Columbus Monthly – July 2026

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Is Ohio Getting

Wilder?

Conservation efforts are restoring the state’s natural populations, even as species face new threats.

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contents

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35

You voted. We listened.

Find out readers’ choices for people, places, restaurants and things to do around town in the results of our annual reader poll.

JPMorgan Chase’s new Columbus location leader talks about her first year on the job.

BEST OF COLUMBUS

MEET BECKY GRIFFIN

40

WILD OHIO Native species are rebounding in the state as a result of decades-old conservation efforts. What happens now?

ON THE COVER: Athena, a bobcat, recovers from an injury at the Ohio Wildlife Center.

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

FEATURES

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JULY 2026

contents VOLUME 51 | NUMBER 7

24

Front & Center 10 HOUSING Local limitations on building multifamily structures

18 PEOPLE Columbus Monthly’s Spring Cocktail Competition and Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s Crescendo

Home & Style 48 WHAT’S HOT SimplyArt Studios in Grandview Heights

14 CATHOLIC ART A large religious art collection faces an uncertain future.

49 FEATURE HOME A German Village home preserves history.

16 EVERYDAY KINDNESS HEROES A bedroom makeover celebrates a cancer patient’s recovery.

55 TOP 25 The 25 highest-priced home sales in the Columbus region in May 2026

Food & Drink 58 DINING MILESTONES The Refectory Restaurant celebrates 50 years of service.

60 CLEAR WINNER RECIPE Make the crowd-favorite drink from Columbus Monthly’s Spring Cocktail Competition.

61 LET’S EAT Our guide to local restaurants

58

Columbus Monthly (ISSN 2333-4150) is published monthly by USA TODAY Co., Inc.. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © USA TODAY Co., Inc. 2026, all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. Known office of publication is 605 S. Front St., Ste. 300, Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Columbus Monthly, PO Box 221, Lincolnshire IL 60069.

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PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

6 PRELUDE 64 CREATIVE SPACE Char Norman’s natural creations

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Randy Edwards The former Nature Conservancy and Columbus Dispatch science writer brings us a masterful summation of the efforts to help Ohio’s plants and animals recover after centuries of destruction, Page 40.

Zach Trabitz The freelance writer and new Washington University in St. Louis grad talked with NBC4 meteorologist Dave Mazza for a profile in our Best of Columbus section, Page 24.

Joshua M. Bernstein The Clintonville resident looked into where duplexes can and can’t be built in the Columbus region and why. The Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio shared new data with Columbus Monthly for the story, Page 10.

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Prelude FROM THE EDITOR

CONTACT US 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.

A duplex home in Columbus

Columbus Monthly @ColumbusMonthly

T

oo many people in Columbus are priced out of housing. Some neighborhoods, like the one I live in, are undergoing demographic shifts that favor those with means, while those without find themselves moving far beyond the city limits and outside the Franklin County line to make ends meet. Incomes simply have not kept pace with housing inflation, which is being driven primarily by a lack of supply.

There are numerous boards, commissions, strategy groups and coalitions working on solutions to the housing problem in central Ohio. The city of Columbus, by far the largest municipality in the region, recently began to overhaul its zoning code for the first time in more than 70 years. The hope is that the changes will spur the development of more housing. One of the principal updates pitched so far (but not yet enacted) is one that allows duplexes, triplexes and four-unit apartment buildings to be built in areas previously zoned only for single-family housing 6

Katy Smith katy@columbusmonthly.com

without seeking a code variance from the city. The update has its critics. People don’t like the idea of seeing apartments on streets characterized by broad lawns and neat rows of nicely spaced homes with driveways and garages.

They don’t like the idea of the additional traffic multifamily could bring. Sometimes, and they might not admit this, I think they simply don’t like the idea of more neighbors.

I, however, like having more neighbors. And I’ll tell you why.

My street is a lovely example of the 1920s urban neighborhood aesthetic. Charming Craftsman bungalows alternate with front-porch duplexes, Dutch colonials and other Sears kit homes, many with pretty front yard gardens.

Single-family dwellers with children can live next door to owner-occupied doubles housing members of the same family on either side (like my family lives). One also can find single people who wanted an apartment on a street with a true neighborhood feel.

Or, perhaps they are retirees who sold their large homes in the suburbs and became renters to be closer to grandchildren while forgoing the expense of homeownership.

People from all walks and stages of life mingle here on my street, which is in Clintonville. Some have lived here for decades with slow rent appreciation, while others bought completely renovated homes here recently at much higher prices. Alleys, porches and front yards connect us, where you can be sure to run into a neighbor walking their dog or strolling to a local restaurant or pub.

Having more neighbors enriches our lives. We meet people from different backgrounds who we might never have met otherwise. By knowing them, our own ex-

@ColumbusMonthly Web: ColumbusMonthly.com Email: letters@ columbusmonthly.com periences are broadened. How can that be a bad thing?

In a story that starts on Page 10 by freelance writer Joshua M. Bernstein, you can learn where in central Ohio duplexes can be built and why. The answer is complex, as you can imagine.

Speaking of neighbors, our cover story (Page 40) is about a different kind—our non-human animal friends. Ohio is getting wilder, writer Randy Edwards reports, but we cannot take our focus off conservation efforts, or we’ll risk losing the progress we have made.

Wouldn’t you want a bobcat for a neighbor? How about turkeys, beavers, otters, foxes, black bears, coyotes, eagles, osprey, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes, peregrine falcons and lake sturgeon?

I sure would.

PHOTO COURTESY CITY OF COLUMBUS

Why Life Is Better With More Neighbors

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front & center Catholic Art in Columbus This relic, containing an original piece of the cross Jesus was believed to be crucified on, lives at the temporarily closed Museum of Catholic Art and History. Some are concerned about the museum’s future, Page 14.

PHOTO BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Front & Center | Housing

Carlie Boos in Clintonville

Where Can’t You Build a Duplex?

To meet the region’s housing crunch, builders could return to an old friend.

But their options are limited.

Growing up in Wadsworth, Ohio, an Akron suburb founded in 1814, Carlie Boos was typically a few steps from family. She lived in a duplex with her parents, and her cousins rented the connected nextdoor unit. Extra eyes came in handy.

“I remember my mom banging on the neighbor’s door and saying, ‘I’ve got to run to the store. Keep an eye on Carlie,’ ” says Boos, executive director of the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. “It was lovely, and it was family.”

Neighborly familial bonds are scarcer today. In and around Columbus, prewar duplexes—two independent dwelling units beneath one roof—and larger multifamily housing were integrated into older neighborhoods and municipalities including Victorian Village, Old North Columbus, Upper Arlington and 10

Westerville, plus the capital’s urban core.

But a 1954 zoning change prohibited multifamily housing across parts of Columbus. Policies rooted in racial discrimination prioritized single-family homes, and car-centric suburbs expanded outward, no need to share walls.

The region’s zoning laws allow duplexes on only 17 percent of all parcels, according to Twin Goals, a new AHACO study on building family wealth and affordability through duplexes. They’re prohibited or face discretionary or conditional approval in at least 79 percent of the region.

“Governments put their thumb on the scale,” Boos says, driving a “nail in the coffin for middle-class housing.”

Solely building single-family homes exacerbates an acute housing shortage.

Columbus has added 120,000 residents

since 2010, and central Ohio’s population is projected to increase to 3 million by 2050 from 2.3 million, a boom spiking prices and threatening the region’s relative affordability. To relieve housing pressure, ease costs and keep up with growth, local governments are rewriting zoning codes to create more “missing middle” housing that sits between single-family homes and high-rise buildings—duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and accessory dwelling units built in a homeowner’s backyard.

Call it gentle density. “We’re not talking about plopping an eight-story, 50-unit apartment building in a neighborhood,” says Belkis Schoenhals, a planning manager for the city of Columbus. “These types of housing seamlessly weave into a community,” she says.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

By Joshua M. Bernstein

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The Original Workforce Housing Workers regularly drive to jobs far from homes, clenching teeth while caught in I-270 traffic. A century ago, people often lived within walking distance or a quick streetcar ride from work. “Duplexes are the original workforce housing of Columbus,” Jason Reece, associate professor of city and regional planning at Ohio State University, said in the documentary United: The Hidden Story of the Humble Duplex, which was produced by AHACO. Beyond proximity, the housing diversity in Clintonville and older Columbus neighborhoods “naturally allowed for different housing price points and lifestyle choices,” says Erin Prosser, deputy director of housing strategies for the city of Columbus. A single person might opt for a smaller dwelling, while a growing family would want a bigger home, all available nearby. “You didn’t necessarily need to leave your neighborhood to have those life transitions,” Prosser says.

With its ongoing Zone In initiative, the city is updating its zoning code for the first time in more than 70 years. The changes so far have addressed allowing larger residential buildings on major corridors, such as North High Street; overhauling single-family neighborhoods is under future consideration. Columbus does permit duplexes in many residential districts—more will be permitted in future rezoning phases—and new duplexes are sprouting in Olde Towne East and Reeb-Hosack, where empty lots await development. “Many of our partners are picking up little plots of land and vacant areas,” Schoenhals says. “We’re trying to meet that demand by supporting increased development.”

Other cities surrounding Columbus are crunched for space. Suburban Bexley is just 2.9 square miles and surrounded

by Columbus on all four sides. “There’s only so much land to be able to build up,” says Alex Silverman, a city council member in Bexley. It’s mostly composed of single-family housing, with duplexes concentrated near Capital University.

“We don’t have many empty parcels,” Silverman says. To maximize square footage, Bexley prioritizes mixed-use buildings like the six-story Fitzgerald on Main Street.

Westerville underwent heavy residential construction in the 1970s through 1990s, says David Efland, the city’s planning and development director, and its

Duplexes along California Avenue in Clintonville

Not everyone dreams of picket fences and grassy expanses. Cozy and not too costly duplexes, shared with those near and dear, are embedded into the region’s housing bedrock, an old idea that feels bold and fresh.

13 square miles are “functionally built out.” Duplexes comprise nearly 3 percent of its housing stock, a fairly high percentage, and around 26 percent of the city potentially could allow a two-fami-

ly dwelling. But tearing down a house to build a duplex often doesn’t make smart economic sense.

Similar land constraints impact Worthington. “In Old Worthington, I can only think of one, maybe two vacant lots to build something new like a duplex,” says Lee Brown, director of Worthington’s planning and building department. Nonetheless, Worthington has entrenched examples of multifamily housing, including several downtown duplexes and a fourplex. “They’re zoned for single family, but for 100 years they’ve been part of the community,” Brown says. Worthington is embarking on a multiyear process of rewriting its zoning code to better meet modern housing needs. “If we truly were ‘no change,’ we’d still be an 1803 outhouse community,” Brown says.

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Living Next to Mom for Life Duplexes can ease the burden of homeownership for younger adults. A homeowner can rent out a duplex’s second unit to subsidize a mortgage, earning “income from the other side of the wall,” Schoenhals says. Duplexes also foster denser, livelier communities and offer housing opportunities for aging alongside loved ones. “You’re bringing two more neighbors to the party, and those neighbors might be your grandparents,” Schoenhals says.

For people with developmental disabilities, sharing a duplex can meet needs on multiple levels, from splitting house responsibilities to sharing support staff.

“Missing-middle housing can help cut down on those costs,” says Cristy “Critty” Buenconsejo, president and CEO of Creative Housing | Creative Renovations, which provides housing for the developmentally disabled. The goal is to knit these duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes, located from the Hilltop to Hilliard, into neighborhoods and not to create enclaves. “We want to be part of the community,” Buenconsejo says.

To grow denser neighborhoods, homeowners also can add newly legalized ADUs, which can be built on a home’s existing lot as a smaller standalone structure or an addition. Westerville modified its zoning code in 2023 to simplify adding ADUs, and Efland estimates that around 67 percent of the city could potentially allow them. Last fall Columbus and Bexley also ratified ADU construction. “Single-family homes have square footage on their parcel that can be used to grow without having to tear down and rebuild,” Silverman says.

Since January, Compton Construction in Columbus has fielded around 15 unsolicited leads for ADUs. In any given year, the construction company will receive around 100 leads, so “there’s a lot 12

A home on East Deshler Avenue features an accessory dwelling unit

WHERE TO FIND DUPLEXES Current zoning laws allow duplexes on just 17 percent of all Central Ohio parcels. Here’s a breakdown by community.

Community Powell Whitehall Marble Cliff Sunbury London Canal Winchester Lancaster Grove City Westerville Delaware Grandview Heights Columbus Gahanna Reynoldsburg Worthington Pataskala Pickerington Newark Dublin Upper Arlington Bexley Hilliard 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

percent of parcels allowing duplexes

WHERE ZONING DOES NOT ALLOW DUPLEXES Amanda Baltimore Groveport Minerva Park

New Albany Obetz Riverlea Valleyview

Granville Johnstown Plain City

Source: Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio/Research by Scioto Analysis

PHOTOS LEFT TO RIGHT: COURTESY CITY OF COLUMBUS, TIM JOHNSON

A Schumacher Place duplex

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ENDURING LEGACY Duplexes along East Como Avenue in Clintonville A home on South Huron Avenue with an accessory dwelling unit

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF

OHIO DECORATIVE ARTS Betty Talbott and Tracy Rieger | curators

Made possible with support from the Wendel Family Fund of the Fairfield County Foundation and the Fox Foundation, Inc.

