<b>Midway Replaces Former Bento Go-Go</b>

By: Walker

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/midway-logo.jpg">

 

<i>Bento Go-Go is no more-more. The former restaurant and bar has been renovated for a new restaurant and bar called Midway on High. The new restaurant comes from the same family of owners, who also own and operate Haiku in the Short North.</i>

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/midway-on-high-replaces-former-bento-go-go

<b>89 Fish & Grill Opens Downtown</b>

By: Walker

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/89grill.jpg">

 

<i>Do you still find yourself mourning the loss of R.J. Snappers in the Short North? Well, mourn no more. Restaurateur Richard Stopper is back in action with the new 89 Fish & Grill, located at 89 East Nationwide Boulevard in the former Michael OTooles space.</i>

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/89-fish-grill-opens-downtown

More about the new 89 Fish & Grill from the Dispatch: Filling the void - New Downtown spot offers mix of classic seafood, fresh fish specials

Medina-based Inferno Gourmet Burger Bar opened its second fast-casual restaurant - its first in Central Ohio - in a Pickerington storefront that once housed a Graffiti Burger.

 

Business First: Hamburger wars flare up anew with arrival of Inferno Gourmet Burger

 

This Week News: How now browned cow? Inferno increases gourmet burger options by one

 

Columbus Alive: Restaurant review: Inferno Burger

 

Hoggy's may be gone but the BBQ lives on...

 

Barbecue restaurant to replace original Hoggy’s in Linworth

By Gary Seman Jr., ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 8:11 AM

 

Gallo’s Pit BBQ will take over the space formerly occupied by the original — but now vacant — Hoggy’s in Linworth, between Dublin and Worthington.

 

Co-founder Nick Gallo said the plan is to have the restaurant opened by the first week of March.  The restaurant, 2234 W. Dublin-Granville Road, is an extension of the Gallo’s barbecue catering service.

 

MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/2012/02/14/barbecue-restaurant-to-replace-origional-hoggys-in-linworth.html

AMC upgrading Lennox, Easton with bar service, dine-in viewing

 

AMC Entertainment Inc. has changes on tap for its two marquee Columbus theaters, including adding bar service at the AMC Lennox Town Center 24 near downtown and bringing dining to its Easton Town Center 30.

 

The Kansas City, Mo.-based movie theater chain has closed off a portion of the lobby at its Lennox movie house for renovations to add a bar and full alcohol service. The 351-theater chain in February was awarded liquor licenses to sell beer, wine and cocktails at the theater.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/03/02/amc-upgrading-movie-experience-with.html

Yogi Perogi bringing fast-casual to Polish staple near Grandview

 

 

Plenty of restaurants ascribe to the practice of picking one thing and doing it well, whether it’s chicken fingers, soups or burgers.

 

John Wagner liked the idea for his eatery near Grandview Heights, but decided to target something less Americana. The focus of Yogi Perogi is pierogies, the stuffed pockets of dough that are a staple of Polish cuisine.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/03/02/yogi-perogi-brings-fast-casual-to.html

Flip Side aims to upend expectations for burgers at Easton

 

 

Central Ohio’s newest hamburger restaurant doesn’t consider itself part of the growing “better burger” wave.

 

Burgers and fries are the specialty of Flip Side, which opened March 4 at Easton Town Center, but with ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, gourmet sauces and house-made prosciutto, plus a menu that includes a ground shrimp burger and a fresh grouper sandwich, the implication isn’t it’s better, rather that it is best.

 

“We’re chef-driven,” said co-owner and chef Shawn Monday, whose background is in fine dining.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/03/09/flip-side-aims-to-upend-expectations.html

Gahanna’s Whiskey Ranch converted to FM All-American Grill, bull included

 

:drunk:

 

Gahanna’s Whiskey Ranch may be gone, but the mechanical bull lives on.

 

FM All-American Bar & Grill opened March 1 at 154 N. Hamilton Road, taking over for the former nightspot with a casual restaurant and bar aiming for a broader clientele.

 

“We wanted an establishment that would appeal to everyone,” said co-owner Jeff Sacchet. “It’s comfortable, great food. Families can come in for lunch and dinner, and at night we’ll have some classic rock ’n’ roll or deejays.”

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/03/09/gahannas-whiskey-ranch-converted-to.html

Rusty Bucket commits to Gahanna for 7th area restaurant

 

 

A local restaurant chain plans to open its seventh area location in a new development catty-corner from Lincoln High School in Gahanna.

