March 1, 201411 yr One of the more unique and beloved pizza joints in Columbus is relocating. A tenant-landlord dispute is forcing a move from its previous hole-in-the-wall location into another temporary hole-in-the-wall location in the 5xNW/Grandview area until a more conventional location is ready in April. More about it from CU below: Bono Pizza Closes and Relocates By: Ayana Wilson, Columbus Underground Published on February 12, 2014 Bono Pizza, located at 1717 Northwest Boulevard, has been serving the Grandview/5xNW community for the past four years, and in that time, has not only garnered a loyal following, but helped elevate a part of town that’s now a small business hot spot. On Monday, February 10th, Bono Pizza closed its original storefront for good. A relationship-gone-bad with Bono’s landlord is to blame for the closing. The doubling of rent and additional bills resulted in a court battle that Jake Wilch, owner of Bono Pizza, eventually lost, and with that defeat, comes a change in venue. This Valentine’s Day, Bono Pizza is going to show its fans some love by re-opening in the same neighborhood. Bono Pizza will temporarily operate from the back part of 1420 Bar & Grill, which is situated at 1420 Presidential Drive, less than a minute drive from the original spot. ... In several ways, Bono’s eviction from the 1717 Northwest location is a blessing. The space was growing too small for Wilch and his crew, and so, this April, Bono will move into a new space a half block away, making them neighbors with another Grandview pizza haven, Meister’s Pizza. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/bono-pizza-closes-and-relocates-aw1
March 1, 201411 yr Going from the unique to the behemoth end of the pizza store spectrum is this article from Business First profiling the new "pizza theater" concept for Domino's Pizza. Most Domino's stores across the United States will start switching to this "pizza theater" concept - including a new store in downtown Columbus that will share a building with Betty's Fine Food & Spirits restaurant that is relocating from the Short North. Business First looks at this "pizza theater" concept and talked with Chute Gerdeman, the retail architecture firm in Columbus that conceived this concept for Domino's: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/02/07/new-dominos-pizza-theater-concept.html
March 1, 201411 yr Business First also looked at a new-build Roosters restaurant in Central Ohio that is rare for the sports bar/restaurant chain. As previously profiled by Business First, Roosters has incrementally grown over the past 25 years by taking over spaces built by other restaurants. Growing from a single Central Ohio location into 36 locations in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. They also previously reported that a Pickerington location that opened last year was the first new building in the company’s history. That location was part of a strip center - this Polaris location will be the first stand-alone new build for Roosters. http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/02/12/polaris-area-getting-rare-new-build.html
March 20, 201411 yr Westies Gastropub opened earlier this year at 940 S. Front Street in the resurgent Brewery District restaurant scene. One of the unique things about Westies is that it located in a former cemetery headstone manufacturing building. Below is a preview story from Columbus Underground that looks at the journey to opening the restaurant: CU: Westies Gastropub Coming Soon to The Brewery District
March 20, 201411 yr Also, here are two reports after Westies Gastropub's January opening. The first, from Business First, focuses on the interior makeover of the former manufacturing building. The second, from Columbus Underground, focuses on the Westies Gastropub menu: Business First: First Look: Westies Gastropub bringing polished casual niche to Brewery District Columbus Underground: First Look: Westies Gastropub
March 20, 201411 yr One of the early restaurant/rehab pioneers in East Franklinton is going thru some changes. After 15 years of doing business as Milo’s Deli & Café, Milo’s closed its restaurant operations on February 1st at its original 980 W. Broad Street location. The West Broad location will be rebranded with new signage and a showroom, as Milo’s Catering. The Capitol Café by Milo’s at the Statehouse will continue its operations. Also, two more Milo’s restaurants are also scheduled to open this year. The first at 445 Hutchinson Avenue in the Crosswoods Center opened in early February. The second in the Busch Corporate Center at 1105 Schrock Road is set to open in April. More at http://www.columbusunderground.com/milos-deli-cafe-closing-in-franklinton-aw1
March 20, 201411 yr A new restaurant, The Angry Bear Kitchen, is scheduled to open in the former Sage American Bistro spot at 2653 N. High Street in March. More at http://www.columbusunderground.com/angry-bear-kitchen-opening-in-former-sage-american-bistro-spot-aw1
