Tried and True: Kolache Republic

In life, one eventually learns that some things just fall into place by happenstance. In relation to Mrs. 614orty-Niner and I, Kolache Republic has earned a special distinction through that happenstance: they have become our unofficial official starting point for long road trips to the south or multiple-event days around town.

For the uninitiated, kolaches are a pastry made by rimming a dollop of filling (traditionally fruit) with a puffy dough and baking them until golden brown. Imported into this country by Eastern European immigrants, they have become regionally popular in certain regions of the country, including Texas. Coincidentally, it was in Texas (Houston, specifically) where the Mrs. and I first got to sample this toothsome treat, though at vastly different times in our lives.

Kolache Republic has both sweet and savory pastries available for both breakfast and lunch, which includes specials that expand beyond traditional fillings. These daily offerings such as pulled pork, chicken cordon bleu and sloppy joe tend to sell out quickly.

We have always taken a combination of both sweet and savory for our meals there (my spouse's personal favorite is the apricot, while I am a sucker for poppyseed pastries; the sausage and jalapeño kolache is one of the few items we'd both order during the same visit.) Pair that with a coffee (the restaurant uses Cafe Brioso, one of Columbus' best roasters) and you have a pretty nice culinary combination to start your day.

One of our savory/sweet combos...and did I mention I love poppyseeds?

The restaurant itself is a quaint space with limited indoor and outdoor seating that is more suited to takeout orders (large orders and catering are also available with advanced notice); however, we've never had problems getting a seat during our visits. Service has always been top-notch for us, and we've found the restaurant's co-owners (Rick, Dusty and Doug) a pleasure to talk with and get to know a bit whenever we've stopped by.

We recently learned of Kolache Republic's one-year anniversary at their brick and mortar location via a congratulatory Tweet from one of Columbus' pre-eminent bloggers (Nick Dekker of Breakfast with Nick.) The Mrs. and I were a little surprised that they had only been there for a year, but then we realized that Kolache Republic has been plying their trade since 2011 as a food cart at various festivals and community events.

Let us echo those sentiments: happy first year anniversary kudos to you folks at Kolache Republic at your current digs, and we wish you continued success into the future. And yes, we look forward to starting more of our big days down the road with your kolaches.

One of my favorite Cbus restaurant logos

Kolache Republic
730 S. High Street (Brewery District - Google Maps)
Columbus, OH 43206
(614) 928-3151
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