Breakfast for dinner, coming soon in festival style

Shanti Lerner
Wed, 04 Apr 2018 02:46:19 +0000
Arts & Life, Events, News, All Things Brunch Festival, balboa, breakfast for dinner, brunch, Columbus, Columbus Underground, Dough Mama, Forno Kitchen + Bar, Grandview Cafe, Sunny Street Cafe, Taste of Belgium

In this city, there’s so many brunch options, so little time.

Columbus Underground’s All Things Brunch Festival is trying to solve just that. Back for its third year, the festival will gather the best of Columbus’ brunch restaurants all under one roof, but with a twist: it’s brunch at night.

Leanne Moore, director of events for Columbus Underground, said the festival’s evening is part of the online publication’s initiative to promote small and local businesses in Columbus and Ohio. Most of the local and small businesses they work with are usually busiest during regular brunch hours.

“It’s difficult for them to set aside a Saturday or Sunday morning when they would already be doing really well and really busy to come to an event,” she said. “So we do it at night so they are able to be at their best and able to prepare a bit better.”

During the festival, brunch enthusiasts will experience flavors from 19 different eateries, meet local business owners, listen to live music and try a special cocktail menu that will include brunch cocktail classics.

“Everybody loves breakfast for dinner so we kind of see it as a big breakfast for dinner type of party,” Moore said.

The All Things Brunch Festival originated four years ago from Columbus Underground’s Best Bite Series — food tasting events and articles that promote local dining options in Columbus. Moore said the festival was added to the Columbus Underground food series after they realized they were missing a piece in the Columbus dining scene.

“We realized that Columbus had a ton of great brunch places and it was something that people were really excited about,” she said.

Festival-goers will have the chance to sample brunch offerings from eateries like Taste of Belgium, Grandview Cafe, Balboa, Forno Kitchen + Bar, ?Sunny Street Cafe and Dough Mama.

“This will give people a lot of exposure to what’s out there for brunch and all the different places that they can go to and also it’s a really great way to be part of the Columbus community and be introduced to the people who are actually making their food,” Perrie Wilkof, owner of Dough Mama, said. “It’s a really fun way to be immersed in our city.”

The All Things Brunch Festival will take place at 7 p.m. April 20 at The Valley Dale Ballroom, 1590 Sunbury Rd. Tickets start at $25 plus fees via Eventbrite. Part of the proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters and Camp Oty’Okwa.