photo by Anne Jansen

It’s both a blessing and a curse that the Whole World Natural Bakery and Restaurant is a 3 minute walk from where I live. These nachos, one of their regular appetizers, are the perfect size to be split by two before a cup of soup or a light meal. I’ve found it difficult to get good nachos here in Columbus (Bodega has some good ones too — I did a post on them this summer), but these are definitely tasty.

photo by Anne Jansen

Denise’s Ice Cream is a local ice cream parlour about a mile from my house. This Red Raspberry Chip ice cream cone was absolutely delicious! Denise’s, like Jeni’s, has a large menu full of creative original flavors. Their staff is friendly and fun, and the ice cream is totally worth the price. If you’re ever in the area, you should swing by and grab yourself some of this sweet treat!

photo by Anne Jansen

The Northstar Cafe is one of my all-time favorites here in Columbus, Ohio, and their Square Meal is at the top of my list. The beans are spicy and flavorful, and the organic brown rice underneath it is a hearty base. The avocados and sautéed red peppers and onions add flavor and substance. Plus, the salty strips of tortilla chips provide a savory crunch that tops off the meal. If you visit Northstar, you should give this one a try!

photo by Anne Jansen

The German Village Coffee Shop is a wonderful local gem. It’s this tiny little hole-in-the-wall breakfast joint that serves up a good ol’ fashioned American breakfast for extremely reasonable prices. My pancakes (pictured above) were fluffy and light with lots of fresh, juicy blueberries. The hash browns (below) were cooked to perfection, and were surprisingly un-greasy.

photo by Anne Jansen

As if the food wasn’t good enough, the beverages were delicious as well. The attentive waitstaff kept my friend’s coffee cup filled to the brim, and my hot chocolate (pictured below) was served up with a healthy flower of whipped cream on top. It’s the perfect place to grab a tasty breakfast for a small price, and to soak up the ambiance of a cozy family favorite while you eat.

photo by Anne Jansen

Photo by Anne Jansen

There’s no place quite like the Surly Girl when it comes to a unique dining experience. The décor is a wonderful blend of cowgirl and skeleton, but it’s the food that ultimately makes me love the Surly Girl. During my most recent visit to the saloon, I tried their super-yummy japapeño poppers…or at least, a new twist on an old fried favorite. These “poppers” (pictured above) are jalapeños cut in half and stuffed with a blend of cheeses that made my mouth water just looking at them. And eating them…YUM! Of course, I also had one of my favorites: the Surly Girl Pizza (pictured below). With its dried cranberries and walnuts and the balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top, it’s an original and delicious twist on pizza. Seriously, if you haven’t gone to the Surly Girl, it’s worth the trip.

Photo by Anne Jansen

Photo by Anne Jansen

I’ve been hearing about Pistacia Vera ever since I moved to Columbus, and I ate there for the first time last month. Why I ever waited so long is beyond me — just look at the Chocolate Bombe (pictured above) in all its glory. I can’t even begin to describe the beauty of eating that luscious dessert. But since I went with three other people, we each got a dessert so we got to sample four different treats!

Photo by Anne Jansen

The Flourless Truffle pictured here was amazing. With flavors of chocolate and raspberry and passion fruit, it was a dessert I’d fight someone for. Seriously — I couldn’t believe how delicious it was. Just look at those layers of rich flavor…. And to counter the richness of the Flourless Truffle, I ordered the Lemon Tart (pictured below).

Photo by Anne Jansen

It was a refreshing and light tart that really hit the spot on that particularly humid September afternoon. The crust was also scrumptious. I mean, just look at it! How can you not want to stick a fork in that? And of course, the last of the four desserts: the Pistachio Strawberry Dacquoise.

Photo by Anne Jansen

Yum. I mean, words can’t describe what a tasty treat Pistacia Vera is. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s ever enjoyed anything sweet at all. And as if the food wasn’t enough, this little dessert boutique is decorated in a simple but contemporary style that shows off the old brickwork in the building, but highlights the natural light pouring in from Third Street in the German Village with its floor-to-ceiling windows and wrap-around view. If you haven’t gone here, you really should! (And if you’ve already gone there, go back!)

photo by Anne Jansen

If you’ve ever been to Columbus, Ohio, you have probably heard of Jeni’s Ice Cream — an amazing local ice cream chain that serves up some of the most inventive and tasty flavors ever. Take the ice cream in the picture above: the top flavor is (obviously) chocolate — Jeni’s signature Askinosie Dark Milk Chocolate; the flavor on the bottom is Jeni’s seasonal Sweet Corn & Black Raspberries. The official description of that flavor, taken directly from their website, says that “Buttery, milky sweet corn gives way flawlessly to sweet-tart black raspberry jam. Breath of honey on the finish.” Mmm mmm mmm! And it’s tasty, too! Add to that the company’s policy of using local and organic ingredients, and you’ll understand why this ice creamery is one of the most popular places in Columbus.

photo by Anne Jansen

Lucky for me (and not-so-lucky for my wallet), I live but a 3-minute walk from Whole World Natural Restaurant and Bakery in Clintonville. This amazing little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, boasting a modest 10 tables and booths for its customers, is an entirely vegetarian establishment with a strong local following. The Avocado Croissant (pictured above) is one of my all-time favorites, although I have never eaten a bad meal at Whole World…and I’ve eaten a whole lotta meals there. In addition to scrumptious lunches and dinners (and a Sunday brunch I have yet to experience), the counter houses a wide variety of desserts — about half of which are vegan. Which reminds me, only 5 or 6 of Whole World’s menu items do not come with a vegan option…which means all the rest do! It’s a fantastic little place, and one I will continue frequenting for as long as I live in Columbus. This is made easier by Whole World’s very affordable prices. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or non-veg, you should definitely give Whole World a go!

photo by Anne Jansen

Buckeye Donuts, open 24 hours a day, is perhaps the best place in town to get these round treats. Always light and flavorful, the donuts at Buckeye Donuts are cheap and tasty. They’re the perfect treat for a late-night snack or an early-morning sugar fix…or for when you just feel like having a donut.

photo by Anne Jansen

After two years of living in Columbus, I finally found my way to a place that serves a decent afternoon tea: the Cambridge Tea House in Marble Cliff (near Grandview). This little tea house had a delicious high tea for a reasonable price, and they really served up a great tea. I made reservations a day in advance (a good thing because it was packed for lunch when we went) and requested that one of the teas be made vegetarian.

photo by Anne Jansen

They were happy to oblige me, and while most of their sandwiches were veg-friendly (I’m an ova-lacta vegetarian, meaning I eat eggs and dairy — if I wasn’t, I’d have had to tell them) they did go out of their way to alter the grape and tuna tart for me, giving me a carrot and hummus tart (pictured above) instead. The other sandwiches, pictured below, included a uniquely spiced egg salad sandwich and a wonderful apple, cheese, and almond sandwich.

photo by Anne Jansen

They also had the requisite scones (pictured below), which were their currant scone (a regular fixture at the CTH) and the scone of the day. Both were delicious, baked to perfection.

photo by Anne Jansen

Finally, to conclude the tea (and by the way, the tea itself was amazing — I’d recommend the Florence tea, a hazelnut and chocolate black tea, to anyone who enjoys a sweet cuppa) there were two different desserts (both pictured below): a chocolate mini-muffin with creamy peanut butter frosting, and a refreshing lemon pastry with a fresh raspberry on top. If you enjoy afternoon tea, you should definitely give the Cambridge Tea House a try!

photo by Anne Jansen