Must Eat in Columbus, Ohio?

If you want the must-eat picks in Columbus, start with Columbus-style pizza (thin crust, square cut, toppings to the edge), a buckeye candy (peanut butter and chocolate), and either German Village sausages with a giant cream puff or a lap through the North Market food hall. Those cover the city’s go-to tastes.

Columbus-style pizza is a hometown staple: thin-crust, cut into small squares, topped out to the edge, often with provolone. You’ll see this style across the city’s pizzerias and carryouts.

The buckeye is a chocolate-dipped peanut butter confection that looks like the nut of Ohio’s state tree. Look for it at bakeries and candy counters around town; it’s the simplest way to say you ate something uniquely Ohio.

In German Village, long-running spots serve classic sausages and jumbo cream puffs that many visitors make a point to try. For a one-stop tour of local and international eats, the North Market downtown is a public market with dozens of permanent food vendors, and it’s where a homegrown ice cream maker first opened a shop.

Planning a food crawl? Check current menus and hours with the business or the market before you go.

Published: September 9, 2026 · Reviewed by the Whats Up Columbus editorial team