Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Columbus

North Market is the greater Columbus area's version of a bustling old-world marketplace. Vendors galore occupy the enormous building's many stalls, each specializing in a different cuisine. There's a sausage shop, a pasta shop, fish mongers, meat mongers, Chinese, Mediterranean, sushi, Mexican, Vietnamese, a wine merchant, a cheese merchant and lots more. See website for complete list.

Executive Chef Richard Blondin, born and raised in France, brings his heritage and culinary expertise to the kitchen at Refectory Restaurant & Bistro and amazes guests with delectable flavors of French and American cuisine. Meat and seafood wonderfully blend with sauces and herbs to create flavors that will please the palate. Vegetarian options are also available. While the food is sure to delight guests, Kamal Boulos, founder of Refectory, also ensures that guests experience a warm ambiance and are served well by his amicable staff. Wine tasting and live music events also take place here so make sure that you check out their website before hitting the bistro.

This amazing modern diner will never cease to amaze as it serves you reinvented classic American dishes. Manned by a passionate father-son duo, the restaurant has increasingly won the hearts of local foodies. They have a list of mouth-watering sandwiches that includes Porchetta, Smoked Gouda, Shrimp Po'Boyger and many more. Other dishes, such as the Mac & Brisket and the Spiced Lamb Burger are equally tantalizing. The atmosphere is quite relaxed and casual, making the dining experience truly delectable.

Ray Ray's Hog Pit is one of the best kept secrets in Columbus. This food truck serves up classic barbecue cuisine, including ribs, brisket and, of course, macaroni and cheese. Other barbecue staples include baked beans and sandwiches. This is the place to go when you need a taste of barbecue comfort food.

The true German Village experience is nothing without a meal at Schmidt's. Located at the intersection of one tiny cobblestone alleyway and another, this is neighborhood dining at its most charming. Inside, neighbors are laughing and imbibing to the sounds of clinking steins and an upbeat oompah band. For dinner, you can't go wrong with a sausage platter -- a big, piping-hot link surrounded by kraut and potatoes and apple sauce. To drink, choose from a wide variety of authentic German imports as well as a couple of locally produced German-style lagers.

Every serious city has its own version of that ice cream place with kooky flavors. Columbus has Jeni's, and Jeni's does it right. They pay close attention to the flavors and textures with which they experiment, and the results are divine. Salty Caramel, Pistachio & Honey, Thai Chili and Queen City Cayenne are just a handful of the varieties consistently on offer, but note that there are a great number of others rotating in and out of the freezers on a constant basis -- making for truly prime experimentation. See website for full list of flavors, as well as online ordering! Hours vary by season, call for details.