Columbus Monthly – February 2026

Stories That Matter

Columbus Monthly was honored by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists and the Press Club of Cleveland with 11 awards for excellence in 2024 coverage.

Best Feature Reporting

Editor Katy Smith, for her compelling story about the founding of the Arc of Appalachia land preservation trust.

Best Sports Reporting

Freelance writer Chris DeVille, for his powerful profiles of OSU women’s ice hockey coach Nadine Muzerall, Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy, and Dr. Anthony Williams, whose youth soccer efforts transformed urban Columbus.

Best Environmental Reporting

For our first-place October 2024 feature, “Pollinator Gardens vs. Perfect Lawns.”

Best Architecture and Design Writing

Editor Katy Smith, first place, for her home feature on a Bexley resident’s inventive use of vintage pieces.

Best Photographer in Ohio

Photo editor Tim Johnson, second place, for a portfolio of 2024 work.

Plus six more awards across categories including arts reporting, medical and health reporting and overall third place for Best Magazine in Ohio, highlighting the depth and range of our newsroom.

We’re grateful for the recognition and inspired to keep delivering stories that inform, challenge and connect our community.

24

BEST NEW RESTAURANTS IN COLUMBUS 2026

They’re here—nine new restaurants that make us glad to live in Columbus. From classic comfort dishes to international cuisine to a spot with a chef’s counter, these newcomers offer something for everyone.

37

SKYLINE LODGE

This luxury retreat in Highlands, North Carolina, offers cozy accommodations and one-ofa-kind chef’s dinners, just a day’s drive from Columbus.

EDITOR AND GENERAL MANAGER, DISPATCH MAGAZINES

Katy Smith

EDITORIAL

FEATURES EDITOR

Linda Lee Baird ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lucy Clark

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Amy Bodiker Baskes, Nicholas Dekker, Chris DeVille, Randy Edwards, Kevin Elliott, Emma Frankart Henterly, Kathy Lynn Gray, Donna Marbury, Aaron Marshall

Jill Moorhead, Laura Newpoff, Steve Stephens and Peter Tonguette

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

PAGE DESIGNERS

Kathryn Biek, Kelly Hignite, Kaity Athialy, Hannah Patton

DIGITAL EDITOR

Julanne Hohbach

PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO EDITOR

Tim Johnson

ADVERTISING MULTIMEDIA SALES MANAGERS

Heather Kritter, Adam Trabitz

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Rebecca Zimmer

MARKETING

MARKETING MANAGER

Lauren Reinhard

LETTERS: letters@columbusmonthly.com

ADVERTISING: advertise@ columbusmonthly.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS/CUSTOMER SERVICE

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EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICES

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CONTRIBUTORS

Robin Yocum

The Columbus novelist brings us the story of an 80-year-old missing persons case, Page 14.

Amy Klaben

A longtime Columbus housing advocate praises the adoption of more varied dwelling styles, Page 17.

Nicholas Dekker

Dr. Breakfast joins the Columbus Monthly food team to celebrate the city’s Best New Restaurants 2026, Page 24.

How cancer caregivers can prioritize their own wellbeing

Cancer caregivers face several challenges, but they don’t always know when and where to turn for help.

Caregivers play important roles in cancer treatment, helping with daily tasks like transportation and meals, while often monitoring symptoms, assisting with medication and providing emotional support.

“Caregivers provide physical and mental support systems to take some of the stress off patients so they can focus on their health,” says Jessica Klett, MSW, LISW, a psychosocial oncology therapist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). “They’re a vital link between the patient and the healthcare team.”

While that support is vital, it can also become overwhelming for caregivers, who must balance their patient-focused efforts with other daily obligations, including family and work routines.

Stress, anxiety and other cancer caregiving challenges

“Seeing patients go through physical and emotional obstacles during cancer treatment can take tolls on their caregivers,” Klett says. “Depression and anxiety can result from taking care of loved ones.”

While these issues are widespread, many caregivers lack needed support because they’re unaware of where to turn, or even because they feel guilty about reaching out for help during their loved ones’ cancer treatment.

“Caregivers can feel guilty because they don’t have control over the outcomes of patients’ treatment, or because they feel that they’re not able to give 100% to everything else in their lives,” Klett says. “Some things can feel like they take back seats, including other relationships, their social lives and/or their jobs.”

Scan the QR code to learn more about support for cancer caregivers at the OSUCCC – James.

How psychosocial oncology therapists help cancer caregivers

As part of Ohio State’s commitment to comprehensive cancer care, experts like Klett specialize in psychosocial oncology, a multidisciplinary field that addresses psychological, emotional and social issues faced by patients and their families, including caregivers.

“Psychosocial oncology is important for caregivers because it can reduce stress and provide coping mechanisms,” Klett says. “That can improve caregivers’ well-being, which can also contribute to better outcomes for patients.”

Klett and her colleagues work directly with caregivers to identify their unique needs and facilitate support as part of an integrated program.

“Our therapists are trained to use different modalities specific to each patient and caregiver, such as motivational interviewing and solution-focused and cognitive behavioral therapies,” Klett says of the OSUCCC – James’ psychosocial support, which can also include:

• Education on resources, including support groups, classes and other programs

• Stress management methods

• Techniques for regulating emotions

• Individual and couples counseling

• Integrative care, including acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy

Klett and her colleagues also emphasize mindfulness when working with cancer caregivers, which can help improve quality of life.

“Mindfulness involves intentionally focusing on present moments, rather than worrying about the past or future,” she says. “It helps manage stress and regulate emotions.”

Scan the QR code to learn more about cancer care and research at the OSUCCC – James.

Comprehensive support for cancer caregivers

Psychosocial therapy is just one of the methods OSUCCC – James cancer experts utilize to support caregivers. Through the JamesCare for Life (JCFL) program, caregivers –along with patients and families – have access to a wide array of resources to help navigate each step of every cancer journey.

“Cancer caregivers are the often-unsung heroes of cancer care,” says Julie DeBord, MSW, LISW-S, manager of the JCFL program. “We value caregivers as important members of cancer treatment teams.”

JCFL brings together experts in multiple fields to create support programs that have lasting impacts for caregivers as they progress through the stages of cancer treatment and survivorship.

“JamesCare for Life offers evidence-based programs that focus on the many ways life is impacted by cancer diagnoses,” DeBord says. “We have a dedicated support group for caregivers, but they can also take part in peer support and family and parenting programs, nutrition and exercise classes and more.”

Caregivers’ daily schedules can sometimes make participation in support programs difficult. So, DeBord and her colleagues offer a growing list of virtual classes and meetings, while making all JCFL resources available to anyone who needs them.

“Any cancer caregiver – as well as patients and survivors – can participate in our programs,” DeBord says. “No matter where they’ve received treatment, we’re here to help.”

Scan the QR code to learn more about JamesCare for Life’s cancer support programs and classes.

FROM THE EDITOR

If I Wasn’t a Magazine Editor Prelude

The February issue of Columbus Monthly is one of my favorites of the year. Best New Restaurants bursts from the pages in vivid color, each dish a manifestation of the chef’s creativity and passion. The brave entrepreneurs who have the guts to launch food businesses have my deep admiration. They face down enormous challenges to make it to our Best New Restaurants list—rising rents and food costs, a scarce and shifting labor pool, extremely low margins, a racist federal campaign against the immigrants who staff our restaurants, to name just a few. These owners and doers have my respect for overcoming long odds, and also because I’ve often thought in the past 15 years that if I wasn’t a newspaper or magazine editor, I’d like to be a chef.

Katy Smith katy@columbusmonthly.com

fresh herbs from the kitchen garden, of course. (We would have a greenhouse as well as outdoor gardens.) On days when winter’s frost and damp gripped the land and our bodies, diners would be greeted by meatballs marinara worthy of any Nonna’s recipe book, including a vegetarian version made with mushrooms and black beans. Breakfast would offer proteins such as Greek yogurt, gravalax and eggs souffle in addition to fresh pastries made by the Lunch Lady—no factory bakery products or powdered eggs in sight. Sometimes, maybe on one Thursday a month, the menu would offer a Fiestada Pizza so outstanding, it would make the beloved 1980s school version seem like a distant bad dream.

Send letters to: Editor, Columbus Monthly, 605 S. Front St., Ste. 300, Columbus, OH 43215. Or email: letters@columbus monthly.com. A letter must include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. Letters will be edited for length and clarity. All letters sent to Columbus Monthly are considered for publication, either in print or online.

Columbus Monthly

@ColumbusMonthly

@ColumbusMonthly

Web: ColumbusMonthly.com

If I had the physical stamina to stand in a kitchen all day, every day (and I doubt that I do), I would be thrilled to spend my time chopping vegetables, composing salads and roasting meats to impossible tenderness, coaxing sumptuous sauces from the pan juices. But my ideal environment would not be that of a restaurant, with its short orders, rapid turnover, high decibel levels, general mayhem and well-deserved superstar status. Instead, my dream involves being a school cook of sorts, or a mostly friendly, occasionally grumpy lunch lady in your work cafeteria.

Katy the Lunch Lady would revel in creating nutritious, delicious menus for her dining populace each day of the week, nourishing the young and old alike with classic preparations like celery and carrot sticks with a positively addictive housemade ranch, made with

Ah, the thought of delighting the masses with simple sustenance made by my own two hands is wonderful. In a way, it’s sort of like being a magazine editor, isn’t it?

This February, the team at Columbus Monthly brings you another issue we made from scratch. Please enjoy this month’s menu:

• The Best New Restaurants in Columbus of 2026 (Page 24)

• Get to know the new leader of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Mitch Menchaca (Page 10)

• The cold case of a young woman who disappeared from Grandview Heights 80 years ago, which may have a new clue in the form of DNA evidence (Page 14)

• Celebrating Ohio author Toni Morrison for the country’s 250th Birthday (Page 12)

• Our annual guide to Private Schools in the Columbus region (Page 42)

Email: letters@ columbusmonthly.com

• Meet the women behind two new local spirits brands (Page 60) Enjoy the issue. And have fun trying all our Best New Restaurants.

front & center

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

A

Learn how the state is celebrating the

on Page 12.

Get to Know Mitch Menchaca

The Greater Columbus Arts Council’s new leader is hitting the ground running in his pursuit for public art funding and promoting the city as a hub for all artists.

By Lucy Clark

Mitch Menchaca started his position as president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council in December, taking the helm from Tom Katzenmeyer, who held the position since 2013 until his retirement in 2025. Menchaca came to Columbus from Phoenix, where he served as the city’s arts and culture director for seven years. He’s also worked in the arts in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., from symphonies to choruses to grant work and more.

Columbus Monthly met with Menchaca to hear how he’s settling into the city, ask what his aspirations are for Columbus’ art scene and help his new community get to know him.

