The Best New Restaurants In Columbus (October 2026)
Posted
Chelsea Wiley (via Columbus Navigator)
There’s always something new and delicious to try in Columbus.
September brought the Rishi Sushi team back downtown with SAGE, and Bristol Republic came back from a year away with a new home at Bridge Park. The Short North got a Detroit-style pizza shop, and three brothers opened a New York slice counter by campus the day before. Bethel Road picked up a Hunan kitchen that takes orders until 1 a.m., and the family behind Cilantro Latin Fusion opened a Colombian and Venezuelan bakery near Polaris. Further down the list you’ll find a bookstore with a bar in Old Worthington and a dog-friendly yard in Bexley.
We update this guide every month and re-check that every spot is still open.
Sudhir Dubey and chef David Kim opened Rishi Sushi together in 2014, and SAGE is their first new restaurant together since. It opened September 25 in the North Third Street room Rishi left behind. The menu starts with Asian-inspired nachos, crab rangoon, gochujang chicken wings and miso salmon, then moves on to teriyaki chicken and udon. Hours are short for now, 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Bristol Republic moved out of its original Short North home and reopened September 10 at Bridge Park, still built around live music. Chef Greg Roy runs the open kitchen, with smoked brisket, Texas-style ribs, steaks and stone-fired pizzas. A new bar and lounge called The Saddle Club sits inside, and weekend brunch runs 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The first Bristol opened in the Short North in 2019.
K Vida took over the East Fifth Avenue room that Zaftig Brew Pub left behind, and it opened in early September. The kitchen calls itself modern Mexican, with quesabirria tacos, birria ramen, pork belly guacamole and steak fundido, and it wanders farther south for ropa vieja and mofongo. Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until midnight Friday and Saturday, and until 10 p.m. Sunday.
Ryan Murphy has a Detroit-style slice tattooed on his neck, which tells you how he feels about the style. He and longtime friend Ken Shick opened Black Pony on September 17 on North High Street, and customers nearly ate through the supply during opening weekend. The five house pizzas are named for Kentucky Derby winners. It’s carryout only for now, open 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Brothers Remy, Jordan and Jarod Adkins opened Honey Boy on September 16 inside Eupouria, the self-serve beer bar at the South Campus Gateway, as a tribute to their late father. The pies are New York style, 18 inches, sold whole or by the slice. The Honey Boy pie layers red sauce, pepperoni, whipped garlic ricotta and hot honey, and the sides run to garlic knots and zeppole with a sweet ricotta dip.
Location: 1568 N. High St., Columbus (inside Eupouria)
Hunan Bistro moved into the Bethel Center Mall space K House left, and it’s a rare Columbus kitchen still taking orders at midnight. Owners Sarah Cai and David Mei are from Hunan province, and the menu builds on Cai’s family recipes, spicy wok dishes plus more than 30 skewers grilled to order over coals, from lamb and beef to squid and quail eggs. The family has run restaurants in Cincinnati, Middletown and Chicago. Open 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. every day but Tuesday.
Mezze closed its North Hamilton Road shop in August after 15 years, and Cedar Mediterranean Grill had the lights back on by September 8. The format carries over, customizable bowls and pita wraps, with hummus and spicy feta on the side and baklava after. Open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: 5326 N. Hamilton Rd., Columbus
Valencia Bakery
About:
The Muñoz family opened Cilantro Latin Fusion on Sawmill Road in 2023, and on September 12 they opened Valencia Bakery in a former Subway in a retail strip near Polaris Fashion Place. Empanadas lead the case, with fried plantains and savory sandwiches behind them, and the drink list covers lattes, matcha, cold brew and fruit refreshers. Open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: 8675 Sancus Blvd., Columbus
Braseros Bar & Grill
About:
Braseros Bar & Grill started seating guests the week of September 14 in The Commons at Hamilton Quarter, the retail strip built in 2024 on Old Hamilton Road near Gahanna and New Albany. It’s family-owned, cooks over an open flame and works from recipes handed down through three generations. The menu runs past 50 items, burritos and tacos through tamales and nachos. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Park Service Coffee started as a trailer in the summer of 2021 and had been inside Woodhouse Vegan since late 2022, until that cafe closed this summer. On September 25 it reopened as a daytime cafe on the ground floor of Metsi’s, with the same espresso bar and a short grab-and-go menu from the Metsi’s kitchen, including a mortadella sandwich on house-made sourdough focaccia and zeppole ricotta donuts. Open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Enchantea closed its Bethel Road shop for three months and reopened September 25 as Enchantea 2.0, built around matcha from a 6,270-acre farm in Yunnan that the owners began developing four years ago. The daytime menu adds tea-based desserts and gelato, and from 5 p.m. Tea After Dark pours 13 tea-centered cocktails. Open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
Location: 811 Bethel Rd., Columbus
The Whispering Page
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Sisters-in-law Ashley and Devin McCoy opened The Whispering Page on September 3 in the old Worthington Hardware building on North High Street, next to Old Bag of Nails Pub. It’s a two-story bookstore with a bar, so you can read over a glass of wine. The counter pours Florin Coffee alongside pastries from local bakeries. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
El Burrito Bowl had just opened in the small plaza where East Wilson Bridge Road meets Huntley Road, next to Golden China Express, when Experience Worthington wrote it up on September 4. The menu is extensive for a counter-service room, with enchiladas, tortas, a chimichanga dinner and carnitas, plus quesabirria tacos and birria ramen. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday.