 

The Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern will open a 4,535-square-foot restaurant at the Commons at Clark Hall in the fall, the company said in a press release. It will be part of a retail strip that measures more than 23,000 square feet on North Hamilton Road next to the high school’s new Clark Hall annex.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/03/13/rusty-bucket-commits-to-gahanna-for.html

i'm sure not complaining, but man there is just an insane craze for burger joints everywhere these days -- what a trend.

i'm sure not complaining, but man there is just an insane craze for burger joints everywhere these days -- what a trend.

Since Five Guys came to Columbus we've seen the home-grown Graffiti Burger, Medina-based Inferno Gourmet Burger and now the Hudson-based Flip Side start up.

 

More about Flip Side in this review from the Dispatch: Covering all the burger bases - Spot stays local, sustainable with chef-driven food

Oh man, Whiskey Ranch in the old Rite-Aid. I've got quite a few buddies that have barfed there after a big meal, rivers of booze and rides on the mechanical bull.

 

Yet another Old Rusty Bucket of Nails opens.

 

And ah yes, the Brickyard was a pretty hoppin' place in the early 2000s back when it had the open floor plan. Then the place that came after it was one of those joints with a small girls-only raised dance floor that played a lot of Journey, Def Leppard and Whitesnake. Hey everyone else, look at this dancing girls-night-out group that you're not supposed to talk to or dance with.

Red Robin’s Burger Works set to open by Ohio State campus

 

 

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc., a chain with plenty of suburban, sit-down experience, is testing its small-shop, fast-casual potential near Ohio State University.

 

The Greenwood Village, Colo.-based chain expects to open Red Robin’s Burger Works across from the Ohio Union at 1708 N. High St. on Monday. It’ll be just the second Burger Works for the more than 450-restaurant chain. The first opened last year in Denver, with a third site in a Denver mall set to open this spring.

 

The arrival of Burger Works was confirmed last fall but Red Robin (NASDAQ:RRGB) declined to comment on its Columbus plans at that time. Brian Bogue, the restaurant’s general manager, said in a press release the campus location allows Red Robin to reach customers it couldn’t in the past through the chain’s four traditional restaurants circling the Interstate 270 outerbelt.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/03/20/red-robins-burger-works-set-to-open.html

colombo im not surprized, just curious but i have to imagine the thurman is still the gold standard for burgers, no? certainly none of these upstarts has topped the king of the cols burgerworld have they?

Then the place that came after it was one of those joints with a small girls-only raised dance floor that played a lot of Journey, Def Leppard and Whitesnake.

 

Ha. Those bands were very cutting edge in 1982.

<b>Pera Brings Fresh Istanbul Food to University District</b>

By: Walker

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/pera-02.jpg">

 

After a decade at Easton, Cafe Istanbul is rapidly expanding into other neighborhoods. Owner and executive chef Faith Gunal opened a second location last year in Bexley, and recently launched Pera, a fast-casual concept spin-off in The University District.

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/pera-brings-fresh-istanbul-food-to-university-district

Red Robin’s Burger Works set to open by Ohio State campus

 

 

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc., a chain with plenty of suburban, sit-down experience, is testing its small-shop, fast-casual potential near Ohio State University.

 

The Greenwood Village, Colo.-based chain expects to open Red Robin’s Burger Works across from the Ohio Union at 1708 N. High St. on Monday. It’ll be just the second Burger Works for the more than 450-restaurant chain. The first opened last year in Denver, with a third site in a Denver mall set to open this spring.

 

The arrival of Burger Works was confirmed last fall but Red Robin (NASDAQ:RRGB) declined to comment on its Columbus plans at that time. Brian Bogue, the restaurant’s general manager, said in a press release the campus location allows Red Robin to reach customers it couldn’t in the past through the chain’s four traditional restaurants circling the Interstate 270 outerbelt.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/03/20/red-robins-burger-works-set-to-open.html

That building looks much better with all the new signage and awnings.

Columbus Underground's weekly restaurant roundup contained a notice about a new downtown restaurant:

Dempsey’s Restaurant is now open, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.  Open daily from 7 am – 11 pm, view menus on their website www.dempseysdowntown.com.  Dempsey’s is located at 346 S. High Street.

Columbus Underground also had nice review of some outdoor patios for Columbus-area restaurants: The List: 9 Patios That are Open Early

 

Cameron Mitchell adding Pearl oyster bar in Short North

 

 

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants LLC will open its first new brand in five years this fall.

