Underground:

[ColDayMan]

Mmmmm...hungry!

[ColDayMan]

Yogurt shop helping OSU stay awake



Cuzzins Yogurt LLC has rolled out a new line of ice cream perhaps appropriate for this time of the year at its newest shop next to the Ohio State University campus.

The frozen yogurt chain has begun selling caffeinated ice cream at the store on North High Street, which debuted the first week of June. The ice cream went on sale just in time for final exams week at the university.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/yogurt-shop-helping-osu-stay-awake.html

[ColDayMan]

New owner lends flavor of Gahanna Grill to Clintonville-area BBQ spot



Just because there isn’t pig in the name anymore doesn’t mean there is any less pork on the menu of one Clintonville-area barbecue joint.

Eugene Staravecka, owner of the Gahanna Grill, acquired Pig Iron BBQ at 5295 N. High St. this year but converted the place to the Iron Grill BBQ & Brew on June 1.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/new-owner-lends-flavor-of-gahanna.html

[ColDayMan]

Tea brewing, cakes baking at new shop on Gahanna Trail



Gahanna’s new Herbal Trail has added a tasty stop.

Koko Tea Salon & Bakery opened at 116 Mill St. on June 2. It may be new to the suburb, but the tea-and-sweets combo isn’t an unfamiliar idea to owner Ava Misseldine, who ran Sugar Inc. in Dublin for three years.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/tea-brewing-cakes-baking-at-new-shop.html

[Columbo]

Yogurt shop helping OSU stay awake

Cuzzins Yogurt LLC has rolled out a new line of ice cream perhaps appropriate for this time of the year at its newest shop next to the Ohio State University campus.

The frozen yogurt chain has begun selling caffeinated ice cream at the store on North High Street, which debuted the first week of June. The ice cream went on sale just in time for final exams week at the university.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/yogurt-shop-helping-osu-stay-awake.html

I have a Business First subscription and get access to the full article.  So I wasn't sure if this next part of the article was viewable to the public.  And it would be a shame if it wasn't.

The ice cream is made by Bang Caffeinated Ice Cream of Madison, Wis., and comes in four flavors – Peanut Butta, Cooky Mint, Heaps of Gold, and Iced Latte-Da.

[Columbo]

Columbus Underground had a recent preview of the summer restaurant scene in central Ohio.  CU looked the following:

- New and expanded outdoor patio spaces at Pistacia Vera in German Village and The Angry Baker in Olde Towne East. 
- Expanded summer hours at Bel Lago, which is located along Hoover Reservoir in Westerville; J. Gumbo’s on Gay Street downtown; The Jury Room on Mound Street downtown; Brothers Drake located just north of the Short North in Weinland Park; and Basi Italia in Victorian Village.
- And new summer menus for too many restaurants to list here.  Link to the update is below.

Restaurant Roundup: New Patios, Summer Menus and Longer Hours

[Columbo]

In keeping with the on-going trend of downtown restaurants expanding their hours - here are two recent items from Columbus Underground. 

• Plantain Cafe at 77 E. Gay Street originally opened as a lunch-only destination two and a half years ago.  They slowly expanded to seven days per week, with evening hours most days.

• Cafe Napolitana is located at 40 N. High Street, just around the corner from Gay Street.  They are celebrating their 20th year downtown with expanded evening hours and a new liquor license that allows them have a full-service bar for the first time.

CU: Review: Plantain Cafe

CU: Cafe Napolitana Celebrates 20 Years, Adds Full-Service Bar

[Columbo]

Two openings of note for the Near East Side/Olde Towne East neighborhood.  The first is the opening of The Tavern on the corner of Oak & 18th at 889 Oak Street.  The Tavern joins Yellow Brick Pizza and the Angry Baker (as well as the City's first on-street bike parking corral) at this growing hot spot in Olde Towne East.  Below are two articles about the opening of the Tavern.  One from the Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association and the other from Columbus Alive:

OTE Neighborhood Association:  THE TAVERN CELEBRATES LONG-AWAITED OPENING

Columbus Alive:  NEW BAR: THE TAVERN

The second isn't a bar or restaurant - but it is food related.  Oak Street Meats and Seafood opened on the corner Oak & Ohio at 1117 Oak Street.  The people that own the United Provision Meat Company located next door renovated a former carryout business at this corner and turned it into a retail store for their meats and seafood.  A Columbus Underground poster who lives in OTE posted the opening info and also took some photos inside in the building.  Below is the link to that CU post and the website for United Provision Meat Company:

Columbus Underground:  OAK STREET MEATS AND SEAFOOD - NEW TO OLDE TOWNE EAST

Website:  UNITED PROVISION MEAT COMPANY

[ColDayMan]

Stevi B’s Pizza signs franchise deal for Central Ohio



There are premium pizza joints and there are pizza buffets, but a growing chain with its eyes on Columbus claims to be both.

