You’re planning Easter in Columbus 2026, and I’ve got the map: brunch spots worth queuing for, budget cafes that actually serve breakfast, bottomless mimosas if that’s your vibe, plus egg hunts that’ll tire out the kids so you can nap—win. You’ll smell butter and coffee, hear kids shriek at bunnies, and taste farm-to-table spring on your fork. Stick around — I’ll tell you where to book, what to skip, and how to pull off a calm holiday.
Top Brunch Restaurants to Book Early
If you want a stress-free Easter morning, book your brunch now—trust me, I learned the hard way standing in a line that could’ve fed a small army.
You’ll thank me when you slide into a sunny booth, smell butter and coffee, and relax.
I’ll point you to spots that follow current brunch trends, places where chefs swap boring for bold, and where menu highlights read like poetry you can eat.
Picture crispy hash, tangy hollandaise, charred citrus, a mimosa that sparkles.
You’ll want reservations at farm-to-table joints, playful gastropubs, and classic diners doing luxe comfort food.
Call ahead, pick a time, and show up hungry.
Don’t improvise. Seriously, don’t.
Budget-Friendly Brunches and Cafés
You’ll want to know where to get a big, warm brunch without draining your wallet, so I’ll point out spots that serve generous plates and strong coffee for under fifteen bucks.
Picture sticky-sweet French toast, scrambled eggs puffing steam, and kids at a chalkboard wall coloring like tiny art vandals — places that welcome the noise and the crumbs.
Stick with me, I’ll name the kid-friendly cafés and weekend steals that keep your Easter nice, not needy.
Affordable Weekend Brunches
A few dependable spots in Columbus serve weekend brunches that won’t make your wallet cry, and I’ll happily be your frugal guide.
You’ll find affordable options that still taste wealthy, plates piled high, eggs sunny and fragrant coffee steaming. I point you to diners where hash browns crunch, to cafes with simple brunch recipes pinned on chalkboards, and to bakeries where croissants flake like snowy confetti.
You’ll sit, smell butter, hear forks tap, and smile because portions reassure you. I’ll say what’s worth ordering, what to skip, and where the coffee’s worth a second cup.
Bring friends, bring appetite, bring sensible shoes for the short walk between tasty discoveries and cheap delights.
Kid-Friendly Cafés
When kids are in tow and brunch needs to be both cheap and cheerful, I’ll steer you to cafés that feel like tiny playgrounds for the palate—smells of buttered toast, warm milk, and espresso hitting the air as soon as you walk in.
You’ll want spots with low prices, quick service, and little chairs that don’t wobble. Order pancakes, split a savory tart, and slide the kids a bowl of healthy snacks while you sip something grown-up.
Look for themed decorations that turn meals into mini-adventures, bunny banners or space decals, cute servers who get sugar-managed toddlers.
I’ll point you to places with crayons, quick-changing high chairs, and a relaxed vibe, where laughter drowns out spills, and you actually finish your coffee.
Bottomless Brunches and Cocktail Spots
Since brunch is basically a socially acceptable excuse to drink before noon, I’ll lead you to the spots that do it best — bottomless mimosas that actually taste like fruit, Bloody Marys that bite back, and cocktails mixed with the kind of care you’d normally reserve for relationships.
You’ll find lively rooms, clinking glasses, and servers who know your limits better than you do. Hit a place with brunch cocktails and mimosa bars, build a tower of fresh juice, watch bubbles climb, sip sunshine.
Try a smoky mezcal sour if you’re feeling rebellious, or a classic Bellini if you want soft comfort. Bring friends, argue over fries, laugh too loud, and leave tipsy, satisfied, and already planning your next stop.
Kid-Friendly Egg Hunts and Activities
You’ve had your fill of mimosas and witty banter, now let’s get the kids hyped — and the adults shushing in the cutest possible way.
You’ll duck into a grassy park, hear giggles and plastic baskets clacking, and sprint alongside tiny sneakers hunting pastel treasures. Local parks mix timed egg hunts with hands-on Easter crafts, sensory stations for toddlers, and messy, glorious egg decorating that stains shirts like a badge of honor.
You’ll join family games on the lawn, toss beanbags, and cheer while someone dramatically loses to a six-year-old.
Later, slip into a spring nature walk, sniff damp earth, spot crocuses, and breathe; kids will chase worms, you’ll pretend you’re dignified.
