What restaurants and bars opened in Columbus this month?
Many Columbus restaurants reopened to the public in January, while a few newcomers joined the central Ohio restaurant scene.
City Barbeque, Harvest Pizzeria and Kona Grill returned, after months or years away. Maple Street Biscuit Company opened its first location in the Columbus area, while Waves Bar & Kitchen offers a brand-new concept.
Whether you're looking for biscuits in Polaris, dry-aged beef in Easton, pizza on the West Side, or dogs in an Italian Village food hall, these new eateries have you covered.
Here's how the Columbus restaurant and bar landscape changed in January:
Waves Bar & Kitchen
Waves Bar & Kitchen opened Dec. 28 at 828 E. Long St. in King-Lincoln Bronzeville, inside a retail space in the Adelphi Quarter development.
The beached-themed bar offers bar eats and Southern-inspired dishes as well as seafood and brunch on weekends. Some of the bar's popular items include the seafood pizza, with cream sauce, shrimp and salmon, and the signature drink "the Bronzeville," an homage to the neighborhood that includes cinnamon whiskey and ginger ale.
Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Maple Street Biscuit Company
Maple Street Biscuit Company opened Jan. 5 at 1310 Polaris Pkwy. in front of Polaris Fashion Place. The restaurant, which serves contemporary comfort food, is the first location in the Columbus area. The restaurant's menu features largely brunch dishes including fresh biscuit sandwiches, waffles, "frittaffles," fried green tomatoes, maple sausage meatballs, mimosas, coffee and more.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
Harvest Bar & Kitchen
Harvest Pizzeria's Clintonville location reopened early this month, at 2885 N. High St., after months of renovations. Harvest, which opened its first location in German Village in 2011 (now closed) and opened in Clintonville in 2014, closed the latter location in late 2022. But fans of the pizzeria, which also serves pasta, subs and sandwiches, salads, cocktails and more with locally sourced ingredients, can now welcome its return.
Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
City Barbeque
On Jan. 13, City Barbeque reopened one of its first locations in Reynoldsburg, at 5979 E. Main St., after closing in August. The fully rebuilt restaurant features a new design and includes the second City Barbeque drive-thru in the Columbus area. The Reynoldsburg location has once again begun serving hickory-smoked meats, sides, and desserts the restaurant's fans have come to know.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Junkyard Dogs
Junkyard Dogs opened its second central Ohio location in Italian Village's Budd Dairy Food Hall early this month, following a location in Linworth. The restaurant, founded by radio host Jerry Elliot and Ed Bisconti of Borgata Pizza Cafés, will serve all beef, all pork, vegan and wagyu beef hot dogs, bratwurst, Italian sausage, fries, milkshakes and floats at its Budd Dairy stall.
The food hall's hours are 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.
Westside Slice
Family-owned pizzeria Westside Slice quietly opened earlier this month at 958 Demorest Rd. on the Hilltop. The eatery, from owners Danny and Tanya Jones, offers pizzas, subs, salads and more. The restaurant's hours, currently under soft opening, are Monday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Kona Grill
Kona Grill reopened at 4087 New Bond St. at Easton Town Center on Jan. 20, returning to the same location it closed in 2019.
International hospitality company One Hospitality Group, which owns the restaurant, redesigned the space in what the company has called a step in what will be a "larger expansion for the brand." The restaurant menu offers ribeye meatballs, sliders, potstickers, sushi and avocado egg rolls, plus brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings and happy hours Monday through Saturday.
Hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Cut 132
At 4188 Brighton Rose Way, steakhouse Cut 132 is on the ground floor of the Aloft Hotel, across from Restoration Hardware in Easton's New District.
The restaurant opened Jan. 23, with a menu that includes starters such as crab cakes, pork belly, tomato and cucumber salad; charcuterie boards featuring cheeses, meats, pickles and spreads; wet and dry-aged beef with handmade sauces and toppings; and sides like truffle mac and cheese with seasoned breadcrumbs and fried-twice hand-cut fries.
Hours are Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bar is open until midnight Friday and Saturday.
The Whitney House
The Whitney House reopened Jan. 24 after a few weeks of renovations. The Old Worthington restaurant, at 666 High St., features a refreshed look and menu, including new dessert opens, new gluten-free dishes, a new craft cocktail menu and more.
Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner, Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner, and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for dinner.
Esco Restaurant and Tapas
Esco Restaurant and Tapas, at 31 E. Gay St. in the former location of the Irish-themed Pub Mahone, is set to host its grand opening Wednesday. The restaurant and lounge cofounded by Rapper 2 Chainz and Mychel "Snoop" Dillard and owned by Akron native Jessica Kay will offer tapas, seafood dishes and Southern staples, including shrimp and grits, lambchops, Cajun salmon and blackened catfish, along with mac and cheese, collard greens and fried okra.
The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner daily and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays and will offer hookah and bottle service.
Hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight and Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Closings
Late December saw the closures of a few restaurants, including BurgerIM at 121 S. High St. Downtown, and Cielo Cafe, at 1762 North High St. on campus. The former made no announcement but its storefront appears closed and its phone disconnected. The latter closed on Dec. 30 after a few years in business.
Smith & Wollensky closed at 4145 The Strand West at Easton Town Center on Jan. 14 after 20 years, but the Boston-based high-end steakhouse chain shouldn't be away for long. The company said in an email in December that it is committed to its presence in the Columbus market, and it is now in the advanced stages of negotiations for a new location Downtown.
Jimmyluka's Bar Deli closed at 701 Parsons Ave. in Schumacher Place late last month, but the owners noted on social media the space with take on a new concept.
Chile Verde Cafe closed at 4852 Sawmill Rd. on the Northwest Side on Jan. 28, but a location at 1522 Gemini Place in Polaris is expected to reopen on Jan. 30 after renovations.
Lolaskitchenbar closed at 201 S. High St. on Jan. 29 but noted on social media that it would be reopening as Downtown Tavern next month.
And two Columbus Zoup! locations closed their doors late this month, at 4971 Tuttle Crossing Blvd. near Dublin and 41 S. High St. Downtown, owner Tom Dailey said in a social media post. Four locations remain open in the Arena District, Easton, Polaris and on the Northwest Side.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus restaurants that opened, closed in January
