ColumBEST 2024 Results

Well folks, it’s the moment the entire city has been waiting for. Nearly half a million votes later, and we’re ready to present the absolute best that Columbus has to offer. We got you covered, from the best pizza in town, to the best florist, and yup, even down to the best pet store around central Ohio.

We couldn’t have done it without you. Yes, you! And all of the other thousands of readers who took the time to vote on the restaurants that feel like home (and the cocktails that they wish they could recreate at home.)

So, let’s get to it. This is ColumBEST.

Did your brand win? Click here for something to share with the city!

Food & Drink

Looking for People & Places winners? Click here.

Best Breakfast
1. Fox in the Snow
2. First Watch
3. DK Diner

Best Brunch
1. Kitchen Social
2. Northstar Cafe
3. First Watch

Best Coffee Shop
1. Stauf’s
2. Fox in the Snow
3. Crimson Cup

Best Deli & Sandwiches
1. Katzinger’s
2. Brown Bag Deli
3. Wario’s Beef & Pork

Best Dogs & Brats
1. Dirty Frank’s
2. Schmidt’s
3. The Thurman Cafe

Best Gourmet Burger
1. Thurman Cafe
2. Northstar Cafe
3. The Rail

Best Wings
1. Roosters
2. Wings Over Columbus
3. Hot Chicken Takeover

Best Fries
1. Five Guys
2. Brassica
3. Rusty Bucket

Best Gourmet Pizza
1. Harvest Pizza
2. Dewey’s Pizza
3. Sexton’s

Best Traditional Pizza
1. Mikey’s Late Night Slice
2. Masseys
3. Hounddog’s Three Degree Pizza

Best Traditional Burger
1. Thurman Cafe
2. Ritzy’s
3. Shake Shack

Best Gyro
1. Greek Express
2. Happy Greek
3. Lavash Cafe

Best Barbeque
1. Ray Ray’s Hog Pit
2. City Barbecue
3. Hoggy’s

Best Food Truck
1. Ray Ray’s Hog Pit
2. Schmidt’s Sausage
3. Dos Hermanos

Best Asian Restaurant
1. Tai’s Asian Bistro
2. Akai Hana
3. Molly Woo’s

Best Mexican Restaurant
1. El Vaquero
2. Los Guachos
3. Condado Tacos

Best Italian Restaurant
1. Marcella’s
2. Carfagna’s Kitchen
3. Lola & Giuseppe’s Trattoria

Best Seafood Restaurant
1. Mitchell’s Ocean Club
2. The Pearl
3. Columbus Fish Market

Best Greek Restaurant
1. Happy Greek
2. Greek Express
3. Yanni’s

Best Diner
1. Cap City Fine Diner
2. DK Diner
3. Tommy’s Diner

Best Steakhouse
1. The Top Steak House
2. Hyde Park
3. Jeff Ruby

Best Quick Lunch
1. North Market
2. Brassica
3. BIBIBOP

Best Sushi
1. Akai Hana
2. Fusian
3. Mr. Sushi

Best Place for a Salad
1. Northstar Cafe
2. Cap City Fine Diner
3. Brassica

Best Indian Restaurant
1. Aab India
2. Rooh
3. Cumin and Curry

Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Restaurant
1. Aladdin’s Eatery
2. Brassica
3. Lavash Cafe

Best Place for Plant-Based Dining
1. Northstar Cafe
2. Brassica
3. SOW Plated

Best Place for Late Night Eats
1. Mikey’s Late Night Slice
2. Wings Over Columbus
3. Waffle House

Best New Restaurant
1. Valentina’s
2. Cento
3. Habibi Grill

Best Overall Restaurant
1. Kitchen Social
2. Lindey’s
3. High Bank Distillery

Best Price is Not an Object Restaurant
1. The Refectory
2. Jeff Ruby
3. Lindey’s

Best Date Night Restaurant
1. Lindey’s
2. The Melting Pot
3. The Pearl

Best Hidden Gem Restaurant
1. Basi Italia
2. Lola & Giuseppes Trattoria
3. The Top Steakhouse

