Starliner Diner   

The Starliner Diner, with its vibrant murals and walls loaded with good, old-fashioned American kitsch, has amassed a bit of a cult following in Columbus over the years. We think it's the winning formula of good food for cheap, but there's probably more to it. Everyone in town flocks here for breakfast or brunch, when the restaurant's addictive huevos rancheros are at their peak. But the full menu of Cuban-fusion food appeals to everyone's tastebuds, even the often-overlooked veggie set. Meatless items such as the plantain appetizer, served with salsa dressing or pan roasted vegetables served with black beans on steamed rice convince even carnivores that you don't need meat to have flavor. Pepper fans get instant gratification from smoky chipotles and chili sauces that give some dishes an extra kick. But of all the groups who come here, the happiest is usually the budget-conscious.