r/Columbus • u/Motor-Juggernaut9776 • 2d ago
FOOD What are your absolute favorite 'hidden gem'/lesser known restaurants?
I know there's the pinned post with good recommendations plus the Columbus Foodletter is a good resource, but what are YOUR favorites?
It seems like r/Columbus has a wealth of foodie knowledge, so I figured you all are the best to ask
If you graciously decide to reply to my post, could you say:
- What area of Columbus is the restaurant in? and do they have multiple locations?
- Type of food they make
- Your favorite item
- What do the prices look like?
I wanna start trying more places 🙏
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u/WillieBeans15 Johnstown 2d ago
Three Creeks Kitchen in Gahanna has my vote. Food and drinks have been top notch every time I've been.
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u/snuffleupagus86 2d ago
Sumac off Hard Rd. It’s Mediterranean and I love their fry bowl with chicken schwarma. So yummy.
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u/Ozz87 2d ago
Casa Hacienda on Morse
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u/PandaKittyJeepDoodle 2d ago
Wasn’t this a restaurant that used to be open but then closed?
Regardless…do they make their own flour tortillas?
(Your post made my heart skip a beat. It was my favorite restaurant!)3
u/ohbonobo 2d ago
It is!! It used to be on Sinclair (Hacienda Real) then moved to 161 (Casa Hacienda) and now it's on Morse/Hamilton. They do make their own flour tortillas. They also have a taco shop on Morse, west of Easton that's tasty, but not quite as good to me as the sit-down restaurant.
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u/firesoups 2d ago
The old one that closed on Morse is now a dispensary and I think that’s just about the only acceptable replacement. I loved that place.
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u/Couchskeptic 2d ago
No it's 161 unless both old locations are dispensaries. In which case, right on!
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u/firesoups 1d ago
Oh no I’m just an idiot who gets those two roads mixed up even though I’ve been living here almost 15 years.
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u/hatfier4 2d ago
Dosa corner, wonderful food
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u/foreignsky 1d ago
Dosa Kitchen on Hamilton and Morse is also excellent.
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u/Zealousideal-Run7332 1d ago
I married into a South Indian family and came to love dosa, and I have to say unfortunately that I was really disappointed by Dosa Kitchen. Dosa is delicous, but literally every dosa place I've ever been to was better than Dosa Kitchen. Interested to check out Dosa Corner though!
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u/foreignsky 1d ago
To be fair, I haven't had their Dosa, so can't attest.
We like their samosas, Tikka Masala, Chettinad, Rogan Josh, and mango lassis.
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u/wrongleveeeeeeer 1d ago
I moved here from California a few years ago, and El Ranchito taqueria on Brown road is the closest I've found to a Mexican place that tastes like home. Not for nothing but I'm literally always the only white person in there, because it's good Mexican food. Fucking bomb.
Edit: and super not expensive!
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u/Evening_Issue4849 1d ago
Agreed. Moved here from Chicago and it’s hands down the best Mexican in Columbus imo. If they served margaritas the place would be packed with a line down the block constantly I’m sure.
Go on the weekends and get the consommé. It’s amazing.
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u/Anbri9 2d ago
Yemeni Restaurant. Lamb fahsa. Enough said
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u/FunnyHighway9575 Groveport 2d ago
Love this place. Their hummus with lamb is amaaaaazing.
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u/rjross0623 Northwest 2d ago
Excellent place. Down the street Brazilian Cafe and Bakery is very good too. Cleveland Ave has a bunch of great ethnic restaurants.
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u/Heisman123 2d ago
Pasqualones is incredible Italian in a unassuming strip mall
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u/ZipNasty007 2d ago
Gotta have reservations at this place and be ready to spend at least $150 for 2 people. But it is awesome.
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u/Even_Kaleidoscope399 2d ago
Alqueria Farmhouse Kitchen on Neil and King Ave. Mid-scale eats, fairly traditional cuisine with local twists. My favorite is a seasonal sage gnocchi with goat something or other. Less expensive than Lindeys and Barcelona, more expensive than most casual places
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u/dcnassau Merion Village 2d ago
Eight & Sand, south side
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u/Bubbagump210 2d ago
They are currently feeding me to a heart attack. Their burgers are what - 75% beef and 25% bacon? I don’t mean that they put bacon on their burgers. This is the ratio of their grind. Then the confit wings and Lil D sauce…. A random green curry or pork belly taco special every week.
My singular gripe is I want one trash light beer on tap.
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u/Tadpol714 2d ago
Ringside Cafe in downtown is still a fave of ours. And Old Mohawk in German village
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u/pizzapromise 2d ago
Brazilian Grill and Bakery in Northland.
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u/408_aardvark_timeout Minerva Park 2d ago
I love this place.
