Diners in Columbus showed an appetite for elevated Italian dining in this year’s Best of the ‘Bus poll, awarding Bar Italia first place and Metsi’s second in the Best New Restaurant category. While the two concepts offer distinctly different atmospheres, both have quickly become standout additions in the city’s restaurant scene through thoughtful interpretations of classic Italian dining.
First – Bar Italia
Bar Italia
Bar Italia
Taking first place is Bar Italia, an Italian restaurant that came to Easton Town Center in June 2025. The bistro draws inspiration from big-city Italian-American restaurants, pairing fresh pasta with a lively atmosphere that brings the Miami feel to this suburban shopping center.
The concept was developed by NCR Ventures, a restaurant group founded by Rick Doody, who started beloved German Village destination Lindey’s with his mother, Sue Doody, in 1981. The Easton location is its fifth, with two others in Ohio – in Lakewood and Beachwood – and two more in Florida.
The restaurant’s layout centers on its marble bar, with guests immediately enveloped in an elegant yet lively atmosphere as they walk through the doors. High ceilings and expansive windows keep the restaurant bright and airy during the day, while the lighting turns the atmosphere into something moodier and more upscale at night. Floor-to-ceiling windows are fully open during warmer months, transforming the bar into an open-air patio.
“When they come in and all these doors open up, (patrons) feel like they’re somewhere else,” says Joe Isbell, managing partner for Bar Italia Easton.
The menu leans into modern Italian-American dining through elevated classics and an emphasis on shareable dining. Among the restaurant’s most popular dishes is the spicy vodka rigate – a rich, creamy pasta served “Carbone style” with a kick of heat and bold flavor. Another standout is the “Famous House-Made” lasagna, layered with slow-developed meat sauce and fresh pasta, topped with whipped ricotta.
Other classic dishes include the crispy chicken limone – a Parmesan-crusted chicken, accompanied by mafaldine pasta and arugula salad and topped with a tangy lemon butter sauce – and the grilled branzino, served “Via Carota” style with lemon butter, capers, olive oil and sauteed broccolini.
Beyond the food, the dining experience is shaped by Italian aperitivo culture, offering spritzes, Negronis and crafted cocktails.
Second – Metsi’s
Jordan Posner
Jordan Posner
In June 2025, chef BJ Lieberman opened Metsi’s in the Italian Village space that previously housed Hiraeth before it closed in 2024. Lieberman – the man behind Ginger Rabbit Jazz Club and the award-winning Chapman’s Eat Market, which closed in July 2025 – sought neighborhood input when crafting Metsi’s vision and found that people wanted a space that reflected his personality and passion for food.
The name “Metsi’s” is a nod to Lieberman’s father, whose grandchildren call him Metsi in honor of his favorite baseball team, the New York Mets.
“Food was always a big part of our family growing up,” Lieberman says. “When we decided we wanted to open an Italian restaurant, I really wanted it to be like the restaurant my dad would open… I call it more like metropolitan Italian, like the New York kind of Italian that I grew up with.”
Metsi’s menu was crafted with flexibility, allowing chefs to make creative choices on traditional dishes with a focus on using seasonal ingredients.
In most of Lieberman’s restaurants, his menus are constantly updated, with each new spread offering completely new options. This time, Lieberman is trying something new. While there are still seasonal dishes, multiple items are permanent fixtures on the menu.
Chef Greg’s Famous Bolognese, a standard of the menu’s signature pastas, features handmade pappardelle topped with a meat sauce simmered to perfection and covered with Parmesan. Metsi’s offers a hearty yet sophisticated interpretation of the classic dish, using wood-fired cooking to intensify its flavors.
The menu includes each team member’s favorite dishes, with their individual culinary backgrounds reflected in what is served. Gregory Gautz, head chef, has a background in Italian cuisine that emphasizes the importance of quality sauce.
“I feel like people take for granted that a good sauce takes almost all day,” Gautz says. “We have our chefs come in at 8 or 9 a.m., and the first thing they do is get a pot on.”
The restaurant’s ground-level dining room is light and airy, designed to feel like an indoor patio. Patrons are met with a windowless lower level and dark walls, illuminated by a fire hearth whose warm glow envelops the room. The lower level features an open kitchen, allowing staff and guests to share the dining experience.
Every detail at Metsi’s, from the design to the dishes, was created with a sense of purpose, something Lieberman hopes guests recognize.
“We have a lot to say, and there’s only so much room on the menu to say it,” he says. “We’re hoping that people can dig one layer deeper with us.”
Megan Brokamp is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mbrokamp@cityscenemediagroup.com.
