Cafe Overlook: Downtown food with a view
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The view from Cafe Overlook on the 16th floor of the Franklin County Courthouse. Photo: Tyler Buchanan/Axios
A stunning panorama and solid food options greet those who venture up to the Franklin County Courthouse's 16th floor.
State of play: Cafe Overlook looks like a standard cafeteria-style restaurant — but it does more than feed government employees and courthouse visitors.
- The space opened last year as a workforce development project jointly managed by the county and Service!, a local nonprofit that supports hospitality workers.
- Commissioners initially invested $450,000 and intended to commit $1 million annually for three years, the Dispatch reports.
How it works: The partners will connect aspiring chefs and restaurant owners with personalized, hands-on training for future careers.
- Along with paying a living wage, the county offers workers health insurance, child care services and transportation.
👋 Alissa and Tyler here. We met there recently for lunch and were impressed by the hefty sandwiches and friendly digs.
- The views of downtown and the Brewery District are spectacular, and we both noticed that the view from above has more treetops than you'd expect.
Yes, but: Ordering was a bit confusing, with three different registers for food, drinks and coffee.
- It also takes a little effort to find parking and go through courthouse security.
The bottom line: If you have the time, we recommend visiting to support a deliciously good cause and see perhaps the best little-known view of the city.
🍽 If you go: 373 S. High St., 16th floor. 8am-3pm Monday-Friday.