 

The Columbus-based restaurant company’s newest nameplate is the Pearl Restaurant, Tavern & Oyster Room and will fill the former home of the Burgundy Room at 641 N. High St. in the Short North. This is Mitchell’s first new restaurant brand since he rolled out Marcella’s, coincidentally right across the parking lot from the Pearl, in 2007.

 

As the restaurant descriptor reveals, it will be a tavern and raw bar with a menu of local and organic comfort food inspired by “the country’s best cafes, corner taverns, neighborhood bistros, seaside shacks and roadside joints.” The menu will have fresh oysters and big plates, plus house-made charcuterie and made-from-scratch pies.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/04/06/cameron-mitchell-adding-pearl-oyster.html

DiBella’s opening 2nd area sub shop at Lennox

 

 

If there is a slice of dining that gives consumers more choices than burgers, it may be the sub-and-sandwich segment.

 

Central Ohio is dominated by stalwart chains such as Subway, Jersey Mike’s Subs and Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, but some of the new entries have been growing, too. Jacksonville, Fla.-based Firehouse Subs arrived in Columbus two years ago and has three shops. Jason’s Deli, based in Beaumont, Texas, is up to three stores as well. The locally owned Philly steak rivals Steak Escape and Charley’s Grilled Subs continue to grow.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/04/06/dibellas-opening-2nd-area-sub-shop.html

Restaurateur to dish out pizzas at Columbus Commons

 

 

As Columbus Commons readies for its second spring, the downtown park is getting a second dining option.

 

Kevin Ames will be opening Lola’s Pizza Shack along with his Burgers Dogs and Fries shop in the park May 5. As with his burger and hot dog joint, which operated in the warm months last year, the menu is straightforward with an assortment of individual and 12-inch pizzas priced between $6 and $8 for the smalls and $10 to $12 for the bigger ones.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/04/12/restaurateur-to-dish-out-pizzas-at.html

Phillip’s Coney Island to be Reborn in The Short North

By: Walker

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/phillips-coney-island.jpg">

 

Phillip’s Coney Island has been a Short North staple for over sixty years, and a new chapter for the restaurant will begin later this summer when new owners Randy and Tina Corbin reopen the space with business partner Karmen Dann.

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/phillips-coney-island-to-be-reborn-in-the-short-north

The El Camino Inn to Serve Tacos & Tequila Downtown This Summer

By: Walker

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/el-camino-inn.jpg">

 

A small stretch of South Fourth Street will be growing a little more vibrant this summer as The El Camino Inn prepares to open their doors. The venue is under the same management as next door neighbor Little Palace (as well as The Rossi and Club 185) and will feature taco-truck style tacos served up indoors.

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-el-camino-inn-to-serve-tacos-tequila-downtown-this-summer

Whit’s Frozen Custard Opening in The Short North

By: Walker

 

<img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/whits-short-north.jpg">

 

Warm summer-ish weather is already upon us, and The Short North will gain another place to cool down this June when Whit’s Frozen Custard opens at 841 North High Street in the Dakota Building. Launched in Granville, this Central Ohio business has quickly expanded with over a dozen locations stretching from Delaware to Athens and beyond.

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/whits-frozen-custard-opening-in-the-short-north

And as if taco trucks, food trucks and a street food hub weren't enough, there's another food trend coming to Columbus - the pop-up restaurant.  Ladies and gentlemen, Back Door Burritos!

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On Restaurants | Backdoor pop-up

By Denise Trowbridge, The Columbus Dispatch

 

Last year, Justin Boehme brought a food trend that’s better known in big cities — the pop-up restaurant — to Columbus.  He opened the back door of his restaurant, Da Levee at 765 N. High Street, on a Friday night and sold carryout burritos to hungry late-night revelers.  Backdoor Burritos was born, and he’s been serving burritos from the back door every weekend since.

 

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/03/20/backdoor-pop-up.html

 

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Backdoor Burritos Brings More Late Night Dining to The Short North

By: Walker Evans, Columbus Underground

 

It’s after midnight.  You’re awake, hungry, and tired of the same old options.  Enter Backdoor Burritos.  Backdoor is a new concept operating out of the back entrance of popular cajun restaurant Da Levee, located at 765 North High Street in The Short North.

 

“Every decent sized city I have ever been has late night burritos,” says owner Justin Boehme.  ”Columbus just has pizza and gyros, so I think this is exactly what the Short North needs.”

