Bob VitaleColumbus Dispatch
Patios are everywhere these days, and we're about to enter that sweet spot on the calendar when outdoor drinks and dining make for a perfect night.
Rooftop bars and restaurants are becoming more common around Columbus, particularly as a crowning jewel for new hotels designed to lure locals as regulars and not just transient guests.
And in the middle of the Venn diagram of the two, we have rooftop patios. Fresh air, panoramic views, comfy seats, good food, nice co*cktails: How does it get better during late spring in central Ohio?
So hop in. We're going for an elevator ride up to some of the top (literally and figuratively) rooftop patios in town.
You can push the buttons.
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8th floor
Brass Eye: From the Junto hotel in Franklinton, you look across the Scioto River into the heart of Downtown. Its rooftop bar, Brass Eye, opens at 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and at 10 a.m. for Sunday brunch.
Elevated pub fare is on the relatively small menu (Little West Tavern on the first floor of the hotel has more hearty dinners). But Brass Eye does offer steak frites, burgers, wings and ribs in addition to snacks, such as crispy Brussels sprouts and deviled eggs. Brunch items are what you'd expect: French toast, frittata, eggs Benedict and more.
Details: 77 Belle St., Franklinton; thejuntohotel.com.
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Lumin Sky Bar & Kitchen: The views of Downtown, the Short North and expanses of east and west sides are sweeping from the rooftop of AC Hotel Columbus Downtown. The Lumin Sky Bar & Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 2 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. Saturdays for brunch. Happy hours are hosted every weekday.
A Mediterranean menu features mostly tapas, but also a few entrees. The creative brunch menu includes dishes such as a caprese scramble (eggs with spinach, tomatoes, feta and a balsamic drizzle) and a breakfast burger with cheese and hollandaise sauce.
Details: 517 Park St., Downtown; luminskybar.com.
VASO: Cabanas that seat up to 10 people are part of the rooftop experience at VASO, which sits atop the AC Hotel in Dublin's Bridge Park. It offers views of the Scioto River and Dublin's old Downtown. VASO opens at 4 p.m. weekdays, at 2 p.m. on weekends and hosts happy hours from 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The restaurant's Spanish décor has been praised by Architectural Digest magazine, and its Spanish menu has won praise from diners. Highlights include seafood paella and a cannoli of smoked duck and manchego cheese.
Details: 6450 Riverside Drive, Dublin; vasodublin.com.
More: VASO in Dublin named a top rooftop restaurant in America by Tasting Table
9th floor
Lincoln Social Rooftop: The Cameron Mitchell restaurant with views of Downtown calls itself a "four-seasons rooftop oasis." Lincoln Social Rooftop opens at 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 1 p.m. on weekends and hosts happy hours every day that it's open.
Lincoln Social has created an extensive co*cktail menu that includes low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks. Its food menu includes sushi, pizza and oysters on the half-shell.
Details: 711 N. High St., Short North; linconsocialrooftop.com.
10th floor
Mandrake Rooftop: The restaurant and co*cktail bar on top of the Moxy Columbus Short North hotel looks south down High Street toward Downtown. The Mandrake Rooftop opens at 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays. Happy hours, which include $10 sangria and $10 specialty co*cktails, run from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and from 2 to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Mandrake's food menu is "MediterrAsian," featuring both sushi and kebabs. The bar offers bottle service and maintains an extensive menu of whiskeys and tequilas. Coming soon: Palomas on the Patio, a patio launch party from 6 to 9 p.m. on May 23.
Details: 810 N. High St., Short North; mandrakerooftop.com.
12th floor
Goodale Station: Atop the Canopy by Hilton Columbus hotel, Goodale Station looks south down Third Street into Downtown. It opens every weekday at 4 p.m. and at 11 a.m. for brunch on weekends. Happy hours, from 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, feature $9 co*cktails, $6 wine, $5 draft beer and $3 bottles and cans.
Dinner dishes include Korean, Indian and American influences, while brunch options are standard.
Details: 77 E. Nationwide Blvd., Downtown; goodalestation.com.
More: Goodale Station offers sophisticated co*cktails and culture-hopping dishes: What to order
28th floor
Stories on High: The highest nightspot in town offers 360-degree views of the city from two outdoor terraces on the top floor of the Hilton Columbus Downtown. Stories on High opens at 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.
The Japanese food menu includes skewers, sashimi, nigiri and appetizers such as rock shrimp tempura. The bar offers a selection of sake and Japanese whiskeys, as well as co*cktails, beer and wine.
Details: 404 N. High St., Downtown; storiesonhigh.com.
rvitale@dispatch.com
Instagram: @dispatchdining
