The food scene in Columbus is up there with some of the best in the world thanks to our unique melting pot of cultures.
And with that unique melting pot comes innovative, original, and sometimes weird culinary creations that you simply have to try before you even think about passing judgement.
While some of these foods are definitely weirder than others, for the most part, we think everyone will come to the consensus that they’re all super delicious and have no business being as tasty as they are….
But we’ll let you be the judge.
Katalina’s Pancake Balls
Harrison West: 1105 Pennsylvania Ave, Columbus, OH 43201, Clintonville: 3481 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214
If you live in Columbus or Central Ohio and you still haven’t stuffed your face with way too many Pancake balls, you haven’t been properly indoctrinated to Central Ohio. Yes, it sounds harsh, but when you’re missing out on something as incredible and innovative as PANCAKE BALLS, sometimes a little tough love is what you need. Choose your pancake fillings between Nutella, Dulce de Leche, and Katalina’s Organic Pumpkin-Apple Butter and enjoy the sweet and savory thick-cut bacon that comes with it. It’s pure bliss.
Crunchwerks’ Crunchwrap
2210 Summit St, Columbus, OH 43201
Taco Bell paved the way, but have since dropped the ball on the execution of the Crunchwrap. Half the time they’ll forget key ingredients (like the crunchy shell that is responsible for all the crunch!) or it’ll just be cold when you bite into it. But at Crunchwerks, you never have to worry about these issues. Their Crunchwraps are hot, fresh, and absolutely MASSIVE. Who even needs Taco Bell when you have Crunchworks? The answer? No one (sorry Taco Bell).
Oshio Sushi Panini
974 W 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43212
As soon as we heard that there was a place that served a sandwich made out of sushi and it was less than 10 minutes away, we immediately knew what we were doing for dinner that evening. With panko fried rice serving as the “bread” and filled with avocado and your choice of spicy tuna, spicy salmon, spicy crab, or vegetables, the Sushi Panini at Oshio is a culinary experience that will make you wonder why no one thought of this sooner.
DK Diner Donut Burger
1715 W 3rd Ave, Grandview Heights, OH 43212
This concept has been attempted by a few certifiably wild establishments in the past, but no one does it better than DK Diner. Aside from already offering some of the best burgers, breakfast, and diner food in Central Ohio, DK Diner has some truly delectable donuts. Seriously. They’re insane. Throw a patty, some cheese, and bacon in between two grilled halves of a glazed donut and you have yourself one of the tastiest concoctions that has ever graced this place we call Earth. We also highly recommend the Donut Sandy, which is a grilled glazed donut, eggs, cheese, and smoked bacon.
Happy Little Treats’ Vegan PopTarts
1203 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201
We all love PopTarts. How could you not? But that being said, we love Happy Little Treats’ Vegan PopTarts wayyyyy more than Kellogg’s version. Why? Because Happy Little Treats’ outer crust is way more buttery, flaky, and delicious while the insides are made of fresh fruit and they don’t skimp out on toppings — not even a little bit! Plus, they’re vegan, so you can convince yourself that you’re actually being somewhat healthy when you’re eating them, which is always a nice added benefit.
