Italian Village - Columbus, OH

The Italian Village area became one of the first suburbs of Columbus when it was annexed to the city in 1862. As the Columbus area grew through the 19th and 20th centuries, Italian Village began to deteriorate physically and historically. Old buildings were torn down making room for new ones, and increasingly urban Columbus threatened to completely consume the area. To combat this, the Italian Village Society was founded in 1972 with the goal of revitalizing the area and protecting its historical significance. In 1986, Italian Village, as part of the Short North area as a whole, achieved the designation of an "all-American city."

Short North has one of the premier art districts in Columbus and hosts frequent gallery hops, art exhibits and other public events. A variety of restaurants and bars intertwined with the art galleries make Short North an ideal spot for a walking tour of Columbus Art.

Food and drink options in Italian Village reign supreme in the area because of its proximity to downtown Columbus and the Ohio State campus. Each of these areas presents a number of restaurant and nightlife choices for any occasion or demographic. However, Italian Village houses plenty of options within its own boundaries.

For some of the best American cuisine in town, head to Arch City Tavern on N. High Street. The handcrafted foods presented on the menu include truffle fries, lobster mac and fig pizza. The savory options bring a modern twist on classic American dishes. Enjoy the casual atmosphere and decent prices.

Seventh Son Brewing Company presents an ideal nightlife spot for aficionados of craft beer. Seventh Son has a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere in which to enjoy one of the many craft beers brewed in-house, three of which are mainstays year-round, while the rest rotate as new beers become available. Two garage doors that lead to a large patio provide a unique, indoor/outdoor atmosphere in the summer months.

Italian Village and the Columbus area provide one of the most biker-friendly areas in the country. Bike lanes along almost every main road take cyclists anywhere they need to go around town, including downtown Columbus, the Ohio State campus and the park system with bike and hike paths. Italian Village's location between campus and downtown make the neighborhood very walkable, with a number of stores and entertainment available in and around Italian Village and Short North. Public parking is available for free on many side streets, but the main streets are all metered. If traveling to nearby campus or downtown, parking garages is the best option and cost an hourly fee.

Hailing a cab is easy if you get to one of the main streets, particularly nearby North High Street which runs from campus to downtown. Cabs patrol this route every night and are almost always available. To be picked up at home, call Blue Cab or Orange Cab. Uber is available, and a trip downtown costs between $4 and $5.

The COTA bus system dispatches buses 004 and 012 every 20 minutes to cycle between downtown and Italian Village, both of which can be picked up at the bus stop on the corner of N. 4th and E. 2nd. Highway access is easy as Italian Village sits just a mile from the interchange of I-670 and I-71, the two major highways that run through Columbus.

Italian Village falls under the auspices of the Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation Department, which serves the community in many different ways. The department is split into different divisions that are responsible for certain aspects of resident community engagement. The cultural arts division plans and organizes events in the park system that advances culture in the community through music, art exhibits and more. The recreation youth and adult programming divisions organize sports leagues and other fitness and well-being programs for members of the community. The parks and forestry divisions maintain the beauty of the natural parts of Italian Village and Upper Arlington for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

All of these divisions, with the help of a partnership with the Upper Arlington Community Fund, work together to host events and celebrations during each season throughout the year. Summer Celebration, Fall Fest, Winter Festival and Spring Fling all have live music and themed family fun based on the season. These events are all funded by the city and free of charge for residents.

The parks are all kid- and dog-friendly, provided the pets are kept on a leash. However, if taking the dog is your primary reason for a park visit, one of Columbus's many dog parks may be your better option. The nearest of these is Godown Dog Park on Godown Road.

Italian Village is one of the more expensive areas in the Columbus area to live, coming in about 11 percent higher than the average in both Columbus and the state of Ohio as a whole. A one-bedroom rental in Italian Village costs $1,557 per month, almost 40 percent higher than the average rent for a similar unit in Columbus.

The COTA bus to downtown costs $2 each way with the option of daily, weekly and monthly passes. The cost of a domestic beer varies depending on what part of the neighborhood the bar is in - campus, downtown or within Italian Village itself - but the area as a whole averages around $3 per beer. Gas prices tend to average about 4 percent higher than the national average cost.

In addition to its art scene, Short North provides quality shopping experience along the path of North High Street. Filled mostly with small, locally owned and operated shops, the Short North shopping area gives this part of Columbus a unique feel. On North High, in the northwest corner of Italian Village, sits What the Rock? . This store sells rock-music-themed clothing, accessories, gifts and more. An assortment of fun gifts, gadgets, music and clothing allow for you to get something different and truly unique for anyone on your list. Both the young and the young at heart rave about local toy store Big Fun on North High Street. The whimsical store sells toys, collectibles, vintage finds and comic books. Make a trip here to shop for the collector in your life, with vintage G.I. Joe, Star Wars and Transformers figures. Be sure to grab some nostalgic candy on your way out and try to find your childhood favorites. A Giant Eagle on Neil Ave and a Kroger on North High Street service the grocery-shopping market in the area. The North Market in downtown Columbus also provides an option for many specialty and international grocery needs. Pearl Market on Pearl Street, just off North High, operates as a farmer's market from 10:30 am until 2 pm every Tuesday and Friday from May through October.