Every year Columbus sees dozens of new restaurants open (and many that also close) but only a handful wind up selected as the best of the best in our annual reader survey. This year, the Top 10 list includes everything from casual bowls of ramen to high end steak houses, and ethnic eats like filipino cuisine to American comfort food like fried chicken.
In the end, only one can stand out as number one on the list, and this year’s recognition goes to the Rockmill Tavern. After a stalled attempt to launch a German-style beer pub in German Village, Rockmill Brewery owner Mathew Barbee turned his attention to the nearby Brewery District, launching more of a traditional restaurant in the former World of Beer space at 503 South Front Street. Although the restaurant has only been open for two months, it’s already made enough of an impression (with chef Andrew Smith at the helm) to win over our readers and contributors in a very short amount of time.
For more information, visit www.rockmilltavern.com.
The Top 10 Best New Restaurants of 2016:
- Rockmill Tavern
- Condado (Downtown)
- Bonifacio
- Rooks Tavern
- Goremade Pizza
- Fukuryu Ramen
- Balboa
- The Eagle
- Standard Hall
- The Avenue Steak Tavern
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2015 — Brassica
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2014 — Bareburger
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2013 — The Pearl
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2012 – TILL Dynamic Fare
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2011 – Milestone 229
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2010 – Knead
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2009 – Dirty Frank’s
Flashback: Best New Restaurant of 2008 – bonoPIZZA
Note: Our “Best of 2016″ lists are published as the combined results of our annual Reader Nomination Survey and Editor’s Choice picks.