BREWERY DISTRICT. Certified master chef and local celebrity Hartmut Handke earns raves for his eclectic New American dishes. The dramatic interior of this revamped 19th century former Schlee Bavarian Brewery with vaulted ceilings and well-appointed dining room takes a backseat to the food when seasonal specials and popular favorites such as Black Angus Tenderloin Steak, poached Chilean Sea Bass, or cream of white asparagus soup arrive at the table.

Chef and owner Matthew Litzinger honed his skills at the Culinary Institute of America and presents classic French cooking with trademark attention to detail and presentation. On the menu, you'll find such appetizers as escargot and pate alongside entrees of pan-seared grouper, beef tournedos, pheasant and sweetbreads. Desserts range from the decadent bittersweet chocolate dessert similar to a denser mousse and served with coffee sauce, to a spa-like poached pear in gewurztraminer, honey and cardamon, served with Grand Marnier flavored nonfat yogurt.

For formal dining in Columbus, the top choice is the Refectory, named to the Columbus Dispatch Best Fine Dining list yearly since 1982. In this refurbished, 19th-century country church, French chef Richard Blondin, who studied with Paul Bocuse, presents superb classic and contemporary French cuisine with flawless service and a well-stocked wine cellar that recently received the Wine Spectator Award for Outstanding Wine Cellars. Begin with pheasant terrine or escargot, proceed to duck magret or beef onglet, and top it off with black forest torte or one of the signature crème brulées.