top quality but definitely pricey. katzinger'sdeliis another local establishment that regardless of whether you live in columbus or are just visiting, you are obliged to try at least once - it is one of the "columbus institutions," so to speak. they have built up a nearly immaculate and well-deserved reputation over the years, as they consistently deliver some of the highest qualitydelisandwiches in the area. regrettably, the only downside is the price, but more on that later.
katzinger's is located on 3rd street and livingston in german village, just south of where 70/71 cross through downtown. there are a few street parking spots available on 3rd street, but luckily they also have their own parking lot one block west of the restaurant itself. it can be tricky to find, but considering that parking lots are virtually unheard of in german village, i'll take what i can get. they are open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but do close down around 8:30pm, so unfortunately no late night feasts here. if you arrive at mid-day, expect to be greeted by a line of customers waiting outside, but for any other time of day, the wait is relatively minimal.
upon entering, you're forced to snake through the store section of the restaurant, where you can purchase an excellent selection of high quality meats, cheeses, breads, and prepared side dishes (think pasta salad, coleslaw, soups, etc). they also have several sets of shelves stocked with various gourmet goodies, such as olive oils, maple syrups, and a multitude of sauces and vinaigrettes to take home with you. this is a bit touristy and tacky, but i'll forgive them this one.
when you reach the counter, you'll see the seemingly endless variety of sandwiches (numbering in the 70's) scrolled across the colorful menus overhead, and the ever-present option to design your own. the sandwiches come in two sizes, labeled big and huge, and are priced a la carte. if you freeze up, don't worry - the trusty fall back is always the very delicious rueben. besides the sides i already mentioned, you can also grab a bag of zapp's chips, a variety of colas and teas, and even a one of a few dessert options. after you pay, you move into the dining area (they'll bring your sandwiches out to you) in which you will also find several buckets of homemade pickles. happily, these are free and all-you-can-eat, so dig in. there are a couple tables outside, as well, for the warmer months. they frequently offer special events, such as sausage, beer, or cheese tastings, too, so keep your ear to the ground.
now on to that one downside. i understand and fully accept the concept of paying for quality, but here you can expect to pay for quality in addition to a small bump for their reputation and tourist appeal. the smaller sandwiches (labeled big) run $8-11 and the larger sandwiches (labeled huge) run $11-13. once you add in chips or side dish and a drink, onedelimeal can push upwards of the $15-20 mark. ounce for ounce, the larger sandwich option is the better deal and will suffice to fill up almost any appetite. some suggest you can split a "huge" with someone else or take half home with you, but i've never found that to be the case, though i am admittedly a big eater.
ultimately, i still love katzinger's, i'd recommend it to any friend or family member, and i still relish every visit i make. if it weren't for the sucker punch to the wallet, i'd be here quite frequently - as it currently stands, i make it in for a handful of visits a year. if you've never been, your visit is over-due so head on down. enjoy.
must-try dish: the rueben sandwich