What does Columbus need or not need in the area of dining (Atlanta: loft, house)

[DWColumbus]

What do you think Columbus needs or doesn't need in the area of restaurants? I'm not looking for specific chain restaurants unless it is in reference to a specific food type, there's already plenty of discussion about that. I'm more wondering what types of locations you think Columbus is either in need of or what you think we are over saturated with.

I think we could use a good German restaurant, I really enjoyed the Bavarian house when it was opened. I also think we could use a nice sea food location. We have a few places that specialize in fish such as Ezell's and Red Lobster, but I'd like to see something really nice that specialized in sea food. I also think I'd enjoy seeing anything new that offers something unique that's not as easily available in the area.

I think we don't need more Chinese style buffets. While I enjoy eating at them I think we have tons of them already. I also think the market is a bit full on sandwich shops, it seems like there is one on every corner down here. If we add any more Mexican themed restaurants, I'd like them to be more unique and not clones of El Vaquero, El Carrizo, etc. I enjoy eating at them but I'd like some more variety! Give me some dishes that are spicy enough to make me down 5 glasses of water after eating them lol.

[Newsboy]

What Columbus -- and any city -- needs is more unique local places. Without them, you don't have a "dining scene" you just have chain restaurants. Boring.

Does Columbus have any restaurants that compare to these?

Hottest Restaurants in Savannah | hottest - Zagat

This isn't a diss on Columbus; I'm genuinely curious.

[DWColumbus]

I think it would be hard to say without eating at one of those places in Savannah first, maybe I'll try and check some of them out next time I'm there. You can check out the other thread posted tonight on popular local restaurants. I realize they are two different types of lists of course.

[DWColumbus]

Another thing I thought of we don't need is more frozen yogurt places lol. I can think of 7 off the top of my head that we have and there's a good chance I'm missing one.

[Hedgehog23]

Honestly, the local restaurants that most of the citizens here consider to offer unique, "haute cuisine," such as the Loft and Mark's City Grill, really aren't all that special, and they're definitely not on the level of quality or originality that you'd experience at, say, one of Buckhead Life's restaurants (they're a group out of Atlanta). Epic is an exception, but they're damn expensive; I don't think that they'd survive with such an expensive menu in a bigger, more competitive city like Atlanta or Miami.

I hate to sound negative, but it seems like most of Columbus's top-tier restaurants are owned/operated by people who might call themselves chefs, but who actually lack the training or expertise to create truly unique food that you'd find in a more upscale metropolitan. For example, I visited Asheville, NC a few weeks ago, and I had the pleasure of dining at several restaurants in their downtown area that offered authentic cuisine that really surprised me in terms of flavor and obvious "real chef" expertise. On the other hand, it seems like every restaurant that opens here offers variations on the same basic chain menu items: a filet, a sirloin, a ribeye, one or two variations on grilled chicken, a couple pasta dishes, and burgers/sandwiches.

Epic is a good start, but like I said above -- they're really too expensive for what they offer.

Come to think of it, you can't even get really good, lean, slow-smoked pulled pork (think Daddy D'z or Fat Matt's Rib Shack, both in Atlanta) here in Columbus. I know there are people who love/worship Country's, but honestly, every time I've gone there and ordered their interpretation of "pulled pork," 95% of the "meat" has been virtually inedible.

[DWColumbus]

Come to think of it, you can't even get really good, lean, slow-smoked pulled pork (think Daddy D'z or Fat Matt's Rib Shack, both in Atlanta) here in Columbus. I know there are people who love/worship Country's, but honestly, every time I've gone there and ordered their interpretation of "pulled pork," 95% of the "meat" has been virtually inedible.

Try the chicken at Country's I'm not a big fan of their pulled pork either. I'd say it's average at best, but their chicken is by far the best barbeque chicken I've had and I've eaten at a lot of barbeque places.

[amyers3]

We need more breakfast/brunch spots! I find myself going to places like Waffle House when I'd rather have a local breakfast joint or brunch at somewhere like Buckhead.

[danmandr]

I hear the Egg and I is a great breakfast option amyers3.

[kimolive]

This place is always busy...
https://www.facebook.com/PluckedUp

[Columbuskidd92]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

What Columbus -- and any city -- needs is more unique local places. Without them, you don't have a "dining scene" you just have chain restaurants. Boring.

Does Columbus have any restaurants that compare to these?

Hottest Restaurants in Savannah | hottest - Zagat

This isn't a diss on Columbus; I'm genuinely curious.

EPIC alone probably beat all the restaurants on that list.

Epic | Epicurean dining restaurant in Columbus, Georgia.