Popular Eateries Around Campus and Columbus
The must-try restaurants, coffee shops, and late-night spots that make eating around OSU and Columbus a whole thing.
Columbus has quietly become one of the Midwest's best food cities, and the campus area is right in the middle of it. Whether you're grabbing something between classes or planning a proper night out, here's the short list you'll find yourself returning to.
Around campus, start with the classics: Hounddog's Three Degree Pizza for late-night slices, Buckeye Donuts for 24-hour comfort, and Chipotle on High for the between-class standby. For sit-down, try Aab India for cheap and incredible curry, Cazuela's for margaritas and fajitas, and Roosters for the wing-and-a-beer wind-down. Northstar Café on High is the healthy-ish brunch move — order the Big Buckeye burger and a lavender lemonade.
In the Short North, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is a rite of passage (get the Brambleberry Crisp). Marcella's does great wood-fired pizza, Forno is the fancier date-night option, and Fox in the Snow on 4th Street has the best morning bun in the city. If you want to feel like you've left campus entirely, walk over to Hai Poke or Bakersfield for tacos and mezcal.
Downtown and beyond: North Market (both the original downtown and the newer Bridge Park location) is a food hall stacked with vendors — Hoyo's Kitchen for Somali, Momo Ghar for Nepali dumplings, and Little Eater for veggie plates. Ambrose & Eve in German Village is worth the walk for a special occasion, and Fox in the Snow's Italian Village outpost has the same magic as the original.
Late-night: Mikey's Late Night Slice on High, Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace downtown, and Buckeye Donuts (again, always). Save this list, ignore the delivery apps for a night, and go eat something someone actually made.