 

READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/backdoor-burritos-brings-more-late-night-dining-to-the-short-north

 

Milo’s Deli & Cafe is expanding their footprint in downtown Columbus.  Last year, the longtime Franklinton restaurant took over operations of the Ohio Statehouse cafe.  This year, they are launching Milo’s Capital Cafe Food Cart at the corner of Broad & High just outside the Ohio Statehouse.  More about this from Columbus Underground at the link below:

 

Milo’s Deli Launches New Food Cart at Broad & High

A new Cameron Mitchell gastropub concept restaurant will be going into the former Burgundy Room space in the Short North at 641 North High Street.  The new restaurant, to be called The Pearl, is scheduled to open in Fall 2012.  More about this below from Columbus Underground and the Columbus Dispatch:

 

 

Columbus Underground: Cameron Mitchell Opening The Pearl Gastropub in The Short North

 

Columbus Dispatch: ‘Gastropub’ headed to Short North

 

 

EDIT: ColDayMan also posted a Business First article about this earlier in this thread here, which I missed before posting this.

The owner/operator of Cafe Lola at Broad & High has opened Streetfare by Lola in the lobby of the Fifth Third Building at 21 E. State Street.  Streetfare by Lola opened in December.  This is the fourth restaurant for Kevin and Lori James near the Capitol Square in Downtown Columbus.  In addition to Cafe Lola, they also operate Burgers Dogs and Fries in the Broad & High development and the seasonal Burgers Dogs and Fries at the kiosk in Columbus Commons park.

 

Business First:  Cafe Lola operator setting up in Fifth Third tower

 

Columbus Underground:  Streetfare by Lola Opens Downtown on Wednesday

 

Columbus Dispatch:  Food cart comes inside at Streetfare by Lola - Couple with three other Downtown ventures is serving up quick lunches from Fifth Third Center

An update on the above reported Streetfare by Lola concept.  The first Streetfare location opened December 2011 in the Fifth Third Center tower at southeast corner of State & High.  Now, according to the April 24, 2012 'On Restaurants' column from the Dispatch, a second Streetfare by Lola location opened on April 23rd in the U.S. Bank Building at the northwest corner of Broad & High.

An urban Waffle House.  The end of times is near...

 

Waffle House squeezes in at OSU as it expands college locations

 

 

One of the best-known names in ’round-the-clock dining has landed near Ohio State University with an eatery that could be one of the busiest in the chain.

 

Norcross, Ga.-based Waffle House Inc. opened at 1712 N. High St. on May 15. Spokeswoman Kelly Thrasher said it’s a standard size, seating 35, but not a standard location being nestled in an existing urban building as opposed to standing on its own near an interstate and the suburbs. The company began opening on or near college campuses in 2010.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/05/25/waffle-house-squeezes-in-at-osu-as-it.html

Back when I used to get hungry after drinking (I think it stopped when I grew out of pounding Natty Light from kegs), places like the Waffle House really did hit the spot. We used to hit up the American Restaurant in New Boston for salty, greasy booze-absobring sustenance.

An urban Waffle House.  The end of times is near...

So Glen Beck was right after all!  Time to stock up on gold and MRE's.

 

But seriously, GCrites is right on the mark.  An OSU Waffle House should do a great after-bar business.

Supreme Buffet operators promise big American, Asian food selection

 

 

For those with a hankering for sushi and mashed potatoes, the place to get it is opening near Hilliard this month.

 

Supreme Buffet & Hibachi Grill will take over the old home of Salvi’s Bistro, which moved to Dublin in 2010. The 9,700-square-foot space is at 1323 St. James Lutheran Lane, off Renner Road and in sight of the Interstate 70 and Hilliard-Rome Road interchange.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/01/supreme-buffet-operators-promise-big.html

A number of reports (links below) about downtown restaurants expanding their hours later into the evening and into late night during the weekend.  Cafe Napolitana north of Broad on High Street, J. Gumbo's east of High Street on Gay Street and Cup O Joe/MoJoe Lounge in the renovated Lazarus Building facing South High Street have all expanded their hours this year:

 

Business First: Café Napolitana adding dinner hours as owners aim to ‘grow with the city’

 

Columbus Underground: J. Gumbo's Downtown Columbus Expands Hours

 

Columbus Underground: Downtown MoJoe Lounge / Cup O Joe

 

And then there's a restaurant expanding their hours in the opposite direction.  Late Night Slice, a pizza place that serves the late night bar crowd in the Short North, is expanding into daytime hours to serve up pizza by the slice to the lunch and early dinner crowd through its daytime alter-ego, Mikey’s Quick Slice:

 

Columbus Underground: Mikey’s Quick Slice Brings Popular Pizza to Daytime Hours

The new sign is up for the Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse in the Arena District.  The Dispatch reports it will open this month.  Photo of their sign above the Marconi & Nationwide entrance from Columbus Underground:

 

Mmmmm...hungry!