It’s chaotic, sweet, absolutely memorable.
Church Services and Spiritual Gatherings
If you’re craving a quieter counterpoint to egg hunts and sticky fingers, I’ll point you toward the city’s churches and spiritual gatherings where pews creak like old friends and organ pipes sigh through sunlight.
You’ll find candlelit vigils, sunrise services in parks, and choir anthems that lift the dust motes into praise. Walk in, take a breath, feel wood under your palms, hymns wrapping around you like a familiar coat.
I’ll tell you which congregations lean traditional, which sing with a band, and where kids get palm crosses or chocolate afterward—small perks, honest.
These spots honor Easter traditions, host community gatherings, and give you a calm place to reflect, connect, and maybe cry a little — I do, every year.
Outdoor Events and Spring Festivals
Three things make Columbus spring sing: sunlight, crowds that smell faintly of sunscreen and funnel cake, and parks full of people pretending they packed a picnic weeks ago.
You’ll find spring festivals along verdant streets, booths spilling with crafts, spicy aromas, and kids chasing bubbles. I’ll nudge you toward pop-up markets where you can try local honey, artful pretzels, and that one spicy lemonade you’ll brag about.
Outdoor concerts start as the sun dips, guitars warm, drums steady, and you realize your shoes are sticky from something sweet. You’ll grab a lawn chair, trade song recs with a stranger, and laugh at my terrible dance moves.
Bring a light jacket, cash for snacks, and a readiness to wander, because Columbus surprises you when you look up.
Family-Friendly Parks and Picnic Ideas
When the sun comes out and the kids start vibrating like loose change, I drag you to one of Columbus’s parks where grass is an open invitation and nobody judges your thermos choices.
You’ll love the way wind smells like cut clover, and how peanut butter sandwiches taste ridiculously gourmet outdoors. For smart picnic planning, think simple, pack layers, and toss a blanket you don’t mind losing to mud.
- Choose a shady spot near a playground for easy supervision, pack reusable plates, and bring hand wipes for sticky fingers.
- Include active park activities: frisbee, a kite, or scavenger cards to keep energy from detonating.
- Bring a small first-aid kit, sunscreen, and an emergency snack; you’ll thank me later.
Tips for Reserving Tables and Group Dining
You’ll want to reserve early, since Columbus brunch spots fill up fast and nobody likes the sad trombone of “no tables.”
Call ahead and confirm details — menu needs, allergies, arrival time — so you’re not scrambling with a soggy basket of disappointment.
For group seating, ask about long tables or private rooms, tell them you’re bringing a herd, and claim that window seat with confidence.
Reserve Early, Confirm Details
If you want the whole table to actually be there when your aunt shows up with a casserole and her tiny choir of toddlers, book now—don’t dawdle.
I check reservation policies early, read the fine print, and sigh at deposit rules, then move on. Use familiar booking platforms or call direct, because tech can glitch and humans can charm.
- Confirm the date, time, and number exactly, and ask about menu changes.
- Ask if they hold spots for late kids, high chairs, or that one uncle who always arrives with bagpipes.
- Reconfirm 24–48 hours out, note allergies, and get a phone contact.
You’ll relax more, eat better, and avoid frantic texts. Trust me, it feels glorious.
Group Seating Tips
Great—so you’ve locked the reservation and calmed the relatives, now let’s talk about seating like the social conductor you secretly are.
You’ll scan the room, sniff the coffee, and picture group dynamics — who needs elbow space, who wants to chat, who’ll sneak the mimosa.
Ask the host for flexible seating arrangements, request pushed tables or partial booths, and mention kids or accessibility up front.
Seat talkers near edges, toddlers near you, and shy cousins together.
Use color-coded name cards, or one quick joke to break ice — I always fake a drum roll.
When the server appears, confirm dietary notes and split checks politely.
Stay loose, smile, and adapt; a good seating plan keeps everything flowing, and you’ll get credit you don’t deserve.
Conclusion
You’ll want to book early, show up hungry, and bring the kids — I’ll remind you when the reservations open. Taste farm-fresh pancakes, sip a bright mimosa, and chase dyed eggs across a park; you’ll laugh, you’ll snap photos, you’ll eat too much. Pick a cozy café, a boisterous bottomless spot, or a shady picnic patch — whatever fits your crew. Go make messy, joyful memories; I’ll handle the sticky napkin cleanup in spirit.
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