We had the socializing of summer in mind when we developed our new cocktail and wine list for the season. Libations which are flavorful, refreshing and are fun to share with others. Although, our house-made Sangria, made with white wine, ginger simple syrup, fresh fruit, cranberry juice and Finlandia vodka has been the popular favorite drink among patio patrons, we wanted to give another option for group savoring. Introducing, Patio Punch, a rum based drink with Myers platinum rum, fresh pineapple, mango and orange juices, then topped with Myers dark rum floater.

Additionally, many wines were chosen for their amazing effect of bringing people together.

Some of our top selections which must be shared:

• Chemistry, a white blend from the Williamette Valley of Oregon. This wine is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Gerwurztraminer, Reisling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.

This wine is delicious! The Pinot Blanc provides a nice firm structure of acidity while the Reisling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, lend a softness and well-balanced sweetness to round out the drinking experience. It is an all day drinker for sure.

• Fume Blanc, Ferrari- Carano from Sonoma County, California

For an award-winning wine and a less prominent grape varietal, this wine is so approachable and of great value. Similarly to a Sauvignon Blanc but not quite as harsh as many can be, this wine refreshes the palate with bright citrus flavors mingles with creamy vanilla notes. Highly recommended!

Perhaps, locally spirits are your thing. We are on it.

• Sugar Plum Fizz, made with OYO Honey Vanilla vodka, muddled plums, thyme, elderflower liqueur and club soda. We did this one right!
• Milestone Mule, made with Watershed vodka, lime and Gosling's ginger beer
• Strawberry Basil, local made Buckeye vodka, muddled strawberries, basil and lime

1. It's a long and arduous process. (The city of Columbus broke ground on the new bridge in March 2010.)

2. It's loud, earth shaking and creates a lot of dust. (As when the construction crew was driving in the pylons to reach 70 feet to the river bedrock elevation!)

3. The process and what seems like a long wait is going to be well worth it.

Think of the new Rich Street bridge as completing the holy trinity of bridges along the Scioto, joining the modern look of the Main Street bridge while maintaining the historical integrity of the Discovery Bridge (Broad Street bridge). The Rich Street Bridge, which the city has dubbed their "Festival" bridge, is a "post-tensioned precast concrete rib-arch bridge composed of five spans, 10 foot sidewalks and three traffic lanes." Or at least that's how the folks at Finley Engineering describe the bridge on their website.

Not sure what the engineering jargon means? Well, you'll have to see it for yourself. In basic terms, it means that the bridge is simple and elegant.

Two years in the making the new Rich Street Bridge replaces a concrete fill in bridge that stood there from 1917 to 2010. Our new bridge, more than just a practical concrete slab that enables us to traverse to the opposite bank of the river, is meant to be an asset to our community, a work of art, and a structure that is harmonious to the area's historic civic buildings and the contemporary COSI building.

The bridge is 562 feet in length, it has four pylons at the four corners of the bridge which will serve as electrical and telephone command centers during festivals. The bridge will have blue LED lighting along the handrails and pylons. The pier and arches will be illuminated by white flood lights.

In another few weeks, the bridge will open to pedestrian traffic and join the cityscape. You'll definitely be able to see it from table 93 on our patio. 

  (Note: photos courtesy Nancy Burton, ODOT)

You’ve seen local news footage of the Bicentennial Park fountains and our patio, or…

You’ve heard about us from co-workers or family members who have dined with us, but…

You’ve never been to our restaurant before…and you want to…but you have questions before you visit.

Welcome to Milestone 229. If you’ve made it to this blog, then hopefully you’re one step closer to dining with us and we look forward to having you as a guest.

We just recently celebrated our 8 month anniversary. Yep, that’s right, we’ve been open that long.  It feels like yesterday that we were amassed on our patio watching, with the multitudes of families, residents, business leaders, and city officials the opening ceremony of the Scioto Mile. 

But back to those questions, as you may imagine being a new restaurant we receive many, and many of the same kind of questions. We’d like to provide answers to our most commonly asked questions, so here goes.

Most Commonly Asked Questions

Question #1: Where are you located?

 Milestone 229 is located at 229 Civic Center Dr. between Rich and Main St. (Location)

Question #2: Where do I park?

Lunch service is complimentary valet from 11am-1pm - Monday – Friday.

Dinner Valet is $5, begins at 5pm and is available Monday - Saturday nights.

Sunday Brunch valet for $3 from 10am- 3pm.

There is also metered street parking on Rich St., Civic Center Dr, Main St. and Mound St. Rates are $0.75 per hour.

Question #3: What kind of food is on your menu?

We serve many classic American dishes.  Our chef team derives inspiration from various regions throughout the U.S.  The feel of the restaurant is upscale casual. We have sandwiches, salads, gourmet pizzas, steak, seafood and savory dishes such as our Roasted Gerber Chicken. 

In addition to the food, our drink menu consists of fresh made cocktails, draft beers from local breweries, and a range of fine wines that you won’t find in the grocery store.

Question #4: Do you have a dress code?

We are a casual restaurant. People come to dine with us for various celebrations, a date night out on the town, or for a simple bite to eat. You wouldn’t be out of place if you wore jeans, if you wore a suit, or if you came dressed to the nines.

Question #5: Do you take reservations?

We take reservations during dinner for our inside dining room only.  Patio tables cannot be reserved. They are seated on a first come, first serve basis.  We adhere to this policy for the obvious reason that we cannot depend on the crazy Ohio weather.  If it’s a great day and there’s availability, we are happy to accommodate a patio table request.  Also, a portion of our dining room tables are open to guests walking in.

During lunch, we have “call ahead seating”.  It is not a reservation per se, but a “wait list” you join prior to arriving. If we happen to be on a wait, your name is already on the list and a spot secured. If we aren’t on a wait, you will most likely be seated immediately.

Question #6: Do you have a private room? Can you accommodate large parties?

We do not have a private room but we do occasionally make our dining room available to large groups. Perhaps you’re searching for a venue for a wedding rehearsal dinner, or a business function, or a retirement.  Whatever the case may be, we are happy to speak with you about your needs and find out if we can accommodate you.

Last but not least, Frequently Asked Question #7: What are they building next to the restaurant?

I’ll tell you all about it in the next blog. Keep reading.