Family dining in Columbus, Ohio
We are getting ready to make our annual pilgrimage to the Columbus Zoo & need a restaurant recommendation for dinner before returning home. Needs to be family friendly (the party includes a five year old as well as teens) and easy on the budget. As a rule, we strive to avoid the suburban chain stuff and seek out something fun and local when we travel. Any advice?
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12 Comments:
Well, we drive to Columbus for lunch on the weekend (~150 mi each way) when driving conditions permit. This may be too wacky, but the restaurant we go to each and every time is Restaurant Hama at Easton Town Center. It's a Japanese restaurant with Korean menu items.
Their menu is reasonably priced and the portions are large. The setting is minimalist, white paper draped over white table cloth, easy with kids and pretty on the eyes. It's also a relaxing place (for us) after walking for hours at the zoo...so yeah, tshirt and shorts are ok there.
Hama makes a great bowl of ramen -- what my husband orders each time we go there with a side order of tempura. I used to eat their beef curry rice until my husband perfected his recipe. The last time I ate there, I ordered their bulgogi teishoku (box set).
We really ought to try something different, but we expressly drive to Columbus to eat there and it's hard to chance getting crappy food when we could have gotten full on what we already know tastes great. And kick ourselves all the way home.
If you don't like Japanese food, peer through Easton Town Center's website. While they have your usual establishments, they have unique places as well. You might find something interesting. It's a fun mall with a mix of indoor and outdoor shops.
Cassaendra at 12:27PM on 10/02/08
Cassaendra, thanks for the recommendation. This sounds wonderful. Just the thought of dol sot bi bim bop makes me want to jump in the car right now. Korean food is really hard to find in the heart of Appalachia!
Melinda at 1:04PM on 10/02/08
greeting I am from Columbus Ohio and love SE...
I would be happy to point you in the right direction. In fact I work at a great place called Figlio, its kinda like California Pizza Kitchen but homespun. PIzza pastas salads deserts all made in house. Its not really near the zoo. But on Grandview Ave. Google it! Woudl be good for kids too PIZZA! Not too many good mom and pops up near the zoo which is quite far on the NW side of town. The Starliner diner in Hilliard is great too! Grab some Jenni's Ice cream to make it an official columbus Trip... hope you have a great time let me know if there is anything I can do to help!
Kbear919 at 11:59PM on 10/03/08
I visit my son at college outside Columbus every year, and on my very first trip I discovered City Barbecue. Real pit barbecue in a comfortable and casual setting. I think there are two locations, and one is right near the airport. Have you been there, Kbear919?
Ed Levine at 7:38AM on 10/04/08
We went to a hockeye game at nationwide arena last year (downtown by the convention center) and went to a really fun Italian place right next door. You are led through the kitchen and a huge dining area divided into tiny rooms crammed with "stuff". Most things are served family style with some sampler platters too. Very fun, "red sauce Italian", LOTS of garlic. Perfect Italian for kids, good prices. I'll try to find the name, but it is easy to find the place....
Cary at 10:34AM on 10/04/08
The italian place is Bucca Di Beppo and there is one in Worthington about 10 minutes from the zoo, it is located right off of 270 and 23:
http://www.bucadibeppo.com/
There is also Goose Neck Tavern in Powell which has great home made food, it is probably 5 minutes from the zoo at 9721 Sawmill Rd.
City BBQ is AWESOME and there is one about 3 miles from the zoo that also has a Graeters Ice Cream attached:
http://www.cityqbbq.com/index.php
Out of all of them I would recommend City BBQ
MamaT at 1:07PM on 10/04/08
THanks for finishing my research, MamaT!
Cary at 1:20PM on 10/04/08
city bbq all the way!
Prairie at 2:06PM on 10/04/08
Thanks for all for the suggestions. For all you City BBQ lovers, I have to say we went to the Powell location last year after Boo at the Zoo and were a little disappointed. We all had pulled pork sandwiches with a number of different sides. The meat was a bit dry & the sides cold (like stored in the fridge & microwaved - cold in the middle). The Graeter's that followed made up for any disappointment, though. Sounds like we need to have a family conference to decide where to go this year!
Melinda at 7:07PM on 10/04/08
I'm from Ohio and surprised that for a Serious Eats convo there's not too much talk about independent places (except for the diner, tavern, and Jeni's ice cream). Buca di Beppo and California Pizza Kitchen can be found throughout the country, guys. What about Northstar Cafe which is trying hard to support the community through local growers and producers? Two locations: Beechwold and Short North. What could be more appropriate for families than truly wholesome food? Oh yeah, they are reasonably priced and casual, too.
NYCeater09 at 4:09AM on 10/05/08
My two recommendations are City BBQ (Upper Arlington) and Jenni's Ice Cream (Grandview Hts) (the ice cream is pricey but very unique) City is the best BBQ I've had in Ohio hands down. I wrote about them here:
http://dineomite.blogspot.com/search/label/City%20Barbeque
http://dineomite.blogspot.com/search/label/Jenni%27s%20Ice%20Cream
The problem with Columbus is that it's a corporate restaurant town, unless you consider the Max & Erma's, Bravo!/Brio, Cameron Mitchell corporations as local. If you didn't like City BBQ then I'd say there really isn't much in the way of local inexpensive unless you consider Katzinger's Deli (German Village) which is a blatant rip off of Zingerman's.I would definitely give Jeni's a try. My wife and I just brought back some sweet corn ice cream; it's a very unique place.
dineomite at 12:53PM on 10/05/08
Down in German Village is Schmidt's Sausage Haus. The German food/buffet has something for everyone. Kids and adults alike. They have the MOST incredible creme puffs I have ever tasted. (I had a job traveling across country for 20 years) and October is my favorite time!!! They have a seasonal pumpkin creme puff that is THE best. The prices are reasonable. I believe the kid friendly menu offers non-German foods.
nutbckt at 1:38PM on 10/08/08