Yogurt shop helping OSU stay awake

 

 

Cuzzins Yogurt LLC has rolled out a new line of ice cream perhaps appropriate for this time of the year at its newest shop next to the Ohio State University campus.

 

The frozen yogurt chain has begun selling caffeinated ice cream at the store on North High Street, which debuted the first week of June. The ice cream went on sale just in time for final exams week at the university.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/yogurt-shop-helping-osu-stay-awake.html

New owner lends flavor of Gahanna Grill to Clintonville-area BBQ spot

 

 

Just because there isn’t pig in the name anymore doesn’t mean there is any less pork on the menu of one Clintonville-area barbecue joint.

 

Eugene Staravecka, owner of the Gahanna Grill, acquired Pig Iron BBQ at 5295 N. High St. this year but converted the place to the Iron Grill BBQ & Brew on June 1.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/new-owner-lends-flavor-of-gahanna.html

Tea brewing, cakes baking at new shop on Gahanna Trail

 

 

Gahanna’s new Herbal Trail has added a tasty stop.

 

Koko Tea Salon & Bakery opened at 116 Mill St. on June 2. It may be new to the suburb, but the tea-and-sweets combo isn’t an unfamiliar idea to owner Ava Misseldine, who ran Sugar Inc. in Dublin for three years.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/tea-brewing-cakes-baking-at-new-shop.html

Yogurt shop helping OSU stay awake

 

Cuzzins Yogurt LLC has rolled out a new line of ice cream perhaps appropriate for this time of the year at its newest shop next to the Ohio State University campus.

 

The frozen yogurt chain has begun selling caffeinated ice cream at the store on North High Street, which debuted the first week of June. The ice cream went on sale just in time for final exams week at the university.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/06/08/yogurt-shop-helping-osu-stay-awake.html

I have a Business First subscription and get access to the full article.  So I wasn't sure if this next part of the article was viewable to the public.  And it would be a shame if it wasn't. :-D

 

The ice cream is made by Bang Caffeinated Ice Cream of Madison, Wis., and comes in four flavors – Peanut Butta, Cooky Mint, Heaps of Gold, and Iced Latte-Da.

Columbus Underground had a recent preview of the summer restaurant scene in central Ohio.  CU looked the following:

 

- New and expanded outdoor patio spaces at Pistacia Vera in German Village and The Angry Baker in Olde Towne East. 

- Expanded summer hours at Bel Lago, which is located along Hoover Reservoir in Westerville; J. Gumbo’s on Gay Street downtown; The Jury Room on Mound Street downtown; Brothers Drake located just north of the Short North in Weinland Park; and Basi Italia in Victorian Village.

- And new summer menus for too many restaurants to list here.  Link to the update is below.

 

Restaurant Roundup: New Patios, Summer Menus and Longer Hours

In keeping with the on-going trend of downtown restaurants expanding their hours - here are two recent items from Columbus Underground. 

 

• Plantain Cafe at 77 E. Gay Street originally opened as a lunch-only destination two and a half years ago.  They slowly expanded to seven days per week, with evening hours most days.

 

• Cafe Napolitana is located at 40 N. High Street, just around the corner from Gay Street.  They are celebrating their 20th year downtown with expanded evening hours and a new liquor license that allows them have a full-service bar for the first time.

 

---

CU: Review: Plantain Cafe

 

CU: Cafe Napolitana Celebrates 20 Years, Adds Full-Service Bar

Two openings of note for the Near East Side/Olde Towne East neighborhood.  The first is the opening of The Tavern on the corner of Oak & 18th at 889 Oak Street.  The Tavern joins Yellow Brick Pizza and the Angry Baker (as well as the City's first on-street bike parking corral) at this growing hot spot in Olde Towne East.  Below are two articles about the opening of the Tavern.  One from the Olde Towne East Neighborhood Association and the other from Columbus Alive:

 

OTE Neighborhood Association:  THE TAVERN CELEBRATES LONG-AWAITED OPENING

 

