14 of the Best Spots Around Columbus, Ohio that Locals Love 

North Market Downtown

Not only is North Market 140 years old, but it is ranked as one of the top public markets in the country. North Market is the only place where you can eat, drink, and shop from Ohio’s best independent merchants, farmers, and makers year-round.

Make sure to check out their famous Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings between June and October.

Lindey’s Restaurant & Bar

Lindey’s Restaurant & Bar is a historic German Village staple and has remained a Columbus’ Top 10 Restaurant since opening its doors 35 years ago. You’ll instantly feel at home with their unique menu, sophisticated wine list, and tasty cocktails.

Lindey’s enduring charm is rooted in its atmosphere of everyday elegance, with an eclectic clientele that reflects a blend of innovation and tradition. Enjoy a cozy brunch, a delicious lunch or dinner, and enjoy a cocktail on their amazing patio.

COSI

COSI is Columbus’ own Center of Science and Industry that has been voted the #1 Science Museum in the nation by USA Today’s 10 Best for their second year in a row.

At first glance, COSI may seem more geared towards children; however, you will also enjoy hundreds of interactive exhibits on everything from dinosaurs and space exploration to the human body, life, and spirit with its hands-on experiments and activities. Make sure to check out thrilling live science shows and demonstrations, stop by the 3D theater and planetarium for educational films and documentaries.

Lower.com Field

Home of Major League Soccer’s championship-winning Columbus Crew SC, Lower.com Field is a new state-of-the-art stadium that opened in late 2019. Lower.com Field seats 20,371 spectators and features 30 suites and 1,900 club seats. If you’re an avid MLS fan, Lower.com Field is the place for you!

If you want to check out a Columbus Crew SC soccer game, here’s the link to their new website.

Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse

Jeff Ruby’s is the ultimate high-end steakhouse experience that Wine Spectator, FoodNetwork, USAToday, Travel + Leisure, and OpenTable have recognized as among the nation’s best steakhouses. Jeff Ruby’s offers highly-acclaimed U.S.D.A. prime steaks, seafood & sushi, live entertainment, and attention to detail that is simply unmatched.

Columbus Museum of Art

The Columbus Museum of Art is located downtown and contains renowned pieces by American and European artists, with Impressionist and Expressionist work displayed alongside Modernist paintings and sculptures.

The Columbus Museum of Art was established in 1878, being the first art museum to register its charter with Ohio.

The Columbus Museum of Art is a gem to explore, and they make it affordable for everyone.  Offering free, all-day admission on Sundays and $5 Thursday evenings with access to all exhibitions, as well as the Center for Creativity, Big Idea Gallery, and much more.

The Ohio Theatre

The Ohio Theatre is a performing arts center and former movie palace on Capitol Square in the heart of Downtown Columbus. Known as the “Official Theatre of the State of Ohio,” the 1928 building was saved from demolition in 1969 and was later completely restored.

The Ohio Theatre is home to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, BalletMet, and Broadway in Columbus. Also, it hosts CAPA-presented performances and a wide variety of touring artists and shows every year.

Otherworld

Otherworld is out of this world. Otherworld is an immersive art installation on the eastern outskirts of Columbus. Explore 40 rooms made up of mixed reality playgrounds and surreal large-scale scenes and is a stimulating art experience that everyone should experience.

Otherworld opened in 2019; the innovative and ever-changing exhibit fuses numerous art forms that encompass animation, digital fabrication, sculpting, metalworking, and special effects.

Columbus Commons

Looking for something fun to do on a Friday or Saturday night? Located in the heart of Downtown, the Columbus Commons is a six-acre urban park designed to serve the neighborhood as a vital green oasis while offering features that make it the perfect spot for city-wide events.

Columbus Commons boasts four-season gardens, a performance space known as the Columbus Bicentennial Pavilion, a hand-carved carousel, an outdoor reading room, two cafés, and activity options that include bocce courts and a life-size chess set. This family-friendly community space hosts more than 200 free events each year including the Picnic with the Pops Series with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

The Scioto Mile 

The Scioto Mile is Downtown Columbus’ Riverfront Destination featuring over 175-acres of parks, trails, and gorgeous green spaces, lining both banks of the Scioto River, which twists its way through downtown, making for the perfect place to relax, unwind and play in Columbus.

The Scioto Mile offers something for everyone, including an interactive fountain, events, and festivals like the Columbus Arts Festival, Jazz and Ribs Fest, epic views over the river and downtown skyline, rock climbing, kayaking and birdwatching, and plenty of paths and greenways to walk, run or cycle.

TOP Steak House

The Top Steak House is an east Columbus restaurant icon. They’ve been serving juicy charbroiled steaks, jumbo lobster tails, slowly roasted ribs, and gin martinis since 1955. The Top is a true mid-century throwback of an authentic 1950s supper club— it is dimly lit, has a wood-paneled dining room with leather booths, a shiny copper bar, and the original piano bar that plays nightly.

The restaurant is conveniently located in Bexley, a short drive from Downtown Columbus and the John Glenn International Airport.

Goodale Station Rooftop Bar & Restaurant

Goodale Station is Columbus’ newest rooftop bar and restaurant located on the 12th Floor of Canopy Columbus. With sweeping views of downtown Columbus, Goodale Station has both indoor and outdoor seating and a beautiful private dining area to host meetings, reunions, and even weddings.

Goodale Station is open daily for dinner and drinks at 4 p.m. Highlights of the food menu are the oysters, the pork belly, and Ohio Wagyu New York Strip. When it comes to cocktails, the sky’s the limit!

The Short North Arts District

The Short North Arts District is the art and soul of Columbus. The District sits along the stretch of High Street between downtown Columbus and the Ohio State campus and is the most vibrant spot in Columbus – with murals along the sides of buildings and is home to more than 100 restaurants, galleries, and boutiques.

One of the most recognizable parts of the Short North is the 17 lighted arches, which flashback to 1888 when Columbus first became known as “Arch City.” Ohio was chosen to host the centennial celebration of the creation of the Northwest Territory since it was the first state carved out of the territory. Wooden arches lit by gaslight were built to light the streets and dazzle visitors. Steel and electric lights replaced the arches in 1896, but in 1916 they were torn down and replaced by light posts. In 2002, almost 100 years later, 17 steel arches were reinstalled on High Street from Goodale to Fifth Avenue, giving the Short North Arts District its identifying feature.

Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza

If you’re looking for an incredible music experience and pizza, you have to check out Natalie’s. Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza is located in Worthington. It offers a full-service live music experience, old-world New York-style pizza made in a unique high-temperature coal-fired oven, classic cocktails, fine wines, and local and regional craft beers.

Live entertainment is presented on a specially designed stage with high-quality sound, lights, and video, with the finest national and regional acts in a wide variety of styles, including Americana, Jazz, Blues, Folk, Rock, and Classical.