Photo by Wes Kroninger
It would be an understatement to say there is a whole world of opportunities when it comes to Mexican and Latin American cuisine in central Ohio.
The challenge isn’t finding a good restaurant; it’s narrowing down the options to one restaurant and, once you get there, narrowing down the menu items to one choice.
For our second CityScene Food Fight! feature, we took a look at 10 of central Ohio’s best Latin American restaurants – some of them aren’t strictly Mexican – and highlighted some of the unique and popular items on their menus.
Food Fight: The battle of the bakeries
Otros Opciónes
Abuelo’s: Easton
Azteca Mexican Grill: Northwest Columbus, Powell
Bakersfield: Short North
Blue Agave: Westerville, New Albany
Casa Fiesta: Hilliard
Casa Hacienda Grill: North Columbus
Casa Patron: Dublin
Cazuela’s Grill: University District
Cinco: Downtown Columbus
Condado Tacos: Short North
Cuco’s Taqueria: Northwest Columbus
El Acapulco: Polaris
El Jalapeño Mexican Grill: Clintonville
El Portal: Reynoldsburg
El Vaquero: Nine central Ohio locations
Fiesta Jalisco: North Columbus, Powell
La Casita: Northwest Columbus
La Patrona: Clintonville
Las Margaritas: Westerville, Gahanna, Canal Winchester
Los Guachos Taqueria: Gahanna, northwest Columbus
Mi Cerrito: Delaware
Nada: Arena District
Rancho Alegre: Grandview Heights, Upper Arlington, north Columbus
Señor Tequilas: Polaris, Worthington
Sí Señor! sandwiches & more: Downtown Columbus
Señor Antonio's Mexicano Restaurante & Cantina: Lewis Center
Tres Potrillos: Galloway, Marysville
Zapata’s Grill: Pickerington
Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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Photo by Wes Kroninger
Massive Attack
Massive Attack The trademark menu item at Yabo’s Tacos – with locations in Westerville, Upper Arlington and Powell – certainly lives up to its name. The Massive Yabo is a 12-inch flour tortilla crammed with American cheese, a corn tortilla, Southwestern spiced chicken, shredded pork, shredded beef and grilled vegetables, then topped with queso fresco, cilantro, shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. It weighs in at about two pounds. “Most people, after seeing it for the first time, usually have some kind of comment like, ‘OMG, that’s huge,’” says owner Scott Boles. “We know.” -Garth Bishop
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Photo by Wes Kroninger
Mexican Made Modern
Contemporary twists on traditional Mexican cuisine are the milieu of Tex-Mex spot Cantina Laredo, which has its only central Ohio location in Polaris Fashion Place’s outdoor area. With dishes featuring vegetables in vibrant reds, yellows and greens, the meals are feasts for the eyes as well as the mouth. The restaurant’s take on Chilean sea bass, a stalwart of high-end restaurants, is served with jalapeño buerre blanc, freshly grilled asparagus and cilantro lime rice. “This is a signature, modern Mexican dish found only at Cantina Laredo,” says General Manager Michael Belcastro. -Sarah Sole
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Photo by Wes Kroninger
In with the New (Mexican)
Its Anasazi barbecue sauce is a unique offering at New Mexican restaurant Chile Verde Café, with locations in Polaris and northwest Columbus, so it’s only fitting that it be part of its most popular dish: the BBQ Grilled Fajita Burrito. The burrito is made with either steak tenderloin, chicken or a combination thereof. The meat is sautéed with green and red peppers and onions before it’s wrapped in a seasoned tortilla. The dish is covered with the Anasazi barbeque sauce and served with queso salsa and a side of New Mexican rice or pinto beans. “It’s our most popular dish since we’ve been open 24 years,” says owner Tom Anthony. “We’ve built a restaurant on this dish.” -Hannah Bealer
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Photo by Garth Bishop
A Five-Decade Fiesta
Among Mexican restaurants, Grove City-based Talita’s Mexican Kitchen is an institution in central Ohio. The recipe for the restaurant’s signature Wet ’n Cheesie Burrito hasn’t changed much since restaurant namesake Talita Arroyo first put it on the menu at the restaurant’s 1968 founding, though the big burrito – smothered in cheese and enchilada sauce – is now available in nine varieties. And that suits customers just fine, says owner Frank Prince. “We’ve got four generations that still come back to enjoy it,” Prince says. “A lot of people, the first thing they do when they come back in town … is to get a Wet ’n Cheesie Burrito.” -Garth Bishop