The Lion opened in 2024 as Bexley’s first cocktail bar, and co-owner Mike Davis says customers have been asking for outdoor space ever since. So the bar leased the empty lot across the street, at the southwest corner of Cassingham and Main, and opened it as Bexley Yard on September 5 with a grand opening the following Saturday. Dogs are welcome, and drinks are allowed under the city’s DORA.
Bakes By Lo spent six years as a stall inside Center Street Market, and on September 12 it held the grand opening of a standalone shop a few blocks away on Main Street in Old Hilliard. The new shop is bigger, and the custom cookies and cakes are still the draw.
Justin Boehme ran Da Levee in the Short North from 2010 to 2018, and Jam Jam is his way back into Cajun cooking. The food truck took a permanent kitchen inside Sweet Harmony Canal, the live music bar in Canal Winchester, on September 23. Jambalaya, gumbo, po’ boys and the Jam burrito lead the menu, plus Jam pies with fillings like pepperoni and jambalaya. Hours start at 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Location: 30 Liberty St., Canal Winchester (inside Sweet Harmony Canal)
John Cordas, co-owner of Shorty’s Pizza, and business partner Mike Barker opened Hallihan’s on September 14 in the downtown Delaware space that was 12 West until 2020 and Lazy Dawg after that. Barker’s family name is Hallihan, and photos of his relatives hang inside. The menu keeps to Irish classics with a twist, shepherd’s pie and boxty, with fish and chips as the flagship and a house tartar sauce with a little Cajun heat. The second floor runs as a sports lounge with two 75-inch TVs. Open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. the other days.
Manila Bakery ran as a pickup-only operation for almost a year before opening its first storefront on August 2. Owners Walter and Ana Diaz lean hard into ube, from ube pandesal and ube crinkles to ube macapuno slices and ube ensaymada, with classic pandesal and savory siopao rounding out the case. Batches regularly sell out later in the day, so go early.
Ace of Cups owner Conor Stratton went full 1970s for his second bar, which debuted August 14 at the corner of Fifth and Summit in Weinland Park. The room is vintage-inspired down to the details, and the cocktail list matches the era.
The original Block’s Bagels recipe is back in its longtime home. Anything Bagel opened August 14 in the McNaughten Center space where Block’s baked for decades. Owner T.J. Burkheart got the Block family’s blessing to use the original recipes and kept on a third-generation baker whose father baked for Block’s. The menu adds breakfast and deli sandwiches, and a rotating Bake It Forward bagel sends part of each week’s proceeds to a local cause. Open daily 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MCrema set up its counter inside Chuchay’s Supermarket on West Dublin Granville Road in mid-August, the second new Filipino bakery to land in Columbus within weeks. Ube cakes, ube flan, sylvannas, and ensaymada anchor the lineup, with halo-halo for the drive home.
OX-B’s, the chicken wings, sandwiches and wraps operation that got its start in a Newark storage container, opened its Sawmill Road shop on August 20. The strip mall neighbors include Dulce Vida Ice Cream and Los Guachos Taqueria.
Country singer Chase Rice brought Welcome To The Farm to the first floor of Good Night John Boy, soft opening August 22 ahead of an August 27 grand opening. The Short North room is the brand’s third location after Cleveland and Florida. Country DJs and live acts handle the music, and the bar leans hard on bourbon. The food comes from Gahanna’s Sexton’s Burger Bar.