Columbus Alive:  NEW BAR: THE TAVERN

 

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The second isn't a bar or restaurant - but it is food related.  Oak Street Meats and Seafood opened on the corner Oak & Ohio at 1117 Oak Street.  The people that own the United Provision Meat Company located next door renovated a former carryout business at this corner and turned it into a retail store for their meats and seafood.  A Columbus Underground poster who lives in OTE posted the opening info and also took some photos inside in the building.  Below is the link to that CU post and the website for United Provision Meat Company:

 

Columbus Underground:  OAK STREET MEATS AND SEAFOOD - NEW TO OLDE TOWNE EAST

 

Website:  UNITED PROVISION MEAT COMPANY

Stevi B’s Pizza signs franchise deal for Central Ohio

 

 

There are premium pizza joints and there are pizza buffets, but a growing chain with its eyes on Columbus claims to be both.

 

Atlanta-based Stevi B’s Pizza has secured a four-restaurant franchise agreement with Restaurant Partners Group LLC, a Dublin-based operator that already runs the chain’s lone Ohio pizzeria in Findlay.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2012/06/20/stevi-bs-pizza-signs-franchise-deal.html

The new sign is up for the Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse in the Arena District.  The Dispatch reports it will open this month.  Photo of their sign above the Marconi & Nationwide entrance from Columbus Underground:

 

The Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse opened last Friday.  Below is their website with hours and prices:

 

http://www.rodiziogrill.com/columbus-at-the-arena-district

If the opening of Rodizio isn't enough meat for Columbus, there's also 'Wurst und Bier' which opened at Columbus Crosswoods on the Far North Side.  Instead of Rodizio's Brazilian style meats, Wurst und Bier offers meats from a German-centric menu.  Kind of like a far north side version of Schmidt’s.  Below is an article from this week's Dispatch about it:

 

Dispatch: New German sausage, beer haus in town - New Wurst und Bier offers modern German décor, menu that owners say differ from Schmidt’s in German Village

Over the last weekend, The El Camino Inn opened downtown at 238 South Fourth Street.  This new venue has been described as a 70s-era San Diego style tex-mex dive bar.  El Camino is under the same management as its next door neighbor Little Palace restaurant and located in the same block as Liz Lessner's Dirty Frank’s restaurant.

 

Here's a couple of Columbus Underground features on The El Camino Inn.  The first is from when the venue was announced earlier this year.  The second is a preview of its weekend opening from last week:

 

CU: The El Camino Inn to Serve Tacos & Tequila Downtown This Summer

 

CU: First Look: The El Camino Inn Opens This Weekend

The folks at de-NOVO Bistro & Bar across from Columbus Commons recently finished renovation of the historic neon restaurant sign on their building.  Below is their announcement at Columbus Underground and a photo of the sign lit up from the de-NOVO facebook page.

 

Columbus Underground: de-NOVO adds to historic "Restaurant" sign

 

Winking Lizard taking Hoggy’s site on 5th Ave. near Grandview

 

 

The pig has flown. The lizard is stepping in.

 

Winking Lizard Inc. is the latest tenant to step into a space vacated by Hoggy’s when it went into receivership this year. The Bedford Heights-based chain plans to open a Winking Lizard Bar & Grill in the former barbecue joint at 1416 W. Fifth Ave. near Grandview Heights.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/07/13/winking-lizard-taking-hoggys-site-on.html

Aladdin’s open in new space, Mexican spot taking its place

 

The Grandview Center is getting some new cuisine.

 

The 23-year-old shopping center along Grandview Avenue has undergone a dining makeover in recent months, the newest addition to which will be a to-be-named bar with a light Mexican menu.

 

The venture comes from restaurateur George Tanchevski and will take the 2,700-square-foot former home of Aladdin’s Eatery, also a Tanchevski restaurant. That space became available when Aladdin’s opened July 4 in its new site in the center facing Grandview Avenue.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2012/07/13/aladdins-open-in-new-space-mexican.html

Convention center Hilton names Sage owner as executive chef

 

 

The Hilton Columbus Downtown hotel next to the Greater Columbus Convention Center didn’t have to look far for its culinary leaders.

 

The under-construction destination Friday announced the hiring of two Columbus restaurant veterans to set the food and drink tables for its Gallerie Bar & Bistro and the hotel as a whole. Michael Mejia is director of food and beverage, and Bill Glover is executive chef.

 

Full article and more photos below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2012/07/convention-center-hilton-names-sage.html