[Update May 2021: Geordie’s has CLOSED.]
Geordie’s Restaurant | Facebook | IG: @geordiesrestaurant
1586 S. High St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43207
(614) 674-6004
Open Tues-Fri, 5-11p; Sat, 9a-3p & 5-11p; Sun, 9a-4p (brunch served Sat, 9a-3p and Sun, 9a-4p)
Visited: Sunday, August 11, 2019 at 12 p.m.
I’m subtly and not-so-subtly always on the lookout for a full English breakfast in Columbus. We have some good options – like the Irish breakfast at Fado Irish Pub or the Scottish breakfast at BrewDog Franklinton or even a simple version at Phenix Bistro – but of course once a place like Geordie’s opens up, it’s immediately on my radar.
Geordie’s inhabits the space on South High Street in Merion Village that formerly occupied by the Explorers Club. You can still find the Explorers Club food truck making the rounds, but I sorely miss their brunch – especially those breakfast tacos.
Back to the matter at hand… Geordie’s is owned and operated by Glen Hall-Jones. He hails from England; I never knew this before, but “Geordie” is the term for the people and dialect from Tyneside region in the northeast of England.
The weekend brunch menu combines American classics with a handful English favorites. The website and menu list slightly different offerings for Saturdays and Sundays, but when we visited on a Sunday, we were told we could order from both menus.
I knew well ahead of time that I’d be ordering the English breakfast. I can’t NOT order these if I see them on the menu.
Geordie’s version hits most of the marks: fried eggs, tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, toast, back bacon. Nice addition of home fried potatoes. Typical American-style breakfast sausages; I missed the English bangers and their wonderful, soft texture. Missed a good blood pudding, too, but as Glen pointed out on social media, they’re difficult to find at a workable price-point.
Pretty solid on the biscuits and gravy. Nice, flavorful gravy; soft buttermilk biscuits; two over easy eggs.
The chicken and waffles are served as a sandwich, with a breaded and fried chicken breast sliced in half and served between portions of sweet potato waffle. The waffles are slightly more dense than traditional waffles, but the chicken was nicely seasoned. It’s served with a black pepper-infused butter and ginger-infused syrup.
One of the meal’s highlights was the traditional English Sunday lunch: a tender roast with potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, and gravy (high marks for this). Very comforting food. It reminded me of Sunday dinners at my grandparents’ house growing up.
Certainly add Geordie’s to your list! It has the basic feel of an English pub, and again, I think we need more full English breakfasts in the city, so I’d love to see support behind the place!
