I consider myself very fortunate to have started writing about breakfast in Columbus. When I started the blog in 2007, I had no real sense of Columbus’ culinary landscape aside from some local chains, good pubs and bars around Short North and campus, maybe the odd brewery or two, and some fine dining establishments we couldn’t afford as grad students. Oh, and North Market.
Over the years, though, the city has been building momentum through ice cream, beer, tacos, barbecue, coffee, amazing chefs, farm-to-table dining, culinary tours, festivals, a handful of national awards. And we still get a little huffy when someone from outside the city is so surprised at the Columbus food scene.
Again, I consider myself very fortunate to have started writing in a place with so much going on. Maybe Breakfast With Nick could have worked in another city, but Columbus has been the prime spot for the blog (and by extension the book, the tours, all my other writing) to flourish. There’s so much happening – even just in our breakfast and brunch scene – that at times I can barely keep up.
Columbus has also been the ideal place because of the people. At the restaurants and coffee shops and breweries, at the all the publications, at the marketing companies, at the tour companies – I’ve encountered the most incredible hospitality. People who are passionate about creating something and sharing it with others. I hear the story again and again that Columbus residents are excited for new things, but they’re also good at becoming regulars.
I’m proud to do my small part championing the hard-working baristas, bartenders, brewers, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, marketers – everyone who makes this scene welcoming, lively, and constantly changing.
I pitched this video to Experience Columbus (a hard-working team that promotes Columbus; I blog for them!) and they developed it with Spacejunk Media, featuring yours truly, Kathleen Day from Katalina’s, and Spencer Budros from Pistacia Vera. You can read the campaign highlights here.
Now, get out there and have breakfast!
