Visit Gahanna: Columbus Monthly's Best New Restaurants
Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 by Juli Lindenmayer.
On March 25, 2025, The Stack Municipal Light Plant welcomed 10 new restaurants, around 300 guests, and Visit Gahanna to experience Columbus Monthly’s Best New Restaurants event! Sponsored by Noble Cut Distillery and The Stack, from 6-9 pm, the community of Columbus was able to enter the rustic industrial building for seemingly endless samples of the best bites from the menus of the best new restaurants. Dan Dan noodles, spicy wontons, Pan Con Pollo, Beef Tartare, and Toro Crudo are just some of the options that were available to the anticipatory public. Two drink tickets were given out at the door, and some of the restaurants provided small samples of alcoholic beverages they had on their menus. Read on for a list of the 10 Best New Restaurants of Columbus and a little bit of their background.
Gene’s: In the heart of historic Dublin, Ohio, sits this simple neighborhood restaurant. Featuring seasonal new-American cuisine, their website boasts that they provide a dining experience that is “fresh yet familiar, sophisticated but unfussy.” While their food is phenomenal, their dynamic wine selection is what makes them truly stand out. 79 different wines, from white and sparkling, to red and dessert, are listed on Gene’s “From the Cellar” menu. Because Gene’s is so deeply committed to fresh ingredients and quality courses, their menu purposefully rotates “as the seasons change and based on product availability.” Gene’s is determined to make sure its new customers are eager to come back for a continuously evolving and enjoyable experience.
Information and quotes gathered from: Gene's
Butcher & Rose: Brought to you by the iconic restaurant company that is Cameron Mitchell, Butcher & Rose coins itself as an “unparalleled” steakhouse that provides a “paradoxical union between power & elegance; craft [and] creativity…beauty and brawn.” A carnivore’s dream, Butcher & Rose serves wagyu strips and filets, salmon and shrimp, crab, oysters, and lobster, and roasted chicken as extravagant entrees. Located in the swanky Preston Centre on East Broad, this restaurant may be a bit of an indulgence, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
Information and quotes gathered from: Butcher & Rose
Taj on Fifth: Being a restaurant that is only open during dinner hours may sound like a negative, but Taj on Fifth has motives for its madness; the entrees-only menu effectively allows classic Indian dishes – like tandoori, biryani, and tikka masala – the space to be enhanced, updated, and redefined. Located in Grandview, Taj falls perfectly in line with the rest of the diverse culinary experiences in Columbus, Ohio. The establishment prides itself on “honoring age-old cooking techniques, grinding [their] own spices in-house, and using fresh ingredients for a nostalgic explosion of flavors in mouthwatering recipes.” Prices moderately range from $16-$25, which makes it an easy choice to stop by for a quick bite after a long workday.
Getting out of work late and can’t make a dinner date? Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, Taj serves customers a warm, comforting, and spicy brunch. Make sure to hop out of bed, though! This privilege is for dine-in only!
Information and quotes gathered from: Taj on Fifth
Chouette: What was once home to The Columbus Dispatch is now home to an authentic French bistro called Chouette. While Jeff Edwards (CEO of Edwards Cos.) brought Chouette to life, Master Chef Jacques Sorci is the one who keeps this restaurant alive. Sorci is a specialist in fine dining, with 30 years of professional application spanning across Europe and the United States. Born in France, he has worked tirelessly to ensure that the eating experience and the “culinary philosophy” preserve the “authenticity of traditional French dishes.” Not a world traveler? No worries! Chouette’s menu is designed to “introduce the richness of French cuisine to everyone, whether you’re a seasoned foodie or new to the world of French flavors.”
Information and quotes gathered from: Chouette
Calero’s Bar and Grill: New York City has competition for being known as the city that never sleeps; the city of Columbus holds Calero’s Bar and Grill, where you will be hard-pressed to find a time that it isn’t operating. From Tuesday through Sunday, the restaurant serves authentic Salvadoran breakfast starting at 8:30 am. From Thursday through Saturday, dinner and late-night bites are available for hungry guests until 2:00 am (don’t worry – you can still grab your lunch in the in-between hours!)
However, don’t go mistaking Calero’s for your typical Mexican cuisine. Columbus Monthly explains that while the food is “generally recognizable as Latin American, there are subtle differences and iconic dishes that distinguish Salvadoran cuisine.” For example, standard Mexican corn tortillas will be hard and thin, while Calero’s hand-formed Salvadoran tortillas are soft, dense, and thick, perfect for eating with your hands.
This restaurant was designed to be utilized by people of all ages. There is a children’s menu and an indoor swing that was created with families and children in mind. A bar filled with liquor and a TV shows sports for young men and older dads, while a sound system and disco ball caters to the young adults who come in at night looking for a place to listen to live music, sing karaoke, dance, or, of course, eat.
