Friday Food Bites: January 21, 2022

Image courtesy facebook.com/understorycbus

There’s always a lot happening in the Columbus restaurant world! Here’s the latest:

• Wolf’s Ridge Brewing’s new concept Understory opens today at 2571 Neil Ave. in Old North. The restaurant, lounge, and event space is part of Open Air Columbus, a collection of businesses in the old Open Air School. It includes a forthcoming second location of Emmett’s Cafe.
• Andy Luck of Luck Bros Coffee announced last week that, while he’ll continue roasting and wholesaling coffee, he won’t reopen his Grandview coffee shop. Instead Boston Stoker Coffee will be taking over the retail space, to reopen sometime this winter.
• North Country Charcuterie was one of three Ohio businesses, and the only one from Columbus, that won a 2022 Good Food Award. They earned the honors for their Herbed Wagyu Bresaola.
• Cafe Napolitana downtown has completed its move around the corner to 51 E. Gay St. and a renaming to Aracri on Gay.
• Columbus Monthly broke the news this week that the owners of Chapman’s Eat Market will open a cocktail bar and jazz lounge called Ginger Rabbit at 17 Buttles Ave. The basement space was previously home to Kingmakers board game parlor.
• Local restaurateur Brian Swanson will open a new concept, the Worthington Tavern, at 671 High St., former site of The Half Pint.
• Cherry Valley Hotel in Newark announced the reopening of its centerpiece restaurant, the Craftsman Kitchen & Terrace. The kitchen at Craftsman is now headed up my chef Craig Bigham. The eatery joins The Lobby bar, a small coffee/breakfast counter, and a taproom operated by Homestead Beer Co.
• (614) Magazine‘s Restaurant Week returns next week, Jan. 24-29. Participating local restaurants are offering prix fixe menus at $20-40/per person.
• 1487 Brewery in Plain City is teaming up with chef Matt Heaggans to produce a six-course Valentine’s Day beer pairing dinner on Feb. 12 and 13. You can get tickets here!

This week I’m also writing:

• A guide to dining local at Polaris
• How to Do Winter Well (Columbus Monthly)
• The Worthington Farmers Market moves indoor to the mall (Experience Worthington)

Want to keep up with more? Follow me on Instagram at @breakfastwithnick, check out the news archives, follow our Current Cravings, or…