Image courtesy facebook.com/voodoocolumbus
There’s always a lot happening in the Columbus restaurant world! Here’s the latest news:
- Voodoo Brewing Company celebrates the grand opening of its new Columbus location on Saturday, Aug. 2. The brewpub, which originated in Pennsylvania and now has about 20 locations around the east coast, makes its home at 958 N. High St., in the former storefronts of Mouton (RIP) and the Tastings wine bar.
- Hot Chicken Takeover announced this week that it has closed its Clintonville location at 4203 N. High St. This follows on the closures of their Powell and Easton stores over the past several months. The Clintonville shop first opened in late spring of 2017, and was their first stand-alone location after the original Olde Towne East pop-up and their North Market shop.
- Cameron Mitchell veteran Derek Bush is set to open a new restaurant in Hilliard’s TruePointe development sometime next year. The exact concept and name haven’t been announced yet, but it’s described as “Chef driven, nostalgia inspired, and guest attuned” by the team.
- Tazita Coffee, which has operated as a series of pop-ups at local markets and events, is launching trailer this Saturday, Aug. 2 at Budd Dairy Food Hall. They’ll be set up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- A new smashburger pop-up called Smash N Eatz will debut at Eastside Brewing Company (1421 Davidson Dr. in Reynoldsburg) this Friday, Aug. 1. Eastside’s previous food tenant, Slab Kitchen, recently moved to their own standalone location. The burger spot is a new concept by the owner of AnA Shawarma, which operates out of the High Street Kitchens in Clintonville. They’ll also plan to open a Smash N Eatz stall with the Shawarma spot there.
- Rime Time Pops creator Cody Miller announced on social media this week that he has sold the business after 10 years. The new owners are Anique and Ali Russell, who plan to continue their winning-streak of colorful popsicles.
- Axum Cafe, a new family-run Ethiopian coffee shop, just opened at 5188 E. Main St. in Whitehall
- A reader shared that Uncle Johnnie’s in Johnstown closed this past week.
- Last but certainly not least, this week brewer Scott Francis passed away. Francis could be considered the godfather of modern Columbus brewing. He founded The Winemakers Shop in Clintonville in 1974, which was the starting point for a lot of brewers in the city. He also helped restart Columbus Brewing Company in the late 80s, and was the original brewmaster at Barley’s, before helping with Smokehouse Brewing, Hideaway Hills Brewing, Temperance Row Brewing, and consulting on many others.
Some great events!
- The Dublin Irish Festival is this weekend, Aug. 1-3, in Coffman Park! It’s bringing three days of music, dance, whiskey, beer, and lots of great Irish food to the city.
- Columbus Food Adventures’ next Taste Of dinner arrives on Aug. 13, featuring a Taste of the Dominican Republic with Mayra of Teas Your Spirits.
- Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Columbus Coffee Festival, held Oct. 3-4 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds and featuring dozens of area roasters.
You can also me on Instagram at @skillsrecipes, check out the news archives, read my guide to Columbus, or search for travel inspiration.