First impressions of Columbus? When I came out for my interviews, I really felt that Columbus was this metropolitan, cosmopolitan city. I was walking down Gay Street while it was glistening with water, and I was like, it kind of reminds me of Manhattan. It’s a great arts destination. My partner said, “I know you’ve taken me to a lot of arts things in Phoenix, but what we’ve gone to already in a month has been really awesome.”

What arts programs or shows have you gone to in Columbus? It’s run the gamut from going to the art museum, seeing the one-woman A Christmas Carol at the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, Six [the Musical] at Broadway in Columbus and Virginia West’s Christmas Drag Show at District West. I saw BalletMet’s Nutcracker, which was really great.

Front & Center | Arts

Where are you staying now? I live Downtown. I wanted to be able to walk—it was really important when I lived in D.C., and I sort of got that D.C. feeling when I came here. I love it— again, it’s that cosmopolitan feeling. I have restaurants and galleries nearby. I’ve spent a lot of time on South High Street and in German Village and Olde

Towne East, which is really cool. Everything is accessible and close, and I really enjoy that.

What’s surprised you the most so far? The friendliness. We hear about “Midwest nice” in the Southwest, but to actually get to live it is great. I think people are really genuine here.

seeing public art, or art in public spaces. You wouldn’t know there wasn’t already a law or ordinance in place—there are so many murals and sculptures. I live by the Janet Echelman piece, Current, on Gay and High, and we have an Echelman street sculpture in Phoenix, too. It’s a little bit different, but there’s a thriving public art scene here. I think the investment the city and county could put into it could really step up Columbus as a destination.

What do you think art can do, and mean, for a community? Right off the bat, it adds to quality of life—whether it’s just enjoyment or entertainment or interacting with dimensional art or seeing a performance. There’s an intrinsic value. But I also think the arts can play into civic issues, and that’s really my vision: How can we embed artists into creative solutions with the environment, housing and research?

Who did you move with? I moved here with my partner, Emitt Bryant, and we each have a cat. They got to know each other for the first time here—Margo and Mr. Kitty.

Favorite restaurants so far? I love Chouette. We’ve met the bartender and the general manager, we live right next to it. I just love having it right there before shows. The mac and cheese is really great, along with their steak frites. Also, Tip Top has been really fun—any of their sandwiches. It’s just good, hearty food. You’ve got both sides of the spectrum right there on the same road.

BY TIM JOHNSON

As you see it, what is Columbus’ biggest arts opportunity? This is something our team is already working on: public art. I come from Phoenix, which has one of the largest public art programs in the nation. I think Columbus could invest in that, both on the city and county level and on the private side. However, what was surprising was coming here and

What music are you currently listening to? The soundtracks for the different shows we’ve been going to, like Six. We’re going to see Phantom of the Opera in Chicago, so that’s already been lined up and listened to death.

What is your big priority for GCAC in 2026? Obviously, to maximize our funding. I want Columbus to be the goto destination for artists and arts organizations—a place to find professional development, leadership development and learn about opportunities locally and nationally. I want us to be that resource, that “start-with-us” kind of place. ◆

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

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Front & Center | Humanities

Celebrating Toni Morrison

Ohio Humanities, Literary Cleveland and other partners are collaborating to celebrate the Nobel prize winning writer’s legacy and Ohio roots for the country’s 250th birthday.

By Lucy Clark

This year—America’s 250th birthday— marks a significant time for reflection across the country. Few writers have captured such a wide breadth of our tumultuous, sometimes complicated and vitriolic, yet deeply human history as the first Black American woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature: Ohio writer Toni Morrison.

This is the ethos behind the yearlong Toni Morrison celebration, Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison, produced in collaboration between Ohio Humanities and Literary Cleveland and supported by Ohioana Library Association and the Toni Morrison Society. Morrison’s 11 novels were published between 1970 and 2015, but each book tells a different story situated throughout the country’s vast landscape and history, spanning from the late 17th century colonial America with A Mercy and ending in the 2000s with God Help the Child. This, according to Britt Lovett with Literary Cleveland, is what made the collaborators decide to celebrate Morrison for the country’s milestone anniversary.

The celebrations will formally kick off here in Columbus on Feb. 18—what would have been Morrison’s 95th birthday, a day designated statewide as Toni Morrison Day in 2020—at the Columbus Foundation. Columbus writer Hanif Abdurraqib will lead a dialogue about Morrison’s body of work alongside writer and Harvard University English professor Namwali Serpell. Though the event is not open to the public, it will be available for livestreaming.

Other events, from book clubs to essay contests, readings, performances and more (independent and in collaboration with Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison), will take place in Columbus and the rest of the state throughout the year, concluding with a celebration Feb. 18, 2027, in Morrison’s hometown of Lorain.

“Every single person I talk to is excited,” says Lovett. “I have not talked to one single person who is not smiling ear to ear, who’s not thankful for this opportunity to talk about Toni Morrison. People are elated.” ◆

COLUMBUS EVENTS

Multiple celebrations of Toni Morrison and her works will take place throughout the Columbus region. For additional event details and an up-to-date calendar in Columbus and beyond, visit ohiocelebratestonimorrison.org/ events

Feb. 12 | Granville Public Library

Book Club, The Bluest Eye Free and open to adult readers. More information can be found at granvillelibrary.org

Feb. 15 | 2026 Toni Morrison Celebration at the Bexley Public Library

A celebration and reading featuring local artists and authors. More information and registration can be found at bexleylibrary.org/ experience

Feb. 18 | Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison Kickoff Event

Available for livestreaming at bit.ly/ ohiocelebratestonimorrisonkickoff

Feb. 18 | Beloved (1998) Screening at Pickerington Public Library Free and open to adult audiences. More information can be found at pickeringtonlibrary.org

April 3 | After the War: Black Veterans, Memory and Morrison’s America Veterans, readers and writers are invited to reflect on depictions of war in Morrison’s novels in this workshop. Details can be found at litofwar.com, location TBD.

April 11 | Truth as Source: Writing Toward What’s Real Writer Imani Mixon’s workshop will focus on Morrison’s depiction of truth. The workshop is open to all but intended for “experienced writers actively working on a project.” Further details can be found at imanimixon.com/events, location TBD.

One of Columbus’ most puzzling missing persons

By Robin Yocum | Photos by Tim Johnson

World War II was only months in the country’s rearview mirror, and the United States was entering an age of innocence and the cusp of the baby boomer generation. Inside a Grandview Heights home on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 23, 1946, a 24-year-old schoolteacher called upstairs to her mother, announcing that she was going to catch the bus to Downtown Columbus to do some shopping.

Lola Ada Celli headed down Third Avenue toward Cambridge Boulevard to catch what was known as the Arlington bus.

She didn’t make it to the bus stop.

She was never seen again.

It was as if she walked down the street that winter morning and stepped through a hole in the space-time continuum.

This month marks 80 years since one of Columbus’ most famous missing persons disappeared. Celli came home from her high school teaching job in West Mansfield, about 52 miles northwest of Grandview Heights, to visit her family for Washington’s Birthday, now President’s Day, which fell on a Friday that year.

Despite intense news coverage, searches—175 boys from Grandview Heights and Upper Arlington high schools searched the local quarries and ponds—

cases might have a new lead after 80 years.

and countless hours logged by the Grandview Heights Police Department, no one has ever determined what happened to the attractive schoolteacher during the short walk from her parents’ home to the bus stop.

Was she kidnapped? Did someone she thought she could trust offer her a ride? Or did she simply leave of her own volition?

Celli was born in Italy in 1922. She was in the fifth grade when her family immigrated to the United States and settled into the house at 1783 W. Third Ave. in Grandview Heights. She graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in romance languages and in the fall of 1945 began her first job as a home economics and biology teacher at West Mansfield High School.

At the time of her disappearance, Celli was 5-foot-4 and 115 pounds. She was wearing a gray, Indian lamb fur coat, gray hat, aqua dress with red trim and red suede shoes with two-inch Cuban heels. She had $60 in her purse.

The first story of her disappearance appeared above the fold of The Columbus Dispatch on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 1946. It was a week before police received their first solid tip, or so they believed.

A man named Cecil Scott told authorities that on the Saturday Celli dis-

appeared, he had witnessed a man and woman matching her description traveling along Olentangy River Road in a red Dodge Coupe. They appeared to be arguing when a red shoe flew out the window. Scott said he was so concerned that he wrote down part of the license plate on a matchbook.

Except Scott could no longer find the matchbook, and investigators could not find the shoe.

From that point on, the case grew increasingly colder. There were reports of Lola Celli sightings in Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Richmond, Virginia. Stories surfaced that she was suffering from amnesia and ran away. A marshal from neighboring Marble Cliff told the chief of Grandview Heights Police Department that he had personal information that Celli was living a secluded life and wanted to be left alone. The chief closed the investigation, only to reopen it after the marshal admitted to concocting the entire story.

Now, eight decades later, there might be a glimmer of hope in solving the mystery. Grandview Heights detective sergeant Zac Scurlock is 38 and wasn’t a gleam in his grandparents’ eyes when Celli went missing. He is, however, a bulldog of an investigator with a penchant for investi-

gating cold cases, and none is colder than the disappearance of Lola Celli.

Last year, Scurlock decided to give the case a fresh look.

“I’m passionate about working on cold cases,” says Scurlock. “I hate to see cases go without a resolution. I found an old accordion file in the storage room and started making my way through it.”

Scurlock doggedly digitized the massive and musty file. While reviewing it, he found a long-forgotten piece of evidence that could hold a modern-day clue—DNA.

In the weeks after Celli disappeared, a man walked into a phone booth in Downtown Columbus and discovered an envelope, on which the words “Grandview” and “police” had been clipped from a newspaper or magazine and taped to the envelope. Inside was a letter, also spelled out with clipped words, that stated: “You dumb fools; Robbery and death stalk in the evening; I want a corpse; a girl’s bloody body, a cadaver to kiss and cut up; get me before its (sic) too late; I’ll show you how to dig the dead bodies from their graves; killer werewolf gang; I will talk.”

Was it from someone who abducted Celli, or the rantings of a lunatic? Scurlock wants to know, and believes there’s a

Front & Center |

chance—albeit a long shot—that authorities can extract DNA from beneath the tape on the envelope. He recently sent the envelope to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation for analysis.

“The envelope and letter have been handled so many times that we don’t know whose DNA is on it,” Scurlock says. “However, the tape holding down the letters on the front has never been disturbed. I’m hoping that some DNA was trapped under the tape from the fingers of whoever taped down the words.”

If a viable sample is secured, the DNA would be cross-checked with repositories such as Ancestry.com or GEDmatch, a public genetic genealogy database.

Authorities in Lawrence County in southern Ohio used DNA technology to identify Louise Flesher as the long-unidentified woman known as “The Belle in the Well.” Her body was found in a cistern in 1981 and remained unidentified until 2019 when investigators made a DNA connection with a relative. Co-

lumbus Police used the technology to identify Harold Warren Jarrell as the murderer of 8-year-old Kelly Prosser, who was abducted on her way home from Indianola Elementary School in 1982 and later found strangled in a Madison County cornfield.

