Columbus’ Best Shopping and Entertainment Spots 2026

We asked, you answered—here are the places readers voted for in our Best of Columbus 2026 poll for shopping and entertainment.

Welcome to Best of Columbus, the city’s original reader-voted contest crowning our favorite people and places. Columbus Monthly readers picked over 100 of their favorite places to eat and drink, shop and spend their time. Here are reader’s choices for the best in shopping and entertainment. And be sure to check out the rest of the package for our other reader poll results, as well as staff favorites and the stories behind some of our winners.

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Best Bar for Music

Best Beer Shop

Winner: Weiland’s Market
Finalist: Aardvark Wine & Beer
Finalist: The Daily Growler

Best Bike Shop

Winner: Johnny Velo Bikes
Finalist: Beechwold Bicycles
Finalist: Bicycle One

Best Bowling Alley

Winner: Pins Mechanical Co.
Finalist: Columbus Square Bowling Palace
Finalist: Sequoia Pro Bowl Finalist Star Lanes Polaris
Finalist: Ten Pin Alley

Best Clothing Resale Shop

Winner: One More Time
Finalist: Flower Child Vintage
Finalist: Second Chance

Best Concert Venue

Winner: Ohio Theatre
Finalist: KEMBA Live
Finalist: Nationwide Arena

Best Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area

Winner: Dublin
Finalist: Arena District
Finalist: Hilliard

Best Farmers Market

Winner: Worthington
Finalist: Clintonville
Finalist: Dublin Market at Bridge Park

Best Festival

Best Fitness Studio

Winner: Studio Glow Fitness
Finalist: LIT Life + Yoga
Finalist: Noble Method

Best Florist

Winner: DeSantis Florists
Finalist: 5th Ave. Floral Co.
Finalist: Orchard Lane Flowers
Finalist: Petals & Leaves

Best Furniture Resale Shop

Winner: Grandview Mercantile
Finalist: Boomerang Room Vintage
Finalist: One More Time

Best Gallery

Winner: Hawk Galleries
Finalist: 934 Gallery
Finalist: Urban Arts Space

Best Garden Center

Winner: Oakland Nursery
Finalist: Groovy Plants Ranch
Finalist: Strader’s Garden Center

Best Grocery Store

Winner: Trader Joe’s
Finalist: Giant Eagle Market District
Finalist: Weiland’s Market

Best Gym

Winner: LIT Life + Yoga
Finalist: Westerville Recreation Center
Finalist: YMCA of Central Ohio

Best Hair Salon

Winner: Penzone Salons + Spas
Finalist: Kenneth’s Salons + Day Spas
Finalist: Virtue Vegan Salon

Best Hardware Store

Winner: Beechwold Ace Hardware
Finalist: Nutter Hardware
Finalist: Zettler Hardware

Best LGBTQ+ Bar/Club

Winner: Slammers
Finalist: Tremont Lounge
Finalist: Union Café

Best Local Band

Winner: Caamp
Finalist: Hoodoo Soul Band
Finalist: MojoFlo

Best Local Musician

Winner: Bobby Floyd
Finalist: Angela Perley
Finalist: Willie Phoenix

Best Movie Theater

Winner: Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse
Finalist: Gateway Film Center
Finalist: Grandview Theater & Drafthouse

Best Museum

Winner: Columbus Museum of Art
Finalist: COSI
Finalist: Ohio History Center

Best Park

Winner: Highbanks
Finalist: Columbus Park of Roses
Finalist: Schiller Park

Best Place for Home Decor

Winner: Oakland HOME
Finalist: Elm & Iron
Finalist: Grandview Mercantile

Best Place for Last-Minute Gifts

Winner: Jeffrey Thomas
Finalist: Oakland HOME
Finalist: Tigertree
Finalist: Wild Cat Gift and Party

Best Place for Men’s Fashions

Winner: Jeffrey Thomas
Finalist: Godfrys
Finalist: Samson Men’s Emporium

Best Place for Ohio-Made Stuff

Winner: Homage
Finalist: Celebrate Local
Finalist: Wild Cat Gift and Party

Best Place for Women’s Fashions

Winner: Jeffrey Thomas
Finalist: Ladybird
Finalist: Vernacular

Best Place to Buy Jewelry

Winner: Diamond Cellar
Finalist: Leo Alfred Jewelers
Finalist: Worthington Jewelers

Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners

Winner: Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
Finalist: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Finalist: German Village

Winner: Schiller Park wire-suspended sculptures
Finalist: Field of Corn, Dublin
Finalist: Goodale Park elephant fountain

Best Running/Walking or Biking Event

Best Spa

Winner: Penzone Salons + Spas
Finalist: Panacea Luxury Spa
Finalist: Woodhouse Spas

Best Store for Housewares

Winner: Sur La Table
Finalist: Crate & Barrel
Finalist: Elm & Iron Home Goods

Best Wine Shop

Winner: Weiland’s Market
Finalist: Gentile’s Wine Sellers
Finalist: The Hills Market

Best Yoga Studio

Winner: LIT Life + Yoga
Finalist: GoYoga
Finalist: Modo Yoga Columbus

This story appeared in the July 2026 issue of Columbus Monthly as part of the Best of Columbus package. See the other winners here and subscribe to Columbus Monthly here.

‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’