9 of the Best Columbus Coffee Shops and Breweries

The Columbus brew scene is hopping. Whether you’re a fan of coffee or beer, there’s a trail for you plus a whole lot of good brews to drink.

Much to my surprise and chagrin, one weekend wasn’t enough time to fully explore Columbus, the nation’s 15th largest city and a Midwestern hub for food and culture. Though I hadn’t realized it before my visit, there are a plethora of things to do in Columbus both for locals and visitors.

Exploring the Columbus Brew Scene

Fans of coffee and beer will find enough coffee and beer to keep awake and happy. If you’re wondering where to drink in Columbus, I recommend starting with the following two trails:

Columbus Coffee Trail

Coffee in Columbus is serious business. Third wave coffee shops abound, each offering a unique twist on the seemingly simple cup of coffee. As a coffee-loving visitor, I wasn’t sure where to find the best Columbus coffee shops – until I discovered the Columbus Coffee Trail.

Experience Columbus brewed up (pun intended) the ingenious Columbus Coffee Trail as a way to promote one of the country’s best coffee scenes. This trail features 13 local coffee shops, all located within a mile of downtown Columbus.

While enjoying coffee on the trail, participants can also explore different Columbus neighborhoods like German Village, Italian Village and Short North and, as a bonus, earn a free t-shirt while fueling a caffeine fix. If you get stamped at four locations, you earn a cool t-shirt

Since I’m an overachiever when it comes to coffee, I visited five coffee shops in just two days. I loved all five and can recommend each as worthy stops for anybody hitting the Columbus Coffee Trail.

Brioso Roastery and Coffee Bar

An offshoot of Columbus coffee stalwart Café Brioso, the new Brioso Roastery and Coffee Bar in the Discovery District is a hip place to enjoy a cup of locally roasted Brioso Coffee and a sweet treat. The atmosphere is open and friendly – an ideal spot to enjoy a pour over made from a selection of freshly roasted single-origin coffee beans.

Fox in the Snow

Fox in the Snow’s generic garage exterior masks a modern, airy space where crowds line up for coffee along with pastries baked in-house. Owners Jeff Excell and Lauren Culley honed their chops while working at Blue Bottle Coffee’s New York locations and source Fox in the Snow’s beans from Maine roastery Tandem. When the weather is good, sipping chicory flavored New Orleans Iced Coffee on the back patio is a perfect way to start or end a weekend.

One Line Coffee

In the heart of the urban Short North neighborhood, One Line Coffee offers a complete experience using coffee beans roasted in-house. The shop has it all from an almost overwhelming array of coffee choices to a circular coffee bar with all of the latest brewing equipment. You want a V60 pourover? They have it. Kyoto cold brew? They have that too.

The Roosevelt Coffeehouse

The Roosevelt Coffeehouse was my first stop on the Columbus Coffee Trail, which is perhaps why it stole my heart. Or maybe it’s because the coffee shop fulfills a noble mission beyond serving coffee to the masses – it’s actually a non-profit business that helps the local and global communities with issues like hunger, water safety and human trafficking.

The shop also serves top-notch coffee with beans from local roaster One Line Coffee and Portland‘s Stumptown. The baristas at Roosevelt use a leading-edge Modbar Modular Espresso System to create its world-changing espresso drinks.

Stauf’s Coffee Roasters

Brewing coffee for over 25 years at multiple locations, Stauf’s Coffee Roasters is a must-stop on the Columbus Coffee Trail for its history alone. Age and growth have not slowed down Stauf’s – each shop roasts beans and bakes pastries on-site. This is a cool place to enjoy a solid cup of coffee.

Columbus Ale Trail

If you haven’t been to Columbus lately, you may be surprised to learn that the Columbus brewery scene is sizzling hot. There are 28 breweries on the official Columbus Ale Trail with more to be added next year.

Visit just Columbus four breweries to earn a commemorative pint glass or all 28 (!) for a custom deck of playing cards. An added bonus – several of the breweries are located downtown and can be accessed on foot or by Uber, alleviating the need for a designated driver (unless you plan on leaving town the same day, of course.)

During my two days in Columbus, I visited two Columbus Ohio breweries on the trail, one brewery off the trail and a meadery. Each offered a unique experience, showing a different aspect of the Columbus brew scene.

Hoof Hearted Brewery and Kitchen

Too new to make this year’s Columbus Ale Trail, Italian Village’s Hoof Hearted Brewery is located in an architecturally interesting space with clean lines, expansive windows, a big bar, a busy kitchen and glass-enclosed tanks. The decor is bright, fun and funky, much like the beers.

Seventh Son Brewing

Also in the Italian Village, Seventh Son Brewing is a great Columbus brewery where you can drink quality beer in an unconventional setting. The brewery is set in a converted garage with a big, open taproom and lots of outdoor seating.

For me, sitting at the long bar was the perfect spot to chat with locals and enjoy an $8 flight of four excellent brews – Plowshare Saison, Humulus Nimbus Super Pale Ale, Le Mort Saison (my favorite) and Grave Blanket Dark Rye Ale. Price subject to change.

Wolf’s Ridge Brewing

I was so happy to walk into Wolf’s Ridge Brewing as a refuge from the sweltering summer heat. I was even happier when the hostess directed me to the back taproom where I found a beer lover’s oasis – 20 taps of beer, many unique to the taproom, along with a cool space to chill and drink. During my visit, the Downtown brewery was buzzing with jovial locals enjoying pints and conversation.

For my $7 flight (price subject to change), I chose three beers exclusive to the taproom – N2 the Night Nitro (a creamy Oatmeal Milk Stout), Coffee Ancho Dire Wolf (a Russian Imperial Stout infused with One Line Coffee and ancho chiles) and Coffee Cherry Vanilla Dire Wolf (an Imperial Stout infused with One Line Coffee, black cherry and vanilla). Larger flights are also available.

Brothers Drake Meadery & Bar

Brothers Drake makes and serves mead, a honey-based, alcoholic beverage produced by fermentation. Set in a converted storage garage, the bar has a divey yet trendy vibe (think hipster chic).

During my visit, I opted for the $12 standard tasting flight (price subject to change) which included five generous pours of Wild Ohio, Honey Oak, Ginger Verve, Bergamot Blue and the signature Apple Pie. Though I found the straight meads a bit too sweet for my taste, I would happily return for a crafted mead cocktail.

Original Publication Date: July 26, 2016