Restaurants in Columbus

Since 1898, Krema Nut Company's presses and roasters have churned out a salty and sweet selection of preservative-free nuts, nut butters, and snacks, which have garnered attention from the Food Network's Unwrapped and Food Finds. The shop’s shelves support more traditional snacks, including bags of caramel corn, dried fruits, and roasted pecan halves, and more experimental morsels, such as wasabi roasted green peas and cashews tumbled in sea salt and black pepper. Alongside classic candies and its line of gourmet chocolates, the staff whips up a menu of sandwiches slathered in homemade nut butters and decadent peanut-butter ice-cream sundaes topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, freshly sliced fruit, and liquid happiness.

Painted with numbers and flanked by windows with blue shutters, the doors that line the interior of Mykonos Taverna resemble a charming view that one might stumble upon while visiting the restaurant’s eponymous Greek island. Owner and chef Christos Poulias wanted to give his guests an authentic experience, so he designed the interior of his restaurant to resemble an actual street in Mykonos. The effort to re-create the atmosphere of the island was so earnest that most of the decorations were packed up and, with Poseidon’s consent, shipped over from Mykonos itself.

The decor is not the only thing imported from Greece; a trunk of ancient family recipes made its way into Mykonos Taverna’s kitchen, and the chefs promptly revamped each dish to suit the restaurant’s modern, upscale feel. Among these are chicken souvlaki, gyros, spanakopita, and a recipe for lamb shanks directly from Athens. On Friday and Saturday nights, professional belly dancers complete the experience as they swivel their torsos, pop their hips left and right, and flash their legs through skirts made of warm pita.

After growing up in Nazareth, Israel, Mezze owner Johnny Baransi created the concept for customizable “middle-terranean” dishes that fuse Mediterranean and Middle Eastern culinary traditions and flavors. Diners select a base for their entrées, such as a pita, rice bowl, or salad. They then add in proteins ranging from a chicken gryo to falafel. A variety of toppings and sauces, such as fresh veggies and tahini, further personalize each dish.

Basilicata proudly refers to itself as the instep of Italy. Its pedestrian nickname, however, belies its scenic and gastronomical riches—the volcanic vineyards, the cliff-cut coastlines, and the ancient, gnarled olive trees that inspired recipes passed down for two generations until they reached the kitchen of Giorgio Italian Restaurant. In 2008, the recipes stood the test of time when Giorgio was named one of the Best New Restaurants by Columbus Monthly. Currently, Chef Todd McCall curates and expands upon these family recipes for menu items such as bolognese sauce and meatballs.

Giorgio’s Mediterranean influences extend to its décor, where crisp white tablecloths stand next to a grapevine mural and a rustic wall-mounted wooden wine rack. On the outdoor patio, pots of parsley, basil, and lemon verbena bloom at tables’ edges.

At a monthly jazz night, cool rhythms and melodies drift through the eatery. Just as regularly, wine tastings strike an education-entertainment balance as Giorgio’s oenophiles pinpoint flavor notes and teach diners how to tell red wine apart from bourbon simply by sniffing it.

The epicurean alchemists at Swades mingle cumin, tomatoes, and coconut milk to create vegetarian Indo-fusion curries and dals that combine into healthy meals easily picked up at the restaurant’s drive-thru. The menu, which changes daily, beckons tongues with dry curries studded with green beans and okra, gravy curries simmering with tofu and kidney beans, and dal dishes that send lentils on speed dates with mango, spinach, or cucumbers. An overwhelming majority of Swades’ dishes are vegan, and one chef draws on a background in raw-food preparation, entertaining taste buds with nuts and spices that have never known the malicious tickle of a nefarious stovetop flame.

Chefs at Taj Palace spice up curry sauces, bake marinated chicken in fiery ovens, and coat pastries with cardamom and honey syrup to fill their menu with recipes from Northern and Southern India. Red chili peppers add a blazing touch to the spicy vindaloo curry, and the kitchen's clay tandoor oven blows smoky kisses across the dining room in the form of marinated barbecued-chicken kebabs. The daily lunch, Monday-night dinner, and Tuesday-night vegetarian buffets brim with a cornucopia of more than 25 different items, including soups, curried meats, and soft naan.