Atlanta-based Stevi B’s Pizza has secured a four-restaurant franchise agreement with Restaurant Partners Group LLC, a Dublin-based operator that already runs the chain’s lone Ohio pizzeria in Findlay.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/06/20/stevi-bs-pizza-signs-franchise-deal.html

[Columbo]

The new sign is up for the Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse in the Arena District.  The Dispatch reports it will open this month.  Photo of their sign above the Marconi & Nationwide entrance from Columbus Underground:

The Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse opened last Friday.  Below is their website with hours and prices:

http://www.rodiziogrill.com/columbus-at-the-arena-district

[Columbo]

If the opening of Rodizio isn't enough meat for Columbus, there's also 'Wurst und Bier' which opened at Columbus Crosswoods on the Far North Side.  Instead of Rodizio's Brazilian style meats, Wurst und Bier offers meats from a German-centric menu.  Kind of like a far north side version of Schmidt’s.  Below is an article from this week's Dispatch about it:

Dispatch: New German sausage, beer haus in town - New Wurst und Bier offers modern German décor, menu that owners say differ from Schmidt’s in German Village

[Columbo]

Over the last weekend, The El Camino Inn opened downtown at 238 South Fourth Street.  This new venue has been described as a 70s-era San Diego style tex-mex dive bar.  El Camino is under the same management as its next door neighbor Little Palace restaurant and located in the same block as Liz Lessner's Dirty Frank’s restaurant.

Here's a couple of Columbus Underground features on The El Camino Inn.  The first is from when the venue was announced earlier this year.  The second is a preview of its weekend opening from last week:

CU: The El Camino Inn to Serve Tacos & Tequila Downtown This Summer

CU: First Look: The El Camino Inn Opens This Weekend

[Columbo]

The folks at de-NOVO Bistro & Bar across from Columbus Commons recently finished renovation of the historic neon restaurant sign on their building.  Below is their announcement at Columbus Underground and a photo of the sign lit up from the de-NOVO facebook page.

Columbus Underground: de-NOVO adds to historic "Restaurant" sign

[ColDayMan]

Winking Lizard taking Hoggy’s site on 5th Ave. near Grandview



The pig has flown. The lizard is stepping in.

Winking Lizard Inc. is the latest tenant to step into a space vacated by Hoggy’s when it went into receivership this year. The Bedford Heights-based chain plans to open a Winking Lizard Bar & Grill in the former barbecue joint at 1416 W. Fifth Ave. near Grandview Heights.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/07/13/winking-lizard-taking-hoggys-site-on.html

[ColDayMan]

Aladdin’s open in new space, Mexican spot taking its place

The Grandview Center is getting some new cuisine.

The 23-year-old shopping center along Grandview Avenue has undergone a dining makeover in recent months, the newest addition to which will be a to-be-named bar with a light Mexican menu.

The venture comes from restaurateur George Tanchevski and will take the 2,700-square-foot former home of Aladdin’s Eatery, also a Tanchevski restaurant. That space became available when Aladdin’s opened July 4 in its new site in the center facing Grandview Avenue.

More below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/07/13/aladdins-open-in-new-space-mexican.html

[ColDayMan]

Convention center Hilton names Sage owner as executive chef



The Hilton Columbus Downtown hotel next to the Greater Columbus Convention Center didn’t have to look far for its culinary leaders.

The under-construction destination Friday announced the hiring of two Columbus restaurant veterans to set the food and drink tables for its Gallerie Bar & Bistro and the hotel as a whole. Michael Mejia is director of food and beverage, and Bill Glover is executive chef.

Full article and more photos below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2012/07/convention-center-hilton-names-sage.html

[ColDayMan]

Family of Asian eateries in Hilliard gets another sibling with Wild Ginger



Justin Ye is building a restaurant empire in Hilliard.

The restaurateur has opened Wild Ginger Asian Fusion at 1726 Hilliard Rome Road, adding to his Oriental Express at 4502 Cemetery Road and Haruki East at 2469 Hilliard Rome Road.

The newest eatery is Ye’s biggest, most formal venture. Oriental Express hits the takeout market and Haruki East is a casual hibachi grill, but Wild Ginger provides a more polished dining experience.

Full article below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/07/27/family-of-asian-eateries-in-hilliard.html