There’s a lot happening in the Columbus restaurant world – here’s the latest!
- The big news – at least for me and my world – Rick Hahn, the owner of Nancy’s Home Cooking, shared this week that the diner will close at its home in Clintonville on March 8. Nancy’s has been in that location since 1968; it was operated for most of those years by Cindy King. It closed in 2009 because of Cindy’s declining health and because it needed serious renovations, but the community rallied around it to help it re-open the next year, under the leadership of Sheila Hahn, Cindy’s niece. Sheila and Cindy passed in 2012, and Rick, Sheila’s husband, has kept the diner running since. But there is light: Rick said their plan is to move from Clintonville into the old Jack’s Diner space downtown. Coincidentally, Jack’s had also been open in that space since 1968; it closed late last year.
- Alchemy Juice Bar announced that it’s launching a new meal delivery service and will open a cafe called Alchemy Bake Shop at 2701 Indianola Ave. in Clintonville
- A new night club and restaurant, Palmas Tropical Escape, soft opens today at 46 N. High St. downtown
- Plant-based taco joint Village Taco opens in the old Tatohead’s Public House/Hal & Al’s space at 1297 Parsons Ave.
- A&R Creative’s Fourth Street Bar & Grill has been renovated and rebranded Fourth Street Taproom & Kitchen. It’s located at 1810 N. Fourth St.
- A location of the chain Wing Snob opens today, Feb. 7, at 7370 Sawmill Rd. in Dublin
- A franchise of the St. Augustine, Florida-based The Spice & Tea Exchange opened yesterday inside Polaris Fashion Place
- As a reminder, Kolache Republic will close its doors this coming Saturday, Feb. 8.
And lots of events!
- This weekend, Feb. 7-9, Ray Ray’s Hog Pit and Fetty’s Street Food are collaborating on a special Thai sausage, Fetty’s Sai Oua, available at the Ace of Cups and Land-Grant locations
- Nocterra Brewing celebrates its first anniversary on Saturday, Feb. 8 from 5-9 p.m. with special beer releases
- The Table hosts a Valentine’s Day pop-up shop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8
This week I’m also writing:
- Breakfast at Clifton Mill
- Florin Coffee Brings Cafe to North Linden (Columbus Monthly)
- Great Hotel Restaurants in Columbus (Experience Columbus)
- Cleveland Chef Jonathon Sawyer Brings Live-Fire Cooking to Columbus (Ohio.org)
- Nocterra Brewing Co., Powell (Ohio Magazine)
- Date Night (and Day) Experiences in Worthington (Experience Worthington)
And the fifth video in my interview series with local food-makers is up! Get to know Matt Heaggans of Ambrose & Eve and Preston’s Burgers:
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