Information and quotes gathered from: Columbus Monthly Calero's Bar and Grill
Flour Modern Pasta Bar: Some may be hesitant to take a go at a prefixed menu; how are you supposed to get exactly what you want if someone is making the choices for you? But with flavors this varied (and prices this good), Flour Modern Pasta Bar makes the “leap of faith” more of a step. For just $28, you get to choose between two breads, two salads, and eight different pasta dishes, some of which include Black Truffle Mac N Cheese, Butter Chicken Alla Vodka, and classic Spaghetti Marinara. There are snacks and desserts that can be had as an add-on purchase, which is highly recommended: shoestring fries sprinkled with rosemary salt served alongside olive oil aioli and a Tres Leches Tiramisu Cake are especially noteworthy. All the pasta and bread are made in-house. Flour Modern Pasta Bar accomplishes its goal of blending “global flavors and pasta shapes with the comforting traditions of Midwest cuisine.”
Information and quotes gathered from: Flour Modern Pasta Bar
Kung Fu Noodle: Kung Fu Noodle is saturated with a deep history and philosophy that marks it as especially unique. The dining experience is “inspired by the rich culinary heritage of Lanzhou Beef Noodles.” Lanzhou Beef Noodles are a popular Chinese dish recognized by its fresh ingredients, beef broth, and hand-pulled noodles. Dating back to 1785 (during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty), Chinese tradition explains that a man named Ma Baozi (or Ma Wanfu) crafted the Beef Noodles by improving older, traditional noodle-making methods. The Zhang family – the founders of Kung Fu Noodle – were inspired by the mythos, Chinese cooking methods, and their homeland of Lanzhou, eventually creating a restaurant that not only offers delicious cuisine but also “educates customers about the cultural significance behind each dish.”
Their Classic Lanzhou Beef Noodle soup encompasses seven “standard classifications” of noodle thickness and three classifications of noodle shape: round, flat, and ridged. It is highly encouraged that when you do visit Kung Fu Noodle, you come with a curious spirit, an abundance of questions, and a hungry stomach.
Information and quotes gathered from: Kung Fu Noodle
Del Mar: Columbus, Ohio, is something special. Del Mar is inspired by Mediterranean coastal cuisine, so their restaurants are centralized along the coast, primarily in Florida. In fact, Columbus is the first place to house a Del Mar outside of Florida. Using flavors from “Greece, Southern Spain, Morocco, France, Italy [and] Turkey,” this restaurant supplies fresh herbs, produce, and cheeses that make up their seasonally rotating menus. Seafood takes the spotlight, with plates like Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, Salmon Crudo, Red Snapper Ceviche, and Open Fire-Roasted Shellfish Platter. Their Truffle Agnolotti is topped with fresh shaved truffle mushrooms that they import from Europe, and their vegetables are artfully paired with labneh, Manchego, or cipollini onions. While these platters are well worth the price, if you want to start small, Del Mar holds Happy Hours Monday through Friday from 4-6 pm, where you can grab discounted beverages, half off dips and spreads, and $10 flatbreads.
Information and quotes gathered from: Del Mar
Littleton’s Market Café: Does cooking at home do more for you than dining out? Let Littleton’s Market Café be your perfect in-between. After visiting a seafood market in Marco Island, Florida, Rob Littleton and Alan Scantland were inspired to create their own market: Midwest edition! They became the co-owners of Littleton’s Market, located in Upper Arlington, Ohio. Customers are set for an all-day exploration of the area with varied opportunities for dining, drinking, and shopping. A “full-service restaurant operating inside the market and outdoors on the Tremont Center plaza” allows people to dine on the very products they purchase. Littleton’s has it all: a café that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner; a bar and a coffee shop; a bakery and a wine club! This location is perfect for families, friends, and couples, where people of all types can find something to take an interest in.
Information and quotes gathered from: Columbus Monthly Littleton's Market Cafe
Shawnee Station Taproom | Kitchen: At Shawnee Station Taproom | Kitchen, people make the place. Maumee Bay Brewing Company started as a brewpub, emphasizing house beers and tasteful taps. However, wanting to expand and establish a foothold in the restaurant scene of Columbus drove them to launch Shawnee Station, where they kept the focus on beers and elevated the food menu; Head Chef Travis Hyde is largely to thank for this. Hyde uses local ingredients to “craft a menu that’s diverse, elevated and adventurous” by “[d]rawing inspiration from his career and travels.” His passion for community started early, when he opened ELLA (Eat Local Love Art) and began closely working with “local farmers, cheese makers, dairies, [and] foragers” in the hopes of supporting farmers and “food artisans.”
Hyde isn’t a one-man band; General Manager J. Larkin has over 40 years of experience in the world of food. While working as Corporate Chef/Food and Beverage Director for Heinen’s, he pushed the company to expand the “grocery store chain outside of Ohio.” Clearly, this experience was useful for Shawnee Station’s expansion as well. Their website expresses Larkin’s commitment to “assembling and leading a team that delivers the highest quality food, exceptional service, and an outstanding cocktail program” to “[enhance] the culinary landscape in Columbus.”
Information and quotes gathered from: Shawnee Station Meet the Team
Staff Picks!
Lori Kappes, Executive Director: Del Mar’s Red Snapper Ceviche and Noble Cut Distillery’s Limoncello
Sarah Carnes, Community Development & Event Manager: Shawnee Station’s Lobster Mac and Chocolate Pot de Crème
Jarod White, Marketing & Communications Manager: Flour Modern Pasta Bar’s Blue Cheese and Alfredo Fried Pasta Chips
Juli Lindenmayer, Administrative Assistant: Del Mar’s Gramercy Margarita and Shawnee Station’s Chocolate Pot de Crème