Joey and Jamie Sexton of Sexton’s Pizza opened their thin-crust spot in the Rambler complex on August 26. The name comes from the frico, the crisped cheese crust that rings each pan-baked pie. The 16-inch bar pies come cut into New York-style wedges, Columbus-thin but with an East Coast chew. The small storefront adjoins the sports bar Victory Lap and serves it too.
Location: 200 W. Lane Ave., Columbus
Sugar
Photo by Allix Newport, courtesy of Sugar Restaurant & Bar.
About:
One Hospitality reopened the former Howl at the Moon space as Sugar on August 27. The two-floor, agave-forward restaurant and bar covers Latin and Mediterranean flavors, with a patio built around cabanas and fire pits. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch on weekends.
The pizza case at Mikey’s original Short North shop.
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One month after Grandview, the local late-night pizza chain opened at Polaris on August 28, this time in the Galaxy complex on Ikea Way. There’s a full-service bar and a Saucy Bar, plus a drink program called Slushies and Lushies. Hours run limited for the first stretch, with the chain’s usual late-night schedule coming once the shop settles in.
Messobe took over the former Nile Vegan space on Goodale Boulevard, the first restaurant for a family that’s half Ethiopian and half Sudanese. The Ethiopian side covers the classic wats and tibs, and the Sudanese side shows up at breakfast with ful medames and a fiery tuna dip called tuna silsi. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Skillet’s old room on East Whittier Street has a new tenant. Becker Nezballa opened The BeckFast Place there in late August as a breakfast and lunch counter, burritos and bagel sandwiches, with the steak-and-egg and Baja burritos the early favorites while the menu fills out. Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day but Tuesday.
Prime Street Food held its grand opening August 28 as a late-night takeout counter inside Italian Village Market on Summit Street, a joint project of Harrison’s Food Truck and Boss Eatz. Everything is halal, and the menu jumps around, Indian-inspired rice bowls, gyros, loaded fries and tacos. It runs 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Location: 1041 Summit St., Columbus (inside Italian Village Market)
, soft-opening July 3 ahead of a July 10 grand opening. The bagels run from Plain and Everything to Oreo and Cheddar Habanero. The schmear case is deeper, with more than 20 house-made cream cheeses, including Black Truffle, Cannoli, Maple Bacon, and one called Cookie Monster.
The Reynoldsburg café billed as Ohio’s first Filipino coffee shop opened its second location over the July 4 weekend, this one in Linworth with room for about 30 people inside plus outdoor seating. Same ube lattes and matcha drinks, open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. A third shop followed in mid-September at 1333 N. High St. near campus.
Location: 2285 W. Dublin Granville Rd., Suites 124–125, Worthington
Indiana-based Jeff’s Donuts started welcoming customers at its first Ohio shop on July 6 and held the grand opening on July 8. It sells hand-crafted donuts 24 hours a day, every day of the week. It’s the chain’s eighth location and the first run by franchisees, local couple Jeff and Shelia Runkle.
Columbus officially has a third conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Saikou Revolving Sushi held its soft opening on July 7, and the plates are already rolling. Co-owned by Allen Chen and his son Kevin, the concept lets diners grab freshly prepared sushi plates as they pass by on a conveyor belt. In addition to sushi, the menu covers ramen and a range of other Japanese dishes.
The Indonesian owners of Buckeye Hibachi soft-opened this two-in-one concept on July 7, pairing a hibachi menu with more than 30 Indonesian dishes. A sister spot, Nusantara Indo Kitchen, is slated to open in Clintonville.
Location: 3512 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Columbus
Kabuli Pulao
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This family-run truck has been parked on Sawmill Road since July 8, cooking Afghanistan’s most famous dish from recipes passed down through the family. Beyond the namesake kabuli pulao, the made-to-order menu covers kebabs, shawarma, burgers, traditional milk tea, and homemade desserts.
Location: 6547 Sawmill Rd., Dublin
Amara
About:
The most visible restaurant space in Columbus is back in business after sitting dark since Milestone 229 closed. Amara, Josh Dalton’s Mediterranean concept,
on the Scioto Mile with 65 seats inside and another 65 on that famous patio, plus valet parking. Dinner only to start, Tuesday through Saturday, with lunch service planned by the end of summer.
The West Side institution that has been cutting Columbus-style pies since 1959 held the grand opening of its second location on July 10, taking over the former Santino’s space near Hollywood Casino. Fourth-generation family ownership, same square-cut pizza.
