🍣The Best New Restaurants To Try In Columbus

Plus: 🐶 Holiday Sleepovers Are Back!

Author

Chelsea Wiley
December 01, 2025

Sponsored by Columbus Children’s Theatre 🎭
Kick off the season with The Happy Elf, a jolly, 30-minute holiday adventure made just for little theatre lovers. Kids can sing, dance, and help Eubie the Elf sprinkle Christmas cheer all over Bluesville, making this an irresistibly fun family outing. Snag your tickets and let the magic (and giggles) begin!

Hello, December! Chelsea here.

Feeling hungry for something new this month? We’ve rounded up some of the freshest dining spots Columbus has to offer, from riverside vibes to conveyor-belt sushi. Whether you’re craving authentic dim sum, Mediterranean flavors, hearty sandwiches, or retro-American eats, there’s a place here for every foodie mood. Grab your friends, your appetite, and maybe a stretchy pants mindset, because these new restaurants are worth the detour. Consider this your cheat sheet for your next culinary adventure around town.

Navigator Feature Story: 🍣The Best New Restaurants To Try In Columbus

🐶 Holiday Sleepovers Are Back at the Franklin County Dog Shelter
Give a shelter pup the coziest gift of the season. The Franklin County Dog Shelter’s 2025 Holiday Sleepover lets you bring a dog home for the holiday weekend, with all supplies provided and adoption fees waived if you fall in love.

📸 Take A Look Back At Columbus Christmases Through The Decades
Columbus has always known how to do Christmas right, and these vintage photos prove it’s been pure holiday magic for nearly a century. From glowing Statehouse lights to legendary parades and those iconic Lazarus windows, consider this your cozy trip down Columbus’s most festive memory lane.

Headlines 📰 

👩‍⚖️ Ohio lawmakers are pushing a bill that would require landlords to give renters a clear written warning and a chance to set up a payment plan before filing for eviction. The goal is to slow the spike in eviction cases and give Ohio families a fair shot at staying in their homes. (NBC4)

🍰 Columbus cake artist Timbo Sullivan is heading back to TV, bringing his bold, Tim Burton–style creativity to Netflix’s Is It Cake?. After standout moments on Food Network, he’s once again turning sugar into full-on fantasy worlds. (Columbus Monthly)

🧑‍🎨 From hotel takeovers to glass-blowing labs to mansions-turned-studios, these Midwest artist residencies offer wildly different backdrops for creative recharge. It’s a tour of the region’s most unexpected, off-the-beaten-path spots where artists can hunker down, experiment, and get inspired. (ArtsMidwest)

🌤️ Weather: 36 and partly sunny

Sponsored by Columbus Recreation and Parks Department ☃️
Celebrate the season at WinterFest Columbus! Join us at Bicentennial Park for a cozy winter escape filled with live music, craft brews, festive cocktails, and top-notch food trucks. Free admission, family-friendly, and outdoor winter fun for all! Click here for more info!

Coming Up 📆

🥾 12/1: MetroParks Winter Hikes Kick-Off!
🎵 12/2: Straight No Chaser: Holiday Road
🎶 12/2: The Happy Fits
🎸 12/3: All Them Witches
🏒 12/4: Blue Jackets vs. Detroit Red Wings
🎪 12/4: A Magical Cirque Christmas
🎷 12/4-12/7: Columbus Jazz Orchestra: Home for the Holidays
🎭 12/4-12/7: The Wiz
🍸 12/5: Night Shift at The Pizzuti
🤣 12/5: Ben Schwartz & Friends
🎭 12/5: Broadway Rave
🎄 12/5-12/6: Grove City Christmas Celebration Weekend
✨ 12/5-12/6: Wander Nights at Wanderlights
🎭 12/5-12/7: Mr. Scrooge
🦸‍♀️ 12/5-12/7: GalaxyCon Columbus
🎻 12/5-12/7: Holiday Pops
🩰 12/6: Wonderment
🎸 12/6: RAIN – A Beatles Christmas Tribute
🎵 12/6: An Acoustic Christmas with Over the Rhine
☃️ 12/6: WinterFest
🎶 12/7: CAPA Community Creates: Songwriting with Chrissy Turner
🌴 12/7: December Community Day at Franklin Park Conservatory
✨ 12/7: Village Lights

Today's Photo 🤳

Instagram Post

🌃 How have we already arrived at December? This has been a very fast-paced year, so before we dive headfirst into the final month of the year, take a moment to pause, reflect, and think about how you want to say goodbye to 2025.

Want your photo to be featured? Use #columbusnavigator or tag us!

Have a hot tip? Interested in advertising options? Hit that reply button - we love mail. 💌📭

- Chelsea