The Columbus dining scene lost over 50 restaurants and bars this year. Some of which were open for decades, while others for not even a year.
Coffee and Breakfast
Bexley Coffee Shop closed in January at 492 N. Cassady Ave. after 10 years.
Big Apple Breakfast Co. closed in Wothington at 895 High St. in March after being open since 2022.
Way Down Yonder Beignets & Coffee closed at 386 E. Main St. in June after three years. Bottoms Up Coffee closed their original location after almost 10 years at 1069 W. Broad St. in July (View on Grant location still open).
Parable Coffee closed in August at 149 S. High St. following a variety of controversial complications.
“The whole Parable family itself quite literally was a family,” explained Nan Meece, former general manager of Parable, during an interview with CU in August. “Not in the way that like most restaurant groups are families, which a lot of times is built on toxic engagement and toxic habits. We had a lot of great conversations, we had a lot of very interesting conversations. Not just about the business but about life itself and what we’re all doing here together.”
Brunch-heavy restaurant Loco Social closed at 1295 Grandview Ave. in September after a year. The Purple Door Cafe closed inside Zora’s House at 1393 N. Fourth St. in November after a little over a year of business.
Bars and Clubs
Johnstown restaurant Ghostwriter Public House reopened after a brief refresh in January at 49 ½ S. Main St. The restaurant permanently closed not even two months after.
LGBTQ-friendly bar Walking Distance Brewing closed in February in Marysville at 222 E. Eighth St. Piano bar Howl at the Moon closed its Downtown location at 504 Park St. in March after being open since 2021.
Clintonville distillery 451 Spirits closed at 590 Oakland Park Ave. in July, but will continue distilling through Echo Spirits.
Campus bar UNO Night Club, formerly The Warehouse and Bullwinkles, closed suddenly in late October at 1770 N. High St. The bar was open for only a year.
Watershed Kitchen + Bar closed at 1145 Chesapeake Ave. in November with plans to reopen as an event space.
Multiple Location Closures
Hot Chicken Takeover closed all of its restaurants this year. The Lewis Center location at 8750 Owenfield Dr. was the first to go in January, followed by the Easton location at 4198 Worth Ave. in March. The Clintonville location at 4203 N. High St. closed in July after eight years of operation.
Three additional locations in Gahanna, 109 N. Hamilton Rd., Fifth by Northwest, 1417 W. Fifth Ave., and Westerville, 435 Polaris Parkway, closed in September. The closure of the shop’s final and original location at the North Market was announced a little over a week later.
“Craveworthy Brands, the owner of Hot Chicken Takeover is currently in default of their lease, owing the Market significant amounts in back rent as well as other outstanding expenses,” stated Rick Harrison Wolfe, Executive Director of the North Market, during an interview with CU in September. “Despite our attempts to communicate and resolve these issues, their corporate office has remained uncooperative. This lack of accountability and communication is deeply concerning.”
Ray Ray’s Hog Pit closed three of its locations this year, including in Marion and Johnstown, which opened earlier this year. The Marion location, at 138 S. Main St., the Johnstown location at 49 ½ Main St., and a Linworth food truck location, at 2355 W. Dublin Granville Road, all closed in November.
The restaurant’s current open locations are in Clintonville, Franklinton, Westerville and Granville.
Open for Over a Decade
Sunflower Chinese Restaurant closed after over 30 years in January at 7370 Sawmill Rd. Ohio’s final remaining Melt Bar & Grilled in Cleveland closed in January after 18 years.
Happy Greek closed in the Short North in February after nearly 20 years at 660 N. High St.
The original 16-Bit Bar + Arcade hosted its final day of business at 254 S. Fourth St. in March after being open since 2013. Block’s Bagels closed after nearly 60 years at 6115 McNaughten Rd., only to be replaced by Marx Bagels.
Golden China closed after 31 years in Reynoldsburg at 1926 Brice Rd.
Panzera’s of Upper Arlington at 3794 Fairlington Dr. closed after 20 years of business. The Grill & Skillet closed after 80 years at 2924 E. Main St.
Easton’s Adobe Gila’s departed in May at 3978 Easton Station. The restaurant had been there since the mall’s opening in 1999. Mexican restaurant Nada closed in the Arena District after a decade.
Monte Carlo Italian Kitchen closed its Powell location at 345 W. Olentangy St. The Powell restaurant opened in 2018, although the restaurant’s roots were established in 1979. The restaurant had multiple locations at one point; however, the Powell location was the restaurant’s final.
Marino’s Seafood closed in late June at 1216 W. Fifth Ave. after over 30 years. Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips is slated to take its place.
Cafe Istanbul closed in Bexley at 2455 E. Main St. after being open since 2011.
Korean restaurant Diaspora closed at 2118 N. High St. after 18 years of operation. Granville Brewing Company closed its Licking County location in September after 14 years of business at 5371 Columbus Rd.
Restaurant owner Josh Dalton closed his Delaware concept, 1808 American Bistro, in October after 17 years of business at 29 E. Winter St.
Although it isn’t a restaurant, the Pearl Market, located at the intersection of Pearl and Gay Street Downtown, hosted its final market in October after 31 years.
Local Cantina closed its Clintonville location at 3126 N. High St. after 11 years.
Short-Lived Goodbyes
Some restaurants said their goodbyes this year only to open a few months later.
The Short North’s 1126 Restaurant at 1126 N. High St. announced its closure in May and made its return in September.
Mid City Garage closed its doors in July at 1179 Jaeger St. and reopened in November.
Josh Dalton announced the closure of Rosebud’s at 15 E. Winter St. in October and reopened in November.
The Rambling House Music Bar closed its doors in October after over a decade at 310 E. Hudson St. The bar reopened Dec. 4 after being purchased by Michelle and Tucker Bohm.
Burlesque bar Bossy Grrl’s Pin Up Joint closed Dec. 13 in the Old North after 12 years. The business announced earlier this month that the bar was purchased by the owner of Alibi Bourbon & Cocktail Lounge, and is expected to reopen in early 2026.
Short North, German Village and Downtown
The Short North’s Fireproof Restaurant quietly closed over the summer after six years at 1026 N. High St. Ampersand Asian Supper Club also closed after six years in September at 940 N. High St. Mecha Noodle Bar closed at 985 N. High St. in December.
Chapman’s Eat Market closed after five years in German Village at 739 S. Third St.
“I’m incredibly proud of Chapman’s story,” said owner and chef BJ Lieberman in a release in July. “The team took this space and menu and gave Columbus a passionate, creative experience that is truly one of a kind.”
Photo by Anne Evans
Downtown’s GENJIGO closed in August at 77 E. Gay St. after four years.
Hilliard, Clintonville, Lewis Center and Worthington
Sandwich shop Hoagie City closed its Hilliard location at the end of 2024 at 3870 Main St. after four years. Wizard of Za closed inside Clintonville’s FUSIAN restaurant at 4214 N. High St. in January.
CRMD Ice Cream closed its Lewis Center location at 5915 Evans Farm Dr. in October. Worthington restaurant Zacatecas Grill closed at 1175 Worthington Woods Blvd. in December.
All photos by Ashley Kimmel unless otherwise stated.
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