Traveling this holiday season and looking for a place near Gahanna, Ohio to enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner? Or maybe you just don’t feel like cooking Thanksgiving Dinner and tackling that turkey?  Then…these Gahanna area restaurants have got you covered! 

 


94^th Aero Squadron
5030 Sawyer Rd, Gahanna (614) 237-8887; Thanksgiving Buffet Hours:  11am-5pm.  Call for pricing.  Reservations required.

Bob Evans 1380 N. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna (614/418-4791) and 443 Morison Rd., Gahanna (614/475-4141) or check with the Restaurant for holiday hours. 



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Coopers Hawk Winery, 4230 The Strand, Easton Town Center, 614/428-6999
11am-9:30 pm (last seating).  Traditional Thanksgiving Meal, plus regular menu available.  COST: $27.99 for adults, $9.99 for children 12 and under.
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McCormick & Schmick's. 3965 New Bond Street,  Easton Town Center.  614/476-3663. Call for pricing.

Smith & Wollensky, 4145 The Strand West, Easton Town Center, 614/416-2400 for reservations.  Enjoy a Thanksgiving Day Menu for $49 per adult and $20 per child. Regular Dinner Menu will also be available.  Menu includes Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Truffled Mustard Cream;  Chopped Salad with Romaine, Radicchio, Apples, Pears, Persimmon, Citrus Vinaigrette; Herb Roasted Turkey with Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing, Cranberry Relish and Giblet Gravy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Caramelized Shallots Potatoes Au Gratin with Farmhouse Cheddar Duck Fat Roasted Root Vegetables – Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips; choose one Classic Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream, Warm Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream or  Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. 

TO GO: Want to dine at home, but without the work?

City Barbeque , 108 S. Stygler Rd., Gahanna.  614/416-8890
Place your order by the day before Thanksgiving and schedule your pickup between 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  MENU & COSTS:  Smoked turkey breast serving 8 ($45), Hickory-smoked ham serving 10 ($69); Smoked Whole turkey serving 14 ($79); Additional add-ons -Sides vary Holiday Party Packs with two meats and two sides serve 6-24 guests for $45.95 – $164.95
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Post by Pam Brown, Office Manager, Gahanna OH Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Bring your friends or family and come join Visit Gahanna (Gahanna Convention & Visitors Bureau) for some magical holiday fun, from 2-7 pm this Sunday, November 20! Gahanna’s Holiday Lights Celebration offers five hours and 90+ FREE activities in the heart of the city’s Creekside District (117 Mill St). Download a map and full schedule of events now. (Printed maps will be available at the event.) A few things you should keep in mind before you arrive …

1. Dress for the Weather! The forecast for Sunday is 40 degrees and possibly a bit windy. Since the majority of the activities are outside, bundle up your bunch in winter attire. There will be plenty of shops, restaurants and businesses in the Creekside area to visit and warm up – but you’ll also want to make sure you don’t miss the outdoor activities like the live Reindeer Petting Zoo, Live Nativity, pony rides, horse-drawn carriage rides and more!

2. Where to Park.  Mill Street (and several of the surrounding side streets) will be closed starting Sunday morning.  Public parking will be available at the Creekside Garage (on Mill St.) for $5/per car. Free parking is available at Friendship Park, the VFW lot (off Johnstown Rd), Shull Park (off of Granville St) and the Gahanna Municipal Golf Course. Some limited street parking may be available near the event footprint.

3. What’s NEW this year? With 90+ activities (more than ever before) there are plenty of new additions, and many returning favorites. Enjoy a ride on the new Holly Jolly Holiday Train, watch an ice sculpture carving demonstration, meet an ambassador wolf with Ironwood Wolves, visit 5 designated Pokemon Go stops (and enter to win Pokemon coins), get a sneak peak at the Ohio Chinese Lantern Display and much more! (Check out the list of activities to learn more)

4. Eat, Drink & Be Merry!  There will be a variety of food trucks at the event, serving up some hot fare, warm beverages and great scents. Or visit one of the dozen Creekside Area restaurants and enjoy a leisurely meal, a drink, a snack and a place to warm up! (Note: Many Creekside area restaurants are offering Holiday Lights specials!)

