The Oyster Bay building on Moon Road now serves steaks. Cook's Hot Dogs' old drive-thru at The Landings now hands out barbecue. The upstairs bar where the Wicked Hen used to pour is now Foster's Bar. Columbus picked up a good number of new places to eat in 2026, and most of them opened in buildings people here could already find without a map.
That changes how to read this year's food news. Most of the excitement came from operators with roots in Columbus or nearby towns moving into rooms that were already there. A few national chains opened too, and they went to the same stretch of Whittlesey Boulevard. Here's what that looks like, part of town by part of town, as November gets going.
New names at familiar addresses
Here's a quick key for anyone still calling these buildings by their old names.
| What's there now | Address | What it used to be |
|---|---|---|
| Angus, Luke's Pub and Steakhouse | 5828 Moon Road | Oyster Bay |
| Chester's Barbecue | The Landings shopping center | Cook's Hot Dogs |
| Lou Lou's Bistro + Foster's Bar | 1350 13th St. | Wicked Hen |
| Mark's City Grill | 6801 River Road | Previously on Moon Road |
| Sugar Peddler's Bistro & Bakery, planned | 3718 Second Ave. | The Food Mill Café |
Luke's is the newest of the group. WTVM reported that the popular Pine Mountain pub picked the former Oyster Bay building for its second location and set a Sept. 2 opening date. In October, the Columbus Times listed it as having opened on that date, serving steaks and pub favorites in north Columbus. Back in June, the Ledger-Enquirer's preview said the planned menu included wings, oysters, catfish and meat-and-two or meat-and-three lunch plates. The Columbus Times listed opening hours of 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, closing at 9 p.m. midweek and 10 p.m. on weekends. Hours at a new restaurant often change, so call before you go.
Chester's Barbecue moved into the brick building at The Landings on Aug. 1. It kept the previous tenant's drive-thru, so you can pick up barbecue without getting out of the car.
River Road is filling in
Mark's City Grill shows the reuse pattern most clearly, because the restaurant itself moved. The Moon Road location closed July 25, and the new one at 6801 River Road opened Sept. 22. Owner Mark Jones told the Ledger-Enquirer that "we had planned on moving from the old location well over a year ago," and that "it took us longer to get here than what we wanted." The paper reported that the restaurant is celebrating 17 years in business this fall. Sheri Jones led the decorating and aimed for a more elevated look than the old space had.
Jones said the new restaurant has more room for customers, and it also has a patio on a greenspace it shares with Green Island Grocery, which Jones described as "the vision we had." Green Island Grocery is at 6801 River Road, Building J. It's a locally owned grocery with fresh seafood, certified Angus beef, produce and everyday essentials, plus a hot-food bar and a pizza and sandwich counter. The Ledger-Enquirer reported its grand opening on Dec. 13, 2025, and named co-owner Mulford Waldrop and general manager Lori Cody.
So one address now covers a sit-down dinner, a patio, a grocery run and a hot lunch. A short drive south, Breakfastology Café at 5156 River Road, Suite C-D, adds the morning shift. It's a laboratory-themed breakfast and brunch spot with New York-style bagels, a build-your-own "bagel lab," cold brew, and sweet and savory brunch plates. The Columbus Times listed its hours as 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Add Luke's on Moon Road, and north Columbus picked up breakfast, lunch, groceries and dinner options in 2026.
Uptown changes one storefront at a time
Uptown follows the same pattern on a smaller scale. Its changes this year came from single storefronts and second-floor rooms.
Flora Wine Bar opened in June at 1329 Front Ave., Suite G, by the RiverWalk. It's a wine bar and creative space with painting activities and exhibits by local artists. The Ledger-Enquirer reported that owner Courtney Oliver, a Harris County native, built the space herself.
Lou Lou's Bistro + Foster's Bar took over the former Wicked Hen space at 1350 13th St. Husband and wife Scott and Wesley Ailsworth took over management, closed for renovations, and held a grand opening and ribbon cutting on July 18, according to the Ledger-Enquirer. Scott runs the kitchen and Wesley runs the front of house. The menu mixes French-inspired dishes with Southern neighborhood restaurant and bar food. The restaurant's site lists Lou Lou's downstairs and Foster's Bar upstairs.
Sugar Peddler's Bistro & Bakery is the one to watch. The Ledger-Enquirer reported on Sept. 1 that Uptown Life Group, led by Tom Jones and Buddy Nelms, had taken over The Food Mill Café at 3718 Second Ave. and planned the new concept there. No date was given for when the change would be complete.
The goodbyes happen in old rooms too
When so much of the activity happens inside existing buildings, closures land hard. Some well-known places are going quiet this season.
- Uptown Vietnam Cuisine, 1250 Broadway, announced it will close in November after 13 years. A notice at the restaurant thanked customers: "We will truly miss seeing all of your familiar faces." No exact closing date was given, so if it's a regular stop for you, go soon. The owners are keeping their sister restaurant, BigMama Viet Kitchen, open at 5300 Sydney Simons Blvd., Suite 14, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.
- Hudson's at Main Street, 6298 Veterans Parkway, closed permanently in late September after seven years. It had won the Ledger-Enquirer's 2025 best-dessert poll, and the owners cited rising rent and supply costs, the Ledger-Enquirer reported.
- Red Lobster on 13th Street, a location more than 50 years old, closed effective Aug. 7. The chain pointed customers to its other Columbus location, per the Ledger-Enquirer.
The national names went to Whittlesey
The exception to all this reuse is on the east side. Dave & Buster's opened July 20 at 5700 Whittlesey Blvd., near Columbus Park Crossing. WTVM reported a 20,573-square-foot venue with arcade games, sports viewing and a chef-inspired menu. Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers opened its first Columbus restaurant at Columbus Park Crossing in January.
There's a local thread on Whittlesey too. Lily's, founded in Lumpkin, serves soul food at 6597 Whittlesey Blvd. The menu includes turkey wings, baked or fried chicken, oxtails, whole catfish, and mac and cheese. The Columbus Times listed its hours as 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday through Friday, closed Saturday. Over on Macon Road, Touchdown Wings, an Atlanta-born chain, opened its first Columbus location at 3527 Macon Road. It serves wings, burgers, tenders, Philly cheesesteaks and seafood.
A November eating list, by part of town
- Uptown: a farewell meal at Uptown Vietnam Cuisine before it closes, wine and a painting night at Flora on Front Avenue, or dinner downstairs and drinks upstairs at Lou Lou's and Foster's.
- North Columbus: brunch at Breakfastology, then dinner on the Mark's City Grill patio with groceries from Green Island on the way out. Or steak night at Luke's in the old Oyster Bay building, after you've called to check hours.
- East side: soul food at Lily's on a weekday, drive-thru barbecue at Chester's at The Landings, or a game on the big screens at Dave & Buster's.
If you're the kind of neighbor who keeps track of which building is turning into what, the team at Carson Paris would love to hear about it. We grew up eating in some of these rooms, and we're always happy to trade notes on the next opening around town. Get in touch anytime.