Friday Food Bites: Combustion Brewing opens in Clintonville, Ray Ray’s Granville changing up

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

• Combustion Brewery is set to celebrate the grand opening of its new Clintonville location on Saturday, Aug. 13. The Pickerington-based brewery took over the former Lineage Brewing space at 2971 N. High St. The brewery will open with 22 beers and ciders on tap, as well as cans and growlers to-go. Light snacks will be offered at the bar, and customers can order food from local restaurants.
• Ray Ray’s Meat + Three in Granville shared this week that it has switched to offering the standard Ray Ray’s Hog Pit menu for carryout only until September. Owner Jamie Anderson said the switch comes as a response to the demands the dine-in meat and three concept put on the Ray Ray’s team. The barbecue spot also teased on social media this week that a new location is coming soon.
• A&R Creative restaurant group is converting the former Crest Parsons into a new concept, the Mercury Diner. The breakfast and lunch spot is set to open sometime this fall.
• Zen Bee Meadery has begun soft opening its new taproom at 480 E. Wilson Bridge Rd. in Worthington on Fridays and Saturdays from 4-8 p.m. Guests can purchase meads and enjoy tastings.
• The Pit BBQ Grille will be returning to the Budd Dairy Food Hall’s Hatch rotating kitchen starting Tuesday, Aug. 16.
• The Bethel location of Bravo Italian Kitchen reopened this week. It had been closed since April of this year after an extensive fire.
• A new cafe called Simply Honest Cafe opened at 567 E. Livingston Ave. It serves breakfast and lunch, with menu items like sandwiches and wraps, bagels, parfaits, bowls, soups, a kid’s menu, and more.
• The Peach Cobbler Factory is set to open a location in Columbus starting this fall. Based in Nashville, the chain is known for its cobblers, cinnamon rolls, and banana puddings.
• Portillo’s, the Chicago-based chain known for Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, is planning to expand into Ohio, including locations in Columbus, in 2023.
• Kitchen of Life, a new culinary arts program for teenagers that combines entrepreneurship, mental health, and good nutrition, debuted last week. The program offers culinary classes and training, and is located in the former Bexley Premier Restaurant space at 2525 E. Main St.
• Smokehouse Brewing announced this week that it has paused open hours due to staffing issues.

This week I’m also writing:

• Tips for Traveling Amtrak’s Southwest Chief
• Lou Mitchell’s: A Classic Chicago Diner

Want to keep up with more? Follow me on Instagram at @breakfastwithnick, check out the news archives, search for travel inspiration, explore the breakfast map, or…