Happy Friday! Here’s the latest Columbus restaurant news:
- The owners of Plain City’s Clocktower Kitchen & Bar announced that they’re bringing an Italian spot, called Lira Italian Kitchen, to 4056 Main St. in Old Hilliard. The building is an old Chase bank; Lira is set to open sometime in early 2028.
- KVIDA Modern Mexican Bar has soft opened at 119 E. Fifth Ave. in Italian Village, in the former Zaftig Brewpub space. The Mexican restaurant is owned by the same folks as Fronteras Mexican Cuisine on the east side.
- The BeckFast Place, the new breakfast spot that’s replacing Skillet in Schumacher Place, has soft opened serving coffee and a limited menu.
- Mikey’s Late Night Slice officially opens their newest restaurant at 2316 Ikea Way near Polaris on Friday, Aug. 28. This is their tenth Columbus location and their twelfth overall!
- Sexton’s Pizza also officially opened their new thin-crust concept, Uncle Frico’s, at 222 W. Lane Ave.
- Barry Bagels has officially opened their location near Ohio State’s campus, at 1881 N. Pearl St.
- And Paris Baguette has opened their fourth central Ohio location, this one at 5139 Raglan St. in Hilliard. The South Korea-based chain, similar to Tous Les Jours, now has four locations around Columbus.
Some cool culinary events:
- Weiland’s Market hosts their annual Party in the Parking Lot this Saturday, Aug. 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with grilled meals, drinks, a pie-eating contest, kid’s activities.
- That same day, Caroline’s Sandwiches teams up Crunchick to do a pop-up at their North Market stall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or until sell out). Get more info on this Instagram post!
- The Columbus International Festival is this Sunday, Aug. 30 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds, featuring a wide range of international foods, dance, music, and more community fun.
- Reminder that tickets are on sale for the Market to Table dinner, benefiting the Worthington Farmers Market, on Wednesday, Sept. 9. A collection of local chefs and vendors create a coursed dinner using ingredients from the market. Yours truly will be emcee!
This week I’m also writing:
You can also me on Instagram at @breakfastwithnick, check out the news archives, read my guide to Columbus, or search for travel inspiration.