German Village Columbus Restaurants: Where to Eat

German Village Columbus restaurants run from sausage houses to delis, patio steakhouses and morning bakery stops: currywurst, sauerkraut-bratwurst balls and cream puffs from a sausage house, a deli, a steak and seafood kitchen with a patio, a patisserie and a bakery-cafe. Start with a sausage house, then walk the brick streets.

This page describes the kinds of place the neighborhood does well: sausage houses, delis, patio restaurants, bakeries and breakfast cafes. It covers what to order, how to plan an afternoon on foot and what to expect from German food. Menus and hours change, so check before you go.

Which German Village Columbus restaurants should you try first?

Begin with the food that gives the neighborhood its name. Sausage houses near East Kossuth Street serve German food, sausages, currywurst and sauerkraut-bratwurst balls, and cream puffs are the tradition for dessert. A cream puff to share is the neighborhood habit.

After that, the choice depends on the hour. A deli suits lunch, a patio restaurant suits an evening and a bakery suits the morning. The neighborhood is small enough that you can see most of it on foot in an afternoon.

Where can you find a German Village deli?

A delicatessen on South Third Street is known for meats and cheeses, with deli sandwiches, platters, entree salads, appetizers and homemade desserts. Order a sandwich to share and ask about the cheese.

A deli is a good place to build a picnic for the nearby park, with bread, cheese and something sweet to finish. Ask what the staff would order, and rate the sandwich by what is in it rather than by the name on the menu.

Where can you eat on a patio in German Village?

Restaurants on East Beck Street serve American cuisine with steaks, fresh seafood and handcrafted cocktails, and some have a scenic patio, weather permitting. A patio table is a gift in good weather.

If you want the patio, go early, since seating is often not saved. Tell the server about allergies when you sit.

Where is the German Village bakery stop?

Rather than rank bakeries, this page describes two kinds: a patisserie that sells macarons and croissants, and a bakery-cafe that serves coffee and sweets. Ask what is baked that day. A macaron and a coffee make a quick break between meals.

A cafe on Thurman Avenue is a good stop for a souffled egg sandwich in the morning. Both kinds of stop are quick, which suits a walk.

Where can you find Thurman Avenue breakfast?

Thurman Avenue is the neighborhood's breakfast street, with cafes serving egg sandwiches, coffee shops with omelets and club sandwiches, and a cafe known for a big burger and coney-style hot dogs. Order the egg sandwich or the omelet and compare them.

How do you plan a German Village afternoon?

Park once and walk, and keep your route loose. A good order is a bakery, a deli lunch, a walk through the streets, and sausages or a patio dinner at the end. Weekends are busy, so go early.

Wear shoes for brick sidewalks, and expect uneven paving after rain. German Village is mostly residential, so keep noise down on the side streets and use the main blocks for your route. A good plan for a first visit is to pick three stops, write them down before you leave and leave one hour free for whatever catches your eye. A small bakery may prefer cash or cards, so ask. If you are with children, the deli and the bakery are the easiest stops. If someone is vegetarian, ask about options at each place, since the neighborhood leans toward meat.

What is German food, and what should you try?

German cooking in this neighborhood centers on sausage, mustard, sauerkraut and soft pretzels, with potato dishes and rye bread alongside. Try one sausage with the sides it comes with, then something sweet from a bakery, such as a cream puff or a macaron. If you are new to the cuisine, ask the person at the counter which sausage is the mildest and which is spiced, and write the answer into your rating.

How do you rate German Village food with Mosey?

Rate the dish, not only the place. In the Mosey app the place and stars are enough, and you can then name the cream puff or the sandwich, add tags such as Bakery, Deli or Great Value, and attach a photo. A note like "cream puff, light filling, shared" helps the next person decide.

Start a list called German Village on foot, one stop per course, and send the invite link to a friend. Follow friends to see what they rated and saved, and tag who you ate with so each of you can rate the same plate. The lists page explains sharing.

What else should you read?

For more of Columbus, the food halls guide covers indoor markets and the ice cream guide covers sweets. See the Ohio page and the US food guides.

Before your next walk, open the Mosey app, rate each stop by the dish and keep your favorites on a list.