Local Roots

Local roots is a cool place to come when it’s nice out. They always have live music on the weekends and it’s usually pretty crowded. The food is delicious and drinks are strong! If you like to dance, the patio Is an option or you can have a quieter date atmosphere inside.

Zucchini fries!
I’m not normally a fan of frying my vegetables, but these were astonishingly good. Cut into shoestrings and with a thick batter, they stayed crunchy to the very last one. And yes we devoured the giant plate down to just a few morsels. The lumpy housemade marinara it came with only made it better. At $ 9, it was a huge portion that could have been shared with 3 – 4 people.
We ordered entrees which were decent but not as good as the zucchini fries appetizer. The regular menu of entrees is kind of expensive (over $ 20 and most on the the higher end of the scale) but the specials of the day menu was surprisingly inexpensive by comparison at around $ ¹²⁄₁₄.
We ordered two specials of the day: blackened chicken with mushroom risotto and crab cake sandwich. The blackened chicken was about what you would expect, and the mushroom risotto came with a huge portion but was overly cheesy and there were hardly any mushrooms in it. It would have been nice to have the risotto balanced out with more flavors from the mushrooms. The housemade crab cake was not heavily fried which I liked but not too memorable. The sandwich had thick red onions which were seared but should have been grilled more thoroughly, arugula and a nice mayo sauce. It came with housemade chips which were cut thick so pretty hard to bite although my companion liked them.
Other than the zucchini fries, the entrees were a 3-​star experience but my overall rating is 4 stars because the atmosphere is great, service was attentive and friendly, and their happy hour is pretty darn good. Happy hour is dine-​in only until 7pm throughout the whole restaurant, not just the bar, and local craft beer is half price and you can get $ 1.50 domestics (Bud, Miller, etc). There are a handful of half-​price appetizers too, but not the zucchini fries. If the zucchini fries were on the happy hour menu, you know where I would be every day at 6pm!
TIP: Located in a nice part of downtown Powell, across from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which is worth a visit after dinner.

I can’t wait to visit this locals restaurant again. The potatoes and dip were really tasty as were the loaded chips. The portions were huge so by the time the entrée got there, we were stuffed from the appetizers. Locals love this place, it’s a really friendly atmosphere. We sat at the bar because there was a 45 – 60 minute wait for a table, but we don’t regret that decision. The bartenders were attentive and friendly and the patrons at the bar were great. This may become a regular spot for me.

My brother, John C, and I were out and about trying to find somewhere to eat after helping the bro move into his new place in Powell. We didn’t want fast food or a major chain so we took a drive through the area and stumbled across Local Roots. From the moment we entered until the moment we left, the staff was super friendly.
The food was really good too. We got the Bread Service to start and that sun-​dried tomato spinach bread was heaven. I could have eaten 3 loaves of it by myself. John C had the fish and chips and he really seemed to love it. The coleslaw they use has a horseradish base so it’s different and has some good kick. My brother and I both got different types of calzones and they were HUGE. I was able to make 3 separate meals out of that behemoth.
We’ll definitely check it out again some time.

We picked this place because of its menu and the fact that it gets its food from the local area. I had the bison burger. It was juicy and flavorful (especially for a bison burger). It was a little more expensive than other places. However, I don’t understand why people are complaining about that. It is not outrageous. It is slightly more. One would expect to pay more from local non-​mass producers. I will gladly pay more for that. If you want the mass produced globs of you-​guess-​what-​is, then go to a fast food place (which the prices there are not that much farther behind here).
Also, if you are a vegetarian, vegan, or whateverian, don’t expect the world to cater to your choice. I respect your decision to choose that for YOURSELF, but don’t expect the rest of the world to cater to you. You should be glad they had anything on the menu for you. That is YOUR choice, not their choice.
The restaurant has a nice ambiance and good food. Our server was fantastic. We will definitely be back!

The wife and I have been dining here since they opened. They had a very rocky start with a lot of food and service issues. We live in Powell so it’s very convenient for us and we loved the atmosphere and beer list so we kept coming back.
The first year was tuff — from cold crab dip, to bad parmesan cheese we endured it all. I guess we’re gluttons for punishment.
The good news is they have hit their stride. The food is consistently very good and the service is great. They also opened up a great patio area with regular music. It’s a great time if your lucky enough to get a seat. Local Roots will continue to be one of our go to places in Powell.

I’ve only been here for happy hour during the summer. From 2 — 7 Monday through Friday you get half off select appetizers and they have several drink specials.
The bruschetta has a nice balsamic vinegar reduction. Just be careful you don’t drip it on your shirt. The loaded chips weren’t anything special but I’m also not a blue cheese fan.
If you’re lucky then you’ll be seated outside and treated to live music. You can either enjoy your happy hour in peace or talk away without the band intruding on the conversation.