PHOTO COURTESY CITY OF COLUMBUS

May 30 – August 30, 2026 of tire kicking,” says Blake Compton, the founder. Even though ADUs are easier to get approved than they used to be, they’re not easier to build. When Compton built his Olde Towne East ADU, he planned for a $400,000 budget. The appraiser estimated that the house was only worth $300,000, requiring him to make up the difference between bank loan and construction cost.

Material and labor costs are only increasing. “If you don’t want a basic box, you’ll be north of $300,000,” Compton says. Adding a second floor to a garage also can be complicated, especially since the preexisting footers might not support additional structural load. A teardown and rebuild is a “no go for many people,” Compton says.

Despite certain roadblocks, the avenues to broadening the scope and variety of central Ohio’s housing stock are opening wider. Dusty codes are disappearing, replaced by modes of thinking that meet the region’s housing needs. Not everyone dreams of picket fences and grassy expanses. Cozy and not too costly duplexes, shared with those near and dear, are embedded into the region’s housing bedrock, an old idea that feels bold and fresh.

“We talk a lot about culture and who we are as a community, and the duplex fits so perfectly within that because it’s been part of our history,” Boos says. “One reason why it’s so appealing as a solution to the housing challenge is because it’s just so us.” ◆

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Front & Center | Arts

A Home for Catholic Art A Downtown Columbus museum dedicated to Catholic art has closed as the local diocese assesses the future of the large collection.

By Randy Edwards Michael Wihl, a lifelong Catholic whose early education was guided by nuns on Columbus’ West Side, says the Museum of Catholic Art and History includes more than relics of saints and historic manuscripts. It holds the beloved artifacts of his childhood. “There are a few things in that museum that come from Holy Family (in Franklinton) and some of the other churches I’ve been in,” says Wihl, a former museum volunteer.

Wihl says he’s concerned by the decision of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus to close the museum to the public for an unspecified time period. The diocese calls the pause a path to a better museum collection.

“The Museum of Catholic Art and His14

tory will be pausing in-person visits and tours for the foreseeable future,” reads an April 14 post on the museum’s Facebook page. The post says the museum’s collection has grown extensively and needs to be properly documented and cataloged.

“This hiatus is a much-needed break that provides sufficient time to reassess and reimagine the museum for the 21st century,” it says. Representatives of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus declined to be interviewed for this story.

The museum at 257 E. Broad St. is ranked No. 20 on Tripadvisor’s list of “Things to Do in Columbus.” While it draws visitors from countries and faiths all over the world, it isn’t well known to locals, says Shawn Kenney, the museum’s

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said to come from Saint Leo I, or Leo the Great, who was the pope from 440 through 461.

Diocesan officials did not say whether the museum’s indefinite pause will affect the annual display of the life-sized Nativity scene that was donated to the museum in 2022 by Liberty Mutual Group, along with a $250,000 donation for its maintenance. The sprawling diorama, a Downtown Columbus tradition since 1962, previously was displayed at the State Auto building on East Broad Street but in 2023 was moved to the grounds of St. Joseph Cathedral, across the street from the museum.

Wihl holds out hope the museum will reopen. “I hope they find a place for it and when they do, I hope they support it. And that they find people who were just as enthused about that place and the people who worked there were.” ◆

PHOTOS BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

former executive director, during a tour of the museum in January. Kenney spoke of the success of the annual Nativity scene display, which drew about 2,000 visitors during the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Built over three decades through donations from local churches and those from all over the world, the museum holds only a fraction of the diocesan collection, Kenney says. Among the pieces visitors have been able to see are an original Douay-Rheims New Testament from the 16th century, a 400-year-old crucifix and the original land grant for the property upon which the first Catholic Church in Ohio was built, in 1808 near Somerset in Perry County.

The museum also holds a large collection of relics, which the church teaches are the physical remains of saints (bones, hair, blood), or objects touched by the saints. For example, it has a sliver of bone

Photos clockwise from top left: a display of nuns’ habits in the Museum of Catholic Art and History; artifacts on display; a second-century Roman spear tip; Theresa Warren, who worked at the museum in 2021, sorts through Bibles; former museum executive director Shawn Kenney

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Front & Center | Everyday Kindness Heroes

Project Refresh organizer Carole Greenzalis, left, and interior designer Sarah Bean in the refinished bedroom with Cameron and Katie Fontana.

Refreshing Spaces and Lives Realtor Carole Greenzalis, founder of Project Refresh, lifts spirits and builds community with the gift of home makeovers.

By Amy Bodiker Baskes | Photos by Tim Johnson Rocking chairs invite daydreams. That’s where, in the quiet hours holding her infant son, inspiration found realtor Carole Greenzalis. As she was building her family and growing her business, Greenzalis was moved to give back.

“I didn’t want to just be a realtor,” she says. “I wanted to approach it all a bit differently.”

A fan of home makeover shows, Greenzalis started scheming about doing something similar in the Columbus Region.

The result is Project Refresh. In one week, Greenzalis and Sarah Bean, founder of staging and redesign company Altogether Lovely Home, work with a team of 12 small 16

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businesses to deliver a free redesigned room—complete with new furniture, paint and decor—to a deserving Columbus-area family or individual.

For Bean and Greenzalis, Project Refresh also provides the opportunity to bring the talents of their favorite suppliers together. “We have all these terrific vendors on speed dial,” Greenzalis says.

“Project Refresh allows us to highlight their good work.” Some of them donate their services, and Greenzalis secures cash contributions to make up the rest of the project’s $5,000 budget.

This year, Project Refresh restyled the primary bedroom of Cameron and Katie Fontana’s Pickerington home, following Katie’s two-year journey with throat cancer. Cameron, a host on Good Day Columbus, documented Katie’s diagnosis, treatment and eventual re-

covery on social media with signature high-energy and positivity. They drew strength knowing that sharing their faith and story online could help others.

With two young children at home, Katie’s treatments brought some difficult days for the family. “There were times when Cameron would have to carry me upstairs and lock the bedroom door behind him” so the kids didn’t have to see what was going on, Katie says.

When selected for Project Refresh, the Fontanas directed the team to their bedroom. “It was horrible,” Katie says, with old carpet, broken blinds and mismatched furniture. “It was the last space we put any thought into.”

As Katie’s sickroom, the bedroom had also been “a very dark, sad space,” says Bean. With Katie well, the Project Refresh team wanted to create a positive

space for the next phase of their lives.

Upfront planning allowed the team to work quickly, replacing the Fontana’s carpeting and furniture, reorganizing the closets, and brightening the walls with fresh paint, custom molding, and a gallery of family photos.

Cameron literally jumped for joy when he saw their new bedroom.

“Our room is a sanctuary now,” says Katie. “We didn’t know how badly we needed this change.” Bean says that at the reveal “you could just sense their fresh breaths.”

Greenzalis’ dream to improve people’s lives by improving their spaces was always about more than just redecorating. She knew there was power in collective projects but admitted surprise at “just how much joy we received back in the process.” ◆

Cameron and Katie Fontana’s refinished bedroom

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Front & Center | People

Columbus Monthly’s 2026 Spring Cocktail Competition Columbus Monthly’s Spring Cocktail Competition was held May 14 at Vitria on the Square. Twelve area bars and restaurants competed using liquor from sponsor Middle West Spirits, which the crowd of 250 enjoyed along with live music from Hayden Huffman Trio. Coldbar was recognized as the creator of the Best Overall Cocktail, with The Nine awarded Most Creative Cocktail and Harvest claiming the prize for Best Booth Design.

PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

1 Kaylee Grabarkewitz and Eric Bulgrin 2 Margarita Fernandez and Gaby Sine 3 Morgan Schaaf, Joely Kaylor-McCallister and Molly Hughes 4 Traci Warga and Brett Yahn 5 Sarah Spahr and Larry Brown 6 Stephanie Gostomski and Hinal Pujara 7 David and Shanise Kimbrough 8 Ryan and Susan Ristow

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Front & Center | People

Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s Crescendo The Columbus Symphony Orchestra hosted Crescendo on May 7, a black-tie event that celebrated the orchestra’s 75th anniversary.

More than 260 guests enjoyed a concert at the Southern Theatre conducted by music director Rossen Milanov and featuring Broadway star Morgan James. The event continued with a celebration in the Westin Great Southern Columbus’ Grand Ballroom.

Proceeds from the evening support the symphony’s mission to inspire and build a strong community through music.

PHOTOS COURTESY VIVERE VISUALS

1 Columbus Symphony Orchestra 2 Alice Risov, Alicia Hui and Wendy Morton 3 Alan and Amy Shore 4 Silvana Hildebrandt and Jim Negron 5 Maureen O’Brien and Giordano Albertazzi 6 Vlad Petrachev and Jeff Korak 7 Rosa Ailabouni and Scott Smitson 8 Janice Innis-Thompson and Stephen Lawrence

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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NeuroAnimation: Defying Dyslexia - Adelyn's Story

"I can read the bigger words now."

Adelyn is a spunky, fun, creative, athletic, and animal loving young girl. She loves the outdoors, and she loves to keep up with her older sister, Elanor. And Adelyn loves books. Those books create special times of reading to others or being read to. From her earliest memory, books created special moments and expanded her world. Reading those short books with one syllable words was fun and easy for her. But, as the words became a bit harder and the books a bit longer, her mother, Lindsey, an educator, noticed that her daughter was struggling. Reading, identifying words didn’t come as easily to Adelyn anymore.

Adelyn had minor speech issues which showed up in kindergarten. Some of her challenges seemed normal and age related, but others seemed to linger as she got older. A speech therapist was hired. Yet, despite the intervention, by mid-year of second grade it became more noticeable that she had real trouble differentiating the letter “d” from the letter “b”, and rhyming one syllable words was becoming nearly impossible. It was time for more evaluation.

Lindsey scheduled a dyslexia learning assessment for Adelyn, and after hours of testing, it turned out she did, in fact, have dyslexia. She didn’t have major cognitive issues, she just learned differently.

Lindsey and her husband, Todd, were determined to do everything they could for Adelyn. Lindsey threw herself into researching all that she could about dyslexia. She trained in the Barton approach-helping her daughter connect sounds to letters; it helped considerably, but Adelyn still struggled. Says Lindsey, “We knew there was potential for more.”

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discussing the possibilities with the founder, Dr. Omar Ahmad, and Pam Marshall from Marshall PediatricTherapy in Lexington, Kentucky, the decision was made to have Adelyn go to NeuroAnimation’s Columbus, Ohio-area location and experience the three-week Bootcamp. They were excited to see if it could work for her and help rewire areas of her brain, and potentially help her dyslexia.

Bootcamp began and Adelyn jumped right in. She loved the immersive theater with its NeuroAnimals, and the interaction with the encouraging staff. She worked hard, and what started happening next was transformative. Before Bootcamp she would typically gloss over words, but now she was laser focused, sounding them out and comprehending them too.

Her speech became clearer, and her confidence grew. Mom and Dad attribute this to NeuroAnimation.

Today, Adelyn is ten years old and is a thriving, passionate reader. She attacks three and four syllable words just like she attacked the sea animals that challenged her in the NeuroAnimation theater. And in Adelyn’s beautifully enunciated own words, said with a big confident smile on her face, "When I used to read, I would see big words and guess them. Now I can see the words and stop. I can read the bigger words now”.

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Best of Columbus Welcome to Best of Columbus, the city’s original reader-voted contest crowning our favorite people and places. Read on to find out where readers go for Italian food and cocktails (it’s in Powell), and get to know NBC4 weatherman Dave Mazza. And if you want to know the places magazine staffers can personally recommend, they share the spots where they are regulars on Page 25. The complete list of winners and finalists starts on Page 26—we hope you’re inspired to try some new places this summer and beyond.

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Best of Columbus • WINNER PROFILE

Novella Osteria

Best Italian Restaurant/Best Cocktails/Best Chef

Chef Matthew Phelan

22

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JULY 2026

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Best of Columbus • WINNER PROFILE

By Linda Lee Baird Photos by Tim Johnson Chef Matthew Phelan honed his cooking chops at the Culinary Institute of America and in New York City kitchens. A highlight of his education was the three weeks he spent in Italy while at the CIA, learning local cooking and winemaking techniques. Yet the Dublin native never forgot his roots.

“I’m a local kid, and the dream was always to come back,” he says from a seat at a table inside Novella Osteria, the Powell restaurant that he opened in 2020. He returned to town with the skills he’d developed and the desire to bring a taste of the big city with him, settling on a “New York vibe” for Novella.

That vibe illustrates the best of New York City: cuisine that is prepared with care and sings with flavor, served by attentive waitstaff. What you won’t find are the common downsides of a New York dining experience, like cramped seating or the sense that you’re on the clock to finish your meal.

The experience offered at Novella was lauded by Columbus Monthly’s readers, who made it among the most-awarded honorees in our 2026 Best of Columbus poll. It won three categories: Best Italian Restaurant, Best Cocktails and Best Chef for Phelan.

