New ramen spot, Mizu No Kaori, opens in German Village

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A new ramen restaurant has joined the culinary mix in German Village, filling a familiar space on South Fourth Street with a take on Japanese comfort food.

Mizu No Kaori, which loosely translates to "the scent of water," is in a soft opening phase at 495 S. Fourth St., the former home of Bistrolino. The restaurant is welcoming customers from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, offering a variety of ramen styles, from classic miso and shoyu to tonkotsu and Tiananmen.

Vegan options and a brothless aburasoba round out the menu. Appetizers are limited for now, with edamame as a starter. Prices for ramen dishes range from $13.95 to $14.95.

The space has a long history in the Columbus food scene. Before Mizu No Kaori, it was Bistrolino, a Lebanese and Italian inspired restaurant and bar that operated for five years before closing in summer 2024. The owners have since launched Capri, a sports lounge in Downtown on East Gay Street.

Going back further, the building housed the original Harvest Pizzeria and adjacent Curio cocktail bar. Harvest operated at the site from 2011 to 2019 before expanding to multiple locations across central Ohio.