It’s simply impossible to talk about awesome food in Ohio, without mentioning Liz Lessner.

Let’s just say that, if you live in Columbus, she co-owns, at least one of your favorite restaurants. 

Here’s the rundown:

Betty’s - the pinup-themed original with the great jukebox, where you’ll order the unbelievably tasty Pumpkin Love cobbler… and an extra bowl to take with you, because this stuff isn’t just “Pumkin Love”, it’s the pure essence of love in food form. 

Surly Girl Saloon - the Pirate & Cowboy themed home to microbrews on draft, comfort food, punk rock aerobics, and the annual parking lot blowout. We highly recommend the grilled cheese and tomato soup. Really. They’ve mastered the art of comfort food. The clearly labeled local/organic/women-brewed microbrews are a nice touch too. 

Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails - a downtown Columbus bar, that’s Columbus-themed, with comfort food, microbrews, pies and whiskey. Just thinking about pie and whiskey makes us a little whistful. 

Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace - pretty self-explanatory, really. Hotdogs and booze. These are, of course, some of the tastiest hotdogs and cocktails you’ll ever encounter. Plus, it is 2010, so vegan dogs are available… and delicious.

Coming Soon: The Jury Room - OK, it’s not really coming soon, since it’s the oldest continuously running bar in Columbus (1831, yo), but it will soon be joining the Betty’s Family of Restaurants. 

We made a big mistake, here. We ate at home today, but now that we’ve written this, we’re thinking about dipping down to Betty’s to pick up some Cajun Crab Pasta. 

Alive & Unedited: Elizabeth Lessner (via ColumbusAlive) - 2007