Feature Blog : A Day in Powell Ohio
There's nothing like a good CrossFit workout to get your appetite going!
LOCAL ROOTS
After a recent Saturday morning community WOD at ChalkDust CrossFit, we were hungry, so we ventured a short distance down the street to Local Roots. Located in the heart of downtown Powell, 15 East Olentangy St. is home to one of the most unique restaurants in the area.
Owner Jessi Iams opened her doors more than five years ago with a farm to table concept in mind. Today, Local Roots serves up amazing, healthy dishes with ingredients from the owner's local farm and from other Ohio farmers. All the beef served at Local Roots is locally sourced and grass-fed.
Local Roots offers a seasonal menu and lunch specials on weekdays. The menu currently includes a butternut squash soup which is out of this world! During our recent visit we all enjoyed fresh salads with grilled chicken that can also be served blackened. The versatile menu at Local Roots can accommodate all needs. The restaurant also offers one of the largest gluten-free selections in the area.
Local Roots recently underwent an expansion and now boasts a banquet room for private parties. And of course, the Local Roots patio is amazing as well. The patio is home to live music virtually every weekend in the summer.
Local Roots staff members are warm and friendly, offering a real small town, Mayberry feel. The restaurant has ample room to accommodate large parties for dinner. The bar is well stocked, offering 24 beers on tap and a great variety of wines. They even have a "Wall of Foam" for those that finish all 24 brews! Attention to detail and a passion for food have lead to Local Roots success here in Powell, Ohio.
POWELL VILLAGE WINERY
After our bellies were full, we decided to visit some of Powell's other great local businesses. For our next stop, we ventured around the corner to the Powell Village Winery, located at 50 South Liberty Street. Owners Jeff and Gina Kirby opened their doors in the historic downtown Powell in December of 2011. They ship grapes and juices to their production warehouse here in Powell. Jeff, along with his father and father-in-law, ferments, stabilizes, blends and bottles the wine.
The rustic ambiance at the Powell Village Winery makes you feel right at home. We sat at an oak barrel fashioned into a table. The variety of wine was surprisingly large, including sweet whites to full bodied reds. We were greeted by the friendly knowledgable staff who walked us through the different wines with passion and enthusiasm.
Being more of red wine drinkers, we settled on a glass of Call me a Cab (a Napa Cabranet) and Guido and Mario (a cab and syrah blend). We soon learned that Guido and Mario was named after the owners' cats. The wine was amazing! It had a very robust flavor. We bought a bottle of Call me a Cab to enjoy another time.
The Powell Village Winery also offers seasonal wines, such as a Christmas cranberry blend. They also host many events including live music. Thursday nights you can get 15 percent off flights of wine and taste 'til your heart's content. The Powell Village Winery also offers a food menu consisting of flat breads, cheese and crackers, hummus and dipping breads.
FRINGE BOUTIQUE
After a little vino, we popped right around the corner to 94 West Olentangy St., the home of Fringe Boutique. The boutique is one of Powell's newer, thriving businesses in the heart of historic downtown. It has a warm, eclectic feel, with reclaimed wood and industrial fittings. The store is outfitted with repurposed furnishings and vintage pieces. An antique turquoise table displays a variety of accessories. And the clothing is just as unique as the decor.
Owner Alissa Monnin received her degree in fashion design from the Ohio State University. She always dreamed of owning her own boutique and last year, she made that dream a reality. She enjoys going to the clothing markets and picking out the clothes, even ones that aren't her style. Alissa finds joy in helping people figure out how to put a full outfit together.
Her window displays are always changing. The boutique is filled with casual and night on the town clothes, that are both trendy and classic. The clothes are quality made and affordable.
Jeans, shoes, scarves and a wide variety of accessories make Fringe a one stop shop for a night out on the town, and the best news is it won't break the bank.
THE DAILY GROWLER
Our last stop of the day on our tour of local Powell businesses was to the Daily Growler at 258 West Olentangy Street. After much demand at his Upper Arlington location, owner John Blakely decided to open a spot in Powell. The unique concept offers 60 craft beers available for on-site consumption or to go in one of their glass growlers.
You can try different flights of beers on site as you decide on what beer to fill your growler. The Daily Growler has a beer for every taste bud!
The Daily Growler focuses on local and regional micro-brews. Keeping the focus strictly on the beer, The Daily Growler allows patrons to bring in their own food and often times has food trucks serving up goodies in the parking lot. The beers change frequently and with the seasons. The to go growlers keep the beer fresh for several days. And most importantly, the staff has a great knowledge and the warm feel makes you want to stay for a few.