Tom Sussi, a Columbus private investigator specializing in locating missing persons, says detectives investigating the Celli case in 1946 were up against odds that modern detectives don’t face.

“Simply, they didn’t have the technology 80 years ago that we have now,” Sussi says. “You could disappear and never be found. There weren’t security cameras all over the city, and there was no social media. Now, it’s not that easy to get off the grid. It’s a whole different ball game. If she was kidnapped and forced into a car, and no one saw it happen, and the perpetrator was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, who’s going to solve that case in 1946?”

One of the early suspects in the disappearance was Harry Lane, a neighbor of the Cellis. Lane claimed he saw Celli walking west on Third Avenue near the intersection of Glenn Avenue. Lane told police and reporters that he also planned to catch a bus Downtown.

In one version, Lane said he didn’t speak to Celli but simply saw her walking down the street. Later, he said he opened the door, and they had a brief conversation. Lane said Celli told him, “You better hurry,” if he wanted to catch the bus with her.

Lane said he left the house, but didn’t walk west on Third Street. Rather, he walked south on Westwood Avenue to catch the same bus at First Avenue. When he got on the bus, however, Celli was not there.

He later said he went to the Lazarus de-

partment store and looked for Celli for two hours. It begs the question: Why? At that juncture, she hadn’t been reported missing. And, according to the first story in the Dispatch, Celli told her family that she was going to Robert’s Clothing Store at Gay and High streets to open a charge account and then planned to visit an unnamed jewelry store. There was no mention of her going to Lazarus.

Scurlock concedes that Lane was sketchy, but from the reports he’s read, police decided that despite his erratic stories and behavior, he had nothing to do with Celli’s disappearance. Rather, they believe he was either seeking attention or had some psychological issues. Either way, it appears that he was the last person known to have seen Celli alive.

Scurlock believes Celli was forced into a car and that the report of the couple fighting in the Dodge on Olentangy River Road was a credible sighting. If true, what happened afterwards is anybody’s guess.

“I wish I could tell you that we have a person of interest, but there really isn’t anyone,” Scurlock says. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and get a hit on the DNA. Anyone associated with the case is dead, so that’s our only hope.”

He expects to get the results back from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation this summer.

Romantics want to believe Celli disappeared on her own accord and went somewhere to live her life anew. Scurlock believes she was kidnapped. Either way, private investigator Sussi says the odds of solving the case after so many years are infinitesimal.

“You have to have something to go on, otherwise you’re chasing ghosts,” Sussi says. “Sounds to me like she met someone and had a bad ending.” ◆

Front & Center | Opinion

Housing Options Are Life Options

Accessory dwelling units help create neighborhoods where kids can be around people from different backgrounds—and that bodes well for their future prosperity.

By Amy Klaben

Applause to the city of Bexley and, more recently, the city of Columbus, led by Councilmember Otto Beatty. These cities, along with Westerville, now allow accessory dwelling units—or ADUs.

These updates represent a meaningful step toward addressing our region’s challenges with housing affordability and access. By allowing ADUs such as backyard cottages, basement or attic units, and garage conversions, the city can promote more diverse housing options for families, seniors and individuals who need access to flexible living arrangements.

ADUs also can empower homeowners to contribute to our region’s housing supply without the need for large-scale development. They offer a sustainable, incremental way to meet the needs of Columbus’ growing population while preserving neighborhood character. In addition, they can provide supplementary income for property owners and safe, affordable homes for tenants. ADUs provide an excellent step to adding density to our neighborhoods, improving the tax base and diversifying our housing stock. More municipalities

should pass similar legislation.

The additional benefit of these units is their potential to create mixed-income neighborhoods, which has been proven to benefit children. It’s an idea deeply researched by Harvard’s Raj Chetty, who has studied the effects on children living in higher-resourced neighborhoods such as Bexley, Clintonville or Old North Columbus.

It’s in those neighborhoods where, for children, the magic happens. They’re influenced by peers who not only believe they’re going to graduate high school, but go on to further training. They see moms and dads going off to all kinds of careers.

As Chetty told The Harvard Gazette: “It shapes your aspirations. It shapes the things that you think about, the career paths you think about pursuing.”

And having new children in these neighborhoods also works in reverse— the kids already being raised there gain perspective from befriending families who don’t have the exact same backstory that they do. Later, this eases transitions into work life because these new adults

already have been exposed to more kinds of people.

Since 2016, I and a group of co-founders and collaborators have been working on an idea backed by this research. It’s called Families Flourish, and we’ve now welcomed more than 130 families, consisting of over 340 people, into our central Ohio program. For three years, we provide life coaching and partial rental support, which helps families seek housing in higher resourced neighborhoods that best meet their needs.

Now, local research shows Families Flourish is saving taxpayers money. According to local policy shop Scioto Analysis, for every dollar spent on a child in our program, an average of $5 to $7 in economic benefit results. In fact, study author Rob Moore said that if we could serve 1,000 families in Ohio, we could save Ohio taxpayers $320 million!

Moore also projected an average increase in lifetime earnings of $302,000 for each child under 13. For many people, that’s a life-changing amount. ◆

Amy Klaben is president and CEO of Families Flourish.

Front & Center | Everyday Kindness Heroes

Transforming ‘The Triangle’

With Green Bexley, Rebecca Ness works to restore the native habitat of birds, bees and butterflies.

By Sophia Veneziano

In 2020, Rebecca Ness decided to use her time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic to work in her garden.

She installed plants throughout the entire garden space beside her home, but she didn’t feel satisfied.

“I planted my whole garden. I’m like, ‘Well, this isn’t quite enough,’ ” she says.

So, she expanded into the alley behind her home and launched a biodiversity arm of the volunteer-run group she joined in 2018, Green Bexley. Today, she serves as its vice chair.

Ness revived a program called “Love Your Alley” with help from grants made by the Bexley Community Foundation, Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District and others to bring gardens filled with native plants and murals to Bexley alleyways.

Since 2021, Green Bexley has distributed or installed 8,000 native plants, trees and shrubs in the city across 110 gardens, according to Ness. It also has completed 22 murals through grants for artists through the Greater Columbus Arts Council, she says.

Like the native plants, the project kept growing. The group began educating Bexley residents with classes on plants native to the Columbus area in collabo-

ration with the Bexley Public Library. Ness applied for a grant from Village and Wilderness in early 2024, and the organization gave her every penny she requested. The project is now using the $47,235 grant to plant natives at private residences throughout a stretch of Bexley from Astor Avenue to East Livingston Avenue and Pleasant Ridge Avenue to College Avenue. Ness calls the area the Bexley Habitat Triangle. On a snowy morning in February 2024, she knocked on doors to ask if neighborhood residents would be interested in participating. “It was a resounding yes,” she says.

The project has transformed yards by eliminating invasive species of plants and adding natives to create an unbroken habitat for birds, bees and butterflies. In the spring of 2025, the team transformed 30 yards. It will use the remainder of the grant funding to transform five more in 2026.

“The original plan was to do it over a two-year period, but the landscaper was just so skilled and so incredibly organized and worked so hard that we ended up getting 30 yards done this past April and May,” Ness says. “A lot of the yards butt up against each other, and it just creates one large unbroken habitat. We ended up installing about 2,000 plants,

including trees and shrubs, in this one condensed area.”

The team surveyed the community to tailor the habitat restoration to exactly what its residents wanted. Then the landscaper, Josh Zingg of Edge Effect, went to each resident to talk about specific plans for each yard. Beyond getting to lead the project and transform the Bexley habitat, Zingg enjoyed connecting with the residents and facilitating collaboration and community-building between them. Neighbors went from strangers to volunteers in each other’s yards. “A lot of these people actually met each other for the first time, even though they lived two, three, five houses down,” he says. “Seeing those growing interactions between people who had lived down the street from each other for years, that was the best part for me. ... And then, the fact that everyone was excited about native plants.” ◆

This article was made possible by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation, which partners with Columbus Monthly to showcase kindness in the community. Help us by suggesting kindness profiles to Reporter Sophia Veneziano at sveneziano@dispatch.com. Learn more at ColumbusMonthly.com/Kindness.

EverydayKindness Heroes

Sometimes the beneficiary is a stranger. Sometimes it’s a friend, acquaintance or colleague. We look to honor those who perform extraordinary selfless acts to improve, heal and unite our community.

Consider lifting up the volunteer quietly aiding their neighbors or the community member tirelessly advocating for change. We need your help to recognize the kind, selfless heroes among us.

The Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation has partnered with The Columbus Dispatch to highlight those making our community a better place. Help us inspire kindness by suggesting people, initiatives, or organizations for Reporter Sophia Veneziano to profile. She can be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com Learn more at ColumbusMonthly.com/Kindness.

New Albany Community Foundation’s Remarkable Evening Event

The New Albany Community Foundation held its 23rd annual Remarkable Evening benefit on Dec. 3. Actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick headlined the event, which was held at the New Albany International Business Park and attended by over 700 people. Funds raised from Remarkable Evening support the foundation’s annual grantmaking to area nonprofit organizations.

1 Jeri Block, Ted and Lynda Carter, Bob Schottenstein 2 Frederic Bertley, Molly Iams, Cindy Hilsheimer and Dennis Welch 3 Stephanie and Nick Lorenz 4 Francie Henry and Fabian Padamadan 5 Janelle Coleman and former Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman 6 Philip Wagner, New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding and Jim Evers 7 Rick and Sara Mershad 8 Karen Morrison with Pierre and Toni Bigby 9 John Wolff, Tanny Crane, Sandy Doyle-Ahern and Michael Ahern 10 Renee and Alex Shumate

Families Flourish Power of Opportunity

Families Flourish held its annual Power of Opportunity event on Dec. 4 at GBQ in the Arena District. The event raised $216,000 for the nonprofit, which partners with families to provide rent support, coaching and programs. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and the Marzetti Co. received the Steve Heiser award during the event, which was attended by 170 guests and emceed by Colleen Marshall of NBC4.

1 Carl Faller, Rachel Kleit and Keith Jones 2 Jim Wilson with David and Cathy Presper 3 Cierra Jackson 4 Sheri Chaney Jones and Darci Congrove 5 Upper Arlington city council member Heidi Munc and Lachandra Baker 6 Amy Klaben, Jamie Sager and Linnae Boyer 7 Bonnie Milenthal with Bob and Laurie Long 8 Erin Blue, Jackie Davis and Erika Gable 9 Erin Ressa, Stephen McEnery and Joyce Salizzoni

Bold. Bold. Original. Original.

columbusmonthly.com Columbus Monthly is your go-to for coverage of the arts and the creative forces driving our culture and economy. With in-depth reporting and unforgettable stories you won’t find anywhere else, we spotlight the artists, innovators and ideas shaping the city.

