Westerville menu variety is unbeatable in central Ohio

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If you’re the sort of person who appreciates new, locally-owned places to eat, the last year in Westerville has probably been good to you.

And if you should also happen to be the sort of person who appreciates brunch, well, so much the better.

Here’s a look at some of the new additions to the Westerville dining scene over the last 365 or so.

Asterisk Supper Club

It’s been just over a year since Asterisk Supper Club opened in the old Pasquale’s Pizza and Pasta space at 14 N. State St. Uptown.

The restaurant is new, but the vibe is old, designed to remind visitors of a bygone era. That starts with the hand-carved Brunswick bar, built in 1890, and continues with the custom-made bookshelves lining the walls.

“We created an environment of that warm, cozy feeling,” says owner Megan Ada.

The planned emphasis on relaxation is a big part of how tea came to be such a big part of the Asterisk experience. Ada did a considerable amount of research on tea, and afternoon tea in particular, to get the feeling just right. Besides the tea itself, the afternoon tea menu is dotted with tea sandwiches and scones with clotted cream and homemade strawberry jam.

Continuing the theme is a menu full of comfort food: meat loaf, country fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, Amish chicken and noodles, and fried chicken with a jalapeno-and-peanut-butter waffle and honey butter syrup. Despite those familiar offerings, though, the bestseller is a less conventional option.

“Our giant cauliflower is the most popular option on the whole menu,” says Ada.

Ada also owns Westerville’s Sunny Street Café, so it made sense for brunch to be a big part of the menu. A PB&J waffle, waffle sticks, a tamale Benedict and a Dutch baby are among the standouts there.

Just as intricate as the design of the bar are the cocktails served from it, a blend of classic concoctions (Manhattan, Moscow mule, negroni, etc.) and new creations with names such as You’re Megan Me Crazy and Jalisco Heat. All of the cocktail mixers, from ginger syrup to triple sec, are made in-house, and a couple of the libations even incorporate tea: the Daily Dose contains Earl Grey tea along with bourbon and lemon, while Liquid Luck has blueberry green tea-infused gin with Ohio maple syrup, lemon, egg white and cracked black pepper.

The restaurant’s interior is so distinctive that diners have been coming back to take graduation and engagement photos there.

“We’ve got a lot of people who just want to come in and look all the time,” says Ada.

101 Beer Kitchen

The new shopping center on Polaris Parkway anchored by Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market offered the perfect spot for 101 Beer Kitchen’s third location, which opened in August at 817 Polaris Pkwy.

“Being able to be on the corner unit, especially with all the new businesses that are coming here … made a whole lot of sense,” says Michael Mejia, general manager.

The menu at 101 Beer Kitchen emphasizes local sourcing, and it changes seasonally, though some of the most popular items stick around for more than one season. These include the 101 Burger, with Nueske’s bacon, cheddar cheese and horseradish mayonnaise along with lettuce, pickles and tomato; the shrimp and grits, complete with Andouille sausage; the house-made tater tots appetizer with pork croutons, cheddar cheese, green onions and sriracha cream; the smoked and grilled chicken wings; and the green chili.

On the brunch menu are the Salmon BELT Sandwich, a croque madame pizza, fried chicken and biscuits, even 101's gourmet takes on Pop Tarts (nutella, caramelized bananas and berry sauce) and Twinkies (egg-battered brioche with vanilla pastry cream, mixed berry sauce and a side of sweet and salty bacon). A kids’ menu is taste-tested by the four children of 101 owners Thad and Jess Kittrell, with items served on TV trays.

As the restaurant’s name might imply, beer is the highlight of the drink menu. There are 89 bottles on the regular menu, as well as 19 taps that rotate as often as possible – many of them local, and all of them serving craft beer.

“All of our beer comes from places that are owned by (the breweries’) employees,” Mejia says.

Restaurant staffers make a point of trying different beers themselves every day so they can make the best possible recommendations, and customer suggestions are always welcomed. There’s an emphasis on making sure a variety of different styles are represented. Filling out the rest of the drink menu are wine, sangria, mead and cocktails.

“We have a contest every month with our bartenders,” Mejia says. “They all get a chance to make a cocktail, and they’re voted upon.”

The décor emphasizes comfort and rustic character, with clean lines and real wood.

“We want it to look like the kitchen table in your house,” says Mejia.

Northstar Café

One of the more recent newcomers is Northstar Café, which opened its doors at 109 S. State St., just south of Uptown, in March.

It’s the fourth Northstar location in central Ohio and the fifth overall, with the original located in the Short North. Its proximity to the Northstar at Easton Town Center is closer than the company likes its locations to be, but Westerville was such a priority area – the walkability, the community spirit, the support of local business – that it was willing to overlook that fact, says Josiah Littrell, senior managing partner.

“This was always an area we knew we wanted to be in,” Littrell says.

The most popular item on the menu is the Northstar Burger, a veggie burger made with organic black beans, brown rice and beets and topped with white cheddar, kale, tomato, pickle and onion. Other highlights include the Citrus Crunch Salad, Thai Burrito and – on weekend mornings – the Cloud 9 Pancakes, made with ricotta cheese and served with real Ohio maple syrup and bananas.

Some new items have even been added for the Westerville restaurant, including guacamole and a chocolate chip cookie with sea salt, and a revamped version of the thin-crust pizzas served at other locations is expected soon.

Also on the menu are children’s meals, along with seven or eight high chairs; a bar with all Ohio draft beers and a variety of cocktails, such as the Rogue Ginger Mojito and Blackberry Smash; and a handful of fruit juices and smoothies, of which Littrell loves to recommend the Shooting Star: half organic carrot juice, half orange juice with a little bit of ginger.

“The Shooting Star is my miracle tonic for when people are feeling sick,” he says.

Just as important as the selection is what goes into Northstar’s food, Littrell says: hormone-free meats, organic produce, locally-grown ingredients, house-made ginger ale, real Ohio maple syrup, real butter and more to make a positive impact on the local and global communities. In central Ohio, only two organizations – The Ohio State University and Denison University – buy more organic produce.

“Something like 15 people (are) involved in making one veggie burger in the restaurant,” says Littrell.

Real hardwood, Italian leather and black granite tile are among the elements of the restaurant’s sustainable design.

Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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