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    Bites & Sips: New Menus, New Beers, Bakery on the Move & More

    The Central Ohio dining scene is picking up once again, with an abundance of announcements, from new beers and new menus, to eateries on the move. Get the scoop on more reopenings, a new brunch and much more in the latest Bites & Sips.

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    The Sycamore Finds a Buyer

    The Sycamore in German Village, 262 E. Sycamore St., is under new ownership.

    Previously part of the Grow Restaurants group, Owner Chris Crader put the restaurant (and another in its portfolio, Cosecha Cocina) up for sale in late May. The original asking price was $350,000.

    “Building the cozy space on the corner of 6th street & Sycamore street into a staple of Columbus dining has been a profoundly moving and rewarding experience, and while the decision to sell the restaurant has been tough to make, we are confident that it is the right decision at this time,” a post on The Sycamore’s Facebook page read.

    No details were shared about the new owners.

    For more information, visit thesycamoregv.com.

    Happy Little Treats on the Move

    Happy Little Treats is on the move in Short North, swapping one High Street address for another.

    The vegan bakery will move a whopping 350 feet from 1247 N. High St. to 1203 N. High St., the former home of the Short North Coffee House.

    “Our Coffee Shop and Bakery will be coming together into this much larger space to be able to offer so much more! More room means seating, cooking/baking classes, party rentals and of course some really delicious new pastries and dare we say, even some breakfast and lunch options!” a Facebook post announcing the news said.

    An opening date has not yet been set.

    For more information, visit happylittletreatsbakery.com.

    Double Comfort Debuts New Sauce

    Double Comfort Foods has added a new versatile sauce to its lineup. The Fiery Chipotle Bourbon Sauce is made with Jim Beam® Black Label Bourbon Whiskey, chipotles and habaneros and can be used as a steak sauce, hot sauce or barbecue sauce.

    The small-batch sauce is already an award-winner, ranking as a 2020 First Place Golden Chile Winner.

    The fiery sauce can be ordered online at doublecomfortfoods.com.

    Platform Beer Co. Dropping Fruit Hoops

    Platform Beer Co. debuts a new brew this Saturday, July 25 – Fruit Hoops a tart ale with natural fruit flavors of cherry, lime and lemon. The beer is inspired by Saturday morning cartoons and cereal milk.

    Playing up the theme, a select number of 4-packs of 16oz cans will have some unique packaging. The first 600 guests to purchase Fruit Hoops at Platform’s taproom locations or through home delivery will receive the Fruit Hoops commemorative grocery-sized cereal box and matching t-shirt. Standard 4-packs will be available at major retailers and bottle shops that carry Platform.

    For more information, visit platformbeer.co.

    Sweet Carrot Adds Brunch

    Sweet Carrot is now slinging brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m – 2 p.m. The new brunch menu features dishes like:

    • Egg Sammie served on a Sweet Potato Biscuit
    • The Chicken & Cakes – pickle-brined fried chicken over corn cakes
    • Smashed Potatoes Benedict with pulled pork
    • Chai Baked Oatmeal

    Sweet Carrot is located at 1417 W. Fifth Ave. and the new brunch menu is available for dine-in, carryout or online ordering.

    For more information, visit sweetcarrot.com.

    The Keep Reopens

    The Keep at Hotel LeVeque, 50 W. Broad St., officially reopened on Tuesday, July 14.

    With the reopening comes a new executive chef and a new menu. Columbus native Courtney Nielsen will now lead the kitchen.

    “We paid really close attention to what diners want right now,” Nielsen said of the new menu. “We created a fresh, new menu that’s not overwhelming but is stacked with comfort foods and fun twists on feel-good dishes inspired by fond food memories from childhood. We made sure to include some really creative and vegan and vegetarian dishes that we’re sure all of our guests will love, as they’re loaded with flavor and super satisfying.”

    The Keep is open from 5 – 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and Friday and Saturday from 5 – 10 p.m.

    For more information, visit thekeepcolumbus.com.

    Basi Back in (Takeout) Action

    Basi is back. The Italian eatery is offering carryout and curbside pickup four days a week. Basi is open Wednesday and Thursday 4 – 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 3 – 8 p.m.

    Guests should call to place their order and will provide payment info over the phone and select a time slot to pickup their eats.

    Basi is located at 811 Highland St. in Victorian Village.

    For more information, visit basi-italia.com.

    Our Food Truck Festival Slated for July 25 – 26

    Our Food Truck Festival will bring together 10 local food trucks for a two-day affair this Friday and Saturday, July 25-26. Featured food trucks include Our Kitchen, The Pitt, Shrimp Lips, GS Flavor House, Queens Table, The Water Ice Shoppe, D&S, Bubba’s Grill, Buns & Brews and Zone 5 BBQ.

    The festival will be held at 1600 Alum Creek Dr. and run from 12 – 7 p.m. each day. Tickets are $10 for a two-day pass, youth tickets for ages 12 – 6 are $5 and children under 5 are free.

    For more information, visit ourfoodtruckfestival.com.

    Freedom a la Cart Launches Take-and-Bake Meals

    Catering company and social enterprise Freedom a la Cart introduces Freedom at Home – a new weekly meal delivery service.

    Freedom does the prepping and customers the finishing touches, with meals that are ready in 30 minutes or less. Meals will rotate around weekly themes like grilling, pasta, pizza or tacos.

    Subscriptions start at $25/per week for a meal service for two. Freedom also offers a rotating weekly delivery schedule for $5/week. Customers outside the zones can opt for pickup.

    For more information, visit freedomalacart.org.

    Milestone 229 Debuts New Menu

    Downtown’s Milestone 229 is back in action with a new menu as of July 8.

    New menu items include the Cold Smoked Salmon Salad, Crispy Yukon Potato Pizza, Veggie Quesadilla, Jambalaya, Scallop Scampi and more. The brunch menu got an update, too, with Homers French Toast, Twin Cinnamon Rolls and more.

    Offering the trifecta of dine-in, carryout and curbside pickup, Milestone is open for brunch, lunch and dinner. Hours are Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m – 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 – 9 p.m.

    For more information, visit milestone229.com.

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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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