BEST NEW Restaurants IN COLUMBUS 2026

WRITTEN

BY

LINDA LEE BAIRD, AMY BODIKER BASKES, LUCY CLARK, NICHOLAS DEKKER, KATY SMITH AND BOB VITALE

PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

Each year, the Columbus Monthly food team stays busy sampling the city’s new restaurants. Which ones live up to the hype? Which places deserve hype they aren’t getting? What restaurants are adding something truly unique to Columbus’ offerings?

In addition to this being—let’s be honest—very fun work, it’s also illuminating. We love discovering new cuisines and dishes we didn’t even know we’d been missing.

The nine restaurants selected this year represent a diversity of cooking styles, experiences and price points. From an indulgent chef’s tasting menu in Merion Village to an inexpensive upgrade of your lunchtime burger in the form of a Japanese heele katsu fried pork sandwich, we’ve got something on this list that’s sure to suit your tastes.

Full-service restaurants that opened between Oct. 1, 2024 and Sept. 30, 2025 were eligible for consideration. (Haru Omakase, a Polaris-area restaurant, opened within this timeframe and would have been a winner but has already been named a Best Restaurant by this magazine, so we made space for other newcomers.)

From well-known restauranteurs to those just entering the business, there’s a common love of craft and a care for clientele that you feel in each of these spaces. We hope you’ll enjoy learning about them and sampling their offerings as much as we have.

Astra Rooftop BEST

New operators bring new energy to this Park Street spot on the eighth floor of a hotel with skyline views.

Rooftop restaurants began to proliferate in Downtown Columbus a few years before the pandemic, activating spaces once reserved for HVAC units, giving us the glory of a drink amid the skyline in the open air. One of these was the spot on the top floor of the eight-story AC Hotel by Marriott across Park Street from the North Market, originally known as Lumin Sky Bar.

Now called Astra Rooftop, in 2025 the space was taken over by Chris Corso’s One Hospitality Group, which also owns Forno, Standard Hall and Short North Pint House in the Short North and Urban Meyer’s Pint House in Dublin. The new operators have made the most of the restaurant, rolling out a much more robust menu of appetizers, salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, steaks and entrées.

They’ve also brought the fun—and the fire. After kicking things off with the delightful Ahi Tuna Tower ($21) or the shrimp cocktail ($19), just go for it and try the Flaming Tomahawk ($159, serves two

to three people). A beautiful, 32-oz bonein ribeye is set aflame tableside, with the chef giving diners the option to spray the meat with a fire-fueling alcohol as it hangs from a hook, busting into flame. The meat, served with chimichurri, is everything you want in a steak—buttery, beefy and tender with a little kiss of char.

If you’re into the fire theme, don’t miss the Flaming Shot ($8), an elixir of Rey Supremo Blanco, citrus, cinnamon and sparkling grapefruit.

Vegetables shine on this menu in their own right. To make them the centerpiece of your dinner, try the Almond Thai Noodle Bowl ($23), where shaved cabbage, bell peppers and carrots join black rice noodles marinating in an almond

Astra Rooftop

517 Park St., Short North astracolumbus.com

Open daily for dinner

Price range: $16-$59

Recommended: Flaming Tomahawk

dressing. You can add chicken, shrimp or salmon for an upcharge.

The space offers diners the choice of experiences. Enjoy the city on the outdoor deck overlooking the North Market and the new 32-story Merchant Building, or sit inside the glass-walled restaurant, where you can still soak in the sky views.

Happy hour is 4-6 p.m. weekdays, with half off flatbreads, appetizers and cocktails including the throwback Banana Mai Tai, the Hugo Spritz with vodka, St. Germain and cava, and a local draft selection that includes Nocterra, Jackie O’s and Wolf’s Ridge. For a next-level date night, request one of the private tables along the restaurant’s west wall. You’ll be ensconced inside a beaded curtain, facing the sunset. —KATY SMITH

Isla

An inventive, chef-led tasting menu offers surprises and camaraderie in Merion Village.

Of all the things one doesn’t expect when sitting down for a $150 meal, a broth made from vegetable scraps is probably close to the top of the list. Top quality ingredients, masterfully prepared and artfully presented, yes. A course actually called “Scraps,” no.

It’s just the first pleasant surprise of a night at Isla, the newest chef’s-tasting restaurant in Columbus that works to dispel the notion that fine dining equals snooty dishes and snootier service that’s probably too good for you.

It might not be quite as comfortable as Merion Village neighbors such as the Thurman Café or Buckeye Donuts, but chef Andrew Smith, wife and co-owner Devoney Mills, and chef and business partner Dan Kraus call Isla “a dinner party in a restaurant.”

Smith and Mills get the vibe. For 6½ years, they hosted dinner parties in their Westgate home, a series that became known as the Roys Avenue Supper Club. The dinners didn’t start as a segue back into restaurants for Smith, a former chef at Rockmill Tavern, Philco and The Rossi. But they became just that.

“I wanted to start cooking again,” he says. “There was an itch, and we wanted to do something creative together.”

Isla, which opened in July, was two years in the making. Its two long communal tables accommodate just two seatings per night (one at each 14-seat table) at 6 and 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays—with the late seating on Thursdays reserved for the $200 per person chef’s counter experience. (The restaurant’s social media also announces occasional pop-up breakfast and lunch offerings on weekends).

Don’t get nervous at the thought of sharing eight courses with complete strangers. You’ve got a lot to talk about in the meal you’ll share; Mills said recent

guests included two couples who met at the restaurant and came back together.

Scraps, the broth that starts every meal, isn’t the only way Smith and Kraus honor a commitment to reducing food waste. A recent take on chicken satay was seasoned in part with rosemary stems that had been dehydrated and ground into a powder. A tender cut of Denver steak was accompanied by the roasted inner core and leaves of Tuscan kale.

Open Thursday-Saturday for dinner

Price range: $150-$200

Recommended: Indulge in the chef’s counter meal for additional courses and a view of the kitchen.

Smith and Mills, another industry veteran, have enjoyed being back in a restaurant, especially the first they’ve created, controlled and owned for themselves. And there’s a much-embraced difference between welcoming people into a homey restaurant and welcoming them into your home, Mills says.

“This is so much easier to clean up than our house.”—BOB VITALE

BEST NEW Restaurants

It’s only natural that the latest project from one of Columbus’ most celebrated chefs has landed on Columbus Monthly’s list of Best New Restaurants. Chef BJ Lieberman’s Metsi’s brings together the inventiveness that made him famous with the deep traditions of la cucina Italiana.

Set in the alleyside space Lieberman built for Hiraeth, the fine dining restaurant that opened in 2023 and closed after less than a year, Metsi’s has two realms— the refined and bright upstairs and the romantic lower level, where the chef’s fire burns. Upstairs, diners can sit at the bar counter or at a table, with the full menu available at both. Downstairs, the dining room opens to the chef’s counter, which faces all the action around the wood-fired hearth. There’s also a private dining room downstairs that can be reserved or provide the setting for wine tastings and other events hosted by the restaurant.

Like the other menus created by Lieberman, who twice has been named a James Beard Award semifinalist, the of-

ferings at Metsi’s are tightly curated and vary with the season. They follow the classic Italian rhythm of antipasti, pasta and entrée, though the pasta dishes easily are main dishes by themselves. In winter 2025, the familiar bolognese meat sauce dish ($26) is joined by a seafood Agnolotti ai Mare ($30) and Amorini e Cannellini featuring white beans, olive and artichoke ($22).

Main dishes range from eggplant parmesan ($29) to the Scottadito ($42), grilled lamb chops with a sunchoke puree and grilled frisee greens.

Metsi’s is named as an homage to the New York Mets, a favorite of Lieberman’s father, who grew up in New York. (The

chef spent his formative years in the Washington, D.C., area). The restaurant is the fourth for him and wife Bronwyn Haines, who also own Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge in the Short North. They closed the popular Chapman’s Eat Market in German Village in August.

If you haven’t, try a quintessential Italian cocktail like the negroni at Metsi’s ($14-$16, several options). Once your palate settles into the bitter notes the drinks are known for, lovely layers of sweet, floral and citrus begin to emerge. For dinner, the chef recommends everything, but in the winter, he especially loves the Radiatori Alla Roma ($28), a classic pasta amatriciana with guanciale, chile and pecorino cheese. “It’s all I want when it’s cold out,” he says. —KATY SMITH

Mezcla

Latin American cuisine gets the fine dining treatment at Mezcla, where sharing is encouraged.

In mathematics, a double negative turns into a positive. Mezcla proves this rule can hold true when applied to restaurants as well. It was two negatives—the closing of Cosecha Cocina in 2020 and the shuttering of The Market Italian Village in 2022—that left an opening in the neighborhood for Latin American food in an elevated atmosphere, which Mezcla deftly filled.

Owner and executive chef Garrett Talmage used to cook at Cosecha, just around the corner from 1022 Summit St., where he opened Mezcla in April 2025 in the former home of The Market. The space centers around a large bar, and an open kitchen greets guests from the far end of the restaurant. Tables were booked on the December Thursday we walked in, but we were comfortable seated at the counter looking out the window—although the winter weather was a tad disorienting against the backdrop of cocktails that evoked a day in the sun. The cocktail menu is, not surprising-

ly, heavy on tequilas and mezcals. But what was surprising were the flavor profiles—deep, unique and richly balanced. I enjoyed my nicely spiced Burn After Drinking ($16) made with guajillo chile, chipotle-infused tequila, blood orange and orange liqueur. I was also intrigued by the Nasty Dancer ($16) with muscat brandy, chile liquor and salsa verde shrub.

The food menu—intentionally streamlined to offer the highest quality dishes—is designed for sharing, organized by vegetarian, fish and meat offerings. Talmage points to the seafood section as a good place for a new visitor to begin, calling the scallop tostada ($20) “a sta-

ple, standout dish.” The hamachi tiradito ($22), a Peruvian-Japanese dish served raw with yuzu pickled serrano, is another favorite of the chef’s that I found myself joyfully devouring.

And you can’t go wrong by starting your meal with the fresh and flavorful guacamole y salsa ($14), served with housemade tortilla chips. The salsa has warm citrus notes that come from roasted pineapple, with the guac offering a cool, creamy balance.

Pro tip: Happy hour is offered on Wednesdays from 4-7 p.m. Stop in for an $11 margarita or rum old fashioned and settle in for a warm wintertime respite. —LINDA LEE BAIRD

BEST NEW Restaurants

Bar Italia

Discover an oasis of Italian classics from one of Columbus’ pioneering restauranteurs at this sleek Easton restaurant.

Sometimes, classic Italian food just hits the spot. Rich and cheesy pastas and rustic wood-fired pizzas are some of the most comforting foods out there.

At Bar Italia, which opened in summer 2025 overlooking the fountain on the Strand at Easton Town Center, you can fill up on all your favorites while taking in the bustling energy of the shopping district just outside the floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap the space.

