Valter’s at the Maennerchor (Facebook)
976 S. High St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43206
(614) 444-3531
Open Mon-Fri, 11a-2a; Sat & Sun, 9a-2a (brunch served 9a-3p, Sat & Sun)
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y
Last month for the Dispatch I got to visit the new Valter’s at the Maennerchor to write about their brunch. Valter’s came to be recently when the Maennerchor (a long-running men’s German singing club) asked Valter Veliu, owner of Jimmy V’s, to revamp the building as a working restaurant.
Since our first visit, we’ve been back with family for more brunch. The building is the old German Heritage House on High Street at the western edge of German Village, a block from Schiller Park. (Brunch and then a stroll in the park is highly recommended.)
The vibe is that of a cozy pub. There are two dining rooms and a bar, plus a patio in the making. There’s German beer on tap, and many German-styled dishes on the menu.
The walls are lined with photos of the German singing club’s history. There’s a piano in the main dining room, and I’ve heard that the Maennerchor practices on Tuesday nights.
The brunch menu is a one-pager with nine dishes and a few sides.
The more traditional-minded of your group will find lots of love. There’s a big plate of French toast with fresh fruit.
There’s a respectable waffle also topped with fruit.
I think Valter’s really excels, though, with the savory items. Most dishes feature really crispy potatoes, German sausage, and a soft, warm slice of baguette. The sausage omelet, for instance, includes all of these. The thin omelet is maybe a little overdone, but it’s a substantial portion, and a great way to feature the sausage.
The breakfast skillet is served in its namesake. It arrives sizzling hot on a wooden board, with a heavy mixture of potatoes, cheese, and more of that German sausage.
One of the most unique items on Valter’s brunch menu is the egg-in-a-bell breakfast. It’s a variation of our family-favorite eggs in a nest (or toad in a hole, or hens in a basket, or so on), with thick slices of bell pepper instead of bread. It’s a great option for anyone avoiding the cards. They let you get the eggs to order; we’ve preferred ordering them over medium. Over easy means the egg whites are a little runny still. The dish comes with probably my favorite bite of the meal, a weisswurst that’s incredibly soft on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside.
In fact, you can order more of that sausage on the side. If you’re heading in for brunch at Valter’s, I suggest you do just that.
This meal was covered by the Dispatch as part of a review. Photos and opinions here are my own.