While the restaurant became an area favorite over the past six years, Phelan has advice for those trying it for the first time: Order the Novella Meatballs ($18). Made with veal and ricotta, Phelan says, they are one of his most popular dishes. He also recommends the pappardelle topped with lamb bolognese ($31), noting the restaurant’s pastas and breads are made with organic flour imported from Italy.

On a recent visit, the Ziti Verde ($29), flecked with crisp Calabrian sausage and topped with creamy burrata, and the Saturday night eggplant parmesan special ($28) were highlights. Phelan says the menu changes seasonally but includes some staples, giving guests the option to try something different every time, or return regularly for standby favorites.

The restaurant’s bar program is headed by Lauren Vergara, and Phelan says the cocktails have a common approach.

“The mentality that I use for the food, she [uses] for the bar,” he says, noting the drink menu changes seasonally along

Lauren Vergara mixes up cocktails.

with the menu.

The espresso martini ($16) is a current fan favorite. Its smooth and creamy flavors, punched up by the espresso, could be a stand-in for dessert—though one could instead order a tiramisu ($12) or affogato ($10) for nonalcoholic experiences that hit similar notes.

Reflecting on his experience as an owner and chef, Phelan says that finding his niche has been key to Novella’s success.

“There’s so much competition out there.

There’s a lot of amazing restaurants,” he says. “If there’s one thing I can say that I’m super proud of is that we know our song. And we play that whether there’s 10 people in the building, whether there’s 100. … We stay very true to that.” ◆

Limoncello Spritz

Pasta alla Nerano

Novella Osteria 170 W. Olentangy St., Powell 614-389-6698 novellaosteria.org Open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner If you go: The restaurant offers bar, dining room and outdoor patio seating, as well as private dining and catering services. Reservations are recommended.

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Best of Columbus • WINNER PROFILE

Dave Mazza Best Weatherperson

By Zach Trabitz In an alternate universe, Dava Mazza— who’s been part of NBC4’s meteorology team for 14 years and chief meteorologist for roughly nine of them—might have been a chef. And in this one, he says he makes a mean pot of chili. But he also helps us know when chili is appropriate for the weather: Probably when it’s in the 50s, right?

Mazza, commonly known throughout the Columbus region by his last name, says he has always had an interest in the weather and climate. The Illinois native grew up in Crystal Lake, northwest of Chicago, and studied Atmospheric Science at Purdue Univer24

sity. While he didn’t plan on working in TV, he had a great experience at an internship at a television station going into his senior year.

He likes that the medium offers him an outlet to talk about the weather constantly. “It is awesome, getting to talk about the weather every single night,” Mazza says.

Working in television also resulted in a few outcomes that he didn’t expect, such as meeting his wife, Crystal, who also works at the station. “She and I worked together at one of our first jobs in Texas,” he says. Today, the Mazzas live in Sunbury with their two sons.

“I love my life and this career, it’s pretty special, and not a lot of folks get to say that.”

Mazza says that one of the things he is most grateful for is being welcomed into people’s homes through their televisions. Because of this, he says he’s often recognized outside of work.

“I am who I am on air, in person, [so] I think that a lot of people feel like they know me, just as Dave,” Mazza says. “Or, as Oakley and Davey’s dad, or Crystal’s husband. [People] come up to me like, ‘Mazza, we’re gonna get rain this weekend?’ Everyone treats me as if I’m their neighbor and their friend. And I think that is the most endearing thing.” ◆ Dave Mazza appears on NBC4 weekdays during the evening and 11 p.m. news broadcasts.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Dave Mazza

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JULY 2026

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Best of Columbus • STAFF PICKS Columbus Monthly’s staff shares our personal Best of Columbus picks.

These are the spots across town where we consider ourselves regulars.

FLORIN COFFEE IN NORTH LINDEN

HABANEROS FRESH MEXICAN GRILL IN CLINTONVILLE

I have determined through exhaustive research that it’s the only place in Columbus where I can get a top-notch cappuccino and a bagel with cream cheese.

This little neighborhood gem opened in 2020 and serves up some of the richest, most complex and most beautiful cappuccinos in town. In my opinion, only one place rivals it—Café Brioso, which, sadly, does not serve bagels. The folks at Florin have made coffee bean roastery their soaring art form, and the frothy whole milk they serve in their concoctions reads as straight up buttery. As for breakfast, you can start your day right at Florin with a fresh Bears Bagels sesame bagel with veggie cream cheese.

Living on the northern edge of Clintonville, I’ve seen several restaurants turn over at 4416 N. High St., near the corner of Henderson Road. But I’ve taken it upon myself (with the help of my family) to make sure the current occupant—Habaneros Fresh Mexican Grill—stays for a long time. Soon after they opened in fall 2024, “Habaneros Fridays” became our household’s unofficial celebration of the week’s end. My husband and I get spicy margaritas and tacos—sometimes with birria. My kids each get a plate of cheese nachos. We always get a friendly greeting from the staff, who have helped us celebrate birthdays and other milestones on Fridays and beyond.

- KATY SMITH, EDITOR

- LINDA LEE BAIRD, FEATURES EDITOR

ON PAPER IN THE SHORT NORTH

JAVA CENTRAL IN UPTOWN WESTERVILLE

ZAYTOON MEDITERRANEAN GRILL IN WEST COLUMBUS

If you have ever received a card from me, or do so in the future, I can nearly guarantee it was sourced from this lovely stationery store. Beyond greeting cards—of which there’s a plentiful variety of designs, holidays, occasions, etc.—there’s plenty to satisfy any stationery craving.

Sift through a wonderful selection of notebooks, pens, calligraphy sets, wax seals, typewriter paper and ink and, my favorite, postcards printed with an array of unique art, including many with Columbus-specific imagery. As a bonus, you can get a card stamped for each greeting card you purchase—buy eight and get the ninth free. Make sure to leave a message on the typewriter by the door on your way out!

Just about every Tuesday night for the past decade, I’ve been hitting up Java Central in Uptown Westerville. I pick up a soda from the wonderfully friendly baristas and head into the back room. There, I join an eclectic group of musicians who gather to play music together ranging from Frank Sinatra to The Clash. While most of the players are on guitar, standup bass, conga drums, fiddles, banjos, flutes and various whistles can also be heard.

It’s not just Tuesdays, though. When distractions at home get to be too much during the workday, I’ll make a run to Java Central to hunker down with a latte and scone and crank out some serious photo editing.

Don’t let its location fool you. This delightful restaurant, tucked into a nondescript strip center off Hilliard Rome Road, elevates the enduring build-yourown-bowl trend with food that’s worth a special trip. Quality elevates locally owned Zaytoon above like-minded eateries. The ingredients are fresh and flavorful, and service is quick and friendly. My go-to: chicken gyro on a rice or salad base.

Favorite toppings include thinly sliced pickles and crunchy, pickled red cabbage that add a welcome bright note. Portions are typically generous, making for a great next-day lunch—if you have the willpower not to eat it all. Zaytoon expected to open a second location in Powell in June.

- LUCY CLARK, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

- TIM JOHNSON, PHOTO EDITOR

- JULANNE HOHBACH, DIGITAL EDITOR

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Best of Columbus FOOD & DRINK

WE ASKED, AND YOU ANSWERED. HERE ARE OVER 100 PICKS BY COLUMBUS MONTHLY READERS. SEE WHO YOU CHOSE FOR THE BEST IN FOOD AND DRINK, SHOPPING, LOCAL PERSONALITIES AND MORE.

Club 185

Best African Restaurant Winner Hoyo’s Kitchen Finalist Afra Grill Finalist Lalibela Restaurant Best Bakery Winner Resch’s Bakery Finalist Dan the Baker Finalist Pistacia Vera Best Bar Food Winner Club 185 Finalist Cobra Finalist Old Bag of Nails Best Barbecue Winner Ray Ray’s Hog Pit Finalist City Barbeque Finalist Hank’s Texas BBQ Best Beer Selection Winner Ohio Taproom Finalist Seventh Son Brewing Co. Finalist Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse/

Grandview Theater & Drafthouse

Best Breakfast Winner Delaney’s Diner Finalist Katalina’s Finalist Tommy’s Diner Best Brunch Winner Valter’s at the Maennerchor Finalist Cap City Fine Diner and Bar Finalist Lindey’s

Best Butcher Shop Winner Carfagna’s Market Finalist Littleton’s Market Finalist Weiland’s Market Best Chinese Restaurant Winner Molly Woo’s Asian Bistro Finalist Ding Ho Restaurant Finalist Hunan Lion Finalist Ty Ginger Asian Bistro 26

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Best Burger Winner The Thurman Café Finalist Northstar Café Finalist Preston’s: A Burger Joint

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JULY 2026

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Best Doughnut Winner Buckeye Donuts Finalist DK Diner Finalist Resch’s Bakery Best Fast-Casual Winner Brassica Finalist Bibibop Finalist Piada Italian Street Food

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Ray Ray’s Hog Pit

Best Food Truck Winner Schmidt’s Finalist Cousins Maine Lobster Finalist Ray Ray’s Hog Pit

Best Classic Pizza Winner Tommy’s Pizza Finalist JT’s Pizza & Pub Finalist Rubino’s Pizza

Best Deli Winner Katzinger’s Delicatessen Finalist The Brown Bag Delicatessen Finalist Uptown Deli & Brew

Best Cocktails Winner Novella Osteria Finalist Echo Spirits Distilling Co. Finalist VASO Dublin

Best Desserts Winner Pistacia Vera Finalist Belle’s Bread Japanese Bakery and Café

Finalist The Cheesecake Girl

Best Coffee Shop Winner Fox in the Snow Café Finalist Crimson Cup Coffee Finalist Stauf’s Coffee Roasters

Best Diner Winner Tommy’s Diner Finalist Delaney’s Diner Finalist DK Diner

Best Fried Chicken Winner CM Chicken Finalist The Crispy Coop Finalist The Eagle Finalist Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen

& Bar

Best Gourmet Pizza Winner Sexton’s Pizza Finalist Dewey’s Pizza Finalist Harvest Pizzeria Best Happy Hour Winner The Top Steak House Finalist Lindey’s Finalist The Pearl

2026

FOR 11+ YEARS RUNNING! THANK YOU COLUMBUS!

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Best Himalayan/Nepalese Restaurant Winner Momo Ghar Finalist Everest Cuisine Finalist Sargam Restaurant & Bar Finalist Yak N Yeti Restaurant & Bar Finalist Yeti Express Best Hot Dogs Winner Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace Finalist Ritzy’s Finalist Village Coney Best Ice Cream Winner Graeter’s Ice Cream Finalist Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Finalist Johnson’s Real Ice Cream Best Indian/Pakistani Winner Aab India Finalist Everest Cuisine Finalist New India Restaurant Best Italian Restaurant Winner Novella Osteria Finalist Cento Finalist Lola & Giuseppi’s Trattoria Best Kid’s Menu Winner Roosters Finalist Cap City Fine Diner Finalist Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern

Best Latin American Restaurant Winner Arepazo Finalist Cilantro Latin Fusion Finalist Si Señor Peruvian Sandwiches

& More

Best Local Distillery Winner Leather & Oak Spirits Finalist High Bank Distillery Finalist Watershed Distillery 28

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Best Korean Restaurant Winner KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot Finalist Gogi Korean BBQ Finalist Min-Ga Korean Restaurant

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JULY 2026

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VELO

Come in and let us help you find the right bike for you!

The Best Bike Shop in Columbus Best of Columbus, Columbus Monthly 2026 and the Best in Ohio, NBDA 2026 Retailer Excellence Award

Celebrating 9 Years in Columbus!