By contrast, the modern open-format interior of Bar Italia is crisp and spare. Pull up a seat at the giant, white marble bar to tuck into one of the many timeless offerings on the primi menu: One Big Meatball ($17), or arancini ($17)—cheesy rice balls filled with bits of braised short rib—are both good bets. Or tear into the grilled rustic bread ($7)—the same bread made daily at Lindey’s—available topped with whipped ricotta and thin slices of nutty prosciutto for $15.50.

While new to Columbus, Bar Italia at Easton is the fifth location for this brand, opened by Next Cool Restaurant Ven-

tures. Founder and CEO Rick Doody, also a part owner of the venerated Lindey’s in German Village, has been eager to return to Easton since he sold Brio Bravo Restaurant Group in 2018, says assistant general manager Braden Pentz.

Some of Bar Italia’s can’t-miss dishes are ripped right from the menus of your favorite New York City restaurants. The spicy vodka rigate ($21) is “Carbone style,” featuring ridged tubes of pasta in a creamy tomato sauce spiked with Calabrian chiles. It pays homage to the vodka sauce made famous at Carbone’s restaurant and retailed by major grocers. “It’s spicy and creamy and everything you would want in

Bar Italia

4145 The Strand West, Easton baritalia.com/locations/ ohio/columbus

614-702-2022

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Price range: $18-$55

Recommended: Spicy vodka rigate; crispy chicken limone

a pasta,” Pentz says. He also recommends the crispy chicken limone ($26) because “it’s a fulfilling one-stop-shop dish with parmesan-crusted chicken cutlets, ruffled ribbons of house made pasta and an arugula salad, all tied together with an addictive lemon butter sauce.”

I particularly enjoyed the kick of heat in the stuffed pepper appetizer ($17), which offers two halves of a long, slender light-green pepperoncini filled with a spicy fennel sausage served over a caramelized tomato sauce. It was a great snack of some of my favorite Italian flavors, enjoyed while watching highlights of European soccer on the flatscreen at the bar and savoring 50 percent off a bottle of Barbera (normally $46), a special that Bar Italia offers on every bottle of wine on Thursdays. —AMY BODIKER BASKES

Food Street

The Clintonville newcomer offers delicious, affordable halal food that’ll have you coming back for more.

If you think you’ve had the best chicken in Columbus but haven’t yet tried Food Street, think again.

The Pakistani restaurant, with origins in Secaucus, New Jersey, opened in Clintonville in December 2024 to what Farah Ilyas, one of the owners alongside brother Ishrat Ilyas and others, has described as a great community response, citing the previous lack of halal offerings in the neighborhood. The Columbus Monthly team visited in the restaurant’s early days and indulged in a taste of almost the whole menu, and all in attendance echoed a common sentiment: yum.

True to its name, Food Street is inspired by the vibrant street food offerings in Lahore, Pakistan. Farah describes the food as “very flavorful, rich and unique.” For newcomers to Pakistani cuisine, she adds that it’s similar to Indian dining, but the spices and cooking methods differ enough for a distinctive flavor. Inside the restaurant, you’ll find vivid, colorful murals decorating the walls and cozy seating inviting you to stay for a warm, satisfying meal.

Chicken is the star of the menu, found in a multitude of dishes, from the chick-

en tikka and malai boti paratha rolls (both $12.99), crispy chicken sandwich ($12.99) and chicken tenders ($11.99), the last two with variations both classic and spicy. (In fact, the chicken is popular enough that Ishrat opened Flamin Feathers, a hot chicken and burger spot in Lewis Center, in August.) No matter how it’s served, the meat is ridiculously tender, juicy and bursting with flavor. For those who like heat, the spicy selections offer a startling kick without masking the flavor.

Food Street’s vegetarian and beef options are well worth trying, to be sure. The restaurant offers several styles of burgers ($9.99 and up), as well as a beef chapli paratha roll ($12.99) that origi-

nated in Peshawar, Pakistan. “I have a lot of customers that are from Pakistan that say, ‘this tastes just like Peshawar,’ ” says Farah. “They say it tastes very authentic. It’s one of our best sellers, and I’d definitely recommend.”

Farah also recommends the chicken tikka roll ($12.99) and gappa chaat ($12.99), which consists of chickpeas, potatoes, yogurt, chutneys and several spices served inside a large cracker. To drink, she recommends the karak chai ($4), though be warned—this isn’t your average sweetened black tea. It’s rich, creamy, dense and almost savory (with sugar packets available on request), a perfect drink to warm up on a cold day.

Recommended: Chicken dishes, partha rolls, gappa chaat

Go to Food Street for the promise of delicious eats and stay for the welcoming atmosphere and great service—bring some friends and, like we did, share a bit of everything. —LUCY CLARK

BEST NEW Restaurants

Orale Güey Café Bar and Grill

Two families partnered to bring authentic and affordable Mexican breakfast and lunch dishes to their East Broad Street restaurant.

When it first opened in early March of 2025, Orale Güey Café Bar and Grill, a family-owned restaurant serving Mexican breakfast and lunch food at 3415 E. Broad St., business was not exactly booming. Then, Irandi Rodriguez posted a TikTok video about how her parents’ new place needed support.

The video quickly went viral, garnering over 1 million views, and the patrons followed. General manager Vritsy Martinez says that the restaurant closed unexpectedly for a day in March—the only day it has closed—due to running out of food under the sudden demand.

While that well-timed video may have helped customers find Orale Güey— which roughly translates from Spanish as “come on, friend”—it’s the authentic, affordable Mexican fare and lively atmosphere that keeps them coming back.

The business originated as a food truck, serving food on South Hamilton Road for about a year before the brick and mortar opened in the space that was for-

merly occupied by Zorba’s Diner. It was founded by Jose Rodriguez and Salvador Martinez (Irandi and Vritsy’s dads).

“Both families come from different backgrounds in Mexico. We infused a little bit of each state’s recipes [into the menu],” Vritsy says. (The families hail from Jalisco—the birthplace of tequila— and Guanajuato.)

On the menu, you’ll find breakfast and lunch offerings like chilaquiles, a platter of fried tortillas, refried beans and eggs known as a dish to cure a hangover, Vritsy says. The dish comes with red, green or mole sauce and starts at $15.99. The Benedict ($15.99) is also popular, with

Orale Güey Café Bar and Grill

3415 E. Broad St., Eastmoor oralegueycafeand restaurant.com

Open daily for breakfast and lunch

Price range: $6.50-$21.99

Recommended: Chilaquiles, Benedict, French toast

chipotle and jalapeno offerings available for those who want to add a kick to the classic. Guests who like sweeter dishes should consider the French toast; the restaurant serves several versions including one made with sugarcane ($14.25) and a rich tres leches option ($13.75).

You can wash everything down with a café de olla ($4.49), a traditional Mexican coffee infused with cinnamon and sugar that manages not to be overly sweet, an agua fresca ($4.25) or a cocktail from the full bar.

2026 looks to be another big year for the Rodriguez and Martinez families as they prepare to open a second Orale Güey location in Worthington and expand the original restaurant.

—LINDA LEE BAIRD

Fiery Sky Asian Kitchen

This Bethel Road restaurant boasts an expansive menu, offering dry pot Chinese food, Sichuan dishes and Americanized staples.

Columbus’ Northwest Side—particularly Bethel Road—long has been a hotbed of great international eats, but in recent years the city has welcomed standouts like Fiery Sky Asian Kitchen. The Chinese eatery has distinguished itself with a dynamic menu that plays with both authentic Sichuan dishes and Americanized Chinese classics.

Owner Lu Sha is not new to the business, or even to Columbus Monthly Best New Restaurants accolades: His first Columbus eatery, Xi Xia Western Chinese Cuisine, was a 2020 honoree. Sha sold his part in Xi Xia in late 2021, venturing on to open ramen and Korean fried chicken restaurants in Delaware before returning to Columbus. “After the years, I felt I wanted to do authentic Chinese food again,” he says. “I had a passion for that food, I really enjoyed that and the tastes I grew up with.”

Sha, who hails from Yinchuan in China’s Ningxia province, has learned to walk the line between honoring the dishes from his childhood while appealing to customers who are new to Sichuan cooking. To that end, he’s created a menu

featuring both “local favorites,” meaning well-executed Americanized Chinese dishes, and an “authentic Chinese cuisine” menu. “I thought, maybe it’s better for us to separate the menu and make the authentic menu even more authentic,” he says. “We still have a lot of Americanized Chinese dishes on our local favorites. Most customers, for a table of four, will probably order three dishes from the local favorites and two from the authentic.”

Sha’s goal is to get more customers to venture into authentic Sichuan fare, and he’s certainly making an enticing pitch. His di guo bone-in chicken ($24.95) features

Fiery Sky Asian Kitchen

1450 Bethel Road Northwest Side 614-670-5775

fieryskyasiankitchen.com

Open daily for lunch and dinner

Price range: $13.95 to $34.95

Recommended: Dry pot fried fish fillets, Sichuan spicy wontons, beef stirred noodles

tender chunks of meat simmered in a dish with little steamed flatbreads ringing the edges. And with dishes like the beef with Hunan chile sauce ($19.95), Sha’s eatery really earns the name Fiery Sky. It features slices of beef cooked with celery, leeks and cilantro and packs a serious punch. “This is a real Hunan chile,” Sha says. “It’s not like American Hunan beef.”

For starters, Sha recommends his dry pot dishes, especially the fried fish filets ($21.95), as well as the crab rangoon ($8.95) and Sichuan spicy wontons ($8.95). He says his mapo tofu ($15.95) is very true to form, and his signature beef stirred noodles ($15.95), the most popular dish at Xi Xia, has carried over to Fiery Sky’s menu. A full bar—with an imaginative cocktail menu—rounds out the offerings. —NICHOLAS DEKKER

Osaka Ton Katsu

Tonkatsu, a Japanese pork specialty, is served several ways at this Downtown shop.

Coz and Eiko Sakamoto, the husband and wife team behind Osaka Ton Katsu, always wanted to open a restaurant. “It’s been a lifelong dream,” Coz says. After Coz moved to Ohio from Osaka, Japan in 2023 for a job—with his family joining him in 2024—pivoting to restaurant ownership allowed the Sakamotos an opportunity to bring their native cuisine to their new home.

What they couldn’t settle on was the type of food to serve.

Coz was focused on Japanese cuisine that could be prepared authentically, wanting something that would be inviting and accessible to diners from the get-go. He settled on tonkatsu, a panko-encrusted fried pork dish. “I learned that the pork is widely accepted in the Midwest, and also American people love fried stuff,” he says.

He’s certainly tapped into something.

Osaka Ton Katsu opened on March 17, serving tonkatsu several ways: as a set meal with miso soup, cabbage salad rice and pickles (tonkatsu teishoku, $16.95),

in a bowl (katsu don, $9.95) or as a katsu curry ($15.95). Chicken versions are available for an upcharge.

