Northstar Cafe in the Short North

Great for breakfast and lunch. The avocado chicken sandwich is great with a finely toasted bun. Nice outdoor sitting area with heaters, which make sitting outside blissful. Very clean inside and outside. The staff are particularly careful about cleanliness of mugs and silverware. We saw them checking and changing three mugs before handing us one that did not have any spots on it. They are also careful to not touch inside the mugs. And the best of all, we noticed some items in the menu and ingredients staff use are organic. What better than having organic food at reasonable price. This place left a good memory of Columbus for us. I wish them a booming business for their quality work and service.

In town visiting for work and came across the Northstar Cafe. Quick service - even with a number of customers arriving at the same time. My order was taken promptly, and some personal recommendations provided by the server. Seated outside, great atmosphere both inside and outside. Ended up with the chicken and avocado sandwich which was delicious. For a drink I had the shooting star. When traveling for work I try to find any opportunity to maximize healthy options. Really great meal, friendly staff and good atmosphere.

I was visiting from out of town for a conference and my friend and I came for dinner. The manager, Gabe was very warm and inviting to us. We ordered the chicken and avocado sandwich and Pimiento burger w/sweet potato fries. Gabe even let us try the the Northstar burger since it was our first time there! The food was simply delicious & the house ginger ale is amazing!!! Beautiful, comfortable ambiance. We didn’t have drinks other than the house ale, but they have a full bar with wine and cocktails that looks well stocked! A must try! 👍🏽😍

North Star is always solid and this location is no exception. Has a good look and a good vibe, with big windows that make people watching fun. Service was great, everybody who worked there was attentive and nice. Food was also good. Got the breakfast burrito and the turkey hash.

Absolutely amazing establishment. All staff was friendly and helpful. I had a few questions on ingredients and they were able to explain everything as I needed! The shooting star drink is OUT OF THIS WORLD, DELICIOUS. The fish sandwich was fresh and warm! The northstar burger was one of the best restaurant vegetarian burgers I’ve ever had. So full of flavor! The kale slaw on top was absolutely delicious! Beverages are self serve!

I got the smoothie bowl with a praline scone and it was DIVINE. Kept dipping the scone into the smoothie; it had a crunchy, flaky texture, and an incredibly savory aftertaste. Definitely the highlight of my trip.

Late brunch on a Saturday was lively. The line was deep, but it moved a long reasonably. The staff was friendly, experienced and made the visit pleasant. Their Bloody Mary is popping, spicy, delicious. The biscuits and jam are a delightful surprise. We left feeling cheerful and satisfied.

Cute clean restaurant. We stopped for breakfast. You order food at the counter, cafe style. They bring your food to you. Perfect mimosa’s. Freshly juiced carrots. The oats were a perfect serving size. Breakfast was delicious. The kids ate pancakes and drank organic root beer. The coffee was strong. Over all a beautiful setting and would recommend.

The Food was Definitely Delicious and Tasty and Savor. Plus the mint ice coffee was delicious and perfect

Extraordinary menu and very popular restaurant. Whether breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack is what you have in mind - this is an excellent choice. I recently discovered the oatmeal (jarred with a smear of nut butter and plenty of dried fruit and nuts) and an order of toast - perfect little soldiers of high quality bread toasted and served with softened butter and jam. I have never had a simpler yet more satisfying breakfast. Outstanding with hot coffee.

Overall, Northstar Café is one of my favorite places. It has a great atmosphere and is always a fun, upbeat place to dine. The staff and energy are consistently positive, and their kitchen runs impressively well stations are well staffed, things move efficiently, and they genuinely make an effort to get food out quickly without sacrificing quality. Everything is consistently delicious, and in all the years the Beechwold location has been open, I've never had a bad meal. On the rare occasions when something hasn't gone quite right, the manager has immediately offered a complimentary meal card without any prompting. That's been my experience across multiple Northstar locations over the last 10 years, and it really says a lot about how they value their customers. They're also very accommodating. Once, I tried to place an online order right during the transition from brunch to dinner. The manager told me to come in and said they'd still make the brunch item I was craving and they also made me a dinner item (the mushroom frittata ). That kind of flexibility and care is exactly why people keep coming back Over the years, and especially post-pandemic, prices have definitely gone up. I'll admit I had a bit of sticker shock the first time I visited after reopening. That said, the quality and portion sizes haven't been compromised, which matters a lot to me. They also removed Beechwood salad from their menu is was one their bestselling. You can lose customers by cutting corners or using cheaper ingredients or you can adapt to the times while maintaining standards. Northstar has clearly chosen the latter.