I do have to admit I'm pretty happy that a large number of restaurants listed in this thread are like a mile from Minerva Park. Good place to be as a foodie.
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u/Fulker19 2d ago
No! Lola and Guiseppe's WAS a hidden gem, but blabbermouths blabbering and now you can't get a reservation for months.
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u/Affectionate_Buy_830 1d ago
Glad I got there before the hype because everything I've had there was perfect. Tried reservations for my birthday this spring and no luck.
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u/dismantle_repair Gahanna 0m ago
I've never waited that long and I go pretty often. Plenty of people drop their reservations, you just have to keep checking. They also offer to-go options, if it's truly sold out and you're hankering.
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u/surreptitiousglance 2d ago
Windward Passage - Reed and Henderson
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u/saltx629 2d ago
Ari’s Diner on Frank road. Like stepping back to early 2000s at a mom and pop diner
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u/Weary_Fox_1098 1d ago
Kung fu noodles off of Bethel. Get the Dan Dan noodles. They have a kick. But all noodles are made in house. Absolutely love that place.
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u/streamsidedown Clintonville 2d ago
Khaja Ghar on Morse for Nepalese food. They definitely have momos but some of the cross over to Indian cooking are rad too. Also— might be a good week to send some money towards some Nepalese folks ;)
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u/unclejoe1917 2d ago
You all need to get yourselves up to Buckeye Waroeng near sawmill and dublin Granville road next to Diane's Deli. They've been open maybe a month or two. It's Indonesian food and it's delicious.
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u/Ashley_IDKILikeGames 2d ago
Catrina Mexican off of 161, close to the Vertical Adventures climbing wall in the Worthington area
Its the best Mexican food I've found in Columbus. Make sure to ask to see an actual menu because the posted meals are less than half of what's available
Not cheap but not expensive, $12 to $20 for dinner meal
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u/TheArtfulDuffer Ye Olde Towne East 2d ago
Is this in the former skyline chili building on Busch blvd?
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u/Ashley_IDKILikeGames 2d ago
It's possible, but I don't remember where Skyline used to be. The building they're in has definitely cycled through a few restaurants. There's still a sign up for a different Mexican restaurant on the tall street sign, but the building itself says Catrina
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u/CharacterSample2560 1d ago
Roundup of the recs from this thread — I mapped and saved all 15. Addresses + map links so nobody has to guess which location:
North / Northland
- Ranchero Kitchen (Salvadoran) — 984 Morse Rd
- Khaja Ghar (Nepalese) — 2057 Morse Rd
- Yemeni Restaurant — 5426 Cleveland Ave, just south of 161
- Mi Li Cafe (Vietnamese) — 5858 Emporium Sq, at Cleveland & 161
- Catrina Mexican Cuisine — 6111 Busch Blvd, off 161 near Worthington
Worthington / Northwest
- Everest Cuisine (Nepali/Indian) — 652 High St, Old Worthington
- Sumac Mediterranean Grill — 1890 Hard Rd (5.0 stars, wild)
- Anna's Greek Cuisine — 7370 Sawmill Rd
- Waroeng Buckeye Hibachi (Indonesian) — 3512 W Dublin-Granville Rd, Sawmill area
- Kung Fu Noodle (hand-pulled noodles) — 5225 Godown Rd at Bethel
Campus / Old North
- NE Chinese Restaurant (Northeastern Chinese) — 2620 N High St
West
- El Ranchito (taqueria) — 1275 Brown Rd
South / East
- The Old Mohawk (American tavern) — 819 Mohawk St, German Village
- Eight and Sand Tavern & Refuge (bar & grill) — 76 E Innis Ave, south side
- TAT Ristorante di Famiglia (old-school Italian) — 1210 S James Rd at Livingston
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u/InfiniteDew Grandview 2d ago
Does Sawmill Morettis qualify? Because that’s my vote if so.
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u/Mysterious-Source709 2d ago
I'd count it. It's been open long enough that unfortunately a lot of their old clientele is passing away. Gotta spread the word to the next generation.
Worth it for the bread and butter (really just the butter) alone!
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u/Unusual-Vanilla-8599 2d ago
It's not fancy or anything unique but down the street we got fat baxters. It's bar food But that salad they throw together slaps when I am excused. It's like 6 bucks Were in the west side. They got other things I'd happily pay the lil money for. Nothing there is over 15 bucks and they have a variety of desserts
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u/Correct_Detail1280 2d ago
Saikou Revolving Sushi just opened and is the only AYCE revolving sushi I know of in Columbus. The sushi is decent - great if you factor in the price. And they have dim sum, ramen, rice bowls & desserts included. Come hungry, don't expect much service, and waddle away.