March 25, 201411 yr A look at two restaurant openings previously mentioned in earlier posts. The Front Street Grill opened at 460 S. Front Street in the Brewery District and was previous mentioned in this post about the comings and goings of recent Brewery District restaurants in this thread. http://www.columbusunderground.com/first-look-front-street-bar-grill-aw1 The second is the long awaited opening of Dirty Frank's Westgate, located at 2836 W. Broad Street. Its opening was mentioned in this post in the Hilltop neighborhood projects thread about the renovation of the building. http://www.columbusunderground.com/first-look-dirty-franks-westgate-aw1 http://www.columbusalive.com/content/stories/2014/03/20/restaurant-review-dirty-franks-west-offers-a-lotta-room-and-a-lotta-damn-cheap-fun.html
March 25, 201411 yr A look at Harvest Bar & Kitchen, which opened earlier in March at 2885 N. High Street in Clintonville. This restaurant is an outgrowth of the popular Harvest Pizzeria, which opened a few years ago in German Village. http://www.columbusunderground.com/first-look-harvest-bar-kitchen
March 29, 201411 yr CU review of Bareburger - the ground floor tenant in the newly renovated Yankee Trader building located across High Street from the Convention Center. http://www.columbusunderground.com/first-look-bareburger-columbus-aw1
March 29, 201411 yr Downtown loses one sushi place at the I-670 Cap as The Hyde Park Group is taking over the 8,400 sq. ft. former Sushi Rock space on the east side of High Street. This east side Cap space would be for an unnamed new concept for the company according to the ThisWeekNews report linked beloe. The Hyde Park Group already operates the Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse and the cocktail lounge, Eleven, out of 12,000 square feet on the west side of the Cap - which tops Interstate 670 between the Short North and Downtown. http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/2014/02/24/hyde-park-group-to-take-over-sushi-rock-space-on-the-cap.html
March 29, 201411 yr But then Downtown gains a sushi place at Third & Long. Rishi Sushi opened in the ground floor of the Exchange Urban Lofts at 114 N. Third Street. More about this from Columbus Underground in a pre- and post-opening report. http://www.columbusunderground.com/rishi-sushi-ready-to-open-downtown-aw1 http://www.columbusunderground.com/first-look-rishi-sushi
April 4, 201411 yr Moe’s Original Bar B Que makes Ohio debut in Granville A pair of Licking County natives have returned home and brought some Southern-style barbecue with them. Kara Gallagher and her husband Greg Tracey spent the last 10 years in Asheville, N.C., but came back to Ohio a few months ago to open the state’s first Moe’s Original Bar B Que at 128 E. Broadway in Granville. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/04/first-lookmoe-s-original-bar-b-que-makes-ohio.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 15, 201411 yr Grilled cheese specialist Tom & Chee opening May 2 in Pickerington If you’re eagerly anticipating the arrival of Tom & Chee, the answer you’ve been waiting on is May 2. The popular and fast-growing Cincinnati-based grilled cheese and soup shop gets its first of several Central Ohio restaurants that day at 10709 Blacklick-Eastern Road in Pickerington. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/04/14/grilled-cheese-specialist-tom-chee-opening-may-2.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 18, 201411 yr Dewey’s Pizza coming to Dublin for 3rd area restaurant It took Dewey’s Pizza four years to open a second Central Ohio restaurant, but it isn’t taking that long to open its third. The Cincinnati-based chain will open a pizzeria next month at 6540 Perimeter Drive in Dublin in a strip center just north of the Avery Square shopping center. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/04/dewey-s-pizza-coming-to-dublin-for-3rd-area.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 23, 201411 yr LaRosa’s coming to Central Ohio with Dublin pizzeria The LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria family soon will include Central Ohio. The 60-year-old Cincinnati institution has secured Brandon Salamone as its first area franchisee and 7048 Hospital Drive in Dublin as its first pizzeria here. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/04/larosa-s-coming-to-central-ohio-with-dublin.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 23, 201411 yr Popular Cincinnati restaurant Nada coming to Arena District With all due respect to its name, the newest Arena District restaurant is hardly nothing. Cincinnati restaurateur David Falk is bringing his popular restaurant Nada to 240 Nationwide Blvd., aka the Columbia Gas building under construction. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/04/popular-cincinnati-restaurant-nada-coming-to-arena.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 24, 201411 yr Funny that the last 4 stories posted in this thread are Cincy restaurants expanding to Cbus.
April 25, 201411 yr Cincinnati is using the test market like everybody else does. Cleveland did this last year with the whole Melt/that burger place from Hudson/etc. Dayton also did it with Hot Head Burritos/Flying Pizza/etc. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 25, 201411 yr ^I think it's great! Columbus gets a little bit of the best (subjective..) of each part of Ohio.
April 26, 201411 yr ^I think it's great! Columbus gets a little bit of the best (subjective..) of each part of Ohio. Love that outlook. Sort of counteracts the state legislature - the place where Columbus gets a little bit of the worst from each part of Ohio.
