A little over six months ago, the Wonder Bread Lofts welcomed its newest bar and restaurant: City Tavern. Recently, I was able to sit down with the restaurant’s manager, Rachel Frye, to discuss what separates City Tavern from the (sometimes overwhelming) number of other restaurants in the Short North.
“Our goal is to become your neighborhood bar,” Frye told me. Unlike a lot of places, City Tavern views building a relationship with its customers as a top priority. “I’ve loved getting to know the regulars as they come in. This is the kind of place we want you to come back to because you’ve started to build a relationship with us . . . The Wonder Bread has been great because we’ve gotten to know tenants and I’m looking forward to building on those relationships.”
But City Tavern isn’t just relying on convenience and friendly service. Here, good, down-to-earth service means nothing if there isn’t good food to back it up. With plenty of options to choose from, the restaurant boasts that their whole menu is about “98% homemade.” Diners can be confident that they’re getting the absolute best. In fact, City Tavern uses Ray Ray’s meat for their barbecue (if that doesn’t boost your confidence, we don’t know what will). Want a Reuben instead? Know that it’s been roasted for 8 hours. Daily. Customers can also enjoy 14 beers on tap, bottles of about any liquor you could imagine, and an even bigger selection of canned beer. While taps rotate frequently, you can always enjoy Bodhi, the Columbus Brewing Company favorite, among other great drafts.
And let’s not forget about the location. Unlike most Short North restaurants, City Tavern boasts its own parking lot directly across from the establishment. As 4th Street continues to become more and more developed, City Tavern sits at the southern most point of what is becoming Columbus’s newest and most exciting strip for restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, condos, and more.
“[The view] is special. We hosted a Red, White, and Boom party . . . It looks great at night,” Frye told me. It’s completely true. I don’t know if there’s a more unobstructed view of Columbus. The restaurant’s interior is just as beautiful. City Tavern is able to balance the unique, industrial feel of The Wonder Bread while maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Sunlight pours through original factory windows onto warm and polished wooden elements, like their beautiful bar. With even more TVs added for football season, we can’t imagine a better, more beautiful place to watch the game.
City Tavern is located at 697 N. 4th Street and is open daily from 11AM-12AM (2:30AM on Friday & Saturday). Interested in their best deals? Check out their website or the list below.
Enjoy Happy Hour from 3-7 on Monday through Friday! Enjoy $4 drafts. $3 drafts on Mondays and $4 glasses of wine on Tuesdays. During football games, customers can get chicken drums for only $5!
Why are you waiting to become a regular? Head there now!