Best Gastropub
1. High Bank Distillery
2. 101 Beer Kitchen
3. Arch City Tavern

Best Dining Patio
1. Lindey’s
2. Barcelona
3. Milestone 229

Best Place for Comfort Food
1. Cap City Diner
2. Tupelo Honey
3. The Eagle

Best Kids Menu
1. Roosters
2. The Rusty Bucket
3. Cap City Fine Diner

Best Donuts
1. Buckeye Donuts
2. Resch’s Bakery
3. Schneider’s Bakery

Best Bakery
1. Resch’s Bakery
2. Pistacia Vera
3. Belle’s Bread

Best Ice Cream
1. Graeter’s Ice Cream
2. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
3. Whit’s Frozen Custard

Best Cookies
1. Lion Cub’s Cookies
2. Crumbl
3. Fox in the Snow

Best Desserts
1. The Cheesecake Girl
2. Pistacia Vera
3. Chocolate Cafe

Best Wait Staff
1. Kitchen Social
2. Rooster’s
3. Lindey’s

Best Ramen
1. Fukuryu Ramen
2. Slurping Turtle
3. Meshikou Ramen

Best Tacos
1. Condado Tacos
2. Los Guachos
3. Local Cantina

Best Cajun
1. Gallo’s Kitchen & Bar
2. Yats
3. J Gumbo’s

Best Food Hall
1. North Market
2. Budd Dairy Food Hall
3. North Market Bridge Park

Best Restaurant – German Village / Olde Towne East / Merion Village / Brewery District
1. Lindey’s
2. Schmidt’s Sausage Haus
3. Chapman’s Eat Market

Best Restaurant – Bexley
1. The Top Steak House
2. Harvest Pizzeria
3. Giuseppe’s Ritrovo

Best Restaurant – Upper Arlington / Grandview
1. High Bank Distillery
2. Third & Hollywood
3. Cap City Fine Diner

Best Restaurant – New Albany
1. The Barn
2. Hudson 29
3. BrewDog

Best Restaurant – Gahanna / Easton
1. Mitchell’s Ocean Club
2. Cooper’s Hawk
3. Lola & Giuseppe’s

Best Restaurant – Worthington
1. The Whitney House
2. Joya’s
3. Villa Nova

Best Restaurant – Westerville / Polaris
1. Kitchen Social
2. Carfagna’s Ristorante
3. Asterisk Supper Club

Best Restaurant – Dublin / Powell
1. Kitchen Social
2. The Pearl
3. Local Roots

Best Restaurant – Hilliard
1. Starliner Diner
2. Roosters
3. The Goat

Best Restaurant – Grove City
1. Planks on Broadway
2. Grove City Brewing Company
3. Roosters

Best Restaurant – Reynoldsburg
1. Block’s Hot Bagels & Deli
2. Scali
3. Prost

Best Restaurant – Franklinton / Hilltop
1. Tommy’s Diner
2. BrewDog
3. Yellow Brick Pizza

Best Restaurant – Campus / Clintonville / Linden
1. Pat & Gracie’s
2. Northstar Cafe
3. Harvest Bar & Kitchen

Best Restaurant – Short North / Italian Village / Victorian Village
1. Forno Kitchen + Bar
2. The Pearl
3. Marcella’s

Best Restaurant – Arena District
1. Wario’s Beef & Pork
2. Nada
3. Buca di Beppo

Best Drinking Patio
1. Jackie O’s on Fourth
2. Land-Grant
3. Crooked Can

Best Overall Bar
1. PINS Mechanical Co
2. Land Grant
3. High Bank Distillery

Best New Bar
1. Jackie O’s on Fourth
2. Cobra
3. Stories on High

Best Irish Pub
1. Byrne’s Pub
2. Fado
3. Dublin Village Tavern

Best Wine Selection
1. Cooper’s Hawk Winery
2. The Refectory
3. The Bottle Shop

Best Dive Bar
1. Char Bar
2. Bob’s Bar
3. Dick’s Den

Best LGBTQ Bar
1. Slammers
2. Union
3. Axis

Best Sports Bar
1. Roosters
2. Yogi’s
3. Grandview Cafe

Best Happy Hour
1. Forno
2. High Bank Distillery
3. Kitchen Social

Best Local Brewery
1. Land Grant
2. Seventh Son
3. BrewDog

Best Local Spirits
1. High Bank Distillery Co
2. Watershed Distillery
3. Echo Spirits Distilling Co.