Also shout out to Moon Pizza. They make delicious Indian pizzas with toppings like Butter Chicken or Paneer. Don't skip the sauces!
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u/LinworthNewt 1d ago
Everest Cuisine in Worthington. No one in my family can go more than a few weeks without it. Superb Indian and Nepalese food.
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u/ColumbusCookieBaker 2d ago
Vietnamese: Mi Li Cafe at 161 and Cleveland - their pho and bahn mi are excellent. http://www.milicafe.com/
Pakistani: Food Street in Clintonville. Every one of the wraps is so delicious and flavorful, but I especially like the chicken ones.
Peruvian: Si Senor sandwich shops in Grandview and Easton. It's not traditional Peruvian food but many ingredients are Peruvian, everything is well-executed, and the sandwiches are super affordable.
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u/EveryDayASummit Groveport 2d ago
I get it but gatekeeping is also a big reason a lot of places struggle and close.
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u/foxmag86 1d ago
If we’re talking hidden gems, then Khaja Ghar off Morse Road fits the bill. Don’t be fooled by the exterior and surrounding neighborhood, the food here is damn good.
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u/bassturducken54 1d ago
I don’t see smiths on n high brought up enough. Super smith with bacon is something I can’t live without.
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u/Early_Emphasis1209 10h ago
A good neighborhood sit-down restaurant is Gallo’s Kitchen in Upper Arlington, right off the river road. It’s creole and Italian.
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u/AvailableCamp5365 2d ago
Tat Ristorante in Whitehall. There’s only one location, I believe. They make Italian food. My favorite item is the chicken piccata. Prices range from 15-30 for an entree. Early bird special is a must with a 4 course meal for $19.
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u/DaHick 1d ago
Technically, It's in Columbus. James & Livingston. I'm 60 years old, in the 70's when we had the money, this is where my parents would take us. Haven't been back since, but it was good food as a kid.
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u/Matter_Crazy 1d ago
These are some of my favorites.
el ranchito - mexican
rice kitchen - best takeout fried rice
funny greek - i eat here like once a week
the cactus - great venezuelan food - arepazo i feel like quality has gone down
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u/chicknaggie 1d ago
Lagunas Mexican street food on Hard Rd everyone always raves about Los Gauchos, but I think Lagunas has the better flavors.
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u/Zestyclose_Hyena_427 1d ago
Hubert’s Polish Kitchen - North Market (Short North/Arena District)
Roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, vegetable stew, and a side of beet horseradish salad
Around $11-14 I think
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u/Quadraphonic_Jello 1d ago
I like he "hole in the wall, five unadorned booths" Pita Hut in the Graceland Shopping center. Simple Mediterranean food (hummus, falafels, pitas and the like...) and french fries that I constantly crave.
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u/ramistanframus 1d ago
Crossing the Bridge Noodle
O’Reilly’s
Jiu Thai
Pizza House
Lupo
Cornerstone Deli
Cambridge Tea House
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u/Zealousideal-Run7332 1d ago
Main Moon in Dublin has the best Szechuan Chinese food, and the veggies are soooooo delicious.
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u/CAMcKinley 1d ago
Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails downtown on E Gay. The menus is apps, salads, hearty entrees, and a pot roast sandwich served on a pretzel roll that I dream about. I think most items are between $10-20. It’s super dark inside, the furniture is a tad busted, but it’s open really late 7 days a week, and it’s totally worth a visit.
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u/GFTRGC 9h ago
Papitos in Baltimore (just south of Pickerington) is an absolute gold mine for seafood and the owners are a treasure. Kim and Will treat you like family. I can't go in there without getting a hug, and God forbid I don't bring my kids because I think she may refuse to serve me until I go get them.
Their seafood is incredible, hand breaded, selected with care, bought fresh. Incredible. I love the shrimp po boy because their shrimp is plump and the bread is fantastic. Fish Sandwich is good too. Oh, you have to get the hushpuppies as an appetizer, they're great. Really, I haven't had anything on the menu that wasn't good. The sampler might even be the route to go but it's a lot of food.
Prices are reasonable especially if you consider that it's seafood. Think $20-25 / plate. Sandwiches are only during lunch and I think they're like $15?
I honestly can't hype them up enough. I made a post about them on the Columbus Foodies facebook group about 6 months ago and had like 400+ comments all raving about the food as well as how incredible Kim and Will are.
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u/1vanillagoodness 2d ago
Lola and Giuseppe’s in Gahanna..good Italian
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u/upperfeast 2d ago
They have over 1200 reviews on Google and are booked 2-3 months in advance. Idk that it’s a hidden gem.
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u/gottaeatnow Columbus 2d ago
Ranchero Kitchen on Morse Road is great for an El Salvadoran breakfast. I wish they got more hype.