Guys, Do I Need to Move to Columbus?

One of the best neighborhoods to stay in Columbus? Undoubtedly, Short North Arts District. There is so much to do and see—and it’s all really walkable (a plus for a New Yorker like me). And sitting right in the heart of Short North is Le Meridien Columbus, The Joseph.

The hotel is known for its gorgeous art which adorns the lobby and second floor gallery area. Its lobby boasts a comfy and cool café called Soul, where we spent quite a bit of time during our visit. Soul has an incredible cocktail menu highlighting former Columbus establishments’ cocktails. It also has a fabulous bartender, a perfect evening-ending French Pinot Noir and a great burger (that I decided to take with me to my room).

The front desk staff was beyond friendly, as were the door attendants who got to know us well throughout our stay. The Joseph is also clearly the place to be—it was home to the Ecuadorean World Cup soccer team during our trip.

The room itself was large and comfortable. Make sure you save yourself plenty of time to lounge in bed with a glass of Prosecco and some Law & Order: SVU (a favorite vacation pastime of mine). Upon my arrival, I was even greeted with a welcome bottle and a few Pride-related treats in my room.

The hotel is also dog-friendly, which was perfect for my 12-pound pup Bubbie, who made himself right at home whether we were in the room or lounging in the lobby. And as the hotel is only a block from Goodale Park, we had a convenient place to take the little guy for a stroll.

Prior to my visit, I had no idea that Columbus was home to so many good food options, from restaurants to coffee shops to bars to food halls. Throughout my trip there were several notable standouts—and I highly recommend stopping by each of them.

First of all, Lincoln Social Rooftop is the perfect high-altitude stop to take in the sunset. The lively rooftop lounge/bar/restaurant offers a great cocktail selection and excellent service. But perhaps most surprising was how good the food was (considering it gives “lounge vibes”). Allow me to suggest the chicken dumplings—talk about *chef’s kiss*!

Cento, an Italian spot with a spacious outdoor dining area, is also a standout. There was amazing service, we got to sit outside next to a fountain (romantic!), the housemade pasta is next-level, and the bread is some of the best I’ve ever eaten.

Forno offers great pizza and cocktails, along with lovely outdoor seating. I’m still thinking about the spaghetti and meatballs from Marcella’s. 

I also highly recommend stopping into Charmy’s Market for a casual lunch and to pick up any grocery needs (forget Whole Foods; this should be your market). I had the most incredible homemade Persian food (see the photo above) that was clearly made with care and love by Charmy’s owners/head chefs, Sherry and Rezi.

Looking for a great coffee or breakfast spot? Fox in the Snow offers a delicious coffee and even more delicious baked goods (the selection is huge, but I’m still dreaming about that giant sticky bun). Lox offers a top-notch bagel (strong praise coming from a New Yorker). Pro-tip: Order ahead because the lines here can get very long.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is an institution in Columbus. The dairy-free peppermint patty flavor was unreal (as in, I genuinely couldn’t believe it was dairy-free). There is almost always a line, but it moves fast and it’s so worth it.

I also had the good fortune of stopping by The LOOM for a tour while I was in town—and I not only learned a lot, but I came to realize just how fashion-forward the city of Columbus really is. In fact, Columbus has hosted headquarters for fashion powerhouses like Victoria’s Secret, DSW, Express and Abercrombie & Fitch.

The LOOM itself is a fascinating place to visit, especially if you’re into fashion. The constantly evolving space serves as a fashion incubator for both the new and the established to collaborate, do their work, share their work, host gallery events and even relax over a coffee. (It’s right around the corner from the aforementioned Charmy’s, so it’s the perfect chance to knock out two must-visit spots back-to-back.)

As I mentioned, my partner and I timed our visit with Stonewall Columbus Pride, a massive annual Pride festival supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Let me tell you, Pride is an incredible time to visit—and Columbus clearly hosts an LGBTQ+ community with deep, strong roots.

We watched the moving and massive Pride march from Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse (splurge for the VIP viewing ticket—it’s worth it!). The march—which grew from 200 participants in 1981 to hundreds of thousands of attendees today—is a joyful, colorful, magical experience. In a day and age where corporations seem to be shying away from the queer community so as not to face backlash, I was surprised by just how many corporations and companies joined the throngs of proud Midwesterners in the march.

Our VIP viewing area offered the perfect vantagepoint for watching the march announcers—including the iconic Virginia West.

Following the march, we attended the equally massive Pride Festival in Goodale Park. There were hundreds of vendors, live entertainment, great food and supportive community members and visitors throughout the Festival. Our dog Bubbie not only loved it, but he was unsurprisingly a hit with every stranger we encountered.

Later in the day, we took in an unparalleled drag show marathon over at District West (home of Virginia West, Nina West and dozens of other first-rate drag performers). My partner and I sipped cocktails outdoors in the shade as one after another, talented drag and dance artists gave top-notch performances.

Honestly, as someone who has experienced New York Pride, I was floored by the energy and support from the Columbus Pride-goers. And beyond just the Pride events, there was clearly a vibrant LGBTQ+ community that existed year-round.

We encountered such vibrant community members in a number of queer spaces like Torso, a great gay clothing store; Samson Men’s Emporium, a must-visit for men’s apparel; Union Cafe, which is the place to be; Club Diversity, which has tons of outdoor seating and is so inexpensive (two cocktails and a soft pretzel for $12?!); District West, which as I mentioned is an institution; and so, so much more.

Some additional pro-tips for those hitting up Columbus?

Stop by Macaron Bar for a takeaway macaron—they are delicious and make a great gift. Stroll around North Market (and bring your appetite) for shopping, sips and snacks. And venture beyond the streets of the Short North Arts District to the German Village, Downtown Columbus and more.

In case you couldn’t tell, in the most pleasant of travel surprises, I absolutely loved my time in Columbus. The city has so much to offer its visitors. I felt welcome, entertained and well-fed the entire time I was there. And I will undoubtedly be returning (hopefully for Columbus Pride 2027).