CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

Welcome to Granville, home of Dennison University and a street lined with great dining destinations. This is the perfect sleepy little college town for an afternoon frolic any season.

The downtown looks like it was pulled out of a Norman Rockwell painting with a touch of Mayberry thrown in for good measure.

Del Mar
136 North Prospect St
740.587.4701

The Del Mar will be a favorite for fans of the Rossi and Club 185. If you like these restaurants you will find the best of both in Granville. The Del Mar has the same owners. The food a fusion of both menus with a few extras and specials thrown in. The bill of fare includes pizza, the Club 185 burger, macaroni and cheese, and several daily specials.

The decor inside is urban cool. Looking out the window, the view is hometown Ohio – old houses and the local fire station.

I ordered the pizza because I love Rossi’s pizza – Del Mar’s is close but something is missing – maybe it is the oven or the way they toss the dough, but I found the pizza to be a B+ compared to the Rossi’s solid A.

Above is a view inside the Del Mar.

Brews Cafe and Deli
128 Broadway East
740.587.0249

Brews is a local favorite and standby. If you if have not been back to brews recently, the owners changed the menu in August but everything else is the same – crowded booths of regulars, beer, and pub food. If you get there at the right time, you might score one of the balcony tables with ancient ceiling fans to help a brew, or two, cool you off as you watch people pass by on Prospect Street.

Whits Frozen Custard
138 Broadway East
740.587.3620

Whit’s has just a few standard flavors and a flavor of the week – but the combination of choices is large – multiple types of cones and sundaes. This is worth skipping dessert at the other places. A scoop of custard is the perfect prop for a walk down Prospect.

Buxton Inn
313 Broadway East
740.587.0001

There isa famous Inn in town – The Granville Inn. Across the street is the Buxton Inn, a bit smaller but a lot more fun. There is a cool bar in the basement that serves as a nice respite on a cool or cold evening. The Inn has been around almost 200 years – they know what they are doing.

Just bit south of downtown, there is a new restaurant worth checking out.

Short Story Brasserie
923 River Road
Granville
740.587.0281
Web Site

Hours:
TUES-WEDS 5:00-9:00
THURS-SAT 5:00-10:00

Luke from the restaurant was kind enough to send me an e-mail about this place which inspired me to head back to Granville after a long hiatus. Since his e-mail did such a good job convincing me to make a visit I am going to post a part of it below – maybe this will inspire you as well. Fate keeps getting in my way for plans of having a meal here – but I have a trip planned in October – so I will let you know all the details next month.

We offer fine food in a casual setting and our concept comes from the way Hemingway used food to bind together his stories. Our chefs are use classic french techniques (they have been at The Refectory, l’Antibes, Handke’s Table) but our food encompasses many culinary styles. We also have a 100 bottle wine list with many available by the glass.

We share some of the same favorites that are not too well known around Columbus. I really like Spain and Alana’s too and recommend them all the time. Our GM worked at Alana’s as well, so we have a nice tie to them.

The owners have a handy second business behind the building.

The Wine Cache
925 River Road
(Closed Sunday)