Another reason to visit the AWESOME downtown Powell…
My love affair with Powell started a few years ago when I found Powell Village Winery, and it’s only gotten stronger since then. Seriously, get yourself up there ASAP — so many great local businesses in one spot!
I’ve had Local Roots on my list for a while now, mainly for two reasons: they use local ingredients and make most things from scratch + they have an extensive gluten-​free menu! I mean… it’s like they KNOW me or something.
The interior is really cute. It’s a bit dark, so it’s a nice date spot. But then there are lots of TVs, and they were playing some sport the night we were there. It was a little weird for me… it’s this nice (but still casual) restaurant, serving lots of locally-​sourced food, with a lot of people around the bar being loud and watching sports. That’s not really up my alley, but definitely not a deal breaker. Just odd (imo).
Everyone working at Local Roots was extremely nice and welcoming. (Side note: unlike some small towns around Columbus, Powell as a whole seems to be pretty darn inviting to all walks of life.) Our server was very sweet… not particularly helpful… but he totally got us everything we needed.
But back to the two main reasons I came to Local Roots in the first place:
1. The locally-​sourced food
I was so impressed with their menu! Lots of comfort foods, sprinkled with creativity, and most of it made from scratch. I’ve read a lot of reviews that talk about price, but I didn’t see anything that was out of line for this type of restaurant. An Ohio, grass-​fed burger for $ 9? Um, yes please. Locally-​sourced, high-​quality ingredients do cost a bit more than conventional ones, so if that’s not your thing — maybe skip Local Roots.
2. The gluten-​free menu
Man, oh man… I got a whole menu just for me! No asterisks on the regular menu telling me the sad substitutions I could eat… No silly burger salads that I was forced to eat… Local Roots made me feel special and like a normal person. There were so many choices, but when I heard they had a locally-​made pizza crust, I was sold. And my meat-​haven pizza was everything I wanted it to be. The crust was crispy and perfect, and the toppings were top-​notch.
I definitely dig Local Roots. The distance will keep me from being a regular, but I will surely return when I’m up in the area!

Good food overall. Gluten free friendly which is awesome. Food is fresh and portions are sizable. Local suppliers are good too. Waiter was good and explained everything. The marinara sauce for the spaghetti and calzone was horrid, however, and was way too smoky and awful.

My wife and I just recently found this place and really like it.
They have bison which I really like compared to traditional beef or steak.
Probably a better beer selection than wine. Only one merlot option in a glass, and it tasted more like a blend than a merlot. I do not recommend it. Several red zin options though.
If you want to support local and get something a little different than a normal chain restaurant then I highly recommend.

Had a great Sunday afternoon at local roots! The new drink menu is worth it by itself. We tried the cucumber Bloody Mary and the blueberry margarita, both were fantastic but my favorite was the «root beer» float drink. As always the food was great, today I had pancakes with fresh blueberry compote (thanks Diago!).

The food is delicious but the service is very slow. Would eat here again just not during busy hours
My review has been edited because local roots reached out to me to ask how to improve my experience. I appreciate a company that is always willing to change to meet their customers’ needs. Good job Local Roots!!!

Can’t say I’m super crazy about this place. It’s good but not great. Last night I had the southwest wrap which was alright. I substituted the corn and bean salsa out for just traditional salsa so maybe it’s better with the corn and bean. I do like their calzones better but thought I’d try something new. Next time I’ll stick with the usual.

I’ve eaten here twice — once for lunch, once for dinner. Lunch was really good — I had the turkey avocado sandwich. The bread wasn’t soggy and the turkey was lean and tasted fresh. For dinner I went with my family + 1. We had 3 appetizers — fried zucchini, buffalo chicken dip and bruschetta. All of the apps were good and served pretty quickly. For dinner, four of us ordered the special — chicken diavolo pasta and one order the lobster mac-​n-​cheese. Unfortunately the special was really lacking in flavor mostly because the sauce was too thin and didn’t stick to pasta at all.
I though the dinner prices were way too high for the atmosphere and the food quality. Portions were certainly large… too large IMO. Really didn’t enjoy a giant bowl of tasteless pasta.
As far as the atmosphere, it was somewhat noisy and our table (a booth) was sticky.

