barcelona restaurant & bar

Upon arriving at Barcelona Restaurant, most guests would be amazed to realize that the building they first entered is over one hundred years old. The history of the building dates back to 1895 when the Brunswick Company built the incredible oak bar that still serves as the focal point of the restaurant. Many owners have called this spot home, including Hoster Brewing Company, and Deibel’s. And many patrons have good stories to share, like watching silent movies in the 60’s or being greeted with a green carnation on St. Patrick’s Day in the 80’s. In 1996 the building was updated with custom chairs and tables, track lighting, and lovely ironwork railings and opened as an up scale restaurant, called Barcelona.

Scott Heimlich, the current owner, purchased Barcelona in 2002. Much like it’s former owner Kyle Katz, Heimlich strongly believes in maintaining the tradition and history of the building itself. The original tin ceiling is covered with a couple layers of paint and the wooden floor uneven after decades of patrons walking across it. Jon Christensen, renowned food critic for The Columbus Dispatch, wrote “Barcelona is still going strong under owner Scott Heimlich, general manager Michael Singer and chef Paul Yow. In the sometimes loud and usually busy restored Victorian space and its unsurpassed, smoke-free outdoor garden seating, Yow and his staff serve a weekly changing lineup of the best in meats, seafood and produce. The Spanish influence divides the menu into small and large plates and stirs in saffron, olive oil, garlic and peppers wherever needed. The smooth, olive oil-topped gazpacho is a winner, and the current version of paella is the best yet.”