Giant, Liv, Bianchi, Kona, SE Bikes, Aventon, and Segway Bikes • eBikes • Service 4231 N. High St. Clintonville OH 43214 614.333.0012 JohnnyVeloBikes.com

Lindey’s

Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Restaurant Winner Lavash Café Finalist Aladdin’s Eatery Finalist Mazah Mediterranean Eatery

THANK YOU

for voting us Best Wine Bar

Best Mexican Restaurant Winner El Vaquero Finalist Cuco’s Taqueria Finalist Los Guachos

https://www.fireflywineryohio.com

614-623-3249

5435 Franklin Street Hilliard Ohio 43026

Best Patio Winner Lindey’s Finalist Barcelona Finalist The Top Steak House Best Plant-Based Dining Winner Comune Finalist Portia’s Café Finalist Seitan’s Realm Comune

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

THE ARTS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING IN COLUMBUS! Find Hundreds of Arts Events at ColumbusMakesArt.com/Events ArtMakesCbus

ColumbusMakesArt.com is a project of:

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Best Ramen Winner Fukuryu Ramen Finalist Kirin Noodle Bar Finalist Meshikou Ramen Finalist Slurping Turtle Finlalist Tensuke Express Best Romantic Restaurant Winner The Refectory Finalist Lindey’s Finalist The Top Steak House Best Rooftop Patio Winner VASO Dublin Finalist Astra Rooftop Finalist Lincoln Social Rooftop Best Sandwiches Winner Katzinger’s Delicatessen Finalist The Brown Bag Delicatessen Finalist Wario’s Beef and Pork Best Seafood Winner Hank’s Low Country Seafood

& Raw Bar

Finalist Mitchell’s Ocean Club Finalist Windward Passage Best Southern/Soul Food Restaurant Winner Gallo’s Kitchen & Bar Finalist Modern Southern Table Finalist Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen

& Bar

Best Sports Bar Winner Roosters Finalist Gallo’s Tap Room Finalist Grandview Café 30

Best Steakhouse Winner The Top Steak House Finalist Butcher & Rose Finalist The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek

Best Wings Winner Roosters Finalist Gallo’s Tap Room Finalist Shakers Public House

Best Sushi Winner Akai Hana Finalist Asian Gourmet & Sushi Bar Finalist Mr. Sushi

OUT & ABOUT

Best Tacos Winner Condado Tacos Finalist Dos Hermanos Finalist Los Guachos

Best Bar for Music Winner Natalie’s Grandview Finalist Blu Note Jazz Café Finalist Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge Finalist Skully’s Music-Diner Finalist Woodlands Tavern

PHOTOS FROM TOP: TIM JOHNSON, ROB HARDIN

Bobby Floyd Trio and guests at Natalie’s Grandview

Best Taproom Winner Henmick Farm & Brewery Finalist Nocterra Brewing Co. Finalist Seventh Son Brewing Co. Best Thai Restaurant Winner Siam Orchid Finalist Basil Finalist Lemongrass Fusion Bistro Best Vietnamese Restaurant Winner 6-1-Pho Finalist Huong Vietnamese Restaurant Finalist Lan Viet Market Finalist Pho Social Best Wine Bar Winner Firefly Winery Finalist Napa Kitchen & Bar Finalist The Wine Bistro

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JULY 2026

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Best Beer Shop Winner Weiland’s Market Finalist Aardvark Wine & Beer Finalist The Daily Growler

Best Fitness Studio Winner Studio Glow Fitness Finalist LIT Life + Yoga Finalist Noble Method

Best Bike Shop Winner Johnny Velo Bikes Finalist Beechwold Bicycles Finalist Bicycle One

Best Florist Winner DeSantis Florists Finalist 5th Ave. Floral Co. Finalist Orchard Lane Flowers Finalist Petals & Leaves

Best Bowling Alley Winner Pins Mechanical Co. Finalist Columbus Square Bowling Palace Finalist Sequoia Pro Bowl Finalist Star Lanes Polaris Finalist Ten Pin Alley Best Clothing Resale Shop Winner One More Time Finalist Flower Child Vintage Finalist Second Chance Best Concert Venue Winner Ohio Theatre Finalist KEMBA Live Finalist Nationwide Arena Best Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area Winner Dublin Finalist Arena District Finalist Hilliard Best Farmers Market Winner Worthington Finalist Clintonville Finalist Dublin Market at Bridge Park Best Festival Winner Columbus Arts Festival Finalist ComFest Finalist Dublin Irish Festival

Best Furniture Resale Shop Winner Grandview Mercantile Finalist Boomerang Room Vintage Finalist One More Time Best Gallery Winner Hawk Galleries Finalist 934 Gallery Finalist Urban Arts Space Best Garden Center Winner Oakland Nursery Finalist Groovy Plants Ranch Finalist Strader’s Garden Center Best Grocery Store Winner Trader Joe’s Finalist Giant Eagle Market District Finalist Weiland’s Market Best Gym Winner LIT Life + Yoga Finalist Westerville Recreation Center Finalist YMCA of Central Ohio Best Hair Salon Winner Penzone Salons + Spas Finalist Kenneth’s Salons + Day Spas Finalist Virtue Vegan Salon Best Hardware Store Winner Beechwold Ace Hardware Finalist Nutter Hardware Finalist Zettler Hardware Best LGBTQ+ Bar/Club Winner Slammers Finalist Tremont Lounge Finalist Union Café Best Local Band Winner Caamp Finalist Hoodoo Soul Band Finalist MojoFlo Best Local Musician Winner Bobby Floyd Finalist Angela Perley Finalist Willie Phoenix

THE BLUE JACKETS SEASON NEVER ENDS AT

Best Movie Theater Winner Studio 35 Cinema Penzone Salons + Spas

& Drafthouse

Finalist Gateway Film Center Finalist Grandview Theater & Drafthouse

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Columbus Museum of Art

Best Park Winner Highbanks Finalist Columbus Park of Roses Finalist Schiller Park Best Place for Home Décor Winner Oakland HOME Finalist Elm & Iron Finalist Grandview Mercantile Best Place for Last-Minute Gifts Winner Jeffrey Thomas Finalist Oakland HOME Finalist Tigertree Finalist Wild Cat Gift and Party Best Place for Men’s Fashions Winner Jeffrey Thomas Finalist Godfrys Finalist Samson Men’s Emporium Best Place for Ohio-Made Stuff Winner Homage Finalist Celebrate Local Finalist Wild Cat Gift and Party Best Place for Women’s Fashions Winner Jeffrey Thomas Finalist Ladybird Finalist Vernacular Best Place to Buy Jewelry Winner Diamond Cellar Finalist Leo Alfred Jewelers Finalist Worthington Jewelers 32

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners Winner Franklin Park Conservatory

& Botanical Gardens

Finalist Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Finalist German Village Best Public Art Winner Schiller Park wire-suspended

sculptures Finalist Field of Corn, Dublin Finalist Goodale Park elephant fountain

Best Running/Walking or Biking Event Winner Pelotonia Finalist Nationwide Children’s Hospital

PEOPLE Best Blue Jackets Player Winner Zach Werenski Finalist Boone Jenner Finalist Elvis Merz¸ikins l Best Buckeyes Football Player Winner Jeremiah Smith Finalist Julian Sayin Finalist Sonny Styles Best Chef Winner Matthew Phelan, Novella

Osteria

Marathon & Half Marathon Finalist Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

Finalist Avishar Barua, Joya’s/Agni Finalist Josh Dalton, Veritas and Speck

Best Spa Winner Penzone Salons + Spas Finalist Panacea Luxury Spa Finalist Woodhouse Spas

Best Crew Player Winner Patrick Schulte Finalist Diego Rossi Finalist Max Arfsten

Best Store for Housewares Winner Sur La Table Finalist Crate & Barrel Finalist Elm & Iron Home Goods Best Wine Shop Winner Weiland’s Market Finalist Gentile’s Wine Sellers Finalist The Hills Market Best Yoga Studio Winner LIT Life + Yoga Finalist GoYoga Finalist Modo Yoga Columbus

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski

PHOTOS FROM TOP: TIM JOHNSON, ADAM CAIRNS/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Best Museum Winner Columbus Museum of Art Finalist COSI Finalist Ohio History Center

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JULY 2026

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Best Female TV Anchor Winner Colleen Marshall, NBC4 Finalist Jessica Ralston, ABC6/FOX28 Finalist Monica Day, NBC4 Finalist Yolanda Harris, 10TV Best Male TV Anchor Winner Matt Barnes, NBC4 Finalist Jerod Smalley, NBC4 Finalist Kurt Ludlow, ABC6/FOX28

PHOTO BY DORAL CHENOWETH/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Best Radio Morning Show Winner Dave and Jimmy, 97.9 WNCI Finalist Morning Edition, NPR Finalist Torg and Elliott, QFM96 Best Radio Station Winner 89.7 WOSU Finalist 97.1 the Fan Finalist QFM96 Finalist WNCI 97.9 Best Talk Radio Personality Winner Bobby Carpenter, 97.1 the Fan Finalist Anthony Rothman, 97.1 the Fan Finalist Mike Ricordati “The Common

Man,” 97.1 The Fan

Best Weatherperson Winner Dave Mazza, NBC4 Finalist Andrew Buck Michael, ABC6/

FOX28

Finalist Ben Gelber, NBC4 Finalist Marshall McPeek, ABC6/FOX28

Katie Hofacker at the Columbus Arts Festival

Show Columbus You’re the Best Celebrate your Columbus Monthly Best of Columbus Readers’ Poll win with official plaques, stickers, and window clings.

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Everyday Kindness Heroes

Kindness is all around us.

We look to honor those who improve, heal, and unite our community, one selfless and extraordinary act of kindness at a time.

Look for monthly stories in Columbus Monthly celebrating kindness in Central Ohio.

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 to feature by emailing kindness@dispatch.com.

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6/2/26 2:17 PM

A New Chapter at Chase A year into her role as location leader, Becky Griffin talks about successes, challenges and leading the Columbus workforce into the future.

By Julanne Hohbach

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

It’s been a whirlwind two years for Becky Griffin. The veteran JPMorgan Chase & Co. executive was named head of servicing and support operations for home lending in mid2024, then quickly followed that career bump by adding Columbus location leader to her resume less than a year later.

Griffin was named location leader in the midst of the company’s return-to-work mandate, so she had to hit the ground running.

Sitting in her office 13 months later, fresh off a business trip to the Philippines, the career banker seems to be settling in and taking things in stride. “The advice I always give folks when you take a new job is it shouldn’t be all things that you know how to do already. There should be something new that you’re learning,” Griffin says.

That’s an approach she has taken throughout her career. This time, she’s holding two complex roles simultaneously.

In her home lending job, she manages more than 3,400 global employees, over 3.5 million mortgage customers and almost $1 trillion in loan balances.

As location leader, Griffin oversees workplace and workforce issues for more than 18,300 Columbus region employees—12,000 of whom work at the McCoy Center on Polaris Parkway.

The 2-million-square-foot regional headquarters was the world’s largest Chase facility until its New York City tower opened last fall.

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For years, JPMorgan Chase has been the region’s largest private employer and one of its largest financial institutions.

According to FDIC deposit market share reports, Chase had $24.63 billion in deposits in the metropolitan statistical area as of June 30, 2025, representing a 20.77 percent market share. Nationwide, the bank had $2.11 trillion in deposits, according to the FDIC. Griffin became location leader in April 2025 after the retirement of Corrine Burger, who served as managing director and a highly regarded Columbus market leader since 2015.

Burger says Griffin excels at working across the organization to solve problems and serve customers. “That, I think, is a super important quality to be the location leader because you need to understand how the whole firm works, not just the piece that you’re running right now. …

She’s really good at bringing in people.”

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learned about online fraud. “That became the thing that I became really expert at, because there weren’t a lot of tools built to combat this. And so we were on the ground trying to figure out how to stop this problem from happening.”

She developed a relationship with the risk staff, who asked her to join their team.

“I was not managing teams at that point and spent a decade there really doing almost all the different fraud strategy roles from a risk perspective, and then ultimately became the chief risk officer,” she says.

In 2021, she made a career shift to chief administrative officer for consumer banking, overseeing a network of more than 4,800 branches and playing a key role in Chase’s ongoing branch expansion plan. “It was a great pivotal moment in my career,” Griffin says. “When the opportunity came to pivot into the business, it was both exciting for me to just think about things from a different lens, but also, I think, a good testament to this firm and their willingness to take a risk on somebody from a career standpoint.”

Cathy Norton, a longtime Griffin colleague who works in control management for consumer banking, says Griffin is a strategic thinker who can create a vision and bring people along. “That’s a really strong quality. And because she’s able to do that, I think that’s part of the reason she brings that followership, that people listen. People trust her and are willing to help support,” Norton says.

Taking a Leap Griffin was presented with a significant advancement opportunity in 2024 when the executive who led mortgage servicing moved abroad. While she loved her CAO role, such leadership opportunities don’t arise often, so Griffin pursued it.

“When we give people opportunities here, what I feel really comfortable saying and actually really proud of is that we don’t do it in a way that’s ‘throw you into the deep end and see if you can survive.’

We do it, I say, with scaffolding built around you,” Griffin says. “Every single job that I’ve taken that was more than the last one, I feel so incredibly supported by all of the leaders in this firm. I’ve felt that every single time I’ve said yes to something like that.”

Griffin started as head of servicing and support operations for home lending in July 2024, managing a team of 3,400-plus employees in Columbus, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey and Texas, as well as the Philippines and Mexico City. She travels frequently—every other week, on average.

Spending time with family and her three children is important, so she tries to map out major events. “It’s a week by week, day by day. ‘What’s on the schedule? What’s a priority?’ ” she says. “I’m fortunate that I don’t bear a ton of mom guilt, and part of that is my kids are actually very forgiving and understanding and very supportive. And so I do try to say no to more things, particularly in the middle

PHOTO COURTESY JPMORGAN CHASE

Business School to Bank One Griffin, an Indiana native, got an early first look at her future career. “My dad actually worked for PNC Bank, so I am a generational banker,” she says. “They moved us a bunch. So we were in Pittsburgh. We lived outside of New York, Chicago, and then back to Pittsburgh is where I graduated from high school.”

She enrolled in Indiana University to study business but was unsure of her career plan. “I was really drawn to process management, operations types of things, and so I ended up majoring in business process management.”

A third-generation IU graduate, Griffin earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 2003 and joined a Bank One training program. “I was in Indianapolis when I started with the firm and sat in an operations facility, literally big machines, check sorters, reading checks, processing lockbox payments. The true guts of the place, I love to say.”

Griffin moved to Columbus in January 2004 to work as an analyst. Not long after, Bank One Corp. was acquired by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Concerned, she went to her boss for advice. “He literally looked at me and said, ‘You’ll be fine.’

