Columbus Food Adventures Tour: Worthington
I’ve been dying to see my city through a Columbus Food Adventures Tour, so when one of my out-of-town friends came to visit, it was the perfect excuse to take the plunge. I chose the Worthington tour because it was newer, so I knew we’d see some spots I’d never visited yet, plus I loved the idea that there were some history tidbits on this itinerary. It didn’t hurt either that The Whitney House is one of my favorite restaurants in town, and I knew we’d be heading there!
Here is a brief overview of our stops:
• Worthington Farmers Market
• House Wine/North Country Charcuterie
• Worthington Inn
• La Chatelaine
• Sassafras Bakery
• Igloo Letterpress
• The Whitney House
Our group met at the Candle Lab, which was a good place to increase your hunger for the tour by inhaling candle scents like lemon and cinnamon. We then headed outside into the depths of the Farmers Market. The time our tour began was at the tail end of the market, so crowds were starting to die down. From Honeyrun Run Farm, we compared and contrasted the flavors of 4 different honeys. Next, at Blue Jacket Dairy, we gobbled up garlicky cheese curds and feta, as well as sampling some freshly grilled cheese – those slightly burnt, crispy edges were divine. Our last market stall was another delicious cheesemonger, Kokoborrego.
Stop 2 was a visit to House Wine, for a sample of rosé paired with more Blue Jacket cheese curds (hooray!) and crackers, in addition to three samples of North Country Charcuterie. North Country makes sliceable salami that are made with local products like Rockmill Brewery beer, and we learned about the process in making these delicacies. The owner of House Wine also spoke with us a little about their wine catalog, and gave some more details about the specific rosé we were drinking.
At Worthington Inn, we received an enormous “taste” of Worthington Eggs Benedict, a small mimosa, and a healthy dose of history. You’ll have to take the tour to hear the spooky ghost stories accompanying the meal – they are worth it! A brief walk to the following location helps give your stomach a break to make room for more goodies, before landing at the quaint and beautiful French café La Chatelaine. I’ll be back to try the pastries on display as they looked mouthwatering, but in the meantime we dined on mini tuna salad sammies on brioche and gazpacho.
I’m obsessed with the donut muffins and the egg sandwich at Sassafras Bakery, but when we made our next break here I found some new menu favorites. The cherry pie was heavenly, as was the mini-scone laden with local ramps. Even the teeny dish of salad was tasty, and greens are so not my cup of tea. By this time, I was glad to stop at Igloo Letterpress for a short respite from stuffing my face. Igloo is a unique place for gifts, paper-printing workshops, and an all-around good time. We were lucky enough to print our own coaster on the old-fashioned press with a Julia Child quote, and the talented owner Allison shared some of her artistic creations and printing stories with us. With a final stop for chilaquiles (nachos with scrambled eggs, savory sauce, jalapenos, creamy guac, and more) at the always-excellent The Whitney House, our tour was complete and our stomachs were full.
Overall, I have to say that I’ve done food tours in other cities, and with this one, you get a serious amount of samples! I was expecting 4 or 5 stops with tastes, but some of the locations pretty much gave us a meal, plus a small drink, and I wasn’t the least bit sorry about it. Furthermore, my inner history nerd loved learning about the founding of the city of Worthington, as well as some of the prominent residents. This would be a really fun thing to do with a group of friends or family too, because who doesn’t love eating? I highly recommend that both native Columbusites and visitors alike give Columbus Food Adventures a try – it’s a fun way to see a suburb you may not have examined too closely.
Keep Connected,
Caroline