Dining Destination: Columbus
C O L U M B U S
1. Schmidt’s Sausage Haus
When you take a bite of Schmidt’s nationally renowned sausages, you’re tasting Columbus’ history — a city where German immigrants and descendants once comprised a third of the population. Among them was J. Fred Schmidt, who opened a meat-packing plant in 1886. His family carried on his name by opening Schmidt’s Sausage Haus in Columbus’ German Village in 1967. Today, a fifth generation of Schmidts runs the restaurant and still use recipes from the meat-packing days.
“It’s not just the food that
tells the Schmidt’s story, it’s the history and consistency,” says Chief Operating Officer Carla Epler.
Try Schimdt’s award-winning Bahama Mama sausage made of pork and beef stuffed in an Old World natural casing and seasoned with red pepper flakes and mustard seed for a spicy zip. It’s hickory smoked for 2 1/2 hours to bring out a sweet, bacon-like flavor.
Order it as a platter ($13), with the sausage on a split-top bun, accompanied by hot kraut, applesauce and warm German potato salad. “The nice bite of vinegar in potato salad gives a great pop to the sausage,” says Epler.
The building tells a story from the past too — it was home to a livery stable, and the booths resemble wooden stalls. The walls are lined with artifacts, like George Schmidt’s fair ribbons and gloves from former pro boxer Buster Douglas.
“Schmidt’s is a living, breathing thing,” Epler says. “It’s not just a restaurant, it’s home.”
240 E. Kossuth St., Columbus, 614-444-6808, schmidthaus.com
3. Pistacia Vera: This cafe’s classic French pastries will make you feel like an aristocrat. The Chocolate Pistachio Feuilletine ($7) layers pistachio and chocolate mousse on a caramelized white chocolate crust with a green pistachio glaze for a taste that’s as complex as its preparation. “Pistachio brings a buttery and rich flavor, and chocolate tops it off with another layer of richness,” says Cafe Manager AJ Schultz. 541 S. Third St., Columbus
While You’re There: Visit a bookworm’s dream, the Book Loft. Pre-Civil War-era buildings are now home to a 32-room bargain shop — you can spend hours digging for buried literary gems. 631 S. Third St., Columbus