April 26, 201411 yr The Dispatch had some more about recent state/regional restaurant chains looking to expand in Central Ohio at http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/04/23/loosen-your-belt.html In addition to Cincinnati's Nada opening its second location in the Arena District, plus LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria and Dewey's Pizza opening in Dublin, there is also the following: - Melt Bar & Grilled (Cleveland) - Tom + Chee (Cincinnati) - Bakersfield (Cincinnati) - Barry Bagels (Toledo) - Bar 145 (Toledo) - Pies & Pints (West Virginia) I would also add Bareburger (Brooklyn NYC) which just opened in the Yankee Trader Building located downtown and Flip Side (Hudson) which opened in 2012 in Easton. More about Flip Side here. Also in the above linked Dispatch article, they said "Cleveland celebrity chef Michael Symon is looking for up to four Central Ohio locations for his B Spot Burgers Brats & Beer."
May 23, 201411 yr Jobu Ramen hopes to catch next food craze with restaurant in Grandview Ramen – it’s not just for penny-pinching college students any more. The duo of Mike Kopfman, a veteran chef of both Cameron Mitchell Restaurants LLC and Hillstone Restaurant Group, and John Franke, chef/owner the Mashita Noodles food cart, are teaming up to open Jobu Ramen at 1439 Grandview Ave. on Monday. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/05/jobu-ramen-hopes-to-catch-next-food-craze-with.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 10, 201411 yr Yats out of Indianapolis bringing fast-casual cajun/Creole chain to Columbus A fast-casual cajun and Creole chain out of Indianapolis is bringing its grub to Columbus. Yats expects to open later this month in 1,700 square feet at 1374 Grandview Ave., most recently an Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt. Its arrival comes as other regional restaurant chains stream into Central Ohio like Cincinnati’s Tom & Chee, LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria and Cleveland’s Melt Bar & Grilled. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/06/09/yats-out-of-indianapolis-bringing-fast-casual.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 12, 201411 yr Fried chicken joint Double Comfort opening across from Greater Columbus Convention Center A new restaurant hopes to make patrons happy in more ways than one. Double Comfort, coming mid-summer to 505 N. High St., is part stomach-satisfying fried chicken and Southern-style grub eatery and part charitable mission. It has a goal of providing a meal for a person in need for every meal the restaurant sells. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/06/12/fried-chicken-joint-double-comfort-opening-across.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 18, 201410 yr Michael Symon’s ‘down-n-dirty’ burger joint B Spot opening near Gahanna The city’s next better burger joint comes with the backing of a well-known industry name. Cleveland-based B Spot, part of celebrity chef Michael Symon’s restaurant group, has been looking at the Columbus market for years. Its first restaurant is set to open June 26 at 5091 N. Hamilton Road near Gahanna. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/06/17/michael-symon-s-down-n-dirty-burger-joint-b-spot.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 26, 201410 yr Cameron Mitchell adding farm-to-table restaurant Guild House in Short North Guests at Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph will be able to get room service from Cameron Mitchell. The under-construction Short North boutique hotel will include the Guild House, a new farm-to-table eatery from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants LLC. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/06/cameron-mitchell-adding-farm-to-table-restaurant.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 1, 201410 yr Brenz Pizza at Lennox going for gourmet with 1st area restaurant A new specialty pizza joint started by Central Ohioans but launched elsewhere is making its way back to Columbus. Brenz Pizza Co. will open this November in a new Indus Cos. strip center at the old Sabo’s Camping building south of the Lennox Town Center. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/07/brenz-pizza-at-lennox-going-for-gourmet-with-1st.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 1, 201410 yr Happy’s Pizza adds 2nd location, says market can handle 12 The menu at Happy’s Pizza should be big enough to live up to its name for most diners. The Farmington Hills, Michigan-based chain was founded in Detroit 18 years ago and has grown to 124 sites with another 20 under construction, but the staggering number may be the more than 170 items offered across its menu. :-o More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/07/happy-s-pizza-adds-2nd-location-says-market-can.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 7, 201410 yr Alice Cooper inducted into The White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame He is the first person to be inducted into both the Cravers HOF AND the RnR HOF this is humongus! http://www.dispatch.com/content/blogs/the-bottom-line/2014/07/white-castle-inducts-alice-cooper.html
July 15, 201410 yr Tom & Chee opening Hilliard-area restaurant Friday, with Gahanna next In a few short days, the west side will be much closer to a Tom & Chee. The fast-growing Cincinnati-based grilled cheese and tomato soup joint is set to open its second Central Ohio restaurant at 1844 Hilliard-Rome Road south of Hilliard on Friday. The first opened in May at Blacklick-Eastern Road and Route 256 in Pickerington. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/07/tom-chee-opening-hilliard-area-restaurant-friday.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 23, 201410 yr Michael Symon’s ‘down-n-dirty’ burger joint B Spot opening near Gahanna The city’s next better burger joint comes with the backing of a well-known industry name. Cleveland-based B Spot, part of celebrity chef Michael Symon’s restaurant group, has been looking at the Columbus market for years. Its first restaurant is set to open June 26 at 5091 N. Hamilton Road near Gahanna. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/06/17/michael-symon-s-down-n-dirty-burger-joint-b-spot.html More from CU about Michael Symon's new burger joint at http://www.columbusunderground.com/first-look-michael-symons-b-spot-burger-aw1. He seems pretty happy:
July 23, 201410 yr Tom & Chee opening Hilliard-area restaurant Friday, with Gahanna next In a few short days, the west side will be much closer to a Tom & Chee. The fast-growing Cincinnati-based grilled cheese and tomato soup joint is set to open its second Central Ohio restaurant at 1844 Hilliard-Rome Road south of Hilliard on Friday. The first opened in May at Blacklick-Eastern Road and Route 256 in Pickerington. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/07/tom-chee-opening-hilliard-area-restaurant-friday.html Why is it that when Cincy stuff comes to C-bus are the locations mega-suburban? Skylines are all over Old Cincinnati but up here they're all close to or outside 270. Montgomery Inn is all the way up there in Dublin in the dead strip mall, yet Montgomery isn't really that far from core 'Nati and of course they've got the Boathouse. Then Tom + Chee is in CDB Cincinnati and NotL but here is on 256? Did the Sharks from Shark Tank demand this?
