Columbus To Do List: Part 2

The final locations I went to for the Columbus To Do List were: Graeter’s Ice Cream and Pistacia Vera.

Graeter’s seemed like it would be a lot closer than it really was, but if you are willing to make the small hike, it’s wonderful ice cream. In the past, I’ve always gone for the Black Cherry or the Mint, both of which I would still highly recommend. This time, I got the Blueberry Pie and Dutch Milk Chocolate. The ice cream tastes very real instead of mass produced, so it’s the kind of taste that one might reserve for special occasions instead of the midnight craving (but I can’t think of anyone judging someone for going to Graeter’s for that sugar craving!). For the two scoops, the cost was about $4.25. Considering the quality of this ice cream, I’d say it was well worth it. Also, the picture of the ice cream was taken partially consumed because it was melting too quickly, so although the picture doesn’t necessarily show this, the portion size was pretty good. I’d recommend this to a friend, although I’d probably be more inclined to go if I had taken a COTA bus all the way there instead of walking there from the Bevis Hall CABS stop.

Pistacia Vera is a smaller shop in the North Market in the Short North. Hidden on the opposite side of the marketplace from Jeni’s, it has a cute aesthetic, although I think they may have been running a little low on supplies as it was Sunday afternoon. I got two macaroons: one lemon and one pistachio. Truth be told, the lemon macaroon was probably the best macaroon I’ve ever had. The pistachio one was also good, but I would say that if you go to this place, you have to try the lemon macaroon. It’s a must-do. Their chocolate bombs were also wonderful. The macaroons were $1.75 each which may seem high for a small cookie-like pastry, but that price is pretty consistent with other macaroon providers. For the price, it was pretty high quality, and considering the kind of pastries there, I’d say it was a good deal. It’s not something I would recommend for the day to day, but maybe would be good as a ~sweet~ holiday or birthday gift.

My favorite place was probably Jeni’s. Although it is kind of pricey, Jeni’s has the kind of quality in the ice cream that you can’t find just anywhere. Also, you’re not going to find most of those flavors in the local supermarket ice cream section. After eating Jeni’s, I never felt like I needed any more than I had, which I consider to be a testament to the richness and quality of the product.

This project has taken me around Columbus quite a bit, but mostly around the Short North, which is a truly wonderful place. I’ve found some really cool locations there, not just for stores on the list, but some that aren’t, such as Piece of Cake, a bakery that’s hidden on one of the side streets. Because of this project, I’m far more comfortable navigating the Short North and the COTA system overall. I hope to be able to explore Short North and other really cool parts of Columbus with a less narrow focus; there’s more out there than dessert shops, and I want to have those experiences (especially the festival and music scenes)! If you wanted to endeavor the same To Do List, I would at least recommend Jeni’s and Rocket Fizz and probably also Pistacia Vera. The other two had great treats, but Graeter’s was sort of a hike unless you go straight for the COTA bus. Whit’s Frozen Custard was nice, but the main benefit of it was its location on High Street. Overall, this assignment really helped me grow more comfortable with Columbus as a whole and allowed me to dip my toes ever-so-slightly into the food scene here!

This picture is from Jeni’s that I forgot to post earlier.