And here we are.”

Throughout her career, Griffin has seen the business from multiple perspectives.

An early role in college recruiting wasn’t a good fit, so after earning her MBA from Ohio State University in 2007, she moved to the corporate internet group and

Griffin (right) participates in a panel discussion.

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PHOTOS FROM TOP: COURTESY ROBB MCCORMICK PHOTOGRAPHY; JPMORGAN CHASE

Griffin (left) on a senior leadership conference panel

of basketball season, because my preference is to be in the stands cheering them on.”

Griffin took over as location leader at a pivotal time, not long after chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon announced in January 2025 the company would join a growing wave of organizations implementing a return-to-office policy.

Dimon made national news the following month while in Columbus for a series of events, including a Linden branch grand opening and a company town hall.

The latter went viral after Dimon gave an expletive-laden response to a question about the policy. He later apologized for the coarse language.

While leading 18,000 employees back to the office “was probably not on my bingo card,” Griffin says the corporate office was invaluable in the transition. “The level of support that we got out of New York was incredible,” she says.

Now, she’s enjoying a chance to think about the long game. “I find it really rewarding to be a part of these really interesting conversations around how we can make Columbus a great place for people to work and to live. … Thinking about our real estate strategy in this market, thinking about making sure that all of our employees in this market feel like they have what they need when they come to work every day. And so that piece of it has, I think, settled in pretty nicely.”

Chase in the Community JPMorgan Chase has made significant investments in the Columbus region, including community development and workforce initiatives, free financial health and fraud workshops, and more

Griffin (center) helps open a sensory room at Lower.com Field.

than $34 million in philanthropic contributions from 2019 to 2024.

In April, the company announced a $4 million commitment in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus to build workforce skills in industries such as IT, health care and manufacturing. “What I love about this place is we don’t just view our role as showing up and running a bank.

We think about how we can be leaders in impacting positively the community that we’re operating in. And this is a perfect example of that,” Griffin says.

Griffin has been a member of the One Columbus executive committee since August 2024 and joined the Columbus Partnership in 2025. A more personal cause is serving on the national board of Pink Ribbon Good, inspired in part by her mother and grandmother, who are breast cancer survivors. The Troy-based nonprofit provides meals, rides and other support for breast and gynecological cancer patients and families.

PRG CEO and president Heather Sala-

zar says Griffin is a major asset to the organization. “She brings to the table ideas for growth and what we need to do to scale properly and all of that. She brings that leadership to the table,” Salazar says.

“She’s special because she’s such a strong leader in all of those ways, but she’s so personable and makes everyone feel valued.”

Looking to the Future As the banking landscape continues to evolve, so does the role of artificial intelligence. Griffin says Chase came out early with its own internal large language model, teaching it policies and procedures and asking employees to leverage it in their jobs.

An AI agent is now the first point of contact for customers who transfer a mortgage, she says, and email servicing agents use the LLM to make sure their response answers a customer’s questions. In the call center, AI does the math so agents can spend time giving advice instead of running calculations. “It’s a very exciting JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Becky Griffin Columbus location leader and head of servicing and support operations for home lending JPMorgan Chase & Co. Age: 44 Previous: Chief administrative officer for consumer banking, chief risk officer and other leadership roles in risk operations Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Indiana University; MBA, Ohio State University Involvement: Member of the Columbus Partnership, One Columbus executive committee and the national board of Pink Ribbon Good Family: Husband, Ryan Griffin, and three children

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time, but also there’s a lot to learn. And so we’re really encouraging our employees to just be curious about it and see what they can unlock,” Griffin says.

What does the future hold for Griffin? “I’m not somebody that says I have to have this person’s job. That’s not me.

That’s not the goal. The goal is to make a meaningful impact in the job that I have.

And so I feel excited that I’m able to do that here in Columbus with my location leader hat, and I realize I don’t have to do it all. I can empower all these 18,000 people to be more involved in their community and do that with the backing of this really great firm. And so there’s just a lot more that can be done there.

“And then in my day job, we have over 3.5 million mortgage customers and nearly $1 trillion of balances under our care. … We talk about sustainable home ownership, and we do a lot to support customers going through hardships and things. And so just continuing to double down on how we can do better and more with this customer base that we have is really important.”

Burger, for one, looks forward to seeing what comes next.

“She’s got what I say is still a long runway with the firm. I think she’s one to watch. She will continue to grow and learn, as I’ve seen her do in her current job. So it’s kind of exciting because she’s going to be around for a while, and she’ll continue to grow and take on additional responsibilities within the firm.” ◆

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Is Ohio G

etting

PHOTO COURTESY PROJECT WILD COSHOCTON

Wilder?

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The state’s bobcats, beavers and other native species are benefiting from 20th century conservation policies. Today’s decisions will determine their futures.

S

By Randy Edwards Photos by Tim Johnson

hauna Weyrauch studied bobcats for seven years before she finally saw one in the wild with her own eyes.

“We had picked up a lot of them on trail cams, so we knew they were there,” says Weyrauch, a wildlife biologist and senior lecturer at Ohio State University.

Weyrauch and her students at the Newark campus conducted a 5-year camera-trapping study of bobcats in Coshocton and Holmes counties, ending in 2022. Ohio’s only wild native cat, the bobcat is an elusive creature, preferring large tracts of mature forest and active mostly between dusk and dawn. Males average just 25 pounds, roughly twice the size of your average domestic tom, so they don’t stand out in the landscape as much as you might think, despite their trademark black ear tufts.

One day while waiting in the midwinter gloaming with a wildlife photographer at the forested edge of a beaver pond, Weyrauch had a memorable encounter with her research target.

“One night, right at dusk, we were sitting there in the snow, and a bobcat came down the hill toward the beaver lodge,” she recalls. “Turkeys were starting to roost in the trees near us and the cat stopped and looked up at the turkeys, then turned around and left. He was only there for maybe a minute, but oh my gosh. It was breathtaking.”

Such a scene: a deep wood, a beaver pond, roosting turkeys, a bobcat. All elements of this wilderness tableau, it’s worth noting, would have been difficult—if not impossible—to find in Ohio 100 years ago. All three animals once were extirpated from Ohio (meaning extinct at a state level) and have returned to occupy the forests that are, likewise, recovering after being aggressively cleared by the axes of European settlers.

And these comeback critters are not alone. Across central Ohio, even casual wildlife watchers can see animals that would have been distant memories just a few decades ago. Commuters headed Downtown on Riverside Drive witness bald eagles along the Scioto—one pair frequently nests near the Dublin Road

Shauna Weyrauch

water treatment plant. In 2023, a flock of wild turkeys earned their own Facebook page in Hilliard after they began frequenting a busy shopping area. Signs of beavers and river otters are found in local waterways that had missed their presence for a century. Red foxes boldly take up residence in Clintonville, generating far less hostility than another wildlife repatriate, the ever-present and destructive whitetail deer.

A black bear was captured on security camera in an Obetz neighborhood in 2023. And you can hardly drop an anvil in the Columbus region without hitting a coyote, though like bobcats, they’re elusive and keep to themselves.

The Scioto River, practically a cesspool as recently as 70 years ago, is now a fishing hot spot for smallmouth and spotted bass.

Bobcats are more common in the JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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BOBCAT TRAIL CAMERA PHOTOS COURTESY PROJECT WILD COSHOCTON

heavily forested areas of eastern and southeastern Ohio, but a trail camera captured a ghostly image of a bobcat the week before Thanksgiving in 2025 at Prairie Oaks Metro Park, less than 20 miles from Downtown Columbus and even closer to the city’s rapidly developing western boundary.

Wildlife biologists celebrate the return of birds, fish and mammals as encouraging evidence of ecosystem recovery, the fruits of more than half a century of targeted environmental regulation, public land protection and diligent wildlife restoration programs. Scratch a little deeper, though, and they’ll agree that the success of these charismatic creatures is only part of the story. Substantial threats remain that may undercut existing gains and obstruct future triumphs.

About 8 million acres of Ohio forest has recovered from the excessive harvests of the 19th century and “that’s allowed the bobcats and turkeys and deer to come back,” Weyrauch says. “But I don’t see that trend continuing. You have a lot of land being gobbled up by development.”

The cats can adapt, to a certain extent, she adds. “But it’s going to be on us to adapt and welcome them back.”

A bald eagle is released at Deer Haven Park after recovering from lead poisoning at the Ohio Wildlife Center.

A History of Unfettered Exploitation After driving out or slaughtering the many native peoples who had lived here for centuries, European settlers found a bit of Eden in the land west of the Ohio River and south of Lake Erie, with abundant mature forests for timber, wild rivers teeming with fish and some of the most productive farmland encountered on the continent thus far (once they cleared the prairies and drained the wetlands).

After the Revolutionary War ended the limits on western expansion, settlers 42

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crossed the Appalachian Mountains, rolled up their sleeves and hiked their skirts, and went to work with rapacious zeal. A century after the first permanent settlement by white Americans in the Northwest Territory was founded in Marietta in 1788, most of the forest—which once covered 95 percent the state—was a sea of stumps. Settlers used the timber for building homes and barns and canal boats and for creating charcoal to feed the prosperous ironworks of the 19th century. But much of the forest was cut down and burned simply to clear the way for farming.

By 1910, only 10 percent of Ohio’s once majestic forests remained. The wildlife that was dependent on these forests was hunted and trapped for food or furs, or simply out of fear. Ohio’s statehood celebration in 1803 coincided with the shooting of the state’s last wild bison. The last beaver was trapped in Ohio by 1830. Elk, wolves, bears, and mountain lions were all hunted out in the early 1800s, many with the help of bounties paid for their skins.

The last passenger pigeon was shot in Pike County, Ohio, in 1900. Soon to be extinct after the last died in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, the bird once numbered in the billions and was considered the most abundant in North America.

Rivers were dammed to power mills, to provide water for canals and, later, for flood protection and recreation. There was no municipal sewage treatment to speak of; rivers were counted on to dilute the waste and carry it downstream.

“For 150 years we decimated freshwater ecosystems,” says Michael Hoggarth, professor emeritus at Otterbein University. “We caught them on fire. We dammed them. We did as much damage as any group of organisms has ever done, and we did it fast.”

This devastation lasted until around the middle of the 20th century, Hoggarth says, recalling a story from a fellow biologist who was trying to sample the fish population of the Scioto River in the 1960s, navigating his small boat around floating islands of soap foam and sandbars covered with human excrement.

“We polluted that river so badly that they couldn’t find a single fish between Columbus and Circleville,” he says.

How Did Ohio Turn Things Around?

“Habitat is king” is a frequent refrain of ecologists, and Ohio is not an exception.

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Biologist Brian Zimmerman, center, captures small fish in the Olentangy River with Molly Petrina, left, and Matthew Collene.

Diligent, persistent efforts at reintroducing individual animals, led by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should get plenty of credit. Some reintroductions required decades of work and research.

Even so, none of these successes would have happened without the revival of Ohio’s forests and the rehabilitation of its waterways. Forests now cover more than 30 percent of Ohio’s landscape and some of it is quite mature. The forests recovered partly due to Depression-era abandonment of marginal farms, combined with the steady acquisition of public lands for state and federal forests, and for various local park districts and conservation groups.

In central Ohio, the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks have acquired nearly 29,000 acres of parkland over 78 years and some of it, apparently, has become wild enough to attract a bobcat.

The rivers took more work to recover.

The landmark legislation known as the Clean Water Act became law in 1972— three years after the Cuyahoga River’s most famous fire—when Congress overrode a veto by President Richard Nixon. Using a combination of carrots 44

and sticks, the law pushed cities to vastly improve sewage treatment, including industrial waste.

“We gave [water protection laws] some teeth,” says Hoggarth, who studies freshwater mussels, one of the most endangered groups of animals in North America. “And today, the entire length of the Scioto River meets exceptional warm water standards [the Ohio EPA’s highest rating for rivers of this type]. And there are huge numbers of mussels on that river.”

Other laws also helped. Birdwatchers lining up to view eagles on the Scioto can thank the 1972 ban on the pesticide DDT in the U.S. A similar ban on phosphates in detergents ended the floating islands of soapy scum in the Scioto and temporarily alleviated the problem of algae blooms in Lake Erie.

“The story doesn’t get told often enough, but we’ve done a really good job in Ohio at cleaning up sewage treatment plants and other point sources of pollution,” says Brian Zimmerman, a fish biologist at Ohio State in Columbus who works to restore threatened and endangered species.

Zimmerman is standing next to the Olentangy River in Columbus, at the

northern edge of Ohio State’s campus.

He’s just finished seining for darters at a riffle just upstream of the Dodridge Street bridge. He’s especially interested in the Tippecanoe darter, a tiny fish that has recovered from the brink of extinction as water conditions have improved in Ohio.

Like many fish species, the Tippecanoe darter owes its success to the Clean Water Act, but before the Scioto River was cleaned up, the tiny fish survived only in Big Darby Creek. The Big Darby and a few other Scioto River tributaries are often referred to as refugia, or “sanctuary rivers” because in the days when Ohio’s major rivers were heavily polluted, species survived there. In recent decades, the Tippecanoe darter and dozens of other fish species have spread throughout the watershed, and the state.

