The Best Restaurants in Columbus, Ohio Right Now

This list covers eight restaurants across Columbus worth your time and money — from a $14 lunch counter banh mi in Clintonville to a tasting menu in the Short North pushing $150 per person. By the end, you'll know what each place does best, what to order, roughly what you'll spend, and whether it matches what you're actually looking for.

Adornetto's Italian Kitchen — Grandview Heights

Old-school Italian-American red sauce in a neighborhood that doesn't need to try hard to fill seats. The lasagna Bolognese is the thing to order: thick layers, heavy on the meat sauce, the kind of portion that rules out dessert. Entrees run $18–$28. Best for date nights that skip the performance, or families who want a proper sit-down without a two-hour wait.

Basi Italia — Victorian Village

This is where Columbus's Italian dining conversation usually starts. Basi runs a tight, seasonal menu in a candlelit Victorian Village rowhouse. The pappardelle with duck ragù shows up regularly and is worth building an evening around. Pasta dishes sit around $24–$32, and the wine list skews Italian and thoughtfully priced. Reservations are genuinely necessary on weekends; walk-ins on a Tuesday are more realistic.

Gan Shan Station — Short North

Appalachian-meets-Southeast-Asian, which sounds like a concept and turns out to be a restaurant. The ramen burger — a smash patty served on compressed ramen noodles instead of a bun — became a Short North fixture for good reason. Lunch runs $12–$18; dinner climbs to $20–$30 for larger plates. The Short North location means it pulls a mixed crowd: pre-show diners, neighborhood regulars, and visitors working through a list.

Huong Vietnamese Restaurant — Morse Road Corridor

Straightforward pho and banh mi in a strip mall on Morse Road, which is the right neighborhood to be eating Vietnamese food in Columbus. The pho tai (rare beef) is a large bowl for around $13–$15, and the banh mi sandwiches run $5–$8 depending on filling. No ambiance to speak of, which is entirely beside the point. Best for a fast, filling lunch or anyone who wants to spend under $20 and eat well.

Kihachi — Powell

The best Japanese restaurant in the Columbus metro sits in a suburb, which surprises people once and then makes sense. Kihachi has been in Powell since 1990 and operates with the kind of consistency that builds a 30-year reputation. The black cod miso is the benchmark dish. Expect $35–$60 per person for dinner. Not a casual drop-in — this is a reservation, occasion-worthy meal, and worth the drive from Columbus proper.

Skillet — Worthington

A brunch-forward American spot in Worthington that takes its egg dishes seriously. The skillet hash with brisket has been a consistent reason people make the trip. Weekend brunch runs $14–$22 per plate. Expect a wait on Saturday and Sunday mornings — the dining room is small and the crowd is loyal. Better for groups of two or four than larger parties unless you call ahead.

Trattoria La Tavola — German Village

German Village's most reliable Italian option, tucked into a brick building on Mohawk Street. La Tavola's gnocchi Gorgonzola is the standout: pillowy, rich, not the kind of thing you find on many Columbus menus. Dinner entrees are $20–$32. The room is small and warm, and the neighborhood rewards walking around before or after. Suits couples and small groups who want dinner to feel like an event without the Short North noise level.

Watershed Kitchen & Bar — Franklinton

Watershed doubles as the restaurant arm of Watershed Distillery, which means the cocktail program is built around spirits made in the same building on Dublin Avenue in Franklinton. The roasted chicken with preserved lemon has appeared on the menu long enough to become a reason people return. Dinner entrees run $26–$38. The Franklinton location makes it a destination rather than a convenience stop, which tends to filter for guests who are actually there to eat and drink.

How to Use This List

The Morse Road corridor and Powell are worth the geographic effort if the specific cuisine matters to you — don't skip Huong or Kihachi just because they're not in the Short North. If you're working with a tight budget, the gap between a $13 bowl at Huong and a $38 entree at Watershed is real, and both meals are worth having. Reservations are non-negotiable at Basi, Kihachi, and La Tavola on weekend nights; the others are more forgiving mid-week.