Northstar is a Columbus Staple! This is another spot that if you have a guest coming in from out of town that wants a taste of Columbus; you have to come here; their brunch is undefeated! The service is always quick & incredibly friendly, & the food is delicious! My absolute favorite item is the smoothie bowl; it's blueberry heaven. The hash and ham and cheese scone are great breakfast picks if you're craving something a little more savory! The Northstar Burger is a hit as well, and the Earth Day freebie for this item is just another reason why Northstar is so fantastic!

The restaurant is absolutely charming, with a mix of tables and cozy booths. There's outdoor seating, an upstairs area, and a lovely decor. The staff was incredibly friendly, and the food was magnificent. We stopped in for a late breakfast--my friends ordered a wrap and a deluxe egg sandwich, and I had the ham and cheese scone. I never thought I could love a scone so much! I was hoping for a larger coffee selection, as there were only three drip options at a self-serve station, but everything else more than made up for it. When we left, they even had a fireplace going outside, which was such a warm and welcoming touch.

Overall ok but not impressed. Parking is on the street at a meter. I can see parking being an issue if and when the area gets busy. Service is okay you pay at the counter and they bring you the food so difficult to have bad service. The food is expensive bowel of chili, burrito, juice, beer, soda and cider with a 15% tip $80! Overall I would not visit again however I would not not suggest it. I would say good atmosphere, friendly people but that is it.

We visited Columbus at the end of November 2025. We weren't satisfied with the hotel breakfast, so we decided to have breakfast at this cafe. From the very first minutes, we liked it here: clean, cozy, and friendly staff. We ordered: mushroom frittata, ricotta pancakes, and of course, coffee. Everything was very delicious. The mushrooms were very aromatic, and the fried potatoes that came with them were some of the tastiest I've ever eaten. The pancakes were also very tasty and tender. The portions are quite large, and most of the ingredients used are organic. It's also worth noting that the prices in this cafe are affordable. I would recommend this cafe to my friends and acquaintances.

Cute little spot! Came here for brunch on a Saturday and it was pretty packed but we were still able to find a table. Parking was a breeze due to the garage right across the street. I had the deluxe breakfast sandwich and it was delicious! The ciabatta was so yummy. The hot apple cider was super tasty and I am looking forward to the next time I go just so I can drink this again!

Went here which a group of 9 ladies and we lucked out with two booths next to each other. It's an order and then seat yourself kind of place. The waitstaff was wonderful - super efficient. I ordered the sweet potato hash and it was delicious! There's street parking and self serve coffee!

Wow!! This is a great place for breakfast/brunch. We were on our way out of town after the 2025 CrossFit Age Group Games and needed breakfast for the road. This place was perfect because you order at the counter and then have a seat, so it can be a somewhat quick stop if that's what you need. They serve Counter Culture coffee. So, needless to say the regular brew here is delish!!! After a short wait, our food arrived at the table. The presentation was top notch, the dishes were beautiful, so first impressions were good. The quality of ingredients and seasoning was outstanding. The sweet potatoes and smoked turkey was dressed with roasted red peppers that added just a hint of "heat" to the flavor profile. The eggs were cooked just right with the runny yolks spreading over the dish. WONDERFUL. The only other item I tasted was a bite of my son's biscuit. It was fantastic, buttery, flaky, and melt in your mouth good. This is THE PLACE if you're in the Short North area or nearby at the Conventon Center.

We ate on the outdoor patio, it was so nice and peaceful. They also allowed us to have our dogs on the patio. I'm pretty sure the chef brought our food out and it was very fresh and hot. The presentation was great. I will have to say that it was the best fish sandwich I've ever had. The ingredients were very fresh and the salad was awesome. I will definitely be back. Highly recommend, a must try when visiting Columbus.

