[UPDATE 2020: Kolache Republic has closed this space and moved a few doors north into The Daily Growler. Read about the new location and updated menu here!]
Kolache Republic (Facebook / @KolacheRepublic)
730 S. High St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43206
(614) 928-3151
Open Mon-Fri, 7a-2p; Sat, 8a-3p
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y
Visited: Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 11:15 a.m.
It’s an exciting time for food in Columbus. New restaurants and carts and tours and breweries and bars are opening all the time. So much development is fun to track, as new places become old favorites while existing mainstays solidify their place in the Columbus culinary fabric. What’s most exciting is to see entrepreneurs who have worked hard over the years finally coming into their own, from roasting coffee at home, to baking goods and selling them at markets, to making a homebrewing passion a full-time job, to exchanging a food cart for a brick-and-mortar space. That’s why it’s so exciting to see a place like Kolache Republic open: years of work baking and delivering goods all over town, the KR crew has settled into their own space on South High Street.
The small corner space features big windows, deep pastel walls, and a beautiful wooden floor. There are a few small tables if you’d like to sit and enjoy. I’m guessing that this space will be prime for them, being part of the Brewery District, with German Village at their backs, and Downtown up the road. This type of crowd will hopefully be ideal for their offerings of drinks, small snacks, and hand-held items.
As you’d expect, the menu focuses on kolaches, with both sweet and savory choices. There seem to be some standards you can always expect, while specials rotate in and out.
I love that the space is bright and full of colorful fun. Like the magnet letters on the specials board.
A kolache is a simple, square, fluffy pastry with Czech/Slovak origins that has been embraced by different communities in the United States, particularly by a variety of towns in Texas. The owners of Kolache Republic hail from the grand old Republic of Texas, hence the name Kolache Republic. Edit because I’m a moron: it’s named Kolache Republic because the pastries hail from the Czech Republic. Sheesh, Nick.
The kolache is a very versatile pastry; its center is designed to be filled with almost anything.
This allows the kolache to easily swing sweet or savory, and for specials to be rotated in and out.
I picked three for this visit. Clockwise from top left: poppy seed, chocolate, and cheese. All three: excellent. They’re not overly sweet, so the featured flavor still has a chance to shine through.
I also ordered the kielbasa, cheese, and jalapeno kolache, which comes out like a small, hot roll.
Here’s the kolache torn open. I had meant to order the hot hot hot polish kolache, but since they were out of the item, they gave me the kielbasa/cheese/jalapeno one with a side of their three pepper jam. It makes for a warm, juicy, soft – and imminently very crave-able – sandwich. The jalapenos and the pepper jam give it a very sharp bite of heat, which I love with the warm breading, kielbasa, and cheese.
If you live or work in the area, I suggest making Kolache Republic a regular stop. I loved what I had there, and I’m already trying to figure out when I can next stop in.
