This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOC advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers.
You know that friend who’s impossible to impress—the one that has to have “authentic” food and won’t drink any booze without a 90+ rating? During your next hang, march them into Goodfellas Pizzeria for some legit NY slices and top-shelf bourbon. Then sit back and watch as they bliss out like a stoner eating late-night Taco Bell. And with Goodfellas being open until midnight most nights, and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, we do mean late night.
Sitting right on High Street, this killer Short North spot is half New York pizza shop, half cocktail lounge… literally. The back half of the building essentially functions as a hidden speakeasy called Wiseguy Lounge. While it’s technically one business, both spots have their own unique atmosphere, both spots specialize in their own thing (and do it extraordinally well), and both spots turn “dinner and drinks” into one seamless hang where you never have to put your winter coat back on.
The Slice Is Right
Up front, it’s all about perfecting the NY-style slice. Dough is hand-tossed all day and baked into thin, foldable pies that top out at an epic 22 inches. They keep it simple and dialed-in: think loaded pies, like the Tommy “Two Times,” which is stacked with double pepperoni, or Paulie’s Favorite, which is topped with Italian sausage, garlic sausage, green peppers, onions, and roasted garlic.
The dough itself never hits a freezer, a difference you can actually taste. The result is a crust that’s crisp at the edge, tender in the middle, and good enough that you won’t abandon it on the plate when you’re “too full.”
Don’t worry, calzones and subs also get their shine, none more than the Al Pacino, an extra-large meatball sub on toasted Tribeca-style bread with house marinara that drips down your hand in the best possible way. (Be sure to grab some extra napkins.)
This place is also dangerously easy on the wallet. There’s a $10 lunch combo with a slice, side, and drink, plus Half-Price Mondays on 12″ pies so you can start your week off strong, with cheesy, meaty, deliciousness.
From ‘Za to “Ahh”: The Wiseguy Lounge
Once you’ve made peace with how much pizza you just ate, you can move on… to the beverage portion of the evening. Head deeper into the space and you hit the Wiseguy Lounge, the bourbon-focused bar that feels like it was designed during the prohibition-era. It’s like stepping out of a classic NY pizzeria straight into a 1930s cocktail bar, with rich, dark woods, brass accents, tufted leather seating, and elegant chandeliers that create an upscale, dare we say moody ambiance.
But style isn’t everything. The Wiseguy brand has been recognized as a top bourbon bar in America, for their impressive collection and a cocktail list that is bound to tickle your fancy no matter who you are, from the classics, to their signatures, to their seasonal cocktails (which change every quarter). Our favorite is their current feature, The Godfather: a blend of 1792 Small Batch Bourbon, Sazerac Rye, demerara syrup, orange bitters, Jerry Thomas bitters, a hint of maple wood smoke, and an Amarena cherry on top.
Go Get Sauced In More Ways Than One
The bottomline? Goodfellas bills itself as the “best pizza and drinking experience” across all the states they’re in, and the Columbus location absolutely delivers on that promise. You get huge slices, strong drinks, and truly one of the best late night experiences in the Short North.
Check the menu, hours, and specials at goodfellaspizzeria.com/columbus, and keep tabs on late-night vibes, new cocktails, and dangerously good pizza on Instagram @goodfellaspie.
This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOC advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers.