Deep dish pizza in Chicago. Philly cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. Cuban sandwiches in Miami. Beignets in New Orleans. Every major city has its must-try foods, and Columbus is certainly no exception.
The food scene in Columbus has been gaining national attention, being named a top 10 best food city in the U.S. by Conde Nast Traveler and home to several James Beard nominated chefs and restaurants.
From giant cream puffs and Nutella-stuffed pancake balls to Ohio's signature candy, Columbus is home to many must-try foods. Here's all of your iconic food items to taste on your trip to Columbus.
The Buckeye Lady. Source: Experience Columbus.
The Buckeye
Various locations
The Buckeye is made up of a creamy peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate, getting it's name from the nut of the state tree of Ohio. Buckeyes make a wonderful take-home gift to give people a little taste of your visit. We recommend trying a buckeye from Winans Coffee & Chocolate, Anthony-Thomas or try the signature Stuffed Buckeyes from The Buckeye Lady. Columbus loves its hometown treat so much that we've created the Buckeye Treat Trail to help residents and visitors explore Buckeye-inspired desserts all over the city. For more sweetness, read the history of the Buckeye and make sure to visit one of these locations on your trip to Columbus.
Brambleberry Crisp. Source: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams.
Jeni’s Ice Cream
Various locations
If you only try one hometown food during your weekend in Columbus, let it be Jeni’s Ice Cream. Founded by James Beard Award-winning ice cream maker Jeni Britton, this homegrown ice cream brand serves one-of-a-kind flavors of the classic treat made with seasonal ingredients, local produce and fresh milk from family-owned farms. Try a seasonal flavor or a year-round favorite like Brambleberry Crisp. The latter has a vanilla ice cream base made with Madagascan vanilla that’s swirled with a purple jam of brambly berries and a cinnamon-brown sugar oat streusel crumble inspired by her family recipe. Visit the original Jeni's location, a stall inside the historic North Market.
Katalina's Pancake Balls™. Photo by Wendy Pramik.
Pancake Balls™
Katalina's
These sugary-sweet Pancake Balls™, a cross between a donut and a pancake, have earned their trademark – you can only get them at Katalina’s, and over one million have been sold to date. Unlike traditional pancakes, these cooked balls of pancake batter are stuffed with Nutella, dulce de leche or pumpkin apple butter, dipped in maple syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
The Jumbo Cream Puff. Source: Schmidt's Restaurant & Sausage Haus.
Schmidt’s Jumbo Cream Puff
Schmidt's Sausage Haus
Step into the 1886-built Schmidt’s Sausage Haus and you’ll think you’ve discovered a piece of Germany right here in central Ohio. Order a large plate of Wiener Schnitzel, or a Bahama Mama, dance to live oompah music and don’t leave without trying the Jumbo Cream Puff. This award-winning dessert weighs half a pound and fills a pastry puff with a whipped chocolate, peanut butter fudge or vanilla filling, or a surprise “flavor of the month.”
Columbus-style Pizza. Source: JT's Pizza.
Columbus-Style Pizza
Various locations
Columbus-style pizza is square cut, has a thin crust and a sweet sauce, chooses provolone over mozzarella and is covered in toppings from edge to edge. Rumor has it that it was invented in 1949 by the founder of Massey’s Pizza, which is still open today. Find more Columbus pies at popular pizza shops along the Columbus-Style Pizza Trail, including favorites like the nationally-known Donato’s Pizza or try local haunts like Grandad’s Pizza, Gatto’s Pizza and JT’s Pizza.
Momos (dumplings) from Momo Ghar. Source: Experience Columbus.
Momos
Momo Ghar
Founded in 2011, Momo Ghar has been serving up authentic, Nepali and Tibetan savory dishes inside Columbus' historic North Market. The Tibetan Momos are known for their circular shape, making not only a delicious dish, but a snap-worthy meal as well. Momo Ghar gained national recognition alongside several other Columbus concepts with its appearance on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Rainy Day Coffee. Source: EatPlayCbus on Instagram.
Rainy Day Coffee
Bottom's Up
Get your favorite Bottoms Up coffee served on a wooden board with what looks like a cotton candy “cloud” suspended above it. Dubbed the “most creative cup of coffee in Columbus,” the Rainy Day slowly dissolves the sweet treat into the cup, sweetening your daily “Joe” in the most Instagrammable way.
Blueberry Galette. Source: Fox in the Snow Facebook.
Blueberry Galette
Fox in the Snow
Of all the rustic treats at Fox in the Snow, the Blueberry Galette is a known favorite. And why wouldn’t it be? A hexagon of sugared house-made pie crust is piped with a honey vanilla cream cheese filling and topped with fresh blueberries. Honorable mention goes to the Souffled Egg Sandwich.
Johnny Marzetti
Tommy's Diner
This baked ground beef, cheese, noodle and tomato sauce casserole dates back to 1896, when Teresa Marzetti served it at her namesake Italian restaurant, located on The Ohio State University campus, until it closed in 1972. In its heyday, OSU students loved the dish and made it a Columbus staple. Today, dig into a traditional Johnny Marzetti at Tommy’s Diner in Franklinton.
The Buckeye Donut
Buckeye Donuts
Buckeye Donuts’ signature donut with the same name is a decadent chocolate frosted donut with a dollop of peanut butter in the middle – so it’s like the classic confection, but better.
Columbus is a food lover’s dream. Whether you’re craving something savory or sweet, taste the destination’s must-try foods and share your experience using #yesColumbus. You can always find more food to eat in our great city here.
