Historic alley tavern Downtown $$
Ringside Cafe
Pearl Street tavern open since 1897, serving boxing-named Certified Angus burgers on local Kaiser buns.
Awards
Why Ringside Cafe why was this picked
Ringside Cafe on North Pearl Street has been open since 1897 and calls itself the oldest restaurant in Columbus, with stained glass windows and vintage art inside. Every burger uses 100 percent Certified Angus Beef on a locally made Kaiser bun with house kettle chips and a pickle, and the names come from boxing. The Buster Douglas is a pound and a half for $32, the Ali and the Old School with a three-quarter pound patty are $19, and the traditional Jack Dempsey is $14.
- Open since 1897
- $32 Buster Douglas, a pound and a half
- $14 Jack Dempsey
Know before you go
Ringside Cafe has served Downtown Columbus from 19 N Pearl St since 1897 and ranks second on our best pub burgers list. The stained glass and dark wood booths date the room as much as the address does.
Burgers come with kettle chips and a pickle, and the Rocky Marciano patty melt is the move if you want rye instead of a Kaiser roll.
- Parking
- Downtown meters and nearby garages; the cafe sits in an alley off Pearl Street.
- Reservations
- Walk in for lunch; call ahead for larger groups.
- Tip
- Split the Buster Douglas or come hungry; it arrives with a double order of fries.
