It’s Saturday at 11 in the morning and I can hear the rush of traffic pass by outside of my window. The blaring sirens of an ambulance wizz by and I find myself slowly opening my eyes to the daylight that streams in. Living in a city has changed my view of the world around me quite a lot. To go from quiet, quaint, small-town life to bustling, noisy, charged city-life is an exhilarating experience.
There’s so much that goes into a place to make it feel like home, whether it’s the place you wake up every morning, or the place you went to school and fell in love, or the place where your most cherished memories were held. I have a long list of places that feel like home to me. The place I was born, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. The place where I experienced so much happiness in such a short amount of time, Big Sur, California. Then there’s the place that I call my home, the place where I grew up, where I’m going to school, and where I spend my weekends exploring. Also the place with an artsy city center, crafty marketplaces, and innovative restaurants. Here’s to 24 hours spent exploring some of the best places to eat in Columbus, Ohio.
A Place For Your Morning Coffee: Fox in the Snow Cafe
As a person who goes through phases of loving coffee and hating coffee, it takes a lot for me to really love a coffee shop. Columbus is home to some really cozy, artsy cafes that are the perfect places for brunch, study dates, and a quick coffee run. My all time favorite is Fox in the Snow Cafe. Located in Columbus’s Italian Village, this cafe is a hipster’s paradise. A grey exterior and interior lined with plants and walls covered in sky high windows make this place cozy and aesthetically satisfying all at once. During my first time visiting this coffee shop I immediately had the thought that this would be the perfect place for a wedding reception.
On my recent visit, I went with a friend. We sat down at one of the wooden tables, me with a cafe latte and a apple strudel, and her with a hot chocolate and coffee cake, and caught up with each other’s lives. The menu is diverse, with every type of coffee possible available for the drinking. The sweets and treats change daily, but I highly recommend the apply pastry and the coffee cake. My two favorites.
A Place for Pizza: Blaze Pizza
Located in the heart of campus, Blaze pizza is the perfect quick pizza stop. In a create your own fashion, this pizza place is perfect for a pre-game meal or a late night dinner with friends. As someone who eats a healthy, vegetarian diet, I am a fan of create your own style restaurants. I also highly recommend them to those of you who follow healthy, plant-based, and vegan/vegetarian diets. This way, you are able to create your food the way you want and you know exactly what you are eating. In case you were wondering, my usual pizza toppings are mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, banana peppers, and artichokes. I am a huge veggie pizza lover and it is my go to comfort food.
A Place for the Best Tacos: Condado Tacos
Walk in and see the graffiti covered walls, the unique decor, and the filled bar. Smell the scent of sweet spices, juicy meat, and delicious nachos. This is a place that one can find me at weekly. Condado Tacos is by far my favorite Columbus restaurant. I have always been a big lover of mexican food, but it’s hard to find a good, cheap mexican restaurant that’s not Chipotle (which I don’t even know if that counts as Mexican??). Condados is all three of those things. With another create your own menu and three dollar tacos, how could you not love this place? The menu is designed to suit people with all different diets. Start of your meal with the guacamole (trust me, it’s the best) and end with the most delicious tacos. If you’re really feeling hungry, add in the nachos (I usually substitute the chicken for tofu or barbeque jackfruit). The environment at Condados is always upbeat and lively, making it the perfect place for a date or a hang out with friends.
A Place for Sweet Treats: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
If you have visited Columbus before, you have probably heard of Jeni’s ice cream. It’s definitely one of the pride and joys of the Columbus food scene. Handcrafted ice cream with a magnitude of diverse, unique flavors makes this a must stop for the city. The best location (in my opinion) is at North Market due to the fun vibe and the perfect stopping ground for ice cream. You must try the signature salty caramel flavor but I also encourage you to try many of the others. A few of my favorites include: Pear Sorbet, Dairy-Free Salted Caramel, and Frose.
