The oldest restaurant site in Franklin County will come back to life April 29 as its newest restaurant.
The Worthington Inn, shuttered since December 2018, will reopen for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch following five months of renovations. Its new owners promised from the outset that their new place − it’s now called Wolf’s Ridge at Worthington Inn − would honor the building’s history in a modern framework.
A preview of the space April 20 revealed successes. New booths in the bar, flooring in a dining room and furnishings in a lounge area blend seamlessly with what was kept from the inn’s previous lives. Executive chef Kris Ludwig and sous chef Brian Breslin said the menu will reflect classic British pub influences and American favorites.
Details about the new Worthington Inn
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing Co. co-owner Bob Szuter said the restaurant will operate with reduced seating during its first two to three weeks as service ramps up. Reservations will be available, and walk-in customers will be accommodated as the temporary capacity allows.
The new Worthington Inn will occupy 8,300 feet on the ground floor and basement of the building that has stood on High Street in Old Worthington since 1831. It was built as a private residence and became an inn and restaurant in the 1850s.
A former events space on the second floor of the inn was converted into office space before the building was purchased by 1831 Ventures, whose partners include Szuter, his father and Wolf’s Ridge co-owner Alan Szuter, Matt Sullivan, Sarah Perez, Worthington native Kat DePizzo and her husband, Jerry DePizzo, who plays saxophone and guitar in the rock band O.A.R.
The menu at the new Worthington Inn
Foodwise, the new Worthington Inn advertises “approachable tavern fare with seasonal, chef-driven dishes.”
Ludwig said lunch dishes will include blonde French onion soup (the broth is lighter because onions are not as deeply caramelized) topped with raclette cheese, fish and chips, burgers, a vegan mushroom BLT, and a vegetarian pastrami-style beet sandwich.
Dinner-menu starters include a traditional ploughman’s plate – it’s what the British call charcuterie – with meats, cheeses, bread, jam, and pickles. Entrées include confit cod cheeks, bone-in pork chops and sirloin filet. Plant-based options include cauliflower steaks and vegan scallops made from king trumpet mushrooms.
Bar snacks include Scotch eggs, deviled eggs and duck melt sliders.
Ludwig said plans include other British dishes such as steak pies and fish pies, Welsh rarebit, chowders, and full English breakfasts.
“Our expectations are high,” he said. “And we know the community’s expectations are even higher.”
If you go to Wolf’s Ridge at Worthington Inn
Where: 649 High St., Worthington; wolfsridgebrewing.com/worthington-inn
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays; 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.
Follow Dispatch dining reporter Bob Vitale on Instagram at @dispatchdining. You can reach him directly at rvitale@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Worthington Inn sets reopening date, shares details of its new menu
Reporting by Bob Vitale, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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