Speck serves up pasta perfection downtown
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Speck's patio at 89 N. High St. is ideal for summer days. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
👋 Alissa here. I've had Speck on my list of restaurants to try for a while, so I was excited when Axios coworkers visiting Columbus suggested we meet there for dinner.
I liked it so much that I immediately booked another reservation.
Dining the news: Speck opened in 2023 in the heart of downtown, offering an "interpretation of Italian cuisine in a vibrant and eclectic setting." The pasta is made fresh daily — and it shows.
- My first trip, I had crab crusted in parmesan atop a mound of black spaghetti (apparently dyed with squid ink) covered in saffron cream.
- The second, the limone — a candy-wrapper-shaped pasta filled with goat cheese and garnished with pistachio, mint and pomegranate.
The intrigue: The unusual flavor combinations immediately hooked me.
- I also sampled my colleagues' sausage ragu and cacio e pepi, and those simple traditional dishes deliciously stood out, too.
Best bites: The mussels are an appetizer I'll order every time, served in a spicy broth with house scacciata bread for dipping.
What's next: Speck's owner (also behind Veritas) is now working on the Mexican-inspired Rosalita, expected to open on nearby Gay Street later this year.
Stop by: 89 N. High St. Hours. Menu. Reservations.
