How the Crunchwrap Supreme inspired Columbus' Crunchwerks
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Move over, Taco Bell. Crunchwerks is raising the bar for late-night local Tex-Mex. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
There's also an ordering window at the dive next door, Cafe Bourbon Street.Taco Bell's Crunchwrap Supreme turns 20 this year, and in those two decades it's become an "unlikely muse" — and moneymaker — for chefs nationwide, the New York Times reports.
Zoom in: Columbus serves up its own version of the iconic, hexagonal burrito at Crunchwerks, inside Summit Music Hall near Ohio State's campus.
- The dive next door, Café Bourbon Street, also has an ordering window.
Flashback: The concept opened in 2021, inspired by the homemade wraps chef Mysti Burris made during the pandemic, per Columbus Monthly.
What I ate: The O.G. crunch ($9) with ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato and pico de gallo.
- Compared to Taco Bell's $6 option, it's worth the extra cost for fresher ingredients and bigger portions.
- There are also lots of other protein options, including chicken, steak and plant-based beef — and walking tacos for an extra serving of nostalgia.
The intrigue: The Times notes it's "nearly impossible" to patent food recipes, allowing indie Crunchwraps to not only exist, but flourish.
- Taco Bell maintains a trademark on the name, but rarely enforces it when it comes to independent restaurant operators.
The bottom line: Stop by Crunchwerks the next time you want to "think outside the bun" and enjoy some live music.
Stop by: 2210 Summit St. Menu. Hours.