Great service! Clean and calm environment! The cheese burger I had was superb!!!! I will definitely be coming back here again! 10/10 Great place for a date, birthday or taking your family out to eat!

Food was so delicious. Mushrooms were accented in the frittata and meshed to well with the cheese and onions. The crunch on the bottom was perfect. The potatoes were seasoned so well and uniquely that I have never tasted potatoes with this much different flavor. It was outstanding. Arugula salad was dressed just right The atmosphere was quiet yet appealing with all guests there. Service was just right. Attentive yet not intrusive.

Wow just wow! My sister was even impressed! She had the basil wrap and loved it. I didn't try it but I rarely see her finish a meal and she did. The sweet potato fries with the rosemary aioli was soooooooo sooooooo good! One of the best mixed with aioli that I've had. I had the fish sandwich, and it was perfection. I love that it was grilled and not fried. Perfectly seasoned. Perfectly cooked. And HUGE! One of the biggest pieces of fish ever. It all was amazing Only thing I didn't like is that you order and then find a seat. And they were pretty busy. I'd go back for sure

This was such a cute spot for breakfast! Although we didn't get any pastries, they looked amazing and are made fresh daily! I got the country breakfast and my wife got the breakfast burrito, and they were amazing!

Northstar makes a phenomenal burger. Recently tried the classic cheeseburger again, and once again it surpassed expectations. Excellent quality meat that is well cooked. Bun is nicely toasted. The breakfast potatoes that come alongside have great seasoning. This place remains extremely popular, but the wait usually isn't too long -- that is, if you can find a place to sit!

One of my favorite breakfast spots in all of Columbus. The fresh orange juice is the perfect compliment to any meal, it takes everything in me not to order one to go as well. I get my sweet potato and turkey hash with the eggs scrambled, I think they usually come with sunny side up but I'm a child and love them scrambled lol The biscuit with jam seems so simple but is the best way to end the meal, the biscuits are always so fresh and warm. My most favorite thing about this spot is how dog friendly it is. I'm able to walk in to the counter to order while with my dog then head out to the patio to wait for them to deliver my order. You'll usually are others with their dogs out here which is super nice and welcoming.

Stumbled upon this place as I was looking for something close to the airport for brunch. Northstar boasts itself as being a vegetarian restaurant and does as great job in upholding this! They do offer the option to add meat to a few dishes. At this particular location, you wait in line to order food and then are given a location buzzer so that they know where you are in the restaurant to deliver your food. PRO TIP: you can skip the line and order food and drinks at the bar! I was able to enjoy the mushroom frittata and the shooting star juice. The frittata and accompanying arugula were fantastic, but I did feel it required a touch of hot sauce. However, the potatoes served with the dish were seasoned to perfection. The shooting star is the perfect balance of healthy and sweet. Pro tip #2: Northstar will validate your parking in you park in the garage adjacent to the restaurant.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Clean, morden, cozy, warm and comfortable that I feel I want to go back. I saw many single customers eating alone happily. I want to do that! Food is pretty good and very clean. Had a veggie wrap with tofu. Loved it. They put a hint of cilantro and tastes bewituful. Coffee can be self service you can get until you cannot. Such a happy place.

Ordered takeout lunch here for an account of mine. The patio was open in full force. It was somewhat busy but they took my order fast. The order took awhile to be prepared so the wait time was a little longer than I had expected but regardless, they had me out the door and off to my office. The food is consistently good and presented well.

