Restaurants come and go, but a few Columbus-area spots have been feeding the same families for generations. Here are the oldest ones still serving today, from oldest to newest.

Dinglewood Pharmacy: 1918

One of Columbus's most famous lunch counters is inside a drugstore. Dinglewood Pharmacy on Wynnton Road opened on Nov. 13, 1918, and its soda fountain is still serving today. People come for the scrambled dog: a hot dog cut up and buried under chili, onions, pickles and oyster crackers. It's arguably Columbus's most famous dish.

The pharmacy celebrated 100 years in 2018 and still fills prescriptions while the lunch counter stays busy.

Chicken Comer's Bar-B-Que, Phenix City: 1929

Across the river, Chicken Comer's dates to 1929, during the Great Depression. Anderson "Uncle Chicken" Comer started selling barbecue out of his home. The restaurant has changed owners several times over the decades, but it still serves barbecue in Phenix City today.

Smokey Pig Barbecue: 1950s

Smokey Pig has been serving barbecue in Columbus since the 1950s. The restaurant says it has operated since 1953, and it's known for its mustard-based sauce.

Ruth Ann's Restaurant: 1950s

Ruth Ann's calls itself "a Columbus tradition since 1957." The diner is named for Ruth Ann Heisey, who ran it with her husband, John. Heisey died in 2021, and the restaurant is still open. "Generation after generation has called us 'the best,'" the restaurant says.

Country's Barbecue: 1975

In 1975, Jim Morpeth borrowed $17,000 and opened a barbecue restaurant on Mercury Drive. That restaurant became Country's Barbecue. The Mercury Drive location is still open, and Country's on Broad, downtown, followed later.

Rosehill Seafood: 1976

Rosehill Seafood on Hamilton Road has served fried catfish since 1976. It closed in May 2025, and many people thought it was gone for good. It reopened under new management that August, then survived an arson fire in April 2026 and reopened again.

Minnie's Uptown Restaurant: 1980s

Minnie Hanneman opened Minnie's Uptown Restaurant at First Avenue and Eighth Street in the mid-1980s. It became one of uptown's best-loved soul food spots, famous for its Southern cooking and desserts. Hanneman died in 2023 at 89. Her family still runs the restaurant.

Did we miss one? If your favorite restaurant has been open longer, tell us at columbustimes.com/contact, and tell us when it opened. We'll check it out and add it.