The bakery behind those viral dot cakes opened its second location on July 18, behind an unmissable pink brick facade in Grandview. The cases stock cupcakes, cookies, macarons, and tiramisu brownies; owner Riley Harris, who trained under pastry chefs in London’s Notting Hill, is keeping custom cake orders at the original Dillmont Drive shop for now.
Colombian street-food chain Mango Biche Mia opened its first Ohio outpost in late July on the lower level of Polaris Fashion Place. The menu is built for snacking, with mangonada and fresh fruit bowls alongside a long list of smoothies.
Modern Indian restaurant Tabla opened in late July on Morse Road with a full bar and a running schedule of live Bollywood music nights. Lunch runs Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with dinner service from 4:30 to 10 p.m.
Columbus’s homegrown late-night pizza chain planted its eleventh location on Grandview Avenue with a grand opening on July 31. This one comes with a full bar, a Saucy Bar, a slushie bar, and a patio, and it stays open until 2:30 a.m. most nights, 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Location: 1312 Grandview Ave., Grandview Heights
614 Pizza
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South Side newcomer 614 Pizza held its grand opening on July 31, with owner Mohammad Arman handing out chances at five $500 cash prizes to opening-day customers. The menu covers pizza, baked wings, garlic fingers, and desserts, with takeout and delivery daily from noon to 8 p.m.
After several months of renovations, The Daily Growler’s South High Street location has reopened as The Daily Etcetera. The reimagined German Village destination blends the neighborhood feel of The Daily Growler with the cocktail-forward approach of The Daily Bar, featuring craft beer, specialty cocktails, citywide specials, Kolache Republic offerings, and five unique patio spaces. The refreshed concept officially welcomed guests on June 19.
After nearly two years of pop-ups and planning, The Shapeshifter officially opened in Franklinton on June 17. The cocktail bar comes from Theo Lentz, who launched it after the closure of Mouton. It runs on a rotating theme, with menus that change to match. Show up twice and expect two different bars.
Tarek Albast, the founder of Habibi Grill, opened this Mediterranean stall inside the Little Grand Market food hall on June 16, taking over the spot that housed For the Love of Dough. The format is customizable bowls and pita wraps: rice or lettuce base, then chicken or beef shawarma, lamb, falafel, or grilled shrimp.
Location: 710 Grandview Crossing Way, Columbus (inside Little Grand Market)
Family-owned Beirut Bitez officially opened its Dublin restaurant on June 15, bringing fresh, made-from-scratch Lebanese cuisine to Central Ohio. Operated by the Azzam family, who also run the popular Taste of Greece & Mediterranean food truck, the fast-casual concept specializes in customizable bowls, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and halal-friendly options.
Red Bao Kitchen officially launched its delivery and takeout operation on June 15 after previewing the concept during the Columbus Arts Festival. Founded by first-generation Southern Chinese immigrant Alicia Long, the ghost kitchen serves handmade steamed bao, matcha drinks, and family-inspired recipes built around fresh ingredients. Customers can order online for delivery or curbside pickup. A first storefront followed on August 8 in the Polaris Fashion Place food court.
The walk-up matcha bar attached to Fukuryu Ramen in Bridge Park opened a second window at Fukuryu’s Upper Arlington location on June 13. The full matcha lineup made the trip, along with taiyaki and butter-teok. There are retail matcha tins too.
Location: 1600 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington (at Fukuryu Ramen)
From Bala and Priya Somakandan, the owners of CoccoKay Bites Biriyani Express, this Indian and Sri Lankan café opened June 10 in Powell. It serves dosas up to 4 feet long, plus European-style cakes and avocado boba tea.
The newest vendor at Center Street Market inside Crooked Can Brewing opened June 10, turning out made-to-order dumplings, noodles, bao, and rice bowls for the Hilliard food hall crowd.
Location: 5354 Center St., Hilliard (inside Center Street Market)
Grandview has a new breakfast destination. Louisville-based Biscuit Belly opened its first Ohio location on June 2 in the former Hot Chicken Takeover space. Known for its made-from-scratch Southern-style biscuits, the restaurant serves biscuit sandwiches, breakfast favorites, coffee, and brunch dishes. The growing chain first launched in Kentucky in 2019 and has plans for additional Ohio locations in the future.
A new seafood and barbecue concept has officially opened inside North Market Bridge Park, taking over the former COLO Market & Oyster Bar space. BBQ & The Pier combines fresh oysters, fish and chips, fried shrimp, and coastal-inspired seafood dishes with approachable barbecue favorites, creating a menu that bridges land and sea. The concept comes from two hospitality veterans: Holy Crepes owner Enis Ndreu and Elvis Lloshi, who previously helped lead operations at Iron Grill.
