These 13 Columbus-area restaurants opened in April
Columbus foodies had reason to celebrate in April as several new dining options sprung up across the city.
The merger of Mission Coffee and Blank Slate Coffee has given birth to a new coffee shop in the Fort, while Brownie Points has opened a pop-up shop in the Short North.
Reynoldsburg has also welcomed a new addition in the form of Dharshan Bubble Tea, while Hot Chicken Takeover opened a location in Gahanna - it's seventh in central Ohio - with a few exclusive menu items. Those in Grove City can now enjoy Mr. Hibachi's latest location, and Budd Dairy's Bite This by Annie has become the newest vendor to join the food hall's rotating roster of offerings.
Plus, Bubbly Hall has officially opened its doors, boasting seven food stalls, two bars, a gift shop and more. And Bibibop Asian Grill has marked a milestone with the opening of its 50th location in Lewis Center.
Check out what else is new in Columbus eats this month:
Columbus restaurant and bar openings: A Cleveland based 1970s inspired bar will replace SeeSaw this summer
Mission Coffee Co.
Blank Slate Coffee and Mission Coffee Co. have merged in Mission Coffee's new shop at 2060 S. High St., part of the Fort. In 2021, Mission Coffee shut down its Short North location and relocated to a temporary spot at the Fort. Following Blank Slate owner Matt Roberson's purchase of the coffee company, the two are now both operating on the South Side, with a new shop and Blank Slate's famous Airstream trailer right in tow.
Hours are weekdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Brownie Points
Locally-owned brownie shop Brownie Points opened a pop-up at revolving retail space TENSPACE, 930 N. High St., in the Short North on April 1. The shop, which sells a variety of brownie flavors at its 5712 Westbourne Ave. facility, will be open until June 23. Customers can taste a free flavor of the day, create their own custom box of brownies or design their own "BrowniEmojis."
Brownie Points is open Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Dharshan Bubble Tea
Bubble tea shop Dharshan Bubble Tea opened in early April at 7522 E. Main St. in Reynoldsburg. The shop offers an extensive menu of bubble milk teas with flavors like Thai, vanilla, and watermelon, and fruit tea options like lychee and blueberry, with a choice of black or green tea. Dharshan also offers "bubble snow," coffee, and for those with a sweet tooth, shakes, ice cream and waffles with toppings like Nutella and M&Ms.
Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Hot Chicken Takeover
Hot Chicken Takeover opened its seventh Greater Columbus location and eight overall at 109 N. Hamilton Rd. in Gahanna on April 6. The fried chicken chain known for its Nashville hot chicken most recently opened locations in Lewis Center and Grandview Heights. The Gahanna location features exclusive limited-time menu items, including the jumbo tender sandwich and fried pickles.
Hours are Monday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Mr. Hibachi
Mr.Hibachi held the soft opening of its newest location, at 2806 London Groveport Rd. in Grove City, on April 8. The family-owned Japanese-style hibachi eatery also has locations Downtown, in North Linden, the South Side, Groveport and Powell.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Bite This by Annie
Bite This by Annie is the latest Budd Dairy Food Hall rotating vendor, which arrived on April 11. The eatery sells filled "bagel bombs," like the Smashburger, Zach's pepperoni pizza, Mexican street corn and the vegetarian aloo gobi, plus brownies and cookies, "pub grub" Chex mix and sides.
Budd Dairy Food Hall is open Tuesday and Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Bubbly Hall
Bubbly Hall held its long-awaited grand opening in New Albany on April 13 at 6065 Central College Rd.
The food hall opened with seven food stalls, two bars, a gift shop and a rotating mix of other vendors. Food vendors include Fay's Crepes, Hoyo's Kitchen, Just Chicken, Kiku Sushi Bar, Mr. Hummus Grill & Pizza, PIT BBQ Grille and Seoul Food On The Go. The space also includes two bars — a wine bar and a full bar — a floral, art and gift shop called Bubbly Boutique; at least three rotating vendors; and dedicated space for musicians, karaoke, speakers and other activities.
Bubbly opens for breakfast with Fay's Crepes, Tuesday through Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Other vendors are open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The bar closes on Tuesday through Saturday at 11 p.m. and Sunday at 9 p.m.
Bibibop
Bibibop Asian Grill opened its 50th location in Lewis Center, located at 6547 Artesian Run Suite 240, on April 13. The fast-casual chain, first established in Grandview Heights in 2013, specializes in build-your-own bibimbap, a popular Korean dish.
Hours are Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
TeaMoji
Bubble tea shop TeaMoji opened on April 15 at 5227 Godown Rd. on the Northwest Side.
The shop is only selling drinks for the time being but will eventually serve food, according to its social media. Drinks include milk teas, lattes, fruit and green teas, smoothies and frozen treats, like the matcha Crème brûlée slushie and Oreo Crème brûlée slushie.
Hours are Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Fat Girl Bakery
The Fat Girl Bakery reopened at 6457 Hamilton Rd. in Westerville in late April after closing in Lewis Center in February. The new location for the bakery is a small downsize in the former location of Cataland Kuzina. The bakery will open for breakfast and lunch, with coffee from Crimson Cup and freshly made doughnuts as new additions to its menu.
Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Safia Sweets & Kitchen
Safia Sweets & Kitchen, a café, bakery and event space, opened its doors on 2375 Silver Dr. on the North Side near Historic Crew Stadium in mid-April. The location was formerly a Frisch's Big Boy. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers an extensive mix of Somali, Italian and American dishes, including pastries, smoothies, sandwiches, pasta, coffee and mocktails.
Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Bagel Street Deli
Athens-based Bagel Street Deli has opened a food cart at Jackie O's On Fourth, the new brewery and taproom at 171 N. Fourth St. Downtown, which is set to open in May. The eatery provides a selection of its bagelwiches on the brewery's patio, including "morning after" with bacon, egg and choice of cheese; "Seinfeld's secret" with roast beef, bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and mayo; veggie options; and more.
Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Santos
Chophouse614 has reinvented itself again, now as Santos, a new scratch kitchen concept at 1079 N. High St. in the Short North. The restaurant, also previously known as Urban Chophouse, reopened on April 14. The name change also includes a revamp of the menu, including tacos, seafood and steaks, as well as décor and all-around vibe of the space. A drink menu features tequila-inspired cocktails, martinis and "Summerfest" spiked lemonades.
Hours are Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Closings: Toraya Moroccan, Borgata Pizza Cafe and more
Toraya Moroccan closed earlier this year at 66 E. Lynn St. Downtown, according to its website and an online listing of the restaurant for rent. The location is the former home of Aroma and Si Senor.
Borgata Pizza Cafe announced on social media late last month that it would close the doors on its 5701 Parkville St. location in Northland due to forthcoming construction and ongoing labor shortages. The pizzeria's remaining locations in Worthington and Budd Dairy Food Hall remain open.
American Nut Co. has closed its location at East Market, the company announced on Instagram, to focus on "other exciting ideas." The company's remaining stalls are at North Market and the Columbus Convention Center.
Wings Etc. Pub & Grill closed its doors at 775 Yard St. in Grandview Yard after opening in early September. The location has been removed from the company's website, and its phone is disconnected. The Midwest chicken wing chain, which is largely located in Indiana but has several locations in Michigan, has another Columbus-area location in Pataskala.
tmoorman@dispatch.com
@taijuannichole
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 13 Columbus restaurants that opened in April 2023
