5 restaurants to try this month: March 2023

Want to support local restaurants? Curious about new openings or secret discoveries? Here are five restaurants that I suggest you try this month!

1. Speck Italian Restaurant

Speck is a wonderful new addition to downtown Columbus. Like its neighboring restaurant partner Veritas, Speck started in Delaware before owner Josh Dalton moved it south. The beautiful new space is open for lunch and dinner, offering cocktails, an expert wine list and carefully executed modern Italian dishes, from focaccia and burrata to pasta, tiramisu and more.

Speck Italian Restaurant
89 N. High St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Learn more: Discover the modern flavors of Italy at New Speck Italian Eatery

2. At Jack and Benny’s

We recently reconnected with Jack & Benny’s at Hudson and High streets and were reminded why this family run restaurant is so beloved. It’s a campus classic, an old-school joint serving hearty breakfasts like omelets, eggs benedict, pancakes, cookies and gravy, and my personal weakness: the all-inclusive Gutbuster.

At Jack and Benny’s
2563 N. High St.
Columbus, Ohio 43202
Read more: Gutbusters and more glorious dinner fare at Jack & Benny’s

3. Creole2Geaux

Creole2Geaux made its debut as a stand in the Eastern Market and this week opened its first independent restaurant in the Arena district. It gives us a cool new place for lunch or a pre-game dinner. They serve an irresistible menu of po’boys, bowls, jamabalaya mac and cheese, bourbon chicken and more.

Creole2Geaux
401 N. Front St. (Arena District) and 212 Kelton Ave. (East Market)
Learn more: creole2geaux.com

4. 92 Chicken

Our obsession with CM Chicken’s crispy Korean fried chicken is well documented, and now Delaware folks can enjoy it too! A few months ago, the owners of CM opened a partner restaurant called 92 Chicken Downtown. It’s more of a casual bar than CM, but still has delicious fried chicken. We love the spicy garlic, curry and chili pepper seasonings.

92 Chicken
12 S. Sandusky Street
Delaware, Ohio 43015
Learn more: 92chickenoh.com

5. Lexis in third

When you regularly work downtown, you quickly develop favorite lunch breaks. One of my go-tos is Lexis on Third, located on the ground floor of the Chase Tower. They offer a classic charcuterie menu of towering reubens with corned beef or pastrami, BLTs, gyros, patty melts. My favorite is the turkey reuben with a side of their Cajun fries. (Bonus: they serve a solid corned beef hash and other weekday breakfasts until 10:30 a.m.)

Lexis in third
100 E.Broad St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Learn more: Discover breakfast at Lexis on Third

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