Cafe Elena

5 Stars all the way! I am always impressed when the owner walks to every table to make sure you are happy with you meal. He helped the service staff and took the time to chat with us, it was our first time there and he made sure we were taken care. I was also impressed on how clean, including the restrooms were.

Cafe Elena has a great breakfast selection, whether you want traditional (or semi-traditional) Russian dishes, American diner classics, or a full English. I had the “Russian grandma,” and left completely stuffed. It is family-owned, and it shows. Service is thoughtful, and engaged without being pushy. Add it your weekend brunch rotation if you haven’t already.

The staff is family owned, humble, and truly cares about the customer. Their food is a step above what you'd expect from a breakfast diner. The 'California Eggs Benedict' uses salmon instead of ham - moving classics in a refreshing new direction without sacrificing what diners are supposed to be: humble, easy, and cornerstones of conversation. If you get a swanky menu item, a drink, and maybe a side of bread expect a bit over $25. If you're on a budget, expect a completely satisfying breakfast for around $15. Completely fair and honest pricing given the economy. If you're looking for a spot to reconnect with friends, eat here. If you're on a first date, eat here. If you're looking for a quick bite, eat here. If you're wanting to try something new and fresh, eat here. If your friend recommended this place and you're looking for an excuse not to go... still eat here. And don't sleep on the seasonal menus, those are really well thought out and scratch the itch you didn't know you had. (Loved the Christmas decorations, conversation with the owner, and how thoughtful they are to what customers might like.)

I ordered coffee, Russian Borscht, Russian Dumplings, Elena's Specialty Crepes, and Russian Honey Cake (to go). Everything was delicious! The borscht, dumplings, and crepes were some of the best I've ever had. (The coffee was fine and as expected. I'm no expert. I'll try the cake later.) I wish Kentucky had such a restaurant. While this place is 3 hours from my home, I will make sure to stop by whenever I'm near Columbus.

This is such an underrated gem in Columbus! This is my husband and Is favorite spot. Cafe Elena is the perfect blend of high quality food, fairly priced meals, and cozy atmosphere. We have yet to have something that wasn’t absolute fantastic. They have the most delicious tea blends (and loose leaf in a pot! Not the bag kind!!) (also get Lana’s tea blend you won’t regret it) PHENOMENAL borscht that I get every time now when we come, and seriously the best pancakes in Columbus. And we take our pancakes seriously. It’s very evident that the staff + owner take pride in what they do and they make everything with the best recipes.