We stopped by for drinks and dinner. Decided to sit at the bar where you have full service. (Tip: Sitting directly at the bar is the only place you can get direct full service at northstar... all other tables need to stand in queue and order at the front counter.). Full disclosure: I know two of the servers/bartenders here very well, so my (positive) opinion of the staff may be biased. However even before I knew staff I was coming here and have always liked this location best. There is just something about the flow of the space that I feel gives off good energy. Plus its in the perfect location of the Short North. The staff here hustles and is friendly. The food has never let me down here. If you're on the fence hop off it and come on down to this location! Food: My husband ordered a Paloma and I ordered the guac n chips. Then for dinner we ordered a northstar burger and a grilled chicken sandwich. When at the bar you can get free complimentary pimento cheese. Its a little smaller than the guac appetizer but still a nice size. This is served with house made tortilla chips. The hand made guacamole is amazing. Very flavorful. Tonight it could have been plated with a tiny bit more guac, but still it was delicious. My husband liked his burger. I shy away from red meat, so I will take his word on that. My chicken was tender and flavorful. The lettuce was crispy. Bun fresh. I took off the tomato but it was ripe and nicely cut (gave to husband) We didnt have room for dessert. However, if you like carrot cake... theirs is "amazing". Its seeved in a mason jar, layered. Their oatmeal cookie is excellent, too Hope you enjoy Northstar as much as we do!

Food was delicious. Atmosphere was great. Perfect venue for a chilled brunch with friends. Was happy to see Nicaraguan coffee too which was so good!

Great food, good atmosphere, priced right. Worth the visit. We stopped in Colombia for a quick dance tour and this was one of the hidden gems. Thank you all for everything

Great place I had cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. Sweet potato fries were so good. The flavor was wonderful. The staff suggested it great customer service and love the atmosphere.

It's official. After 16yrs of this being my favorite restaurant on the planet it's over. Is it new management? New ownership? It's too expensive to be unaccommodating. This has always been the most accommodating place I've ever dined. They are now 'no alterations' to menu items. I wanted no cheese and apparently 'we are not allowed to do that' I'm not going to say the food is bad or the service. It's just a shame, but obviously it's not the same place it used to be. I won't be back and I won't recommend. Ever. Again. Sad. So sad.

I've never had a bad experience at any Northstar location, and my most recent brunch experience was no exception. My mom and sisters went for my sister's 30th birthday. We ordered a praline scone, some breakfast burritos with sausage, and an egg sandwich with sausage. I also got a carrot juice and my sister got a strawberry smoothie. Everything was very tasty! I would've liked the burrito better without corn and sweet potato as it was a lot of sweet in a a savory burrito, but that's just a personal preference. The patio was great and everything was clean.

Great ambiance with the boys. In town for the stadium series. I actually didn't get anything to eat but I thought the food looked good based on what I saw on other peoples plates! The potatoes looked pretty fire! The service was quick. Recommend!

Friendly staff, casual place, great fresh OJ OJ is fresh squeezed and nice and tasty, and some pulp Staff were very friendly, they seemed over whelmed You order at a register, sit down, and they bring you your food Mushroom fritta was tasty, good earthy mushroom taste but the cheese had set really quickly, there is a LOT of cheese, so it was chewy and needed a knife to cut through by the end

Everything is great here. It's a comfortable place. Good service. And amazing food. I love the Northstar Burger. But I've never had a bad meal here.

I went here for breakfast with my friend one morning after staying in the Short North. The ambiance is clean, upscale and modern. There was a coffee bar with all the fixings. We sat at the bar where I ordered the country breakfast- over medium eggs and cheese over a buttermilk biscuit with sausage gravy. Delicious and little spice to the gravy. It was obviously made in house. The bar tender was friendly and efficient. I would like to try their lunch and dinner menu.

You can't go wrong with Northstar...ever. This place was clean and just like all their other locations, their food was excellent. I have the chopped salad (crunchy and excellent). Others at me table had a breakfast burrito, burger and some sort of egg wrap. Everyone loved their food.

Food was great! I ordered the cloud9 pancakes which were very yummy 5/5. The espresso martini was just okay, a bit too sweet for my husband 3/5, and the shooting star was also just okay- i wish it was a bit more chilled and it tasted mostly just of carrots-3/5. The ambiance and service are both impeccable though. Definitely a good vibe to meet up with friends.

Love the seat yourself idea as service is very fast yet the food tastes fresh and delicious. Gluten free friendly simple salad which was so good as well as the French fries were 10/10 for me. Will be coming back here as there are lots of other options I'm excited to try.

Northstar is amazing. They have a wide variety of menu options and have different menus for breakfast and lunch. Their mint iced coffee is probably my favorite thing on the menu. My smoothie bowl was delicious. I've previously had their salad and chicken sandwich and both are amazing as well. The interior has a great aesthetic and the servers are always friendly!