If fried food somehow isn’t your thing, housemade onigiri ($3.25) come in beef, pork, tuna and grilled salmon varieties. Coz says the restaurant keeps costs low by using medium grain rice, which is less expensive than traditional short grain, and preparing it to match the stickiness you’d find in Japan.

Since opening, Osaka Ton Katsu has expanded its menu, with a heele katsu pork sandwich ($4.95) recently joining the offerings. Inspired by the katsu sandos available in Japan, Coz again looked for the balance between price and qual-

Osaka Ton Katsu

194 S. High St. 614-456-7709

osaka-tonkatsu.com

Open Monday–Saturday for lunch and dinner.

Recommended: Order tonkatsu teishoku for a full meal including soup and salad.

ity when he added the handheld to the menu. He swapped out the pricey milk bread you’d find overseas and went “hamburger style,” with fried pork replacing the beef and a crisp shredded cabbage adding a fresh crunch. Every dish is prepared with care and attentiveness as the Sakamotos invite patrons to experience their culture.

Inside, the restaurant is cozy and warm without being cramped, with mostly counter seating and walk-up ordering (there is one table seating up to four). The cuisine also lends itself well to carryout, and we’re already dreaming about enjoying a meal from Osaka Ton Katsu at the Columbus Commons—just a block east—come springtime. — LINDA LEE

Skyline Lodge Travel

A 1930S MOTOR LODGE TURNED BOUTIQUE GETAWAY OFFERS

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT VIBES AND STELLAR FARE

By Renata Parker

Built during the Depression era as a luxury retreat for well-heeled survivors of the 1929 crash, Skyline Lodge in Highlands, North Carolina, has found new life as a boutique hotel. The transformation of the retreat, which is a nine-hour drive from Columbus, is thanks to Indigo Road Hospitality Group, the team behind some of the Southeast’s most beloved restaurants. When they relaunched the lodge in 2021, it marked their first foray into the hotel industry.

MID-CENTURY MOUNTAIN STYLE

From the moment you arrive, it’s clear Skyline Lodge isn’t your average mountain lodge. The retro-chic property, conceptualized by Frank Lloyd Wright student Arthur Kelsey, leans into clean, low-slung lines and expansive windows, with ’60s and ’70s-inspired interiors that highlight details such as reclaimed wood, cork, stone and natural hues that mirror the surroundings.

It’s not trying too hard to be cool—it just is. Designer Carrie Dessertine of Mey and Co brought the interiors into the present without stripping away the lodge’s soul. In the 40 guestrooms, you’ll find penny tile bathroom floors, original art, wood paneling, custom furniture and cozy throws. In many of the rooms, there are fireplaces and terraces with mountain views.

OAK STEAKHOUSE

The best steaks in the Highlands are found on the second floor at Oak Steakhouse. An offshoot of Indigo Road’s original in Charleston, South Carolina, Oak is the first and only steakhouse in Highlands and has become one of the area’s most sought-after dining spots. Executive Chef Matt Weinstein and his team work with local farms and producers to craft a menu that honors Appalachia. Think venison Wellington with prosciutto and celery root purée or mainstays like Sunburst Farms trout.

There’s Certified Angus Beef, of course, and signature sides like beer-braised mushrooms and truffled mac and cheese. For a nightcap, enjoy a sip by the granite fireplace in the lounge or outside around the crackling fire pit, taking in the sounds of the creeks below.

UNDER THE STARS, ON THE ROCKS

Beyond incredible dining at Oak, Skyline’s chef dinners are a favorite among locals and guests. These monthly, oneof-a-kind dinners are held under a covered pavilion, complete with string lights, a four-course family-style meal paired with wine, and a rotating cast of acclaimed guest chefs. At a spring 2025 dinner, guest chef Luke Owens, owner of Native Fine Diner and Julep Contemporary Kitchen in Greenville, North Carolina, collaborated with Chef Weinstein to create an unforgettable meal. The menu?

Apps like pork belly skewers and pate egg rolls, followed by a tomato-watermelon salad, swordfish piccata, spatchcock chicken, and a finale of vanilla bean and honey semifreddo. Wine pairings flowed freely, and the outdoor setting felt more like a scene from a movie. This summer’s lineup held even more star power. In July, it featured Chef Trey Smith, co-owner of Saint-Germain in New Orleans (a tasting-menu gem), who has multiple James Beard nominations for “Best Chef: South.” Then, in August, the artist was Chef Jennifer Carroll, owner of Philly-based Carroll Couture Cuisine, who has garnered numerous accolades, including Eater’s Chef of the Year, Bravo’s Top Chef appearances, and recognition as the protégée of renowned chef Eric Ripert by the James Beard Foundation. These monthly dining events are intimate, wildly atmospheric and book up fast. Tickets are on sale now for the 2026 series (details in the related infobox).

GO FOR THE VIEWS,

STAY

FOR THE VIBE

Skyline is surrounded by excellent hiking, fly-fishing and waterfall-hopping. Also convenient is downtown Highlands. But it’s OK if you just want to hang out at the lodge. Between fireside cocktails, reading nooks, and unforgettable dining, it’s less about unplugging completely and more about plugging into something different. ◆

Skyline Lodge

470 Skyline Lodge Road Highlands, NC 28741

828-526-4008 skyline-lodge.com

You Can Go Under the Stars, On the Rocks

Monthly al fresco chef’s dinners. Chefs have yet to be announced for 2026. Tuesdays April 21, May 12, June 9, July 7, Aug. 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 13

Season pass: $1,100 for all dinners (does not include tax or gratuity)

PRIVATE SCHOOLS 2026

Young people in Greater Columbus and their families—have a wide array of private and independent schools to choose from. In the pages that follow, we offer an alphabetical list of notable schools in the region. The information on enrollment, student-teacher ratio and tuition is current as of December 2025.

Columbus Academy

Columbus Academy

For over a century, this independent, coeducational day school has prepared students to engage in the world with confidence and purpose. Set on a 231acre campus of woods and streams, the school offers outdoor classrooms, high-tech makerspaces, conservatory-quality music facilities and athletic resources that rival those of small colleges. “We create a culture of thinking and learning,” says head of school Melissa Soderberg. “We are a tight-knit community grounded in curiosity and personal growth, but we raise our children to be at home in the world.” 4300 Cherry Bottom Rd., Gahanna; 614-5092220; columbusacademy.org

Grades: Age 3–grade 12

Enrollment: 1,162

Average student-teacher ratio: 7:1

Tuition: $16,100–$37,100

Columbus Jewish Day School

Located on 7 acres, this school stresses hands-on learning and standards-driven dual curriculum, which includes Torah study and the Hebrew language. Leaders say that students leave their time at the school with the

tools for the next step in their education, recognizing the importance of both intellectual growth and social responsibility. “We integrate both Jewish and secular learning across all subject areas,” says director of admissions and marketing Julie Mikalov. “Our approach empowers students to become lifelong learners and compassionate, thoughtful individuals. We are committed to helping every student discover their unique path.” 150 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., New Albany; 614-9395311; columbusjewishdayschool.org

Grades: K–5

Enrollment: 60

Average student-teacher ratio: 8:1

Tuition: $19,184

Columbus School for Girls

Since 1898, Columbus School for Girls has been a proud pioneer in educating and empowering girls and young women to excel in every aspect of life. This legacy of excellence comes alive across its three-campus learning environment, where students shine in the classroom, on stage and on the athletic field. Led by 14th head of school Camille Seals, the robust curriculum

includes computer science, visual and performing arts, leadership development, experiential learning, and global studies. Students are also encouraged to excel athletically on a sprawling 70-acre campus. 65 S. Drexel Ave., Columbus; 614-252-0781; columbusschoolforgirls.org

Grades: Pre-K–12

Enrollment: 555

Average student-teacher ratio: 8:1

Tuition: $12,300–$31,900

Guardian Academy

Private K-12 Christian school that partners with families to prepare and equip students to be transforming influences in the world for Jesus Christ. Its mission is to nurture our students’ love for God, love for others and love of learning while preparing them academically, spiritually, emotionally and physically to become confident and compassionate leaders in a dark world. 284 S. Liberty St., Powell; guardianacademy.com

Grades: K–12

Enrollment: 65

Average student-teacher ratio: 11:1

Tuition: $7,631; scholarships available

Harvest Preparatory School

This private, faith-based school combines a rigorous academic program, including honors, advanced placement and college credit plus courses, with an emphasis on community service and numerous athletic offerings. The results speak for themselves: The school has a college placement rate of 100 percent. “We believe we are the best-kept secret in Central Ohio,” says head of school Andrew J. Mills. “We take great pride in creating strategies to help our students achieve their goals in the classroom, in the community and in their relationships with Jesus Christ.” 4595 Gender Rd., Canal Winchester; 614-382-1111; harvestprep.org

Grades: K–12

Enrollment: 806

Average student-teacher ratio: 15:1

Tuition: $6,500–$9,200

Marburn Academy

On its 17-acre campus in New Albany, Marburn Academy prides itself on its program tailored specifically to those who learn differently due to dyslexia, ADHD and executive function difficulties. “We are proud to be the only school in the Midwest with a full academic program accredited by the Orton-Gillingham Academy,” says head of school Eldrich Carr. “Through this approach, Marburn Academy supports all students as they acquire the skills, self-knowledge, and strength of character needed to be successful in school and life.” Financial aid options are available, and the school is a Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Provider. 9555 Johnstown Rd., New Albany; 614433-0822; marburnacademy.org

Grades: 1–12

Enrollment: 196

Average student-teacher ratio: 8:1 (grades 1–8); 16:1 (grades 9–12)

Tuition: $40,5000

Our Lady of Bethlehem School and Childcare

Our Lady of Bethlehem is a Catholic school and childcare whose mission is to lead all children to Jesus in faith, learning, family and community. The school serves students age six weeks through kindergarten during the academic year and through sixth grade in the summer months. 4567 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus; ourladyofbethlehem.org

Red Oak Community School

Red Oak’s primary purpose is to develop confident, capable learners through a growth mindset approach that equally values social/emotional skills alongside academic skills. The school serves learners across 15 school districts in central Ohio. Red Oak offers a full-time program as well as integrated two and three day homeschool supplement programs, allowing part-time students to experience a more traditional school

day while providing professional support and resources for homeschooling parents. 93 W. Weisheimer Rd., Columbus; 614-362-9776; redoakcommunityschool.org

Grades: K–grade 5

Enrollment: 80

Average student-teacher ratio: 12:1

Tuition: $4,926–$11,134

She Will Know Her Power

Since 1898, and innov for them, thriv ate e. With advanced academics, CSG is where

Since 1898, Columbus School for Girls has empowered girls to think critically, lead confidently, and innovate courageously. In a school designed intentionally for them, girls thrive. With advanced academics, exceptional educators, premier facilities, and small classes that nurture both intellect and heart, CSG is where girls find their voice and their power.

Accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year. Schedule a Tour and Apply Today!