“There are more species of fish in the Scioto River than there are anywhere else in Ohio,” says Zimmerman, who has mapped the geographical range of every Ohio fish species for the book, A Naturalist’s Guide to the Fishes of Ohio, which he wrote with Daniel Rice. Many of those fish are popular game fish like smallmouth and spotted bass and sauger. “It’s an excellent recovery story as a whole.”

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The Work Continues The work to restore Ohio’s native species continues, because obstacles to natural species recover remain. River dams are a prominent example, Zimmerman says.

There are 40 more fish species found in the Scioto River below the dam at Greenlawn Avenue than above it, because most of the sanctuary streams connect to the larger river below the dam, and many fish can’t get past it.

Zimmerman and his colleagues have been moving fish like the Tippecanoe darter to upstream locations, like the Olentangy, with great success.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife has been working to protect Ohio’s wildlife since 1873, when its precursor, the Ohio Fish Commission, became the state’s first attempt at professional wildlife management.

Through much of its history, the division focused primarily on providing game animals, or animals that can be hunted, trapped or fished. One of the earliest efforts brought back the wild turkey, a popular bird for hunting. The river otter, extirpated from Ohio for a century, was restored through an extensive effort in the 1980s and 1990s using live-trapped animals shipped to Ohio from Louisiana. Today otters are well established throughout large parts of Ohio and there is a limited trapping season for the animals.

In 1974, Ohio published its first state list of endangered and threatened species and began efforts to restore non-game species.

Eagles, osprey, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes, peregrine falcons and lake stur-

geon, along with smaller creatures like the Karner blue butterfly and the Allegheny woodrat, all benefited from this work.

Other once-extirpated animals, like bobcats and coyotes, have returned on their own, crossing over from neighboring states. The black bear is another example of a self-repatriating critter. Most bears, including those that have been seen in central Ohio, are likely young males wandering widely in search of territory and mates. But in recent years females have taken up residence and have birthed cubs in northeast Ohio, says Katie Dennison, a furbearer biologist for the Division of Wildlife.

It could be a long time before black bears take up residence close to Columbus, she said. The population is growing in northeast Ohio, but highly populated areas between those bears and central Ohio are discouraging movement toward the center of the state.

“At some point, if we start seeing reproduction in southern or southeast Ohio, we may see more growth happening in this area.”

Some Ohioans may not be entirely enthusiastic about sharing space with bears and predators like coyotes and bobcats, but Dennison reminds us that Ohio once had cougars and wolves, and those predators helped keep nature in balance. Today, without these apex predators, populations of deer and other destructive animals are out of control. Coyotes and bobcats aren’t large enough to put a big dent in the deer population, but they’re still important.

Brian Zimmerman

“The rodent populations, the rabbit populations, all of these species evolved together with top-down pressure,” she said. “These are the apex predators we have in the state right now, so they are pretty important.”

Current Causes for Concern Despite multiple comeback narratives about individual species and even widespread improvements in many Ohio ecosystems, there remains ample evidence that plenty still ails Kingdom Animalia.

Long-term, intractable environmental issues—along with some newly brought to light—are causing continuing declines for some wildlife and could lead to backsliding among those that are recovering.

Specifically: • Songbirds are declining across North America and in Ohio, due to multiple reasons including habitat loss, pesticide use and collisions with well-lighted buildings. A study

by Ohio State University published in the journal Science in February, 2026, identified the Midwest (including parts of Ohio) as one of three “hotspots” in the country where bird decline has been accelerating. The dramatic losses in abundance coincided with areas of intense agricultural land use.

• Although data vary regarding overall insect population declines in the U.S., multiple studies indicate regionally specific concerns, especially among native pollinators, which are important both for agriculture and natural systems. A 2025 study

by Michigan State University found that 59 out of 136 species of native butterflies in the Midwest declined over the past three decades. And up on Lake Erie, populations of the burrowing mayfly known locally as a Canadian soldier—the resurgence of which has long been touted as a sign of Lake Erie’s ecological recovery—have dropped by almost 85 percent in recent years.

• Amphibians, especially salamanders, are disappearing at an alarming rate across the country. Six species of salamander are listed as “endangered” or “threatened” in Ohio.

• Native plants are the foundation of the food chain for all wildlife, and Ohio’s plant communities are in trouble, says Jim McCormac, a botanist who has written JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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A tagged Tippecanoe darter recaught in the Olentangy River.

COMPLETE BUCKEYE COVERAGE

Trademarks of The Ohio State University used with permission.

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extensively on Ohio’s wildlife. Over one-third of Ohio’s 1,850 native plant species are threatened or endangered, mostly from habitat loss and competition from invasive species. While forests were cut down, Ohio’s wetlands were drained and grasslands plowed under, making recovery more difficult.

“To protect our animal species we have to protect our plant species, is the bottom line,’ McCormac says.

According to the first draft of a new national nature report, natural systems throughout the United States face a variety of threats including habitat loss, overuse, invasive species, and nutrient pollution, along with new environmental threats like microplastics and PFAS (a class of synthetic chemicals known as “forever chemicals.”) Exacerbating many of these threats is climate change, and a federal government that seems bent on attacking the bedrock environmental laws of the 20th century and the agencies that are tasked with enforcing them.

The report, began during the Biden administration as the first ever national assessment of natural systems, was shut down when Donald Trump became president. But the scientists continued working on it, with the help of private foundation grants.

“It’s a mixed bag,” says Michael Vanni,

an emeritus professor at Miami University in Ohio and one of the authors of the ‘inland waters’ chapter of the report. “There are success stories, about individual species’ restoration. That’s true,” he says.

“At the same time, however, there are sticky issues that are much more difficult to address.” These include the “surprise” issues, like PFAs and microplastics, which “no one was even looking at 20 years ago,” invasive species, like zebra mussels and, of course, climate change which is a “threat multiplier” for dozens of other problems, including algal blooms caused by excess use of fertilizers.

Vanni is likewise concerned about the multiple budget cuts by the Trump administration to regulatory agencies, like the EPA, and to the National Science Foundation.

The federal government has lost a lot of scientists in a lot of agencies,” Vanni said in May, as Congress and the president traded budget proposals. “The budget the president has proposed is devastating.”

Back on the Olentangy River, Zimmerman repeats that the rivers in Ohio are doing well, but adds that continued progress is not a given.

“If we start stripping away regulations for keeping our rivers [clean] back, we could revert. We’re doing well, but that’s not a reason to take away regulations.

Because they’re working. And we have direct proof that they’re working.” ◆

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home & style Honoring the Past A backyard sculpture enhances the historic charm of a German Village home, Page 49.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Home & Style | What’s Hot

Making Art Accessible

Chris Soto at SimplyArt Studios in Grandview

SimplyArt Studios strives to make owning and creating art possible for everyone.

By Lucy Clark

SHORTHAND

SimplyArt Studios 1285 Grandview Ave., Grandview Heights simplyart.studio Hours: 12-6 p.m. Wednesday, 12-7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 12-4 p.m. Sunday If you go: Check online for updated open studio hours and subjects ($5) or peruse SimpyArt Studios’ calendar and social media accounts for a list of classes and events offered at varying price points.

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ally, the space hosts artists and author talks, as well as private events.

Soto prioritizes having an assortment of art expressions and styles on display “so people can see that art’s not just one medium.” This is a philosophy that is at the root of SimplyArt Studios, and part of its founding story.

SimplyArt Studios is also a non-profit, which came to be when Soto met fellow artists Susan Dlouhy and Patty Mitchell at their Columbus Winterfair booth.

“This is what I want to do,” Soto recalls thinking. The three women connected, shared their ideas and got to work registering their non-profit status and finding a studio/retail space.

Soto wanted a place that welcomed people from every walk of life. “People who were just starting out in art, people who had disabilities, senior citizens that had spent their whole life in corporate America and realized that really what they wanted to do was be creative. ... I wanted to give all those people a space where they could explore that creativity,” Soto says.

And while she opens her doors to those of any artistic background or experience, the priority of the nonprofit is to make sure that those with disabilities have access to all art mediums at no cost.

The profits from classes, open studios and items sold go “towards giving access to people with disabilities to have free art and studio time,” she explains, adding

Rock paintings at SimplyArt Studios

that some similar programs that aid disabled artists can be limiting.

“I think that sometimes people limit people with disabilities to a finite amount of tools. It’s what they believe they’re capable of, and it’s not true,” she says. She also didn’t want a space exclusively catering to those with disabilities. “People, artists, [they] feed their creativity off each other.”

The passion, Soto says, comes from watching her own brother, Scott Boerner—who has brain trauma from a car injury—have things decided for him. “I always thought he was capable of anything he wanted to do,” she says.

Boerner’s art is on display at the store. ◆

PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

Chris Soto opened SimplyArt Studios in Grandview Heights with the belief that everyone should have access to make art.

Soto, a former after-school art teacher, opened the studio and shop in October 2025. In the months since, Soto has cultivated a space that welcomes anyone to stop in, ask questions, take a class or find a piece of art that speaks to them. There’s plenty of art for sale in the shop, from visual art to ceramics, bead work, painted rocks, pens, fiber arts and more—including giant puppets.

“I try to have a variety of prices. You can walk in and find something for $3 or you can buy a $5,000 painting,” Soto says.

“I wanted everyone to be able to come in and get art if that’s what they wanted.”

Beyond selling art, Soto invites people to come in and make it. There are open studio hours with rotating suggested activities and crafts, although attendees are welcome to bring their own supplies.

There are also several classes, ranging from making tote bags, garden fairy wands, watercolor painting and more.

With a recently donated kiln, Soto hopes to have ceramics classes soon. Addition-

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Preserving History Story by Lucy Clark | Photos by Tim Johnson

Carolyn and William Settina with dogs Gunner (front) and Ranger (inside)

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Carolyn and William Settina’s German Village home is a historical treasure that honors the neighborhood.

O

gling at the beautiful historic homes in the German Village is part of the visiting experience, but for the district’s residents, it’s an enviable part of their daily routine.

Carolyn and William Settina’s German Village home stands proudly on the corner of East Beck and South Lazelle, and will be featured on this year’s German Village Haus und Garten Tour on June 28. Carolyn is nurse manager for OhioHealth, and William is a criminal defense attorney. If the house looks familiar, check your soap—in 2024, the Settina’s home was featured on the front of Bath & Body Works’ mahogany apple soap battle.

The Settinas have lived in the home 50

since 2014. Though listed for sale, they first rented it from well-known German Village realtor Virginia Welch and purchased it the next year. That year gave them time to decide what renovation projects would be their top priority.

Those renovations included painting and reorienting the first-floor layout, though Carolyn—who has a love for maintaining historic homes—notes that they didn’t touch the footprint of the home, save for opening one doorway into an archway.

The 1,600-square-foot, two-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom house—which Carolyn describes as the “classic German village footprint”—was built in the mid-19th century. Though the exact year is unclear,

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Clockwise from top left: Living room; horse sculpture with painting of St. Mary Catholic Church by Ryan Orewiler; rabbit decoration; reading area; old articles about the home

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Replica Lindey’s bistro table in the Settina’s backyard

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deeds can be found as far back as 1846.

The main floor was originally a saloon, and the owners lived upstairs. It was later condemned, until the 1960s when a couple—noted as Mr. And Mrs. Robert L. Schmitz in a 1965 article clipping Caroyln has—saw the house on their road trip from Florida to Michigan and decided to restore it.

The exterior entry sports brick walls, neat black trim and shutters, a large lamp from Scotland that used to burn whale oil, and original window boxes planted with flowers that Carolyn describes as her “labor of love.” She adds that one of their dogs, Ranger, a 14-year-old golden retriever, is often seen lying by the front door and watching passersby. They also have Gunner, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois.

The living room—as with the rest of

the house—is equal parts cozy and elegant; the warm color scheme punctuated by pops of color. The multi-colored painted bunny on a side table is a nod to “all the Village bunnies,” and ties in the minty hued area rug.

Dotted throughout the home are pieces of art that pay homage to the neighborhood, including a painting of St. Mary Catholic Church by local artist Ryan Orewiler.

Above the original fireplace are photos of the Settinas with their sons Asher, 27, who’s in the Air Force, and Alex, 23, who’s in the Marines and currently enrolled in the Columbus Fire Academy. The Settina family are horse enthusiasts, and photos of their horses, as well as horse paintings and decorations, can be seen throughout the home.

An archway behind the living room leads into a small room that used to house the saloon’s bar area. A bar cart and upright piano allude to the home’s history, and built-in shelves display the Settina’s personal library.

Through the living room is the kitchen, which is part of the major renovations the homeowners tackled, though only in the past few years.

Carolyn notes that the brick walls were already whitewashed when they moved in, and starting to look worse for wear, so they refreshed them with new paint.

They replaced the black and white flooring with Brazilian cherry wood, which can be seen in the rest of the home.

The quartz countertops and kitchen cabinets were sourced from L&E Stone and Cabinet Inc. in Columbus, and the

Clockwise from top left: Kitchen; horsehead fence decoration; Ranger looking out of the front door; mahogany apple Bath & Body Works soap bottle featuring the Settina’s home

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eye-catching chandelier above the island is from Restoration Hardware. The bright, clean white palette is made lively with bold art, including artwork of horse heads made by local painter Juris Kakis.