I’d love to rate this place higher, but the food was just bland. I felt the menu lacked creativity and felt very corporate-​chain like. With the rise in local restaurants serving locally-​sourced food, I felt that this place lacked in comparison.
We had the fried calamari as an appetizer. The crispy texture was great, but the flavor of it was not there. It tasted oily like they did not let it drain and non-​seasoned. For my meal I had the turkey bacon avocado sandwich. It was good, but nothing special.
Our server was great and attentive, but also allowed us to enjoy our meal and have conversation without being interrupted multiple times. She made sure we had the drinks we needed and the food we wanted.
This is not a good place for a large group. We called well ahead letting them know we were bringing a large group on a weeknight. However, when we arrived they seemed to have not believed us and had only reserved two small tables in the back corner for us. We ended up seated at separate tables around the restaurant which stunk since we were hoping to all spend time celebrating a big milestone together. Still not sure why they didn’t stick us outside. To amend this, they covered the cost of our appetizers. Unfortunately we purchased ours before 7 so it was half-​off the price to begin with, so that really wasn’t that impressive.
If I were to return here, it would be for the beer and wine selection. Great selection, reasonably priced, and a really nice outdoor and indoor bar. Their beer club (not sure of the official name) is a much better deal than other known beer clubs.
Overall, I would not recommend this restaurant if you’re looking for something more special than the run-​of-​the-​mill menu.

We popped into Local Roots last night for some post rec-​soccer league refueling. The space was great — much larger than I thought from my previous drive-​bys and parking was ample. Yes, I said «ample.»
As to the food. .. .my daughter enjoyed the Lobster Mac n’ Cheese. I did not enjoy paying $ 21 for a bowl of mac n’ cheese. The locally sourced lobster was especially good. I’m not sure when Hoover became a salt-​water reservoir.. .joking — I know not everything can be produced here and they do make noble efforts at locally sourcing — if you’re into that. In any event, I had a bite and it was really good — tons better than Kraft.
I had one of the weekly specials, which was an Italian pizza (shocker for me to eat pizza). Personal tastes– but it was a little heavy on the cheese and light on the sauce for me. The crust also seemed a bit dry and floury. I guess I just like my crusts a bit larded up or buttery. Oh well, this was healthier from that aspect. The pizza was A-​OK.
Finally, the boy took down the Bison burger. He said it was good, but didn’t offer me a bite, so, you’ll just have to take his word on it.
Service was great — no issues, no beefs.
All-​in-​all I enjoyed Local Roots. The food was quality. While some of it may be a bit over-​priced, there are plenty of economical options of the menu (the bison burger was very reasonable). Definitely worth a try.

We had a good family dinner here tonight. The vegetarian pizza, Mac and cheese, and shrimp pasta were the favorites for our group tonight.
The fish and chips were just so so; the steak was fine but not remarkable.

Too expensive, great idea on serving local foods but for what you get at lunch for $ 30 + tip, I was not impressed.
The Unilocal reviews should have been enough to keep me away but we had an Entertainment coupon for a free appetizer, and we were hungry and just stopped anyways.
The service was great but we were the only ones in the small restaurant for the mid afternoon on a Saturday.
I ordered the Bison burger and my wife ordered the Reuben sandwich.
They were both good but again I can’t stress this enough that $ 15 for a sandwich is too expensive especially for lunch.

I looked all over columbus for a venue for my baby shower and couldn’t find the right fit until I stumbled upon the Local Roots Banquet Room. The room seats 30 comfortably but can be set up for groups as large as 60. Most of the decorations are reclaimed wood pieces from the owners farm and they are spectacular. I cannot say more about how beautiful this room is.
My friend throwing the shower barely had to bring any decorations as Scott and his group provided everything you could want or need (candles, flowers, decorative succulents, burlap runners, chalk board signs for the food, desert corner platters to place cakes and/​or cupcakes, fully stocked bar, clothes line with clothes pins for hanging cute decorations, etc).
My shower began with their delicious bruschetta and a fruit tray along with champagne with a fresh fruit garnish. It was followed by a yummy lunch consisting of their turkey bacon avocado sandwiches, BLT’s, and chicken salad sandwiches, strawberry salad, and homemade chips. Everything was delicious!
Scott allowed us to bring in our own desert for the party. He also provided newspaper’s for a painting craft I had my guests do after lunch and was extremely helpful with set up and clean up of the craft. Our dedicated server Jessica was wonderfully attentive and super sweet.
All in all I don’t think the day could have been any better and a lot of credit is due to Scott and his team for the wonderful job they did that day. If you are looking for a turn key space to throw a party that has great food, a private bar, and is beautifully decorated this is the space for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This is my third visit and my hubby’s first time to Local Roots. I live the zucchini fries and marinara so that’s what we started with and they are yummy! I ordered the BLTC with chips and my hubby ordered the Reuben and chips. It’s hard to mess up a BLT and it was good but I didn’t like the chips I thought they were bland and too hard and didn’t seem fresh to me. I guess after enjoying the zucchini fries so much they just didn’t make the cut. My hubby didn’t like them either. I could only eat half my sandwich because it’s so large but it was good and my other half are all of his. I’d like to try the calzone next time. I do have to admit that the menu is confusing too for newbies.