Back in the 1980s, after a solid renewal project of German Village, the wish of creating a neighborhood that celebrated art and local businesses started. The Short North Business Association was promptly founded to fundraise money for this project, which would benefit not only artists and business owners but also the citizens of Columbus and the tourists who visit Ohio.

Short North is an art district often referred to as the soul of the city of Columbus. With 350 businesses and 91% of them being locally-owned, Short North attracts hundreds of tourists from different cities across the world every year. The art galleries, entertainment centers, and live performances make this neighborhood an important stop for all of those who are visiting the city of Columbus. And now, more than ever, these local businesses need your support. Here are some of the best pizza places in Short North that you can visit today.

Novak's Tavern & Patio

Sunlight, cocktails, and pizza

475 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 | +1 614-224-8821 | novakstavern.com

This super cool sports bar is a great place to watch the games with your friends, your family, or whoever loves sports as much as you do. It might end up being a tourist from the West Coast who is just visiting for the weekend. You never know! The Rooftop has an amazing view where you will enjoy the fresh air of the afternoon, and you can have some of the best cocktails in town. Start your evening with some appetizers like red bean hummus, nachos, and quesadillas, all tasty, warm, and fresh. Don't hesitate to order a house cocktail like a Don Julio Margarita, a Peach Bellini, or a Green Tea (Jameson Irish Whiskey, Peach Liqueur, and Lemonade). And then, when the game starts, you can share that delicious pizza that you love with your squad. It is the perfect plan for the weekend!

This is by far my favorite bar in the whole city of Columbus,Oh. I visit about 10 times a year for Blue Jackets games, Buckeye games, and concerts. Always a great crowd..The service is great and the bartenders and nice. Yelp Review. 

Mikey's Late Night Slice

One Human Family, Pizza for All

1030 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201 | +1 614-737-3488 |  latenightslice.com

The mission of this restaurant is to maintain a culture based on quality food and raving fans. Mikey's Late Night Slice is a family-friendly place with many dining options for you and the people you love. If you are one of those undecided people who don't know what to order in a restaurant, you are going to love the fact that you can order the classic pizzas per slice or as an entire pizza. Some of these classics are Spicy Pepperoni with Sriracha, Mushroom with Roasted Garlic, and Italian Sausage. 

There is also a Pizza of the Week, which is one of the 40 creative and innovative recipes that this restaurant has, so you can try a new type of pizza every week! Also, Mikey's Late Night Slice has some signature items that real fans of this place know and love. The Cheezus Crust has American cheese melted over two slices of pizza and pressed together into a sandwich pizza. There is also the Pizza Dawg, a hot dog stuffed with cheese and pepperoni, served in a slice of pizza as the bun! Isn't that bold? 

The quality of the food really did shine through, and I felt that the thinness of the crust balanced really well with the amount of cheese and toppings. As pizza lovers, we enjoy all varieties, and this hit the spot! Yelp Review. 

Donatos Pizza

A nationally successful pizza place that was born in Columbus, Ohio 

920 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201 | +1 614-421-5100 | donatos.com

In 1963, a sophomore of the Ohio State University purchased the first Donato's location in Columbus, Ohio, for $1,300 USD. Currently, Donato's has more than 100 locations distributed in ten different states. This pizza chain, with headquarters in Gahanna, Ohio, and more than 55 years in business, is one of the most iconic and popular places to get pizza in Columbus, Ohio. Donato's offers the famous large monster pizzas that are super-rich on flavor, and people of all ages adore them. Choose from the wide variety of red and white wines that will complement your pizza in a wonderful way. 

If you are in Short North around February, go visit Donato's, and you might get to see the super cute and delicious heart-shaped pizzas that this business promotes just in time for Valentine's Day, because a heart-shaped pizza is the new bouquet of roses!

Our favorite location and we always visit when in town. Great happy hour Specials and the pizza is consistently good.Yelp Review. 

Callahan's Columbus

Your Neighborhood Rooftop Bar and Patio

520 Park St, Columbus, OH 43215 | +1 614-223-1200 | callahanscolumbus.com

The Rooftop of this super fun place has an amazing view of the Short North neighborhood. It is a great place to bring friends and family together. Every Thursday night starting at 10 pm, Callahan's hosts College nights with music, food, and drinks. Enjoy Friday Ladies Night and other seasonal events throughout the year to spend good quality time with your beloved ones. During the day, enjoy some fresh and tasty food like a BBQ Chicken Ranch salad with onions, tomatoes, cheese blends, onions, tomatoes, and croutons. 

The 12-inch pizzas are hand-tossed, and hand made at that moment to guarantee freshness and a deliciously crunchy pizza with the toppings that you love. If you end up falling in love with this place, you can also book an event. Whether it is an engagement celebration, a birthday party, or a private business event, you can book this place to celebrate those milestone moments in your life. 

