Columbus is Ohio’s largest city and one of America’s fastest-growing metros — a Big Ten university city with a young, entrepreneurial energy, a thriving Short North arts and restaurant district, and the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. It’s the least-visited major Ohio city by tourists but has the best restaurant scene of the three.

Columbus: The Midwest Food City Nobody Saw Coming

Columbus is the biggest city in Ohio that nobody outside the Midwest seems to think about. And honestly? That’s part of its charm. While Cleveland gets the tourist attention and Cincinnati gets the chili debates, Columbus has been quietly building one of the most exciting food scenes, arts districts, and young-creative-professional cultures anywhere between the coasts. This city surprises people. It surprised me.

The Short North: A Mile of Pure Energy

The Short North Arts District runs along High Street from the Arena District north to the Ohio State campus, and it’s the beating heart of modern Columbus. Independent galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and bars line both sides of the street under a series of illuminated steel arches that glow at night. On the first Thursday of every month, the galleries throw open their doors for a free art walk that draws thousands of people — wine in hand, wandering between exhibitions of local painters, sculptors, and mixed-media artists.

For food in the Short North, The Pearl ($22-38 entrees) is a polished oyster bar and seafood restaurant that would feel at home in Portland or Brooklyn — the raw bar is outstanding, and their happy hour ($1 oysters, 4-6 PM weekdays) is one of the best deals in the city. Marcella’s ($18-32 entrees) does upscale Italian with handmade pasta that keeps me coming back. For something more casual, Condado Tacos ($4-6 per taco) lets you build creative tacos from a long list of ingredients — it gets rowdy on weekend nights and I love it.

The bar scene is equally strong. Curio at Harvest ($12-16 cocktails) is my favorite cocktail bar in Columbus — inventive drinks in a stylish, intimate space. For craft beer, Seventh Son Brewing ($6-8 pints) in the Italian Village section of the Short North consistently makes some of the best IPAs in Ohio.

German Village: A Step Back in Time

Just south of downtown, German Village is the largest privately funded historic district in the country — 233 acres of meticulously preserved brick homes, cobblestone streets, gas-lit lamps, and lush gardens. Walking through German Village on a summer evening feels like being transported to another century. It’s impossibly charming.

The Book Loft of German Village is a 32-room independent bookstore housed in a pre-Civil War building. I’ve never walked in and spent less than an hour — every room leads to another room, and the prices are discounted below retail. It’s a bibliophile’s fever dream.

Schmidt’s Sausage Haus ($12-22) has been serving German food here since 1886 — the jumbo cream puffs are the size of softballs, and the Bahama Mama sausage platter is exactly as hearty as it should be. It’s touristy, yes, but it’s touristy for a reason. For something more refined, Barcelona ($20-35 tapas and entrees) serves excellent Spanish-inspired fare in a candlelit brick space.

Schiller Park, the green heart of German Village, is a beautiful urban park with a Shakespeare garden and a bandstand that hosts free summer concerts. Bring a blanket, grab a bottle of wine, and settle in.

North Market: Columbus’s Public Table

North Market has been the city’s public market since 1876, and the current location — a bright, airy hall just north of the Arena District — houses over 30 vendors selling everything from Somali food to Amish poultry to artisan chocolates. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams started here before becoming a national brand, and the original North Market stall is still the best place to try their wild flavors like Salty Caramel and Brambleberry Crisp ($5-7 per scoop). Momo Ghar ($10-14) serves Nepali dumplings that are consistently the best thing I eat in Columbus. Hot Chicken Takeover ($10-14) does Nashville-style hot chicken with a social mission — they hire people who’ve faced barriers to employment, and the chicken is absolutely fiery and delicious.

The newer North Market Bridge Park location in Dublin is also worth a visit if you’re staying north of the city.

The Food Scene: Seriously, Pay Attention

Columbus’s food scene is one of the most underrated in America, and I don’t say that lightly. The combination of a massive university population, a low cost of living that lets chefs take risks, and a diverse immigrant community has created a food city that rivals places three times its size.

Watershed Kitchen & Bar ($18-30 entrees) in the Grandview Heights neighborhood does seasonal New American cooking that’s smart without being fussy. Wolf’s Ridge Brewing ($16-26 entrees) pairs a serious restaurant with an excellent taproom — their brunch is outstanding. For a splurge, The Refectory ($35-55 entrees) in a converted church serves elegant French cuisine that’s been a Columbus institution for decades.

The Somali restaurants along Cleveland Avenue — particularly Hoyo’s Kitchen and Mogadishu Restaurant ($8-14) — serve some of the most flavorful, affordable food in the city. Columbus has one of the largest Somali populations in North America, and the food is incredible and authentic.

Thurman’s Cafe ($10-16) in German Village is a Columbus legend for a reason. The Thurmanator burger is a towering, absurd monument to American excess — a three-quarter-pound patty with ham, turkey, bacon, mushrooms, onions, banana peppers, and three cheeses. You will not finish it. You will try anyway.

Scioto Mile and the Riverfront

The Scioto Mile, a stretch of parkland along the Scioto River through downtown, transformed Columbus’s waterfront from a highway-choked afterthought into a beautiful urban park. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum on the riverbank is a striking piece of architecture and a thoughtful, moving experience. The pedestrian bridge to the west side is a great spot for skyline photos, especially at sunset when the water reflects the downtown lights.

Rent a CoGo bike ($3.50 for a 30-minute ride) and ride the Olentangy Trail north from downtown through campus — it’s flat, well-maintained, and connects several parks along the river.

Ohio State: More Than Football

I won’t pretend I’m not a college football fan — a fall Saturday in Columbus when the Buckeyes are playing is one of the great sporting experiences in America. 105,000 people in the Horseshoe, the marching band dotting the “i” in Script Ohio, the palpable energy on High Street before kickoff. Even if you’re not a sports person, the atmosphere is worth experiencing.

Beyond football, OSU’s campus is genuinely beautiful and worth a walk — the Wexner Center for the Arts (free admission) hosts excellent contemporary exhibitions, and the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is the world’s largest collection of comics and cartoon art. It’s weird and wonderful and free.

Where to Sleep

Budget: Columbus has limited hostel options, but Airbnbs in the University District run $40-60/night and put you close to campus and the Short North.

Mid-Range: Graduate Columbus ($150-200/night) in the Short North is a fun, design-forward hotel with nods to OSU culture throughout. Hotel LeVeque ($170-230/night) in a gorgeous 1927 Art Deco tower downtown is a stunner.

Luxury: The Joseph ($250-380/night) in the Short North is Columbus’s sleekest boutique hotel — contemporary art throughout, excellent restaurant, rooftop bar with skyline views. It’s worth the splurge.