Columbus, Ohio
Short editorial lists, neighborhood guides, and the events worth leaving the house for.
The 614 Starts Here
News
Mayor Ginther's capital plan earmarks a record sum for fire apparatus in 2026, but later years show a steep drop that has critics asking what comes next.
Hilliard dropped its ERAC appeal of an Ohio EPA fuel-cell permit at Amazon's Scioto Darby campus, citing narrow state law and pledging post-startup air tests.
Columbus suspended Flock ALPR use after alleged plate-query misuse, covered about 65 cameras, and left the contract's future unsettled.
Events
Guides
A neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan for a night that feels like a date without a reservation that eats the week.
By Bart Rian
Indoor plans, half-day scripts, and the rooms that still work when the 614 is wet.
By Bart Rian
A fit test for the 614: walkable cores, school-and-yard suburbs, art streets, and the commutes that actually decide it.
By Bart Rian
Best Of
The 16-ounce prime ribeye, wood-grilled, a la carte, and the steak we would book first.
Martini takes steak as seriously as pasta. The prime ribeye is not buried under a sauce program, and the room still feels like a night out next to the Convention Center.
Indianola storefront, calm handling, and the finish we would send a nervous dog to first.
Black Dog treats grooming as a relationship, not a throughput line. The shop is easy to find, the dogs leave looking like themselves, and the staff talks like people who have actually met your breed.
Full-service Mexican on Liberty Street in Powell, with handcrafted margaritas and classic plates built for a real night out.
Chapala is the Best Overall pick because it delivers full-service Mexican without the downtown parking tax. The Powell room stays polished, the margaritas are built with care, and the plates hold up on a repeat visit. It is the easiest yes when someone north of 270 wants flavor, service, and a table that does not feel like a chain script.
One of the largest Irish festivals in the country, filling Coffman Park with music, dance, and food every early August.
Dublin Irish Festival is Best Overall because it is the regional calendar anchor for Irish music and culture. The stages stay stacked, Coffman Park handles the crowds, and the weekend still feels like a civic tradition rather than a corporate fair. First-timers and regulars both leave with a full day mapped for them.
