Champagne and French fries: Say hello to the trending food combo you never knew existed

Step aside, wine and cheese. Columbus has found a new food pairing that’s a whole lot less stuffy, and potentially even tastier.

The time of champagne and French fries has officially arrived. A blossoming food trend over the last several years, this combination has been gaining some serious steam in central Ohio of late.

And even if it sounds weird at first: Trust, us, you’ll be glad it’s finally arrived.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

“There’s just something about the saltiness and crispness of the fries and the acidity of the bubbles that go well together,” said Matt Finkes, the franchisee of Winan’s Chocolates + Coffees + Wine in Grandview Yard. 

Finkes recalls encountering potato chips served alongside champagne during a wine-tasting trip to Napa, roughly five years back, as the first time he encountered it.

“I was confused at first too, but we started to see it everywhere out there, and it makes sense,” he said. “It really is a natural pairing.”

And now it’s popping up all over Columbus. Popular spots like SuperChef’s and Law Bird offer the combination, but they’re far from the only ones. You can also opt to build your own pairing at spots like Chapman’s Eat Market, which offers fantastic French fries and an extensive wine list.

In fact, curious Columbus foodies can dive right into the combo with a tasting event Finkes is launching that’s dedicated entirely to champagne and fries. 

The tasting will be held on Oct. 7 from 6-9 p.m., at Winan’s in Grandview Yard, located at 1125 Yard St. You can purchase tickets for the event here.

Finkes plans to feature not only fries with several different varieties of bubbly, he’ll also be rotating in a handful of different fry styles and other similar salty snacks.

This will include shoestring French fries made next door at Habaneros Tacos Tequila Mezcal, but also sweet potato fries and (since the eatery makes them fresh daily) tortilla chips for the sake of experimentation.

“It’s the salt and the crunch that you really want, that’s what pairs well with the bubbles,” Finkes said. “We’ve wanted to share this with Columbus for a long time now.”

If you like this, read: Drink This, Eat That

BROUGHT TO YOU BY