July 29, 201410 yr Mikey’s Late Night Slice guys opening ‘destination dive bar’ in Short North After years of bringing their pizza to other people’s bars, the guys behind Mikey’s Late Night Slice are bringing a bar to their pizza. Oddfellows Liquor Bar is scheduled to open Saturday at 1038 N. High St. in the Short North, a space that partially served as indoor seating for their original Mikey’s Late Night Slice pizza shack that still sits just outside its doors. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/07/mikey-s-late-night-slice-guys-opening-destination.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 14, 201410 yr Rancho Alegre expanding to Dublin for Mexican chain’s 4th restaurant The Rancho Alegre restaurant chain expects to have its fourth Mexican eatery up and running before Thanksgiving. James Thomas of the Hilliard-based Just Results Real Estate brokerage told me his client, Rancho Alegre owner-operator Santafe Two, bought out the business assets and lease of the Ashland & Highland restaurant at 5637 Woerner Temple Road at the corner of Emerald Parkway in Dublin. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/08/rancho-allegro-expanding-to-dublin-for-mexican.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 20, 201410 yr More sushi and steak? Why not something different, like a legit, oh I don't know, Somali!!! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 20, 201410 yr But bring Morse Road to High Street! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 25, 201410 yr Betty’s by OSU? Open 24/7? Liz Lessner keeping open mind after Gay Street plan falls through Betty’s Fine Food & Spirits will not be resurrected on Gay Street, but that doesn’t mean the former Short North landmark is history. Restaurateur Liz Lessner planned to relocate her first-ever eatery from its 14-year home at 680 N. High St. to 340 E. Gay St., but amid a smorgasbord of other projects for her Columbus Food League, bringing back Betty’s is going to have to wait. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/08/betty-s-by-osu-open-24-7-liz-lessner-keeping-open.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 8, 201410 yr Zpizza franchisee adding Grandview Avenue shop Zpizza wants to freshen up the delivery pizza market around Grandview Heights. Franchisee Steve Curtis plans to open the area’s fourth Zpizza, a Newport Beach, California-based chain built on organic ingredients and a “better for you” pitch, at 1359 Grandview Ave. next week. That’s a space that has been Cowtown Pizza and a Domino’s Pizza in the past so it was prepped for pizza production. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2014/09/08/zpizza-franchisee-adding-grandview-avenue-shop.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 12, 201410 yr Cameron Mitchell’s biggest restaurant, ever – Barn at Rocky Fork Creek The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek isn’t just Cameron Mitchell’s latest restaurant, it’s his biggest. The newest addition to the restaurateur’s portfolio opens its doors to the public Sept. 17. More below: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/09/first-look-cameron-mitchell-s-biggest-restaurant.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 24, 201410 yr El Arepazo, the popular Venezuelan restaurant that started nine years ago on Pearl Alley in Downtown, branched into a tapas restaurant in downtown Gahanna last year. Now another tapas restaurant has been opened by the El Arepazo owners on S. High Street in the Brewery District. http://www.columbusunderground.com/first-look-arepazo-latin-grill-aw1 http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/2014/09/11/tabletalk.html
September 26, 201410 yr What in the name of Harold & Kumar: http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/blog/2014/09/white-castle-veggie-burger-white-castle-veggie.html
October 2, 201410 yr Looks like a new restaurant is coming to the Cap named Black Point Opening tonight: http://www.columbusunderground.com/black-point-opens-in-the-short-north
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