Speck Italian Eatery — Restaurant in Columbus

went here a few months ago for an anniversary after hearing nothing but great things, but the service was a bit of a flop and we won’t be back.

after being introduced to the menu and having it explained very well we ordered a few glasses of wine and decided on food. great so far. we asked for a few extra minutes once while we finished picking(relevant later).

we decided on ordering the bread/olive oil as an appetizer, pomodoro for myself, scallop dish for my partner, and then asked if we could order the short rib as a final course to split as we knew we wouldn’t be able to each finish another course. we were assured at length that we would get the bread, then a few moments later we would each get our first course, and then when we’re almost finished with that the short rib order would be put in. perfect!

first half goes as said, bread and then pastas. my pomodoro was okay, i think i expected more out of their spin having the ricotta/chive oil. partners scallops were great, especially since i’ve never loved scallops. a few bites in a separate server drops off a short rib and leaves? we waited to see if our server would notice but he seemed to walk by and look at our plates and kept walking. at this point i’m just mad that we’re going to have a $46 cold plate. the short rib itself was also just okay, there was only enough sauce/gravy for the center half of the dish with the rest being dry. would not recommend. we decided not to say anything and nothing comes of it except we have to decide which food we want to have before it gets cold.

as we start to get to the end of the meal, about 25 minutes left before our time table is up. i think i was asked 4 separate times by someone bussing tables if a plate could be taken while i had a mouthful of food. then, while i was on the last few hunks of bread our server came by and picked up the olive oil and took it away? no words or anything, just gone.

we did each get a half pour of champagne from our server for the anniversary. i really appreciated it but it did not make up for the rest of the meal. done and paid for with about 10 minutes to spare on our reservation i believe. for ~$150 there is no excuses for this many gripes. if you’re going to have times on tables (which is very understandable), then it shouldn’t impact people having a regular length meal. there’s no excuse to feel rushed when paying this much.

we started the meal already excited to come back a second time but that won’t be happening. there’s plenty of options in this city with much...

Speck charges you $41 to reserve a table. This amount is refunded to you when you arrive but if you don’t show up they take the money. They also inform you that your reservation is for a limited time window- I think it is an hour and a half. Other restaurants like Chapman’s have a time limit (but Chapman’s doesn’t charge), and the limit is more than enough time to enjoy a meal.

When I got to Speck my table wasn’t ready. I think the whole charge $41 dollars and their communication that they would only hold my table 10 minutes if I was running late crested a sense of entitlement to MY table, and I was more annoyed that they made me wait 10 minutes after all of their rules and fees.

The servers suggested I try the chefs table. I said no, since I ‘paid $41’ I wanted my table. After saying no another server tried to pressure me into it saying ‘oh it’s so great’- I had to reminder her that I just said no.

We got our table. A bit cramped to surrounding tables. Our server Zoë was okay. She gave some good tips but I felt like she was constantly trying to upsell.

Food:

the focaccia was hands down amazing. I would absolutely order one of these. little gem salad is good. I’d probably try a different salad next time but it was solid. sausage ragu. Incredible. Definitely get this. The focaccia pairs nicely so make sure you save some to have with this dish. Milanese was dry, a big let down. Definitely skip. this place has horrible desserts- no chocolate option. We got the tiramisu which was a bit non traditional. It was HORRIBLE. Like literally disgusting. Definitely skip dessert here.

The decor is fine, a bit modern, open kitchen. We were served our salad with really small plates- not a traditional salad size which made it awkward. I’m glad this place exists but I think they have some rough edges to iron out which I hope they do. I’ll probably come back sometime but not rushing to do so. Definitely think Basi or Giuseppe’s is a more reliable Italian option in town.

Came back spring 2024. Still just okay. Focaccia is a must. Tiramisu was...

Welcome to downtown, Speck! As you walk in, you will be delighted by gorgeous interior decoration reflective of a cool spot taking a chance in our own downtown that is still very much finding it’s way. I hope more places like this begin to pop up downtown.

Service was excellent, you can tell there was a commitment to checking in and seeing how they were doing after recently opening. When coming here, please be prepared for a modern take on classic Italian-American food. You will not be getting lasagna, chicken parm and the like here. They are inventive and creative with their menu. Which is awesome.

I got the bone marrow which was served over a Spinach-based gnochetti pasta. However this pasta was just a tad under Al-dente, and there was a bit much on the Italian parsley on top, the flavor was concentrated by the Italian parsley, which sort of overshadowed bone marrow which is an intensely flavorful product on its own. I’d like it more as a garnish than a salad on top because that herb flavor is so strongly present.

The focaccia was excellent just a bit greasy on the bottom, but when you’re dipping in olive oil it doesn’t even matter that much. Cacio e Pepe was silky and comforting for a cold day. I thought the use of the stuffed gnocchi was creative and satisfying. That pasta was cooked perfectly.

They give you your bill with a post card that they mail out for you and my partner wrote a note to me to have sent to our house. It was in our mailbox just a couple days later. Super cute touch.

Great spot for a date night just a couple of food-related kinks to work out. I don’t think the price is unfair at all for the creativity you’re getting. Dinner for 2 was about $110 with a cocktail and bread. Will be coming back and trying...