5. Let Us Entertain You! It wouldn’t be the holiday season without music and entertainment!  The KEMBA Holiday Stage (at Creekside Plaza) will present the Gahanna Drill Team (3 pm); Madisson DeFrank, Miss Columbus Teen (3:30 pm); Dollenmayer Dance Studio (4 pm); Stonybrook Church Brass Quintet (4:30 pm); Irwin Academy of Irish Dance (5 pm); GLHS Orchestra (5:30 pm); Sing-a-long with Ohio Dominican University Carolers (6 pm and 6:30 pm); Santa’s Arrival and the Tree Lighting (6:15 pm).  In addition, the Olde Gahanna Sanctuary will be the location for a Puppet Show (2:30 pm), a performance by the New Horizons Community Band (2:45 pm) and a Holiday Movie with popcorn & cookie decorating (3:30 pm, presented by Infinite Church). 

6. Make Time to Give Back.  ‘Tis the season of giving and there will be several opportunities to give back during the Holiday Lights Celebration. Bring a pair of new or gently used children’s winter boots to donate to GRIN (Gahanna Residents in Need).  Donate some children’s books to Elizabeth’s Book Drive. Decorate a luminaria bag with the American Cancer Society in honor of a friend or loved one. Write or color a card for the U.S. Troops serving overseas with CenterPoint Church. 

7. Secret Santa Shopping & Treats!  Visit the Gahanna Historical Settlement and start your Secret Santa Shopping. See the living history museum, enjoy kids' activities, hot beverages and chili and visit the Winter Village Houses! Take the FREE shuttle to/ from the Historical Settlement from the Old Gahanna Sanctuary ( 82 N. High St.)

8. Santa’s Arrival!  Before Santa arrives, stop by the Visit Gahanna booth and write a letter to Santa! (We’ll deliver them for you.)  Then be sure to be in the Creekside Plaza area around 6 pm when the Big Guy rides into town on a snow-blowing Firetruck, led by the Gahanna Lincoln High School Marching Band. He’ll then light the Community Tree. After the ceremony, kids can visit with Santa and share their wishes.

9. Chinese Lantern Festival Preview. Get a sneak peak at the fabulous Ohio Chinese Lantern Festival (coming to Columbus this holiday season) by checking out one of the exquisite (giant) silk lanterns! 

10. Candlelight Walk.  End the evening with a little magic … by participating in a beautiful caroler-led candlelight walk through Creekside Park!

To learn more, call the Gahanna OH Convention & Visitors Bureau 614/418-9114 or go to: VisitGahanna.com 

 

 
Post by Laurie Jadwin, Executive Director of Visit Gahanna (Gahanna OH Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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We’re just a couple of days away from the Gahanna Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (Visit Gahanna) 2016 Holiday Lights Celebration, a family fun celebration that takes over the city’s Creekside District and creates a bit of holiday magic for kids of all ages.  What was once a 40-minute parade has evolved into a 5-hour-long interactive experience offering more than 90 FREE activities that engage and treat the senses.  How did this evolve?  Glad you asked!

For many years, Visit Gahanna presented an evening holiday parade. When it was first introduced, the event was the first and only one of its kind in the area. Visitors would come down, stake their spot along the street, watch the parade, and go home as soon as Santa passed them by.  Over the years, more and more communities began their own evening parades that impacted both our participants and our attendees.  Meanwhile, several years of follow-up surveys with attendees told us they wanted more activities, more things to DO with the family.  Local organizations, merchants and restaurants similarly told us THEY wanted to be an active part of the event … to truly make it a COMMUNITY experience.

They spoke. We listened. Visit Gahanna’s Holiday Lights Celebration now has transformed into nearly an entire day of hands-on (FREE) holiday family fun, thanks to the support of our sponsors and the participation of dozens of local organizations and businesses.  Instead of sitting on a cold curb, waiting for the parade to pass them by, visitors can now wander Gahanna’s beautiful Creekside District at their own pace, enjoying such things as a reindeer petting zoo, pony rides, rides on the Holly Jolly Holiday Train, a game truck, ice sculpture demonstrations, horse-drawn carriage rides, business open houses, Touch-a-Truck displays, crafts, carolers, an entertainment line-up that features hundreds of performers, holiday sing-a-longs and more.  And no need to sit on that cold curb.  If a winter chill sets in, visitors can just stop in one of a dozen restaurants in our downtown area (or grab something from one of the food trucks that will be onsite) and warm up with a delicious meal or even just a cup of steaming hot chocolate!