A new coffee concept has opened inside Cordial, the Victorian Village cocktail club formerly known as The Bottle Shop, on King Avenue. Palomino Coffee Shop is serving espresso drinks, matcha, chai, and rotating seasonal specialties in a cozy, neighborhood-focused setting. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the café gives the cocktail bar a daytime life of its own. The menu runs from solid espresso staples to specialty lattes like miso caramel and orange creamsicle.
Not a brand-new spot, but a very welcome return. Mezcla officially reopened on June 5 after several months closed following a vehicle crash that forced a temporary shutdown. The Italian Village favorite is bringing back its acclaimed Latin American small plates and cocktails just in time for summer.
Huli Huli Tiki Lounge has expanded with a new Downtown Columbus location, bringing tropical cocktails and island-inspired vibes to East Mound Street. The new space is the first tiki bar to open Downtown since 2019 and joins the restaurant’s original Powell location. Guests can expect a mix of signature drinks and menu favorites, along with location-specific offerings, all served in a carefully designed space filled with custom carvings, artwork, and Polynesian-inspired decor.
After years of anticipation, Wolf’s Ridge has officially opened its new concept inside the historic Worthington Inn. The restaurant blends the charm of the longtime space with a fresh menu of approachable, chef-driven tavern fare. Guests can expect everything from comforting lunch staples to refined dinner dishes, all served in a setting that honors the building’s legacy while bringing new energy to the neighborhood.
Soul 2 Go is continuing its Central Ohio expansion with a new express location in Gahanna. The menu keeps the brand’s signature soul food front and center: bourbon chicken, jerk chicken, and the classic sides, served from a streamlined space designed for carryout, delivery, and quick dine-in visits. Same bold flavors, quicker turnaround.
A new food truck from the team behind McGinnis’ Grill is rolling into the scene. Great Glizzies made its debut with a pop-up in Upper Arlington, serving creative loaded hot dogs. Expect loaded all-beef dogs with fries and corn nuggets on the side, and a schedule that hops between local breweries.
Location:
Various locations (check social media for schedule)
The popular Venezuelan food truck Mordisco is expanding with a second location at Barrel & Bloom in Linworth. Known for its arepas, empanadas, and flavorful breakfast dishes, the family-run concept now pairs its menu with a hybrid coffee shop and bar setting. Whether you stop by for a morning bite or an afternoon snack, it’s a delicious new way to experience one of the city’s standout food trucks.
experience is landing in Columbus. Umi Hotpot Sushi & Seafood Buffet serves more than 200 dishes daily, including snow crab legs, lobster, sashimi, hot pot, ramen, and even butter-baked whole crab. It’s a fast-casual setup with serious variety, perfect for anyone who wants a little bit of everything on their plate. This is the chain’s first Ohio location, and it’s bringing big buffet energy with it.
Now open in Powell, Hoseki Sushi and Grill is serving up fresh sushi, ramen, and a welcoming neighborhood vibe. The space leans cozy and relaxed, making it just as good for a casual lunch as for a laid-back dinner. The menu works as well for a quick lunch roll as it does for a long dinner spread of rolls and noodles.
The long-vacant Worthington space that once housed Natalie’s Pizza is finally alive again. Fired Up Pizza is led by former Cameron Mitchell Restaurants executive chef Michael Rice. Along with their pizzas, you’ll find a deli-style setup stocked with Italian classics like lasagna, manicotti, meatballs, fresh pastas, and cured meats and cheeses. It’s part pizzeria, part neighborhood market.
A familiar Grandview favorite has a fresh new look. The Hive Coffee & Cafe is the reimagined version of Basic Biscuits, Kindness & Coffee, complete with a renovated space and an expanded menu. The same heart is still there, but now with more options, longer hours, and a new name to match the updated vibe. Stop in for breakfast, then come back at lunch.
The space that once held Gallo’s on High is stepping into its next chapter with Allora Kitchen & Bar. The new concept keeps the spirit of the original with a refreshed menu and a slightly new direction. Expect a mix of familiar favorites alongside new dishes, plus a welcoming atmosphere that still feels like a neighborhood go-to.
Have fun exploring the city’s new restaurants this month. Be sure to tag us on Instagram (@columbusnavigator). We can’t wait to hear about your adventures.
