Happy Friday! Here’s the latest Columbus restaurant news:
- Austin, Texas-based Torchy’s Tacos announced that they are closing their two remaining stores in central Ohio and exiting the central Ohio market completely. They closed their first local store near Polaris last August, and the Dublin and New Albany/Gahanna shops will close on Feb. 3.
- Mezcla modern Mexican restaurant in Italian Village is temporarily closed after a car crashed into their front door last week. The owners have launched a GoFundMe in support of their employees while the restaurant is shuttered.
- Yogi’s Bar & Grill is continuing to expand with the announcement of a New Albany location at 5571 N. Hamilton Rd. This would make its fifth location overall, joining two in Dublin, one in Grandview, and one on the Northwest side.
- A new coffee shop called Al Sindabad Cafe is coming soon to Hilliard. An exact address hasn’t been revealed yet, but the shop serves coffee, waffles, shakes, and other treats.
- Speaking of coffee, the veteran-owned SGT Coffee has officially opened up its shop inside The Well, at 140 N. High St. in Gahanna.
- Multiple sources have reported that an Indonesian restaurant called Nusantara Indo Kitchen Indonesian restaurant is coming to 3250 N. High St. in Clintonville later this year. That location was the long-time home of Down Memory Lane antique store, which closed after 37 years in business in early 2025.
Some great culinary events!
- GoreMade Pizza in Italian Village is hosting a grand re-opening party this weekend, Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, in celebration of a revamp of their menus. They’re also raising funds for one of their employees who is navigating breast cancer recovery.
- The next edition of the Souper Heroes fundraiser takes place this Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Worthington mall, coinciding with the Worthington Farmers Market. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., guests can sample soups brought by local food bloggers and other volunteers, while donating to the Worthington Resource Pantry.
- The latest round of USA Today’s 10 Best awards was announced in the beer category. You can vote for multiple local beer businesses daily here! Central Ohio nominees include Ohio Taproom for Best Beer Bar, Columbus for Best Beer City, Henmick Farm Brewery and Rockmill Brewery for Best Beer Garden, and Barley’s Brewing for Best Brewpub.
This week I’m also writing:
- The Best of Both Worlds at Coffee + Cone at The Mallway
- ER-GE BBQ & Hot Pot Buffet is Becoming One of our Favorites
- It’s a Seafood Extravaganza at El Barco Mexican Restaurant
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