Best Cocktails
1. High Bank Distillery
2. Lincoln Social
3. Law Bird

Best Beer Selection
1. 101 Beer Kitchen
2. PINS Mechanical Co
3. The Daily Growler

Best Bartender
1. Michael Merrill – Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse
2. Sarah – Gatsby’s Bar & Grille
3. Darek Reno – Echo Spirit

Best Rooftop Bar
1. Lincoln Social
2. VASO
3. Mandrake Rooftop

Best Place to Drink & Play
1. Pins Mechanical Co.
2. 16-Bit Bar Arcade
3. Topgolf

Best Bloody Mary
1. The Pearl
2. Hangover Easy
3. High Bank Distillery

Best Bar – Hilliard
1. Crooked Can
2. Roosters
3. The Goat

Best Bar – Westerville / Polaris
1. Kitchen Social
2. North High Brewing
3. Uptown Deli and Brew

Best Bar – Worthington
1. Worthington Tavern
2. Old Bag of Nails
3. Zaftig

Best Bar – Gahanna / Easton
1. PINS Mechanical
2. High Bank Distillery
3. Gatsby’s

Best Bar – New Albany
1. BrewDog
2. The Goat
3. Flanagan’s Pub

Best Bar – Dublin / Powell
1. Nocterra
2. PINS Mechanical Co
3. VASO

Best Bar – Campus / Clintonville / Linden
1. Out-R-Inn
2. Bob’s Bar
3. The Varsity Club

Best Bar – Grove City
1. Grove City Brewing
2. Memories Food & Spirits
3. The Upper Deck

Best Bar – Reynoldsburg
1. O’Toole’s Irish Pub
2. Prost
3. SC Bar & Kitchen

Best Bar – Downtown area
1. 16 Bit & Slammers (TIE!)
3. Citizen’s Trust

Best Bar – Arena District
1. Betty’s Bar
2. R Bar Arena
3. Brother’s Bar and Grill

Best Bar – Short North / Italian Village / Victorian Village
1. Ginger Rabbit
2. Budd Dairy
3. Zeno’s

Best Bar – Upper Arlington / Grandview
1. High Bank Distillery
2. Grandview Cafe
3. Byrne’s Pub

Best Bar – Bexley
1. The Top Steak House
2. Harvest Pizzeria
3. Giuseppe’s

Best Bar – German Village / Olde Towne East / Merion Village
1. Antiques on High
2. Club 185
3. Thurman Cafe

Best Bar – Franklinton / Hilltop
1. Land-Grant
2. BrewDog
3. Rehab Tavern

People & Places

Best Cover Band
1. Shucking Bubba
2. Hoo Doo Soul Band
3. Conspiracy

Best Local Band
1. North to Nashville
2. CAAMP
3. MoJoFlo

Best Local Solo Musician
1. John Schwab
2. Molly Winters
3. Dave Powers

Favorite Local Radio Station
1. 97.9, WNCI
2. 97.1, The Fan
3. 92.3, WCOL

Favorite Local TV Personality
1. Yolanda Harris, 10TV
2. Dom Tiberi, 10TV
3. Monica Day, NBC4

Best Med Spa
1. Boss Gal
2. Columbus Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery
3. The Facebar

Favorite Local Charity
1. Mid-Ohio Food Collective
2. Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio
3. Columbus Humane Society