In the true spirit of making the Holiday Lights Celebration a community experience, two Gahanna non-profit organizations will be onsite during the event, collecting donations to help those less fortunate.  Gahanna Residents in Need (GRIN) will collect new/gently-used winter boots for children of elementary and middle school age, while Elizabeth’s Book Drive will be on hand to accept donations of new/gently-used children’s books that they will distribute to kids throughout Central Ohio and beyond.

At 6 p.m., Santa will ride into town a snow-blowing firetruck, led by the Gahanna Lincoln High School Marching Band and Gahanna Rotary Hot Air Balloon, where he will light the Community Tree. After the ceremony, kids can visit with Santa and families can enjoy a beautiful caroler-led candlelight walk through Creekside Park.

For those still longing to watch a lighted holiday parade, there are many great options in communities surrounding Columbus – including a state-of-the-art commercial parade at Easton Town Center (our neighbors immediately to the east).

To learn more about what you’ll find at the 2016 Holiday Lights Celebration—or to download the event map (and chart your adventure!)—check out VisitGahanna.com or call 614/418-9114.  We hope you’ll bring the family or some friends and come make some happy holiday memories with us THIS Sunday (November 20)!

 

 

One of Gahanna's not-so-hidden treasures is Arepazo Tapas & Wine. Local residents and visitors from far-and-wide who come back for the restaurant's amazing food and unique flavors. (No wonder it's a favorite!) We caught up with Carolina Gutierres, who owns the restaurant, along with Carlos Gutierrez to ask about their secret recipe for success...

 Q: When and how was Arepazo established?

It was established in 2005. In 2012, the second Arepazo located in Olde Gahanna was opened. In 2014, we opened the third location in the Brewery District.

Q: What inspired you to start the restaurant?

Columbus is a diverse city that embraces new cultures. For the better lack of South American food, and the success of the 5 consecutive years of Arepazo participating in the Latino restaurant market, we thought it was time to open a brick and mortar restaurant here to offer daily basics in authentic Latin cuisine.

Q: Why did you choose Gahanna as the home for Arepazo?

The landlord came to us. I guess that he’d heard good things about our concept and wanted to do something similar in his building. Despite the fact that other restaurants had failed in that location, we took our chances and were confident that Gahanna would embrace us well.

Q: What are Arepazo’s specialties?

I believe it’s the best fusion of South American dishes. Even though we are Colombian and Venezuelan owners, we want people to try different dishes from Cuba, Peru and Mexico. We specialize in Plantains, which is a type of banana that needs to be cooked in order to eat it. It has the perfect sweetness to be combined with the saltiness of our shredded meats or vegetarian options. We also named our restaurant after the word Arepa. An Arepa is a flattened and grilled corn meal bun originating from South America. It’s an indigenous dish found mostly in countries like Colombia and Venezuela.

Q: What’s unique about Arepazo? What sets it apart from other restaurants?

Carlos and I try to bring the best to our menu when it comes to Latin food. We buy good produce and stay at an affordable price point. It’s a place for people that like to travel and enjoy good food. It’s for the ones who enjoy authentic Latin food.

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Arepazo Tapas & Wine Gahanna
93 N. High St. Gahanna, OH 43230
614/471-7296
elarepazolatingrill.com

HOURS:
Mondays-Thursdays:   11 am-2:30 and 5-10 pm
Fridays:                      11 am-2:30 and 5-11 pm
Saturdays:                  11 am-11 pm
Sundays:                     Closed

Happy Hour:  Mon-Friday 5-7 pm
Wine Down on Thursdays with all wines ½ off.

Just six months into their opening in Gahanna, Kindred Artisan Ales has already established a strong reputation for its craft beers and (really) cool tasting room. We caught up with KAA’s Head Brewer, Max Lachowyn, to find out what’s on tap for fall.