Always great food. Friendly staff. Great location and ambience We like to sit outside on nice days they have a very nice patio

Delish and cozy! Loved the mushroom frittata! A little pricey but worth it for the high quality and yummyness!

Loved Northstar in Columbus! Daughter and I went early on a Saturday morning. We loved our biscuits with cheddar and egg. The biscuit was crunchy and tender and the egg perfectly cooked. It was served with jam on the side. We could have ordered sides but went with simplicity on this day. They have cookies and scones at the front as well that looked wonderful, but we resisted the temptation to purchase. They have a limited menu, and our selection was delicious. You order up front, seat yourself and they bring your food when ready. Self-serve coffee but they bring any fancier orders to your table (daughter got a hot cider that looked fabulous). Nicely decorated, spacious interior. We were early so there was plenty of street parking.

The village salad is back for their seasonal menu, so of course I stopped in. Staff is always super friendly, and the village salad is the best salad in Columbus. I tried quite a few things this trip. The hot apple cider was excellent-- it comes with brandy, but I chose to get it without any alcohol. The chili was excellent, and of course the fresh fries were, too. There is a free parking lot, though limited. If you order pickup & there aren't spots, you can sort of drive up or next to the lot & they usually see you & bring your food right out. If there aren't any spots, there is parallel parking all down high and 2nd.

This place is set up up very nicely and efficiently. The design inside is very nice, good lighting and materials everything. The steak with enchilada was a clever combination that was really delicious. Would return.

Northstar cafe is always good when I go there. Last time I went, I got the breakfast burrito. It was filling and tasty. It doesn't look like a lot of food but it is.

This is the place to go for an excellent Burger. We ordered both the Cheeseburger and Veggie Burger. Juicy with excellent flavor. We also enjoyed their Carrot Cake in a jar. Will return when visiting Columbus. FYI- This is a counter ordering restaurant that delivers food to your table.

Stopped in today with my wife after an appointment in Columbus. Very trendy with an interesting business model. My wife ordered the Margherita Pizza while tried the Fish Sandwich. I also ordered an adult beverage and my wife an Iced Tea. The Iced Tea was self service while my IPA was magically delivered to our table. I'm sure the hockey puck led them straight to us . I must say that my fish sandwich was THE BEST I've ever had! Deliciously grilled and accompanied with onions, tomato, and lettuce on a brioche bun and a superb aide salad! My wife's pizza was extremely well done as well. We probably should have split the pizza. It was as picture perfect as it was yummy! Hope to visit there again in the future sometime soon!

We went here for brunch and everything was delicious! The potatoes were nice and crispy and I always love me an argula salad. The mushroom frittata had amazing carmelized onions inside and was super flavorful. The housemade ginger ale was also a 10/10, so refreshing and can really taste the ginger! The person who took my order was also really nice and welcoming and we didnt have to wait long for our food at all :)

This place has delicious food! And the environment is good for a casual spot. It is a bit overpriced in my opinion for ordering at a counter, but the quality of the food is good, so I keep coming back. The salad was filling and flavorful, and my boyfriend enjoyed the sandwich (a bit messy). I also got an iced coffee and enjoyed that.

Northstar has my FAVORITE cheeseburger (Classic Cheeseburger) in Columbus - in my opinion its the best! I have been saying that since college. My boyfriend has never had the delish cheeseburger so I had to introduce him a few weeks ago. He LOVED it - the burger is so good and has great high quality beef compared to any other fast casual cheeseburger. They used to give you sweet potato fries but now they are shoestring fries which are just as delicious!

Food is fine, but $145 for three salads, a burger and four non-alcoholic beverages is sad. Really, this was just lunch! Plus you order at a counter and get your own drinks. Of course they hit you up for a 20% tip as well. Just a very bad value for what you get

Great food and excellent service. The burger or the chicken sandwich is always nice. There are other options for someone that wants a salad. Their biscuits and gravy is also money.

6/1: Basil pesto wrap with tofu was INSANE. Simple salad nicely dressed. Cute place. Nice location

Good food, good service, friendly atmosphere. One of the best casual spots in Columbus