The food here is amazing, granted we only got pizza, but it was amazing. Great bar and great atmosphere. Will 100% be back! Yelp Review. 

Sarefino's Pizzeria & Italian Deli

New York Style Pizza in Short North, Columbus

59 Spruce St, Columbus, OH 43215 | +1 614-228-2850 | pastarianorthmarket.com

Rated as the favorite New York Style pizza in Columbus, this pizza place located in the north market is a great idea for those Sundays when you don't feel like cooking and you want to spoil yourself with some good food. The signature pizzas include the Greek (with marinated eggplant, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and feta), the Pesto Chicken (with kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, grilled chicken and pesto), and last but definitely not least, the Margherita (with Herbed Olive oil, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil). You can call to place your order to carry out or ask for catering information. You won't regret it! 

Every time I come here, I get two slices of pepperoni, and it never disappoints! Looking to pick up a calzone next time I come in! Yelp Review. 

Marcella's

Authentic Italian food to share life over plates

615 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 | +1 614-223-2100 | marcellasrestaurant.com

You will find this authentic Italian pizzeria with some of the greatest flavors and genuine hospitality in the heart of Short North. Pizzas can have gluten-free dough upon request. Here you will find some classic pizzas like the sausage pizza with banana peppers, onion, mozzarella, and tomatoes. Or a nice Pesto Shrimp pizza with roasted tomato, goat cheese, and red onion. Complement your tasty pizza with an imported hand-made pasta like a Penne Alla Vodka with tomatoes, prosciutto, mushrooms, and cream. Another great option is definitely the Radiatore a la Nicolla, with roasted eggplants, olives, capers, and Calabrian chili. This place is also very well known for its happy hour from Monday to Friday from 4 pm to 6 pm. Enjoy a glass of wine, draft beer, or your favorite cocktail when you visit Marcella's. You are going to love it!

Been a few times, and every time I am wowed! We moved to Ohio from NY a few years ago, and hubby is 1/2 Italian. NY fam owns a few restaurants so when we go out to an Italian restaurant we are very very picky. And I can honestly say Marcella's is a winner in our books. Food atmosphere and drinks, the entire lot. Yelp Review.

Paulie Gee's Short North

Pizza combinations you didn’t know you love

1195 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201 | +1 614-808-0112 | pauliegee.com/short-north

This highly rated restaurant has some of the best pizzas in the area with a very diverse menu that has several vegan options and great wines and cocktails. The pizzas are cooked with wood-fire, so its artisanal flavor will be an extraordinary experience that you won't regret. A super cool novelty about the pizzas in this place is that you can order square slices. Try one of the Carnivore Squares with mozzarella, oregano, sausage, onion, pepperoni, ricotta, basil, parmesan, Mikes Hot Honey, and Red Sauce. A truly tasty option! There is also the Vegan Square with garlic, oregano, red onion, mushrooms, pickled banana peppers, peppadew pepper, Italian tomatoes, basil, and service bar chili oil. There are so many options here that you will want to visit this place more than once!

Best pizza I've ever had. Never disappoints! I can never decide what to get so I always have to promise myself to go back soon to get all the options. Yelp Review. 

Forno Kitchen + Bar

The Stone-fired oven dining experience in the Short North Arts District.

721 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215 | +1 614-469-0053 | fornoshortnorth.com

The pizzas are made in fresh dough and mixed by hand every single day to guarantee the freshness that you deserve in a pizza. In order to fulfill the commitment of this place to serve authentic Italian flavor, the chefs use only imported San Marzano tomatoes for the sauces of all the pizzas. The crispness of the pizza after being in a stone-fired oven at 750 degrees, its a pleasure that you can taste, feel, hear, smell, and see. Gluten-free crust is available upon request, as well as vegan options. Think of a Mediterranean Pizza with Artichoke, pepperoncini, red onions, olives, mozzarella, and san Marzano tomato. Or what about a Forno Chicken Pizza with roasted red pepper coulis, mozzarella, asparagus, red onion, goat cheese, and roasted red peppers. It sounds so delicious to miss it!

I love this place! My favorite brunch place in Columbus. Their breakfast pizza is my favorite, the Brussel Sprouts, and delicious garlic flavor are a great combo - tip, add fresh jalapeños on top ;) The chicken & waffles was also delicious! Yelp Review.

The best pizza in town is the one that you enjoy the most. There comes a time during financial crises where businesses around our home go out of business. Some of these are our favorite places, some of them have waiters, chefs, assistants, or workers that we have known for years and that know our name. This is the time to support them as all of them need your help to keep the business running. As much as your budget allows you to, try to contact the businesses directly to eat in place or pick your order to go. You will have a delightful experience, and these workers will be thankful for your support and trust in them. Enjoy your pizza!