Our Lady of Bethlehem

Now Enrolling

Tree of Life Christian Schools

This faith-based private school has been educating children in central Ohio for over 40 years. The primary purpose of the school was, and remains, to assist parents and the church in educating and nurturing young lives. Options range from full day preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs to K-12, as well as before and after school care options. Three preschool-5th grade campuses in Clintonville, Dublin and Polaris, plus a 6th-8th grade campus and a high school campus, both in Columbus; tolcs.org

Grades: Pre-K–12

Enrollment: 1,050

Average student-teacher ratio: 9:1

Tuition: $3,950-$12,300

The Wellington School

Welsh Hills

Founded in 1982 by a group of local entrepreneurs as Columbus’ first coeducational independent school, The Wellington School is dedicated to helping students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow’s world. Students in preschool through grade 12 have freedom to delve into interests that spark their curiosity, all while building a solid academic foundation through challenging and engaging curriculum. The Wellington School believes that every form of diversity makes people stronger and strives for each member of its learning community to share their individual voice and have a deep sense of belonging. 3650 Reed Rd., Upper Arlington; 614457-7883; wellington.org

Grades: Pre-K–12

Enrollment: 752

Average student-teacher ratio: 7:1

Tuition: $22,500-33,000

The words of Katherine Naul, the founder of Licking County’s only independent school, still resonate with leaders today: “We believe that education must exceed the limits of the mere accumulation of information by extending the child’s education to include the creative, experimental and practical use of knowledge.” For over 45 years, the school remains committed to those principles, which are reflected in its STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) program, which allows students to acquire knowledge in those areas through hands-on applications. “Our students are provided with myriad opportunities to creatively apply what they are learning in a project-based approach and to increase their depth of knowledge through the pursuit of interest-driven learning,” says head of school Shelli Drumm. 2610 Newark-Granville Rd., Granville; 740-522-2020; welshhills.org

Grades: 18 months–grade 12

Enrollment: 80

ratio: 8:1

HEART

We

Because

Together,

COLUMBUS WITH INFORM, INSPIRE

home & style

Lasting Designs

Local jewelry designer

Red Giraffe Designs not only offers accessories for several palettes, but lasting, forever jewelry installations.

By Lucy Clark

by Tim Johnson

Red Giraffe Designs founder Kate Stevens first got into jewelry making and design as a pastime. After graduating from Ohio University with a degree in retail merchandising, Stevens was struggling to find a job amid the 2008 recession.

Those were the “early days of Pinterest,” she says, when the lure of DIY was hard to resist. Inspired by a video of an artisan creating wire hoop earrings, she grabbed some aluminum wire from a local hardware store and started experimenting.

Eighteen years later, her Red Giraffe Designs has three shops in the Short North, Grandview Heights and inside Easton Town Center. While Stevens may have a strong brick-and-mortar presence today, her first retail store was somewhat of a surprise.

After teaching herself the basics of jewelry making, Stevens started making custom pieces at her friends’ requests, citing a bracelet made from a fork as a major early inspiration. That eclectic, something-for-everyone spirit can still be found in Red Giraffe Designs’ selections today. The enterprise evolved into selling pieces at markets almost every weekend and full-time jewelry production in her apartment.

“It was getting to the point I needed to hire someone,” Stevens says. She set out looking for a studio but found a retail spot in the Short North. Though she didn’t have plans to open a store, she purchased a retail condominium on the ground floor of The Dakota at 847 N. High St. and opened opened her first store in 2015.

The risk paid off. In 2017, she opened the Grandview Heights shop and briefly opened another in German Village in 2018. “Literally a week [after signing the German Village lease], Easton ap-

Home & Style | What’s Hot

proached me to open a location.” By November that year, the doors to her shop in the mall were open, and in April 2025, the store moved to the other side of the main mall staircase.

While the jewelry selection is certainly the star of the show, what separates Red Giraffe Designs is the variety of services offered.

A new favorite, Stevens says, is the charm bar, where shoppers can select from a variety of charms and chains to create their own custom piece. “Charms in general are a huge trend right now, and that doesn’t seem to be going away,” Stevens says.

Permanent jewelry is another hot ticket service, including bracelets, necklaces and anklets. The shop offers several different chains in 14 karat gold filled and sterling silver. “People love the customi-

Red Giraffe Designs

Locations in the Short North, Grandview Heights and Easton Town Center redgiraffedesigns.com

Hours: Open Monday-Sunday, hours vary by location

If you go: Red Giraffe Designs will host its annual Galentine’s charm bar event Thursday, Feb. 12 and Friday, Feb. 13 at its studio, located at 997 N. 4th St., Italian Village. Tickets ($15) and more details can be found on its website.

zation aspect, but it’s also just a fun thing to do,” she says.

Red Giraffe Designs also offers a by-appointment curated ear service—using their infinity hoops as a base, stylists design a stack of earrings for those with multiple piercings, adding gemstones and chain attachments as the client and designer see fit.

More than aesthetics, for Stevens, jewelry offers a sense of comfort, style and connection. “I’ve always liked personal touches and meaningful pieces that we can do at the custom bar, where people can get something made with a specific date or name,” she says. “I wear a ring every day in remembrance of my mom. I think it’s cool to be a part of those special things and help people remember them.” ◆

Balance Beauty

Soft light, clean lines, and a flowing Cambria Quartz island bring a sense of calm to this kitchen, even in the heart of winter. Every element feels intentional, from the sculptural lighting above to the seamless cabinetry and aligned surfaces below. Achieving this kind of harmony doesn’t happen by chance. It comes from clear planning, steady guidance, and respect for how a space should look and live. The result is a kitchen that feels composed, welcoming, and beautifully in tune with everyday life.

Historic Facade, Modern Vibe

Husband and wife Tom and Tara Paider tackled renovations on their Upper Arlington home, securing its legacy while updating its interior with a contemporary look.

By Lucy Clark | Photos by Tim Johnson

Making a house feel like a home is never an easy task, especially when inheriting a piece of history. How do you best reflect your interests and personalities while honoring the legacy of the home?

Step into Tom and Tara Paider’s Upper Arlington home, and you can see the answer in motion.

The nearly 3,000-square-foot house in the historic South of Lane neighborhood has four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. Built in in the Colonial style in 1917, it stands proudly on its corner lot.

The couple, who previously lived in Hilliard, had Upper Arlington in mind for their next move, wanting to be closer to their son’s school. A family friend and

real estate agent texted them while they were on vacation that the historic home was going to be on the market in a few days, and the Paiders flew home early to see it. “We put in an off-market offer and managed to get it,” Tom says. They bought the home in 2018, moving in four months after purchasing.

The interior decor is refreshingly up to date, though core original elements from when the home was built (or impressions of them) remain—wainscoting and closed off rooms as opposed to an open floorplan, for example.

The home is incredibly bright. Large and advantageously positioned windows do much of the heavy lifting, but the light beige-brown paint, white trim, gray toned wood flooring and modern

light fixtures certainly help. Additionally, it’s a smart home—the lights are wired to automatically adjust depending on the time of day. “I don’t have any problems with modernizing the interior,” Tom says. “But I feel pretty strongly that you want to keep the exterior to historical standards.”

The home is full of art that Tom, vice president of technology infrastructure and computing at Nationwide insurance, and Tara, a managing director at JPMorgan Chase, have collected locally and on their extensive travels.

A piece commissioned by artist Craig Carlisle rests above the mantlepiece, bringing color and personality to the room. It’s kept company by an angel statue the couple acquired in Haiti, which

Tara calls “the protector of the house.”

The bookshelves are lined with favorites and collector’s editions, including a first English edition of Thomas Paine’s Dissertation on First Principles of Government. Contemporary furnishings are from Studio J in Dublin and Jonathan Adler. The sunroom lives up to its luminous name with bright, ivory walls and large windows.

The dining room is chic in its simplicity, with a modern rectangular glass table and plush white slipper chairs, and a wealth of personality is introduced yet again through Tom and Tara’s art collection. There are items from Greece, Mexico, Australia, Ireland and India displayed on built-in shelves, as well as artwork of their dog Chewy. A large piece on the wall titled Call Girl by Dutch artist Michiel Folkers, who goes by Gieler,combines different pieces of paper from billboards in Amsterdam, which the artist paints on top of.

Another piece in the dining room comes from Haiti. Painted on a jersey and stretched over driftwood, the artwork encapsulates what the Paiders love most about art. “The artist found whatever he could to paint on. When [we travel], we like to spend money on local stuff,” says Tara.

Restoring a historic property is never easy, and Tom and Tara were faced with extra challenges. The kitchen was part of a prior addition where proper footers weren’t installed, so the room was

sinking. “This was by far the hardest part of the renovation projects,” Tom says.

The kitchen renovation was done by Columbus remodelers J.S. Brown and Co., who had their work cut out for them. “The kitchen was only supposed to take four or five months, but it doubled because of what they found,” Tom says. J.S. Brown and Co. worked on other renovations throughout, including the firstfloor powder room.

The effort paid off. The kitchen is the most modern, cutting-edge room in the house, featuring a Cambria quartz island and backsplash and Sub-Zero custom appliances. Donut wall art by Anna Sweet adds a pop of color to the bright, white room.

The back patio was updated with a dining area, firepit and television. The exterior renovations were done by Rine Landscape Group.

“If you buy one of these [historic] homes, you have a duty to preserve it for the next generation,” Tom says. “I can’t say enough about the Upper Arlington Historical Society and [executive director] Kristin Greenberg’s leadership. They were a tremendous resource to understand the history of Upper Arlington homes and to point us in directions to where we could get more information,” he adds, citing proper craftspeople as vital to the restoration process for the home’s aged foundation.