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Photo by Garth Bishop
Tremendous Tortas
Located in downtown Columbus, El Camino Inn has the feel of a vintage American bar – but with an authentic Mexican menu. Owner Tina Corbin says the tortas are standout items, each with a bakery-fresh bun that’s sliced and grilled with the customer’s choice of barbacoa beef, chicken tinga or carnitas, along with mayo, refried beans, avocado, shredded lettuce, pickled jalapeños, Oaxaca cheese, tomato and onion. “It’s completely authentic, and it’s the best one I’ve found in town,” Corbin says, adding that Mexican staff members helped craft El Camino’s menu. “It’s the best one I’ve had, other than the ones you have from Mexican food trucks in Mexico.” -Hannah Bealer
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Photo by Sarah Sole
Hot Stuff
There’s no shortage of beloved items on the menu at La Fogata Grill, with locations in Pickerington and the Short North, but one in particular sparks a burning desire among customers. Among diners’ favorites on the menu is Pollo en Fuego, which includes grilled chicken strips cooked with pineapple simmered in a combination of four of the restaurant’s special sauces. The dish is served with rice and beans and drizzled with cheese dip. “The dish is called En Fuego, which means ‘on fire,’ because it’s a little spicy,” says manager Juan Alvarez. -Sarah Sole
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Photo by Sarah Sole
Go Fish
Local Cantina – with locations in Grandview Heights, Gahanna and Clintonville – isn’t the only game in town when it comes to fish tacos, but it certainly puts its own twist on them. The Cantina Fish Taco is filled with beer-battered fish and chipotle cream, along with seasoning and spices, but it’s the jalapeño coleslaw – ingredients include cinnamon, sugar and red onions – that sets it apart from its contemporaries, says General Manager Leanna McKenney. “With the jalapeño coleslaw, they took some time to develop the recipe,” McKenney says. “It’s not a typical mayonnaise-based coleslaw.” -Garth Bishop
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Photo by Sarah Sole
Better than Bananas
The plantain is a major cooking staple in coastal parts of South America, so it’s no surprise that El Arepazo, which specializes in Colombian and Venezuelan cuisine, would include it in one of its most interesting offerings. Patacon – served at all three Arepazo restaurants in downtown Columbus, German Village and Gahanna – is a whole plantain, smashed and deep-fried, and served with the diner’s choice of protein, lettuce, banana peppers, avocado, mozzarella and provolone cheeses, and mojito, Arepazo’s take on pico de gallo. It’s an authentic Colombian dish that’s tough to find elsewhere, says Amanda Meredith, manager at the Gahanna location. “(Customers) don’t try other things on the menu when they’ve tried it,” Meredith says. -Garth Bishop
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Photo by Hannah Bealer
Big Hass Man
Tacos Hass has only been open for about a year at its northwest Columbus location, but owner Jose Banderas says many of its menu items – consisting mostly of tacos – are already favorites. The burrito percheron – made with fresh ingredients including firewood steak, creamy mushrooms, green onions, sliced avocadoes, potatoes and bacon – has received “amazing” feedback, Banderas says. “People just love (the burrito percheron),” Banderas says. “We prepare it when people order. Everything’s from scratch, and the tortilla is by hand.” -Hannah Bealer
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Photo by Hannah Bealer
Marvelous Mango
Modern Mexican cuisine is the name of the game at Lunada Mexican Grill & Cantina in Hilliard, and a contemporary twist on a Mexican tradition has captured diners’ hearts there. Carnitas appear on many a menu, but they enjoy a sizable following at Lunada, especially when it comes to the carnitas quesadilla. It’s a 10-inch flour tortilla with carnitas, rice, lettuce, sour cream and pico de gallo, along with a mango barbecue sauce to give it a unique flavor. “It’s something that not everyone has,” says manager Jose Mata. -Sarah Sole
