It is a generally agreed upon fact that food brings people together. At any given party or event, it’s likely the majority of the group attending will be found in the kitchen or gathered around food stations. This makes a meal a logical choice for a team-building exercise for groups, and a recent Successful Meetings report studied “how to turn a meal into a team building event” to help get started.

The report explains that “family-style meals embrace communal tables and large serving platters that turn ‘breaking bread’ into ‘breaking ice,’” so even if people are strangers when the meal begins, they are friends by the end.  Even better, family-style meals were one of last year’s top meeting trends simply based on their ability to leave a big impression on attendees without spending big bucks. It seems you can’t go wrong with a meal that feeds and entertains attendees while helping them to forge bonds with each other.

In Columbus, two of our favorite family-style dining establishments are centrally located and easily accessible for groups (in addition to being delicious of course)!

Buca di Beppo, located in the Arena District right across form Nationwide Arena and just one block from the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC), features family-style Italian dishes in two sizes, the largest serving up to six per dish. Delegates will have an unforgettable night checking out the underground restaurant’s charming, old-world Italian décor and enjoying its authentic, mouthwatering dishes.

The Table, located a short distance from the GCCC in between the Short North Arts and University Districts, sources all meats, cheeses, vegetables and fruits locally and uses every bit from nose to tail. The Table was built to be a community and the team even bakes their own bread and cures their own meats in house, so it’s easy to feel welcome and good about what you’re eating when ordering any number of family-style dishes that serves up to 5 guests each.