Friday Food Bites: Starliner and Nancy’s merging, Jenny’s Diner opening, Weenie Wonder closes

There’s always a lot happening in the Columbus restaurant world! Here’s the latest:

• This week in a bit of long Facebook post, Starliner Diner announced that it is joining forces with Nancy’s Home Cooking. The exact nature of the relationship is unclear, whether the two will merge menus, undergo a name change, etc. Nancy’s has been closed since late 2020, when it moved downtown from its long-time Clintonville home.
• Columbus, we’re getting a new diner! Jenny’s Diner is set to open on Monday, Feb. 12 at 4768 N. High St. in Clintonville/Beechwold. The diner is run by Jenny Dials, a long-time server at TeeJaye’s Country Place.
• This week the Grand Tavern at 1101 W. Fifth Ave. in Grandview abruptly closed after three months. The owners took to social media to complain about the management company and other issues.
• Shakers Public House, which has been closed since a major fire at its west side restaurant, announced yesterday that it’s returning to a new location in Worthington. The exact address hasn’t been shared yet.
• Weenie Wonder abruptly closed its two locations this week at Easton and Bridge Park. The hot dog joint is part of the same company behind PINS Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit Bar + Arcade.
• Winans Chocolate + Coffee soft opened their newest location last week at 611 N. High St. in the Short North. They’ll hold a grand opening on Wednesday, Feb. 14, with free giveaways and specials all day. Get a look at their new shop here!
• Species X Beer also opened in the old Platform Beer space downtown, offering a mix of beers brewed by experimenting with different ingredients and using AI-driven recipes. Read about the taproom and brewery here.
• A new Korean BBQ and hot pot restaurant called PJ Hot Pot opened recently at 6100 Sawmill Rd.
• The Crispy Coop announced this week that it’s adding a location at 6330 Tussing Rd. in Reynoldsburg.
• This week Budd Dairy Food Hall announced that Alphabetical Comfort Kitchen will be leaving the food hall after Sunday, Feb. 18, in order to open its own storefront. A new concept will be joining the food hall in early March.
• Cameron Mitchell Restaurants formally announced Del Mar, an upscale Mediterranean concept coming to Easton in the former Bon Vie space. CMR recently renamed Del Mar SoCal Kitchen in the Short North to SoCal Kitchen & Bar; the restaurant groups operates a Del Mar in Naples, Florida already.
• The Downtown Tavern downtown has changed over (again) into a new concept called Hydeout Kitchen & Bar.
• Following on the news that Johnson’s Real Ice Cream would take over the former S’wich Social space in Italian Village, the company announced further expansion to Grandview and Canal Winchester as well.
• 614 Now reported this week that Posh Teatime Co. is aiming to open a tea room in Bexley this year.
• The Columbus Winter Wine Festival will returning for two sessions on Sunday, Feb. 24 to Brewmaster’s Gate.
• White Castle is once again offering special reservations on Valentine’s Day from 4-9 p.m.

This week I’m also writing:

• Columbus Monthly’s Best New Restaurants of 2024: Live-Fire Cooking, Global Cuisine and More (Columbus Monthly)
• Winans Coffee + Chocolate Opens in the Short North
• Starliner and Nancy’s to Merge in Hilliard; Weenie Wonder Closes in Bridge Park and Easton (Columbus Monthly)
• Buck City Sammies Opens at East Market
• Kura Revolving Sushi Bar Opens Near Polaris
• Get on Board with the Central Ohio Model Railroad Club (Experience Worthington)
• Species X Beer Offers AI-Powered Beers in the Former Platform Beer Space

Want to keep up with more? Follow me on Instagram at @breakfastwithnick, check out the news archives, search for travel inspiration, explore the breakfast map, or…