The Brewery District staple CBC Restaurant is about to go through a near-total transformation, coming out on the other side as Oxbow on Short. Maintaining the same ownership, the restaurant will close on August 31 and reopen at a later date with a revamped dinner menu, bar program, and interior aesthetic.
The switch comes after a two-year legal dispute between CBC Restaurant and District Brewing, owners of craft brewery Columbus Brewing Co. The restaurant and brewery shared a space for years, and the “Columbus Brewing Co.” name even after the brewery changed hands and moved to Harrison Road in 2015. That all changes this year.
“Some might call it a rebrand,” said General Manager Rusty Scarberry, “but really, we’ve just evolved beyond the initial concept that emerged 21 years ago, and we want to bring Columbus something new and different.”
Oxbow on Short will emphasize craft cocktails, local spirits and Ohio-based brews. The restaurant will keep the CBC Restaurant lunch menu, while the dinner menu will see the addition of more shareable items and small plates.
“The best way I can describe the food we want to make is to just say it’s fun and whimsical, but still chef-driven. For instance, we are working on this pickled watermelon with shishito pepper dish that’s very veggie forward,” Scarberry said in a release. “Even though we are looking forward, we want to pay homage to where we’ve been, so when it comes to cheeseburgers, we really just want to give guests two juicy beef patties with cheese, a good bun and call it a day.”
Oxbow on Short will also partner with another local brewery, Commonhouse Ales, which already occupies the 6,000 square foot production space at the rear of the building at 535 Short Street.
Diners can get a taste of the collaboration ahead of time, though, as their Oxbow on Short Street Pils is now on draft at CBC Restaurant.
CBC Restaurant will close on August 31, reopening at a date to be announced within the next month.
For more information, visit milestone229.com/cbc-restaurant.