UPDATE October 2023: Kona Craft Kitchen has CLOSED.
Kona Craft Kitchen debuted just over a year in Dublin’s Bridge Park development. Owners Frank and Stacy Leary were inspired by their trips to Hawaii, especially the kona coffees there, and decided to open their own Columbus spot serving coffee, pastries, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
One year in and the response has been deservedly positive. They were even chosen as one of Columbus Monthly‘s Best New Restaurants 2023 (and yours truly got to write their segment)!
Kona’s space is long and brightly lit, with a bar in the center, a square table with a small gas firepit, and seating scattered throughout, including a private room and patios for the warmer months.
Guests entering the space are greeted by glass cases with the day’s pastries on display.
Selections rotate, but you’ll typically find everything from scones, sticky buns, and cinnamon rolls to coffee cake, sweet and savory galettes, muffins, cookies, bagels, and breads.
Since the inspiration behind the restaurant was Hawaiian kona coffees, it makes sense that their coffee program is well thought-out to feature the beans. In addition to brewed coffee you’ll find an expertly executed menu of espresso drinks and cold brew. I can attest to the great cortado.
As well as seasonal specialties like the brown sugar latte.
From what we’ve sampled of the pastries, they’re all very well done. I love a good blueberry galette.
And you can’t argue with the cinnamon roll.
Kona takes a focused approach to their breakfast menu, featuring 11 items that span sweet and savory, and include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free items.
The Big Island French toast layers thick, custardy slices with fruit, whipped cream, crumbled macadamia nuts, and a spiced rum maple syrup.
The turkey biscuit sandwich is a lovely layering of house-made turkey sausage, a fried egg, white cheddar, pickled fennel, arugula, and a lemon aioli on a biscuit.
I really enjoyed my breakfast burrito, which uses a house-made chicken chorizo, scrambled eggs, queso, potatoes, cilantro, and a charred tomato salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla. Filling and very flavorful. And like many of the breakfast features, it’s served with a side of fresh fruit.
The chicken chorizo hash is another winner, piling a couple over easy eggs on a root vegetable hash with avocado, crispy hominy, charred tomato salsa, cotija cheese, and scallions.
The menu continues on with biscuits and gravy, steel cut oatmeal, avocado toast, acai bowls, chia seed pudding, and more. And that’s not even getting into the brunch cocktails!
This is also just a highlight of their coffee, bakery, and breakfast. Kona Craft Kitchen smartly covers all your bases, including lunch, dinner, and a full bar. So they’ll give you plenty of solid reasons to visit any time of day!
Kona Craft Kitchen
6757 Longshore St.
Dublin, OH 43017
(614) 502-5400
Web: konacraftkitchen.com
FB: Kona Craft Kitchen
IG: @konacraftkitchen