“We view ourselves as the caretakers to make sure this house stands for another 100 years,” Tom says. ◆

Top 25 Home Sales

Dec. 1-31, 2025

PRICE ADDRESS

$3.1M 4056 Courter Rd. SW, Pataskala

$2.45M 6983 Hanbys Loop, New Albany

$1.65M 649 S. 5th St., Columbus

$1.35M 71 Stublyn Rd., Granville

$1.31M 2648 Chester Rd., Upper Arlington

$1.27M 6920 Clivdon Mews, New Albany

$1.25M 1837 Andover Rd., Upper Arlington

$1.25M 5055 Slate Run Woods Ct., Upper Arlington

$1.23M 1037 Ravine Ridge Dr., Columbus

$1.2M 7996 Thornbush Dr., Westerville

$1.1M 4000 Lyon Dr., Upper Arlington

$1.1M 838 Cambridge Ct., Worthington

$1.05M 1173 Jackson Hole Dr., Blacklick

$1.04M 7325 Penneyroyal Pl., Dublin

$1M 2276 Hoxton Ct., Upper Arlington

$965,000 2974 Creekwood Estates Dr., Blacklick

$950,000 109 Keswick Dr., New Albany

$940,000 1909 Inchcliff Rd., Upper Arlington

$937,000 1124 Edgehill Rd., Grandview Heights

$932,000 1068 Edgehill Rd., Grandview Heights

$920,000 8151 Winchcombe Dr., Dublin

$900,000 7444 Farmington Close, New Albany

$895,000 264 E. South St., Worthington

$885,000 5834 Vandeleur Pl., Dublin

$880,000 3156 Mount Holyoke Rd., Upper Arlington

Top 25 Home Sales of 2025

Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2025

PRICE ADDRESS

$4.2M 7305 S. Lambton Green, New Albany

$3.9M 15 Highgrove, New Albany

$3.6M 2538 Onandaga Dr., Upper Arlington

$3.43M 5680 Dublin Rd., Dublin

$3.25M 3818 Purdey Ct., New Albany

$3.29M 1998 Cambridge Blvd., Upper Arlington

$3.2M 2 Albery Loop, New Albany

$3.15M 7286 Lambton Green N., New Albany

$3.1M 4056 Courter Rd. SW, Pataskala

$3M 4131 Reynoldsburg New Albany Rd., New Albany

$3M 7347 Lambton Park Rd., New Albany

$2.9M 256 S. Columbia Ave., Bexley

$2.85M 309 N. Parkview Ave., Bexley

$2.83M 7100 Armscote End, New Albany

$2.7M 2124 York Rd., Alexandria

$2.7M 13 Edge Of Woods, New Albany

$2.65M 20 Wiveliscombe, New Albany

$2.6M 7754 Brandon Rd., New Albany

$2.58M 655 City Park Ave., Columbus

$2.45M 6983 Hanbys Loop, New Albany

$2.4M 275 E. Beck St., Columbus

$2.39M 2355 Farleigh Rd., Upper Arlington

$2.37M 271 N. Columbia Ave., Bexley

$2.35M 7018 Hanbys Loop, New Albany

$2.3M 7018 Hanbys Loop., New Albany

$2.3M 4615 Yantis Dr., New Albany

$2.3M 6 Ealy Crossing S., New Albany

7018 Hanbys Loop sold in May for $2.3M and again in October for $2.35M.

food & drink

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Spirited Arrivals

Columbus is home to two new women-owned spirts brands, Esther and Archer Eland Rye Whiskey, ready to help you toast the end of Dry January.

By Linda Lee Baird

When you think of locally made spirits, brands like Middle West Spirits, Noble Cut, Echo Spirits, High Bank and Watershed probably come to mind. But there are two new names you should know next time you’re placing a drink order: Rum brand Esther and Archer Eland Rye Whiskey. These brands are both recently established and women-owned, and they want to help change the way you think about your spirit of choice.

Esther Rum

“We saw there was a big opportunity in rum. It was like the spirit category that’s everywhere and yet it’s not [considered] cool,” says Margaret Kerr-Jarrett, who co-founded Esther with longtime creative partner Emunah Winer in 2025. “People don’t think they drink rum, and yet there’s at least one or two or three rum cocktails on every cocktail menu in the country.”

Their first goal, Winer says, was to make something that they wanted to drink. “We really wanted something that’s palatable, sippable, light and yummy,” she says. The blend they settled on combines grassy notes of unaged pot still rum with a smooth four-year-aged column still rum, resulting in a product Kerr-Jarrett says is “sippable and so easy to drink” in cocktails and neat.

Kerr-Jarrett and Winer met while working at a creative agency in Jerusalem. They later formed their own agency, Nihilo, in 2021, eventually relocating their business and families to Bexley (both women are originally from the Midwest).

At Nihilo, they worked on the launch of tequila brand Casa Malka before going all in as co-founders. That was the segue into Esther, which is named after the

Food & Drink | Founders

ancient Biblical queen “known for her quiet power and underdog spirit,” the brand’s website says. The name also references esters—aromatic compounds in rum making.

Archer Eland Rye Whiskey

Wendy Peveich, founder of Archer Eland, took a different route into spirits production. Trained as a cardiovascular nurse practitioner, she worked on the front lines during COVID-19. This “traumatizing period” left her searching for another outlet. “I always wanted a creative space where I could kind of dissociate from what we were experiencing,” Peveich says.

Peveich found that space as she began studying the world of whiskeys, starting a blog that shared bottles outside the “mainstream Kentucky products” she found for under $50. (The project has since evolved into her whiskey consulting website: fiftyoneandproof.com.)

Her interest led her to meet Mike Paladini, the co-founder of Penelope Bour-

bon, in 2021. “I started working with them and opening up the state of Ohio to Penelope Bourbon,” she says. She became a brand ambassador for the company. But she wanted to do more. “I fell in love with blending about two years ago,” she

says. “I decided to pursue that passion of creating a rye whiskey.”

Archer Eland, which launched Dec. 1, is named for Peveich’s zodiac sign—she’s a Sagittarius, represented by an archer— and her Zimbabwean mother’s totem

animal, the eland. “It’s me and my mother. … She’s just a tenacious spirit, and her work ethic is unparalleled, and she passed that on to me,” Peveich says.

The name also embodies the rye grain. “Rye is a tough grain. It can grow under the most difficult conditions,” Peveich says. “I liken to that. I’m misunderstood, but I have a lot of grit and determination.”

Archer Eland comes in four varieties: Solstice, Aurora, Cashmere and Suede, the latter of which is a limited release. Flavors range from toasted marshmallow and vanilla in Cashmere to tobacco and leather reminiscent of an “old world library” in Suede.

Launching the Brands

Founding a spirits brand is no simple task, and both Esther and Archer Eland have faced challenges. While Esther is a Columbus brand, it’s distilled in Cali, Colombia at Casa Domecq, a distillery run by a family friend of Kerr-Jarrett.

To ship the rum, the producers “put it in these giant vats called totes. And then we

have to arrange for a third party to pick up the freight from their facility, bring it to a port in Florida, and then it goes on a truck and comes to Columbus,” Kerr-Jarrett says. “The process of getting all that organized was a lot more complicated than anticipated and actually pushed off our launch [originally planned for October] by a couple of months.”

For Peveich, one of the biggest hurdles was finding investors at a time when demand in the industry is in decline. (A January article in Forbes says U.S. whiskey revenue declined by 5.1% in the 12-month period ending July 1.)

“I don’t know how many doors and cold calls and emails I never got returned,” she says, adding that she was lucky to find a “hands off” investor to support the brand. (Peveich did not share the investor’s name, citing an NDA.)

Local distilleries have been essential partners, too. Middle West Spirits provided the mash bill Peveich chose for her recipe and offered contract distilling for production. Her products also retail on Middle West’s website. “I’m proud to be able to be under their house,” she says.

Kerr-Jarrett and Winer are working with Echo Spirits in the final stage of Esther’s production. “They are going to receive the rum, they are going to cut it to proof … and bottle it for us,” Kerr-Jarrett says. “We’ve supplied them with the bottles, labels, our custom green caps.”

The founders will take it from there. “We’ll deliver it to a state of Ohio distribution center and they will set it out to the stores. And then if a bar or restaurant wants to feature Esther, they buy it from those state-run stores,” Kerr-Jarrett says.

In a field where women-owned brands are a relative rarity—2023 data from Distilling Women estimated about 8 percent of U.S. distilleries are women owned and operated—these new Columbus brands just may become the next go-to names in local spirits. ◆

TRY IT YOURSELF

Esther rum retails for $36.99 and can be purchased at select local liquor stores and at drinkesther.com.

A launch party is scheduled Feb. 15 at The Lion in Bexley. Follow @drinkesther on Instagram for details. Archer Eland Rye Whiskey is available now in select local liquor stores and online at middlewestspirits.com. Varieties range from $64.99-$84.99.

Food & Drink | Behind the Bar

Bar Room Marries Craft Cocktails and Caribbean Culture

Industry veteran Jackson Proctor shares what it’s like to serve drinks in an art installation.

By Linda Lee Baird

In October, the Columbus Museum of Art opened Bar Room at The Pizzuti in the Short North. The lounge is an installation piece by artist Tavares Strachan inspired by his childhood in the Bahamas. CMA turned the piece into a working bar with a rum-forward cocktail and small-bites Caribbean food menu.

Columbus Monthly spoke with CMA’s beverage operations manager Jackson Proctor—who also developed the drink menu for Mezcla in Italian Village—to learn about working in an artwork.

What was the process for developing Bar Room’s drink menu, and how was it different from other places? When you’re working on a bar project or a restaurant project you are coming up with a menu that’s going to sell well and be interesting and engage an audience. But this project had the added parameters—and the tension of—the art piece behind it, of the Caribbean and reggae influences of the piece and the flavors that come along

with that.

Tavares and I got to meet up a couple of times before the bar opened. He’s very much into food and beverage. He had strong preferences for ingredients and flavors and had some ideas of what to incorporate. And that’s a lot of fun, that’s inspiring having those baselines to then elaborate and create on.

What is your signature drink here? That’s tough. My personal favorite is probably the Toussaint. It leans a little bit negroni-esq. It is a methylcellulose coconut foam, a bitter red aperitivo, a blend of rum that we came up with and some sherry. It’s a nice, dry, kind of bitter cocktail, which is what I like.

What is it like working in a space that is also officially a work of art? We are kind of looking to be part of the community with this. We are hosting people that have been to the Columbus reggae shows on these posters [hanging on the walls],

we’re hosting people that have played in these shows. And so there’s a give and take. We’re learning about the community, about the drinks that were served at some of these bars, and taking inspiration off of that.

We had a gentleman come in who had been to Skankland, the now shuttered reggae bar in town, and played in a bunch of shows back in the day. He told us about a cocktail called the Stagger Back. We’re kind of trying to recreate it right now. It’s got carrot, Irish moss, a very particular Jamaican stout beer and a couple of other spices and interesting nontraditional ingredients. Just playing with things like that, things that I never in a million years would have come up with myself.

Also, I think we kind of serve as the facilitators of the piece to our guests. That’s a big part of it. I very rarely have explained a work of art while making a cocktail before in other jobs. ◆

This conversation was edited for length and clarity

Colin Rigsby, aka “Vesperteen”

Photos by Tim Johnson

Tattoos and music came to Colin Rigsby at an early age. In his teens, the developing drummer became fascinated with punk bands and the tattoos they sported and thought, “They’re just dudes, I can do that.”

Once he graduated high school, Rigsby hit the road performing music with bands and learning the art of tattooing.

Now married with three children, Rigsby makes music and tattoos his clients in the sunroom of his Westerville home. “It’s got a ton of natural light; I love nature and being able to walk outside to the patio,” he says.

The studio is just, well, cool. Guitars and recording equipment mingle with hundreds of his tattoo designs. Candles burn, disco balls glitter, neon lights glow and artwork created by his grandfathers is displayed alongside gifts from friends and clients.

The almost dreamy atmosphere is relaxing for clients being tattooed and inspiring for Rigsby, who also writes and produces his own music under the name Vesperteen. “This is the first time I’ve completely produced this much music on my own,” he says. ◆