Visiting Columbus, Ohio, what to see

Here's the short list: Food & Drink: Thurman's Cafe Ohio Deli Bodega (bar) North Market try Basi Italia if you like Italian food. Schmidt's Sausage Haus Hounddog's Pizza (if you like greasy pizza with spicy sauce and garlic crust. open 24/7!) Northstar Cafe (great vegan/vegetarian food. also good if you like meat. Their ginger ale is killer. get brunch here on saturday or sunday. You won't regret it.) Jeni's Ice Cream is a must. if you like cigars, check out House of Cigar.... largest walk-in humidor in the state. If you want to smoke cigars/pipe and you want a sweet environment, check out the Tinderbox at Easton... that's my go-to spot to hang out and shoot the shit. shopping around here is meh, but Milk Bar is decent if you like SW&D. owners are cool dudes. We have the usual Nordstrom, Saks, etc., but basic brands... nothing exciting. Sole Classics is shoes... used to be a little more restrained but new ownership resulted in it going more towards Nikes, etc. Used to have Nudies. that's all I can think of off hand.

It's a god forsaken communist shithole.

That said, zagat is fairly accurate on restaurants here.

Where does she live? The c-bus is very spread out.

Jeni's is definitely a local institution.

Another rec for Jeni's

Definitely eat at Northstar Cafe and at the North Market, in particular at the booth Kitchen Little(I recommend the chicken-sausage gravy [Saturdays only] or cassoulet).

If you're into topiary, the Old Deaf School Park by the main library is pretty cool.

Wander up and down High Street from 670 up to about 3rd avenue or all the way up to OSU.

If you will have a car, try to get to Skillet in German Village for breakfast. A little on the high side for a college budget, but really good (about $12-15).

Refectory is near campus to the north and is one of Columbus best restaurants. They have a fantastic wine cellar with lots of great values. If you are going to dress up some night, hit their bistro (about $30/person) or even just go to the bistro for the wine and dessert. The crowd skews old, so not somewhere to just get out and have fun, but the place is beautiful and its probably Columbus best place for wine. Dinner will run you about $100/each all in.
http://www.therefectoryrestaurant.com/

High Street (part of the area called the Short North and the terms are often used interchangeably) is the trendy area of Columbus. For practical purposes, the part of High Street you care about runs from campus to North Market. Bunches of restaurants with all kinds of food styles and flavors on or near high street. Hit Yelp to see the restaurants there and if there's any that look interesting. The yelp reviews are not to be trusted, but you can at least get a feel for what food options are there.

Count, are you here in c-bus? Most recommendations from peeps here are dead-on. For breakfast, try Nancy's. It is b/w Weber and N. Broadway. Sadly, Columbus is spread out. Short North is always fun. Check out Easton too!

Check out COSI. It's a fun place. Definitely spend some time at Easton. Night is best. Have some drinks at Bar Louie then walk down to S&W for dinner.

I hear some hot girls work at the Panera there.....

this was the only thing i could think of: http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.p...&postcount=872

Didn't Bourdain do an episode on Columbus with Ruhlman

Missing on the food list : L'antibes, Rigsby's, Katzinger's deli. Bourdain did do an episode. THey went for sushi in Marysville - it's pretty far away. Morning - check out the North Market. Lots of great stuff. If the BlueJackets are in town, that could be a great time, or Buckeye Basketball (#1 in the country - undefeated men's team). The Art museum on campus is actually really good (I'm ashamed I can're remember the name of it right now - they filmed "what's eating gilbert grape" there (I think - it was a Johnny Depp movie that I never saw). You really should take a walk on Lane ave and check out Ohio Stadium - it's something to behold. There's also a mini OSU hall of fame in the Schott. If you happen to be there the first Saturday of a month, there is a gallery hop in the short north. Otherwise, the galleries are all open during the day on weekends and there's some good stuff.

Mac's Cafe is a good pub in the Short North. Marcella's a couple blocks down has pretty good Italian Food (the lamb gnocchi on a cold day if killer) If you like hats there is a store is Bexley called Hat and Sole, probably one of the best hat stores in the state. Jeffersonville outlets south of Columbus has some pretty good deals. The have an Allen Edmonds outlet I frequent. Sushi En at Polaris is a good sushi restaurant - much better than the popular "trendy" places in the short north or grandview. While at Polaris you might stop by the Brooks Brothers, not a flagship store by any means but occasional good deals. I hate the Saks at Polaris and the Nordies at Easton has turned to crap (at least compared to other locations I have been to around the country). In Grandview visit Jeni's (try the goat cheese and fig ice cream) and Stauff's Coffee. The Wexner Center for the Arts on campus is excellent, as is the Columbus Museum of Art. I agree with catching gallery hop in the Short North of you can. I have never been a big Bodega fan. Some love it but it is a young crowd - not big for the over 30 set and the waitresses are bit%^#s. Last time I was in there I walked out without ordering. Second the North Market. If you like pastries you might want to stop by Mozart's in Clintonville. There used to be many more good places to shop but they were run out by chains years ago. The short north became far less interesting since they chased away all the hookers and homeless - don't you love gentrification? CVS stores and condos on every corner.

+100 The Refectory is relatively expensive (though the bistro and a lot of their "special" menus are more affordable), but the service is the best I've ever experienced. I took my wife there for the first time this year (after 6 years of me building it up to her) and it held up completely. I've been to a pretty wide variety of restaurants in small towns, big cities and everything in between and the Refectory is my favorite anywhere. The food's very much my preferred style. One warning, I've heard for several people that the Bistro menu isn't nearly as good as the regular dinner menu (I've only ever had the regular menu). If you can swing 75+ per person it's very much worth it. The Burgundy Room on High St. is fun (if it's still open). A little pretentious/pricey, but I went there the night I proposed to my wife and really enjoyed it. I'd second the recommendation for the Tinder Box at Easton if you're into cigars. Great place and really nice staff. Hell, I love Easton in general. COSI is fun, though it was better in the old location. Definitely don't miss North Market and Jeni's. Especially Jeni's. (try the salted caramel)