Gallerie Bar & Bistro (Facebook / T: @gallerie614 / IG: @galleriebarbistro)
401 N. High St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 484-5827
Open Mon-Thurs, 6:30a-10p; Fri, 6:30a-11p; Sat, 7a-11p; Sun, 7a-10p (bfast served Mon-Fri, 6:30-11a; Sat & Sun, 7a-12p)
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y
Visited: Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 9 a.m.
During our recent staycation at the Hilton Downtown Columbus, we finished out the visit with a lovely Saturday brunch at the Gallerie Bar & Bistro. We had enjoyed a meal at the Gallerie the night before (and have been previously for dinner), but this was our first time at brunch.
The Gallerie is located on the second floor of the hotel, up the wide, curving wooden staircase from the lobby.
The spacious restaurant is situated at the base of the open courtyard, so in the morning you’re treated to a flood of natural light. It was interesting to compare the atmosphere and decor from the night before. Attention is paid to the smallest details, including colorful curtains that close off the wine racks.
There are multiple dining rooms as well as rows of smaller tables and more intimate booths, although with the open ceilings they all flow together easily.
When breakfasting at the Bistro, you have the option of ordering a la carte or choosing between a continental breakfast or a full breakfast buffet with omelet bar.
The presentation of the buffet echoes the standards set by lunch, dinner, and the a la carte brunch menu. In lieu of chafing dishes, for instance, some items are served in giant cast iron skillets.
The buffet selection is wide and varied, and includes baked goods and drinks in addition to hot items.
While the buffet looked great, the a la carte menu was just too inviting, so we gravitated toward coffee and a couple dishes to split. The easy pick for me was the chicken and waffles.
And for Mrs. Breakfast w/Nick it was the eggs benedict.
As we’d come to expect from our dinners at the Gallerie, the brunch dishes are thoughtful and very well executed. Both the benedict and the chicken and waffles – fairly common brunch items – were given creative touches that really set them apart. The chicken, for instance, was a buttermilk fried chicken – wonderfully juicy and just what you’d expect from the kitchen of Chef Bill Glover. But then there’s the sage waffles and the hot sauce aioli, an herbal touch with a bit of heat, to offset the sweet candied pecans and maple syrup. All told, it’s up there with the best chicken and waffles I’ve had.
Same for that benedict: artfully executed with a perfectly poached egg and hollandaise, a soft English muffin, and easy-to-slice shaved ham (I’ll take that over a thick Canadian bacon any day). And then there was a lovely side of roasted vegetables.
We walked away from that brunch – and the whole visit at the hotel – both pleasantly full and content. The wonderfully put-together brunch is further proof of the skill of Chef Glover and his team at the Gallerie, and we’re looking forward to heading there again soon.
Disclaimer: brunch was provided by the Hilton and the Gallerie Bar & Bistro. Opinions and photos are our own.