Best Pet Groomer
1. Doggie Day Spa
2. Mutts & Co
3. Petsmart

Best Doggie Daycare
1. Dogtopia
2. Camp Bow Wow
3. Pet Suites

Best Neighborhood
1. Clintonville
2. Grandview
3. German Village

Best Thrift Store
1. Volunteers of America
2. Ohio Thrift
3. Goodwill Columbus

Best Dry Cleaners
1. Swan Cleaners
2. Dublin Cleaners
3. Westerville Cleaners

Best Local Clothing Store
1. Homage
2. Vernacular
3. Thread

Best Local Grocery Store
1. Weiland’s
2. Carfagna’s
3. North Market

Best Large Grocery Store
1. Kroger
2. Trader Joe’s
3. Aldi

Best Meat Market/Butcher
1. Carfagna’s
2. Weiland’s
3. La Plaza Tapatia

Best Furniture Store
1. Ikea
2. Grandview Mercantile
3. Elm & Iron

Best Jewelry Store
1. Diamond Cellar
2. Worthington Jewelers
3. Red Giraffe

Best Wellness Spa
1. Woodhouse
2. PENZONE Salons + Spas
3. Paloma

Best Place to get a Massage
1. Woodhouse Day Spa
2. PENZONE Salon + Spa
3. Massage Envy

Best Nail Salon
1. Lacquer Gallery
2. The W Nail Bar
3. PENZONE Salon + Spa

Best Hair Salon
1. Kenneth’s Hair Salon
2. PENZONE Salon & Spa
3. Virtue Vegan Salon

Best Bank or Credit Union
1. Huntington Bank
2. Chase
3. KEMBA

Best Shopping Center
1. Easton Town Center
2. Polaris Fashion Place
3. Tanger Outlets

Best Free Family Attraction
1. Metro Parks
2. Franklin Park Conservatory (First Sundays)
3. Columbus Metropolitan Libraries

Best Pet Store
1. Hollywood Feed
2. Mutts and Co
3. PetSmart

Best Car Dealership
1. Germain
2. Roush Honda
3. Byers Auto Group

Best Bookstore
1. The Book Loft
2. Half Price Books
3. Barnes & Noble

Best Florist
1. 5th Ave Floral Co
2. Connell Maple Lee flowers & gifts
3. Flowerama

Best Plant/Garden Shop/Nursery
1. Oakland Nursery
2. Groovy Plant Ranch
3. Strader’s Garden Centers

Best Hospital
1. Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University
2. Riverside Methodist Hospital
3. Nationwide’s Children’s Hospital

Best Bowling Alley
1. PINS
2. Ten Pin Alley
3. Star Lanes

Best Art Gallery
1. Wexner Center
2. Studios on High
3. 83 Gallery

Best Comedy Venue
1. Funny Bone
2. Shadowbox Live
3. The Hashtag Comedy Club

Best Family Attraction To Spoil Your Kids
1. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
2. COSI
3. Zoombezi Bay

Best Columbus Employer Under 500 Employees
1. Hot Chicken Takeover
2. Brewdog
3. Moo Moo Car Wash

Best Vet/Animal Hospital
1. The Ohio State University Animal Hospital
2. MedVet
3. Upper Arlington Vet Hospital

Best Columbus Employer 500+ Employees
1. The Ohio State University
2. Nationwide Children’s Hospital
3. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Best Place to Get Fit
1. Planet Fitness
2. OrangeTheory
3. YMCA

Best Apartment Complex
1. Grandview Yard
2. Bridge Park
3. The Quarry

Best Hotel
1. The Junto
2. LeVeque
3. Hilton Downtown

Best Bed & Breakfast
1. Bexley Bed & Breakfast
2. Timbrook Guesthouse
3. 50 Lincoln Bed & Breakfast

Best Place to Host an Event
1. The Kitchen
2. Understory
3. The Kee

Best Local Place to Get Married/Hold Your Reception
1. Franklin Park Conservatory
2. Jorgensen Farms
3. Whetstone Park of Roses

Best Place for Tattoos & Piercings
1. Evolved
2. High Street Tattoo
3. Stained Skin

Best Public Golf Course
1. Golf Club of Dublin
2. Blacklick Woods Golf Course
3. Darby Creek Golf Course

Best Private Golf Course
1. Muirfield Village
2. Scioto Country Club
3. Ohio State University Golf Club

Best Park
1. Highbanks Metropark
2. Columbus Park of Roses
3. Schiller Park

Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday Party
1. Big Air Trampoline Park
2. Get Air Columbus
3. Skate Zone 71

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners
1. Columbus Zoo
2. North Market
3. Bridge Park

Best Mortgage Company
1. Lower.com
2. Revolution Mortgage
3. NFM Lending