Fresh bouquets are also a staple of Carolyn’s decor, many of which she gets from Sunny Meadows Flower Farm. A bottle of the mahogany apple soap sits on the sink.

The half-bathroom is accessible through the kitchen. Carolyn added a stained-glass window handcrafted by Franklin Art Glass Studios Inc., based in German Village.

Through the kitchen is the current baking room/dining room, which was the kitchen when the Settinas moved in. While the smaller room is well-suited for its current use, “when you opened the dishwasher, it hit the other side,” Carolyn says. “That was the kitchen I lived with for 11 years with two boys.”

The marble bistro table mirrors one outside, and if it looks familiar, odds are you’ve dined at the nearby Lindey’s—Carolyn sourced replica

tables from the esteemed German Village restaurant, as well a replica of one of its paintings.

The back patio is a private oasis in the bustling neighborhood, with lush plants, a fountain, tall brick walls and patio seating.

There are also duck statues, which Carolyn says are “a nod to Schiller Park ducks.”

The history of the home is appreciated by the Settinas, but so too is the present. When asked about what memories in the home stick out to her, Carolyn cites her neighbors, and one anecdote in particular.

“My husband and the boys always threw the football outside in the street while the dog would run back and forth,” she recalls. A couple that lives a few houses away passed by one day and asked how their sons were, mentioning how they used to play outside. “They were unaware, but it was right after my oldest was deployed, and of course I cried,” Carolyn says. “I thought it was so kind, and so German Village, that neighbors ask about others.” ◆

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Top 25 Home Sales May 1-31, 2026 PRICE

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$1.85M

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2533 Bryden Rd., Bexley

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213 Wilber Ave., Columbus

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Columbus Monthly gathers home sales data from county auditor offices in Franklin County and its six contiguous counties.

JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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food & drink

Cheers to 50 Years Commemorative champagne is part of The Refectory Restaurant’s milestone celebration, Page 58.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Food & Drink | Milestones

The Refectory Reflects The iconic Northwest Columbus restaurant celebrates 50 years of service.

By Linda Lee Baird Photos by Tim Johnson When you hear a restaurant is celebrating 50 years of service, there are a few words that likely come to mind: Grit.

Determination. Commitment. Excellence.

In the case of The Refectory Restaurant, which has been serving renowned French cuisine out of an old church on Columbus’ Northwest side for a half-century, a few other descriptors are also appropriate: Stained glass. Elegance. Wine.

And then: Kamal.

Kamal Boulos has owned The Refectory since 1991, but he has shaped it since the beginning when he started as a parttime line cook at what was then called the Olde Church-House Restaurant. And he’s navigated through eras of changing diner expectations, building the restaurant’s reputation far beyond Columbus and receiving significant recognition along the way, including from both local and national outlets. (Columbus Monthly named it as a Best Restaurant of 2025.)

But when Boulos thinks back on the media accolades The Refectory has received, it’s one from 1991 that comes to mind. That’s when The Refectory first received a Grand Award from Wine Spectator Magazine, in recognition of its outstanding wine cellar. It was one of just 91 restaurants worldwide to receive the honor that year and the first ever to do so in Ohio.

The award bolstered Boulos’ confidence in the restaurant he’d recently taken over. “It demonstrated that if we could build a world-class wine cellar in Columbus … then we could build a world-class restaurant,” Boulos says. A year later, chef Richard Blondin, a native of Lyon, France, came on board and has been serving elevated French cuisine at The Refectory ever since.

58

Clockwise from lower left: executive chef Richard Blondin, sommelier Clayton Young, marketing and sales manager Leah Jennings and owner Kamal Boulos at The Refectory Restaurant

Achieving Excellence It should be noted that The Refectory’s wine cellar didn’t exactly start out grandly. An early review of the Olde ChurchHouse restaurant in the February 1977 issue of Columbus Monthly called the wine list “above average—but average in Columbus is quite poor.” After lamenting the presence of too many “very expensive ($25-up) wines,” reviewers Jon and Karen Christensen also critiqued the limited options: “A more serious criticism is the lack of even one dry rose: What do you order when one person has fish and the other has red meat?”

Boulos credits the late Jeff Elasky, who began working at the restaurant in 1979, for building the wine program.

“We started off, he and I together, with

a dozen bottles and a metal locker. And I told him this was our wine cellar,” Boulos says. “At that time, I knew a lot about wine. He knew very little. And when we finished, he knew a lot more about wine than I did. And he took it over the top.”

Elasky died in 2016, but the restaurant’s wine legacy continues to this day.

Pandemic Pivots When restaurants were forced to shut down at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Boulos didn’t think The Refectory would make it. The team, expecting to close, wanted to end their run “thanking the community that supported us,” he says. They quickly created a carryout business with the food already on hand. “We [decided] we would sell

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SHORTHAND

The Refectory Restaurant 1092 Bethel Rd., Northwest Columbus 614-451-9774 refectory.com Open Wednesday-Saturday for dinner If you go: Visit the restaurant’s website to see daily menus, special events and other commemorations of The Refectory’s 50th anniversary.

the food out the front doorway and give it away out the back to people that needed it,” Boulos says. “And that carryout business just blew up.”

Between carryout and $100,000 in donations from supporters, The Refectory survived. Some pandemic-era changes that carried the restaurant in a new direction have been maintained, including daily menu updates and reduced hours for traditional service. Food, music and wine events are now offered on select Mondays and Tuesdays when the restaurant is closed for regular dining, giving patrons new ways to engage.

Celebrating 50 Years Given its history, it’s fitting that wine is part of the restaurant’s anniversary celebration: The Refectory had a commemorative bottle of champagne by Gratiot-Pillière in France produced for the occasion. Bottles are available for purchase ($65) with flutes ($26) sold to-order.

Consider pairing your bubbly with the 1976 classic dishes that chef Blondin is serving for the anniversary. In May, the restaurant featured veal, one of the Olde Church-House’s signature dishes. Bringing things into the current era, the restaurant created Facebook Reels documenting different preparation techniques.

The Refectory is also planning a reservation-only champagne dinner under the stars on June 27.

Meanwhile, marketing and sales manager Leah Jennings is assembling the restaurant’s rich history through an online timeline. “It’s a mountain of things to go through,” Jennings says. She’s reviewing articles written and awards received

Display on a mantle at The Refectory From top: portrait of Jeff Elasky, stained glass windows in the dining room

over the years to tell the story as an “art piece that’s going to go on the wall for the guests to see.”

Part of this archive includes the restaurant’s commitment to the greater community: One slide notes its devotion to charitable causes, estimating monetary and in-kind contributions over the years exceed $1 million.

As for what’s next, expect more of the elements that have made the restaurant a standout for so long. Boulos says he will continue to focus on diners and their experience. “I think we’ve managed to stay relevant by being true to what we want to do. And that is to create an experience where you can just relax and spend as little or as much time as you want [here] and not feel like you’re going to be rushed out,” he says. The experience in his view is also about trying new foods: “It still amazes me that every few weeks he’ll do something he’s never done before,” Boulos says of chef Blondin.

“I would love to see this place continue, and others will one day build, hopefully, on the foundation that we put here,” Boulos says. ◆ JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Clear Winner cocktails

A recipe for the Best Overall Cocktail chosen by the crowd at Columbus Monthly’s Spring Cocktail Competition

By Linda Lee Baird The name—Clear Winner—says it all: A crystal-clear cocktail poured into elegant, curved serving cups took home the Best Overall Cocktail award at Columbus Monthly’s Spring Cocktail Competition on May 14. The restaurant competing was Coldbar—set to open in Italian Village this August.

While Coldbar may be up-and-coming, its beverage team has experience working together at Mezcla, which was recognized by Columbus Monthly as a Best New Restaurant of 2026. Beverage director Jackson Proctor has built up the cocktail menu at both places (along with the one at Bar Room, inside the Columbus Museum of Art at The Pizzuti, where he serves as beverage operations manager).

Proctor left nothing to chance with Clear Winner, not even the ice cubes, which came from Reynoldsburg-based cocktail ice company Ice Punk and were, of course, completely clear. The drink incorporated celery for a fresh, seasonal flavor.

Clear Winner was made as a batched milk punch using unsweetened soymilk. While the process is ideal for serving 250 people at a cocktail competition, it requires advance planning if you want to make it at home. Or, visit Coldbar later this summer to try their version. ◆ 60

Courtesy Jackson Proctor

1

ake Lime Leaf Gin. Combine 750 ml Vim & M Petal Gin (made by Middle West Spirits) with 10 grams fresh or 5 grams dried lime leaf. Allow to sit for 24-36 hours, then strain leaves.

2 3

Make celery syrup. Juice 1 celery heart. Combine juice with an equal part by weight of white sugar. Blend until sugar dissolves. ake milk punch. Combine Lime Leaf Gin, M 280 ml celery syrup, 280 ml lemon juice, 3.5 ml saline (made from 1 part salt to 4 parts water), 15 ml celery bitters (Proctor recommends Bittermens Orchard Street Celery Shrub) and 200 ml water into a batch.

Pour into a container and mix with 460 ml unsweetened soy milk. Let sit for 30 minutes, or until soy milk curdles.

Using a cheesecloth or coffee filter, strain the mixture into a new container. Once the mixture runs clear, usually after a minute or two, refilter the cloudy portion until all liquid is clear.

4

erve. Shake 4.5 oz of the cocktail with 2-3 ice S cubes to achieve a foamy head and strain into a glass with ice. For a cocktail with a heavier body, pour directly over ice. The batched cocktail serves roughly 13 and will keep in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

How to Make a Clear Winner

CLEAR WINNER RECIPE

COLUMBUS MONTHLY JULY 2026

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let’s eat

Visit columbus monthly.com to read about the latest restaurant openings.

WHERE TO DINE THIS MONTH

Tiger + Lily Bistro

Editor’s Note: Please call restaurants to check hours and menu availability. $$$$ $$$ $$ $

Very expensive, $30 and higher Spendy, $21–$29 Moderate, $13–$20 Affordable, $12 and under

NEW Restaurant has opened within the last few months.

B BR L D

Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner

1 Outdoor Seating 1 1

2026 Best New Restaurant 2025 Best Restaurant

Let’s Eat is Columbus Monthly’s guide to area restaurants. The list is updated monthly with picks from our editors.

Send updates and suggestions to letters@columbusmonthly.com.

ASIAN Ampersand Asian Supper Club Megan Ada’s Ampersand serves ramen, donburi rice bowls and more. This sister restaurant to Westerville’s Asterisk Supper Club also offers craft cocktails and a variety of sakes. 32 W. College Ave., Westerville, 614423-4454. LD $$

Bendi Wok N’ Bar This Asian-inspired concept by the owners of Local Cantina is serving up curries, noodles, bahn mi sandwiches and creative small plates. Wash your meal down with a selection from the bar slinging sake and Tiki-inspired cocktails. 277 E. Livingston Ave., German Village, 614-754-7040; 160 W. Main St., New Albany, 614-245-4675. LD $$

Tiger + Lily Bistro

Though first-and-foremost a neighborhood bar, Cobra offers a creative menu of sandwiches, skewers and handmade pastas with Pan-Asian flavor profiles. Think: a chicken patty katsu sandwich, dan dan spaghetti and Cacio de Szechuan with mafaldine. The cocktails are on point, and the kitchen stays open late. 684 S. High St., Brewery District, 614-502-8863. D $$

This inviting Downtown eatery features modern takes on Pan-Asian cuisine, such as lemongrass chicken or teriyaki tofu in a rice or salad bowl, chicken broth-based ramen, bubble milk teas and seasonal crepe cakes.

19 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-928-9989.

BRLD $

Helen’s Asian Kitchen A mix of Chinese-American, authentic Chinese and Pan-Asian dishes are served in a casual atmosphere. Don’t miss the pork buns, spicy stir-fried cauliflower and handmade dumplings. 1070 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., North Side, 614-987-5121. LD $$

ZenCha Café & Tea This teahouse offers an excellent selection of international teas and an eclectic menu that includes breakfast favorites like pancakes and Japanese-inspired items like yakisoba.

Brunch on weekends only. 2396 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-237-9690. BRLD $$

BAKERY

Saigon Asian Bistro

Al Aqsa Sweets

A Pan-Asian restaurant with a traditional side, Blue Ginger offers up a mix of Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines. 6234 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-792-3888. LD $$$

A casual Asian bistro offering Vietnamese food, including pho-style soups, spring rolls and Vietnamese pork chops. The menu also includes American-Chinese favorites such as General Tso’s chicken and fried rice. 50 Neverland Dr., Lewis Center, 740-657-8887.

LD $$

Excellent baklava, petit four cookies, knafeh and other desserts are the focus of this traditional Middle Eastern bakery owned by Fathieh Abdellatif. 1940 Schrock Rd., North Side, 614-806-0293. LD $

Chi Thai

Sakana Sushi Asian Fusion

A welcoming, family-friendly Thai/Chinese place with affordable lunch specials. The menu includes barbecued spare ribs, pad thai, Mongolian pork and Singapore noodles.

