When it comes to downtown Columbus, I feel like the Short North gets all the love.
Franklinton and German Village also get a lot of attention.
Don’t get me wrong: this attention is warranted. These are all very cool places with lots to offer. They are full of great restaurants, bars, galleries and shops. They’re fun both by day and at night.
But there are other parts of downtown Columbus that are also super cool that don’t seem to get as much attention.
I’m on an Olde Towne East kick at the moment, so I’ll share a little about why I love this often-overlooked area of urban Columbus.
Olde Towne East sits between downtown Columbus and Bexley. It is an old neighborhood with a lot of history that includes civil unrest and economic decline. There was a time when suburban moms like me would NOT have ventured into Old Towne East.
Now, however, this area is in a revitalization era with new bars, restaurants and shops opening up all the time. I first visited Olde Towne East a year or two ago, and I’ve been there many times since. One of my cool friends lives there and loves it!
Here are some great reasons to visit this hot spot in eastern downtown Columbus:
- Mikey’s Late Night Slice. You already know I freaking love this location of LNS. So many places in downtown are crowded during lunch hour, but not Mikey’s. This is a hidden gem – when I went, I had it all to myself! Do yourself a favor and check out the LNS in OTE next time you’re craving pizza. I think you’ll agree that it’s the perfect quirky lunch spot.
- The Lifestyle Cafe. I adore vegetarian and vegan food and this Black chef-owned vegan cafe really hits the spot. I took Z here and although she’s not usually a fan of vegan food, she loved the vibes and her smoothie. Whether you sit at the counter or the coveted window table, you’ll enjoy your meal and the great energy at this cute little vegan cafe.
- Gemut Biergarten. Have you ever experienced a biergarten in a historic firehouse? Visit Gemut Biergarten for beer, brats and history. I haven’t been here yet but it looks so epic I definitely want to check it out. We do crave German food once in a while, so it’s great that Columbus has another option besides the usual suspects.
- Hang Over Easy. When hubby and I did our breakfast tour of downtown Columbus last winter, this was one of our faves. I love the rock n roll vibes, comic book artwork on the walls, friendly staff and killer food. I can’t wait to go back for some more HOE goodness.
- OTE Neighborhood Association. The Olde Towne East neighborhood association, or OTENA, is engaged and active, holding park clean-ups, monthly meetings and free summer concerts. They also host a summer tour of historic homes which I’m making a mental note to check out next year because I love things like that. They also maintain a cute little pocket park – Ohio Avenue Park – that I plan to check out on my next trip downtown.
Another gem on the east side of downtown is one of our favorite places in all of Columbus: Franklin Park Conservatory. Located just outside of Olde Towne East, this is a gorgeous park to walk around for free or you can splurge on admission and immerse yourself in incredible natural beauty for several hours.
So, are you ready to move down to OTE or at least visit and catch a meal there? I have my eye on those gorgeous old historic houses. How cool would it be to live in a place where you can walk to restaurants and that cute little park? Maybe one day. For now, I’ll just dream about it while I go out to eat there.
Let me know if there are other cool parts of Columbus we should explore and write about. I’m all ears in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram.
