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    Bites & Sips: New Menus, Openings, Expanded Hours, Igloos & More

    Take a bite out of the new menu at The Crest, sip on cocktails in an Igloo at VASO – there’s all sorts of food and drink to explore in Central Ohio. Bites & Sips keeps you updated on tidbits of news from local restaurants, food makers, breweries, distilleries and more, from special events and new menus, to openings, bottle releases and more.

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    Roosevelt Coffeehouse Opens Third Location

    The Roosevelt Coffeehouse will caffeinate the masses at the Thirty-One Gifts and Bob Evans Restaurants headquarters at 8131 Smith’s Mill Rd. in New Albany.

    The social enterprise coffee shop which donates proceeds to organizations fighting hunger, unclean water and human trafficking, opened its first location on Long Street Downtown in 2015. It’s the second opening for the operation in 2019, after its May launch at Gravity in Franklinton. The new spot is the first corporate location for the coffee shop, but there’s also a licensed experience to be had at Olentangy River Brewing Company in Lewis Center.

    The new location is open to the public.

    For more information, visit rooseveltcoffee.org.

    The Crest Debuts New Menu

    With the colder temperatures comes a new menu at The Crest in Clitonville. Chef Ben Kanavel has whipped up an offering of seasonal specialties that include Roasted Duck Breast with acorn squash, braised greens, pickled mustard and Michigan cherry, or the Whey Braised Pork Shoulder featuring butterbeans, butternut, apple kraut and pawpaw bbq sauce. 

    Drinks get in on the action too, with seasonal sippers like the Autumn Gin & Tonic or Ellie’s Drinking Chocolate. The new cocktail menu is available at both the Clintonville and Parsons Crest locations, with The Crest Parsons menu getting an update of its own. 

    For more information, visit thecrestgastropub.com.

    Dan the Baker Expands Hours

    Dan the Baker has expanded its hours. The Grandview Toast Bar at 1028 Ridge St. will now be open Wednesday – Sunday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. 

    Dan the Baker offers a selection of artisan breads and pastries from Country and Olive & Polenta loaves, to croissants and morning buns. 

    For more information, visit dan-the-baker.com

    And Juice Co. Closes in Italian Village

    And Juice Co. quietly closed the doors to its Italian Village shop at 991 N. Fourth St. in late September. 

    A Facebook post says the company has set its sights on new goals, and to visit its remaining locations in Clintonville, 4493 N. High St., and Upper Arlington, 4939 Dierker Rd. 

    For more information, visit andjuiceco.com

    Kitchen Social Now Open in Polaris

    Kitchen Social has joined the restaurant lineup in Polaris, settling in at 8954 Lyra Dr. The modern tavern comes from a trio of entrepreneurs with a long history at Bravo and Brio restaurants. 

    For starters, there are eats from Crispy Thai Shrimp to Guac N’ Queso. On the entree side, diners will find pasta like Bucatini Pomodoro, to steaks like the Teriyaki Ribeye and seafood classics like Fish N’ Chips. Pizzas, sandwiches, tacos and salads round out the extensive menu.

    For the imbibers, Kitchen Social offers an expansive wine selection and cocktail menu built around Watershed Distillery Spirits. 

    Kitchen Social will be a dinner-only affair with hours from 3-10 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 3-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3-9 p.m. Sunday. 

    For more information, visit ourkitchensocial.com

    Visit One of the Best Coffee Shops in America

    Columbus’ own Fox in the Snow has been named one of The Best Coffee Shops in America by Food & Wine. Two years of on-the-ground research yielded the list which includes nearly 100 spots – only two of which are in Ohio, Fox in the Snow and Cincinnati’s Mom ‘n ‘Em which ranked #5. 

    Fox in the Snow first opened in Italian Village in 2014, followed by German Village in 2018, and New Albany in 2019. As the Food & Wine article notes, it’s not just coffee that gets attention at Fox in the Snow, but “Pastries are exceptional.” 

    For more information, visit foxinthesnow.com

    More to Eat at Gemüt

    Gemüt Biergarten opened its doors in Olde Towne East in August, and starting this weekend, they’ll be opening their doors a little earlier on Saturday and Sunday. The German-inspired brewery’s brunch menu will be available starting at 10 a.m. on the weekends.

    Brunch eats include the Emperor’s Pancakes with cinnamon, rum raisins and amaretto vanilla anglaise, the Austrian Hash with haus hash browns, shaved brussels sprouts, roasted mushrooms, sunny side up eggs, fresh cherry tomatoes and grilled baguette, and more. There are brunch cocktails, too, like the German Coffee – coffee served with Underberg. 

    There are also rumblings of a lunch menu debut set for next Tuesday, November 19. Gemüt’s Facebook Page will have the scoop on menu updates and previews. 

    For more information, visit gemutbiergarten.com

    Igloo Season at VASO

    Ohio winters are not conducive to outdoor dining, but VASO has a solution to that problem. The Dublin rooftop bar invites patrons to drink and dine in an igloo. 

    Each heated, insulated igloo seats six enveloping diners in a life-sized snow-globe. Igloo reservations are available – Wednesday it’s a $200 minimum for every two hours, Thursday to Saturday it’s $400 per two hour minimum. Minimums can be used toward food, drink or bottle service. 

    For more information, visit vasodublin.com

    451 Spirits Offering a Holiday Classic

    Raise a glass of Cherry Picker Kirschwasser this holiday season. Columbus’ own 451 Spirits is the only Ohio distiller making the traditional German speciality spirit. 

    The Kirschwasser is a brandy made from twice-distilled pure cherry juice and whole cherries and is ideal for cocktails and adding a little kick to holiday baked goods. 

    451 Spirits’ Cherry Picker Kirschwasser is available at its distillery, 590-D Oakland Park Ave. and will be on liquor store shelves come January 1. 

    For more information, visit 451spirits.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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