5577 N. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, 614-4718988. LD $$

A pleasant, full-service, Pan-Asian restaurant with a Thai spin offering an extensive sushi lineup and favorites such as steamed dumplings, Vietnamese summer rolls and tom yum shrimp soup. 7952 E. Broad St., Reynoldsburg, 614-866-6160. LD $$

Blue Ginger Asian Fusion Bistro

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Cobra

Auddino’s Italian Bakery They don’t make bakeries like Auddino’s anymore. This family-owned old-school Italian retail bakeshop and wholesaler offers sweet and savory options including sandwich buns, pizza dough, pastries, cookies and more. 1490 Clara St., University District, 614294-2577. BL $ JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Bake Me Happy

Three Bites Bakery + Little Cat Boba

Daawat Indian Bistro

This 100-percent gluten-free coffee shop and retail bakery is an extension of Bake Me Happy’s growing wholesale business.

Offerings include scones, nostalgic treats, brownies, cakes and more. 6750 Longshore St., Dublin, 614-683-8787; 500 E. Whittier St., Schumacher Place, 614-477-3642. BL $

In this shared space, you’ll find sweet and savory baked items, strong coffee and colorful boba options. The Fillipino treats from Three Bites are exceptional, and the central location on Broad Street makes this a worthwhile stop Downtown. 12 E. Broad St., Downtown. BL $

This traditional Indian eatery boasts plenty of vegan-friendly dishes with a menu including tandoori chicken, goat curry and Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani. 1335 Cameron Ave., Lewis Center, 614-434-6464. LD $$

GASTROPUB

Tucked away in the same complex as Akai Hana, this French-inspired Japanese bakery is known for its outstanding pastries, cakes and treats. 1168 Kenny Centre Mall, Upper Arlington, 614-451-7110. BLD $

Bite This Annie Dickson’s bakery celebrates goth culture as much as it does her innovative baked creations. A 12-foot tall skeleton greets visitors who stop in to this take-out shop for cakes, brownies and Dickson’s famous savory Bagel Bombs. 3009 N. High St., Clintonville. BL $

Cherbourg Bakery This quaint Bexley bakery offers high-quality sweet treats—cookies, muffins and doublelemon bars—without gluten or nuts. 541 S. Drexel Ave., Bexley, 614-835-6133. BL $

Kolache Republic Inside The Daily Growler, this Czech-inspired bakery offers sweet and savory kolache for breakfast as well as varieties like kielbasa and cheese that pair well with beer. 730 S. High St., German Village. BLD $

Pistacia Vera The crème de la crème of Columbus pastry shops, with macarons, croissants, éclairs, tarts, quiches and a small selection of sandwiches. 541 S. Third St., German Village, 614-220-9070. BL $ Bite This

101 Craft Kitchen At this expertly executed gastropub (its owners could school others in the art of developing a restaurant), craft brews are paired with madefrom-scratch, seasonal dishes. 7509 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614-210-1010; 397 Stoneridge Ln., Gahanna, 614-934-5501; 817 Polaris Pkwy., Westerville, 614-776-4775. BRLD $$

Forbidden Root This Chicago-based brewpub offers elevated bar fare to go along with craft brews featuring unique flavor profiles. 4080 Worth Ave., Easton, 614-414-6127. BRLD $$

High Bank Distillery Co. High Bank’s dining room offers plenty of games, TVs and space for large groups.

The cocktail menu puts the distillery’s own offerings to good use, while the food menu offers grown-up pub fare such pizzas, locally sourced beef burgers and seared salmon. 28 S. State St., Westerville, 614-380-3130; 1379 E. Johnstown Rd., Gahanna, 614-656-7343; 1051 Goodale Blvd., Grandview, 614-8265347. BRLD $$

The Pearl Gastropub meets oyster bar at this Cameron Mitchell restaurant with a throwback vibe, craft beer and barrel-aged cocktails. 88 N. High St., Dublin, 614-695-6255; 641 N. High St., Short North, 614-227-0151. BRLD $$$$

Shawnee Station Taproom and Kitchen This family-friendly restaurant located near the zoo pairs excellent beers from Maumee Bay Brewing Co. with cuisine that takes the brewpub to the next level. The burger and beer combination is a classic here, but you’ll find fish, pasta and salads that are sure to satisfy your whole party. 6058 Glick Rd., Shawnee Hills, 614-376-0754. BRLD $$$

INDIAN/PAKISTANI Apna Bazaar This Pakistani carryout offers excellent haleem chicken, lamb seekh kebabs and more. Apna Bazaar also sells typical Indian and Southeast Asian groceries, including halal meat. 810 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-326-2762. LD $$

Cumin & Curry Indian Kitchen This Indian kitchen features food for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, including a weekend lunch buffet. 4155 Morse Crossing, Easton, 614-470-6975. LD $$

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A friendly and chic eatery serving Northern Indian and Bengali meals. The menu includes palak paneer, tandoori chicken, biryani and roasted lamb shank. 427 E. Main St., Downtown, 614-220-9390. LD $$

Neehee’s Indian Vegetarian Street Food This lively, Michigan-based franchise offers a wide variety of vegetarian Indian fare. In addition to several variants on chaat, a traditional savory snack, the large menu also includes Indo-Chinese dishes, sandwiches, veggie burgers, dosas, lassis and more. 6080 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 614389-6304. LD $$

Rooh This San Francisco import serves highend, “progressive Indian” fare. Go for the inventive cocktails, buzzy atmosphere and conversation-stoking dishes, such as sweet potato chaat, paneer pinwheels and lamb shank nihari. 685 N. High St., Short North, 614-972-8678. BRD $$$

Taj on Fifth Taj on Fifth stands out among Indian restaurants for its small, well executed menu and full bar with cocktails incorporating Indian spices and flavors. If you’re new to Indian cuisine, the chicken tikka masala and chicken makhani are sure to make you a fast fan. 1021 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest, 614-696-4844. D $$$

LATIN AMERICAN Arepazo Owners Carlos and Carolina Gutierrez serve excellent Venezuelan and Colombian fare and cocktails in a hip atmosphere. Don’t miss the arepas, patacón and lomo saltado. 515 S. High St., Brewery District, 614-914-8878.

LD $$

Calero’s Bar & Grill This Northland restaurant is serving affordable Salvadoran cuisine with a large menu that will leave you wanting to return for more. The pupusas are a must-try, but from breakfasts to steak dinners, anything you sample is bound to leave you satisfied. 1644 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., Northland; 614-3948030. BLD $$

Mezcla Mezcla’s menu—divided into vegetarian, seafood and meat sections—is easy to follow but complex in scope. Expect elevated Latin American cuisine served on dishes made for sharing. The original cocktails, many incorporating tequila or mezcal, add a punchy bite. 1022 Summit St., Italian Village. D $$$

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Belle’s Bread

Indian Oven

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Ranchero Kitchen Previously located in Saraga International Grocery, this Salvadoran eatery specializes in pupusas—thick tortillas stuffed with savory fillings. 984 Morse Rd., North Side, 614-9850083. LD $$

Mezcla

Sí Señor Peruvian Sandwiches & More Owner Guillermo Perez crafts outstanding handhelds at this casual café. The roasted turkey club, meatloaf and fried pork shoulder sandwiches are hard to beat. Don’t skip the cilantro pasta. 155 W. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District, 614-670-4985; 4189 Weaverton Ln., Easton, 614-383-7329; 1456 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest. LD $

PIZZA Adriatico’s Located next to the Ohio State campus, this longtime spot offers authentic New Yorkstyle pizza, with subs, salads, wings and calzones. 1618 Neil Ave., Campus, 614-4212300. LD $$

Aracri Pizzeria This family-friendly pizzeria is the creation of an Italian whose father owned a small café in Italy. Expect New York-style pies, garlic knots, pastas and more. 51 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-224-3013. LD $$

Fibonacci’s Pizzeria Studio 35’s in-house pizzeria turns out Neapolitan-style, char-crusted pizzas that pair well with the theater’s outstanding cast of beers. 3055 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-262-7505. D $$

GoreMade Pizza It’s all about the pizza here at Nick Gore’s modest spot. Thin-crust pies are woodfired in an oven imported from Italy, and seasonal toppings are locally sourced. Enjoy solid cocktails and salads while you wait.

936 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-725D $$ 2115.

Harvest Pizzeria Some of the best wood-fired pies in Central Ohio are served at this pizzeria owned by Grow Restaurants. 2376 E. Main St., Bexley, 614-824-4081; 940 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614-947-7950; 2885 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-947-7133; 45 N. High St., Dublin, 614-726-9919; 454 S. Main St., Granville, 740-920-4447. LD $$

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Mikey’s Late Night Slice What started as a late-night pizza shack in the Short North has grown into a mini-chain offering thin crust whole and by-the-slice pizza, wacky seasonal toppings and famed hot sauce—a mix of barbecue, ranch and other hot sauces—to top it all off. 268 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-737-3801; 457 N. High St., Downtown, 614-869-0249; 200 Georgesville Rd. Hollywood Casino; 1030 N. High St., Short North, 614 737-3488; 6562 Riverside Dr., Dublin, 614-333-5398; 4117 Worth Ave.,

Easton, 614-927-1136; 1839 N. Pearl St., Campus, 614-923-3863; 457 N. High St., Short North, 614-869-0249. LD $

Osteria Pizzeria The smell of house-made dough is one of the first things you’ll notice walking into Osteria, and the welcoming scent is just the beginning. From fresh pizzas to sandwiches and pasta—and a full bar—the restaurant offers a cozy space to indulge. 892 Oak St. Olde Towne East, 614-869-0119. LD $$

STEAKHOUSE The Avenue Steak Tavern Cameron Mitchell’s homage to the steakhouses of yore. The restaurant’s retro design and clubby atmosphere are teamed with a menu boasting all the classics: oysters Rockefeller, beefsteak tomato salad, creamed spinach, potatoes in all the steakhouse ways and, of course, numerous cuts of beef. 94 N. High St., Dublin, 614-591-9000; 1307 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-485-9447.

D $$$$

Indiana, offers a menu of prime aged beef and seafood, plus classics like chateaubriand and Steak Diane served tableside. As the name implies, wine takes top billing here.

1570 Polaris Pkwy., Polaris, 614-433-7307.

D $$$$ NEW Losanti This Italian steakhouse marks the first Columbus location for family-owned Cincinnati-based Crown Restaurant Group.

Beef and pasta feature prominently on the menu, complemented by plenty of seafood appetizers, offering many options for different palates. 440 W. Broad St., Franklinton. D $$$$

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse Prime beef and an extensive wine list are the highlights at this high-end restaurant.

Choose from filet mignon, New York strip, seafood or surf-and-turf combinations.

6360 Frantz Rd., Dublin, 614-717-2828; 569 N. High St., Short North, 614-224-2204; 1615 Old Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington, D $$$$ 614-442-3310.

Butcher & Rose

Mitchell’s Steakhouse

Cameron Mitchell gives the traditional steakhouse a bit of feminine balance with bright pink chairs and floral chandeliers in the Downtown restaurant located in the Preston Centre. The classic menu complements the modern decor, with steaks and chops taking center stage alongside lighter fare including seafood. 155 E. Broad St., Downtown, 614918-9819. LD $$$$

Now owned by Landry’s, Mitchell’s retains its high-quality cuts of beef and seafood, perfect for special occasion dining. 1408 Polaris Pkwy., Polaris, 614-888-2467. D $$$$

Eddie Merlot’s

York Steak House Head back in time at the last remaining location of this wonderfully retro (and affordable) steakhouse with a popular salad bar and homemade desserts. 4220 W. Broad St., West Side, 614-272-6485. LD $$

This high-end steakhouse from Fort Wayne, JULY 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Creative Space

Char Norman Story and photos by Tim Johnson Local fiber and mixed media artist Char Norman’s love of nature started when she was a child on family hikes and camping trips in her home state of California. Forty years ago, she relocated to the Columbus region where she was immediately enthralled with the hardwood forests.

Norman still walks everyday collecting pieces of bark, branches, old hornets’ nests and anything she feels could add texture, color and meaning to her art. “The natural world is the most important thing; it has such an intriguing quality. It’s meditative and peaceful,” she says.

Norman worked as associate provost and dean of faculty at Columbus College of Art & Design and has now returned to her basement studio in Northeast Columbus to continue her art of combining elements together by hand. Shells, bark, branches and antlers share space with mason jars of dried flowers, looms and colorful yarns.

In addition to her multimedia pieces, Norman is an avid weaver and fiber artist. “My natural affinity for fiber is that it comes from bark. It’s an extension of the natural world.” ◆

Clockwise from top left: Char Norman weaving; Char Norman in her Northeast Columbus basement studio; spools of colorful yarn; dried flowers; dried branches

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Opening Ceremony July 31

Ride Weekend August 1-2

Gravel Day October 3

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THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS FUNDING PARTNERS, PELOTONIA IS ABLE TO DIRECT 100% OF EVERY PARTICIPANT-RAISED DOLLAR TO INNOVATIVE CANCER RESEARCH AT THE OSUCCC – JAMES. MAJOR FUNDING PARTNERS

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6/2/26 8:55 AM

CURB CHAIN ON MICHAEL B. JORDAN

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