A Brunch and Dinner Stop Worth Making in Worthington

A plate of crisp Brussels sprouts finished with fried capers is a fine way to begin at The Whitney House. It has the satisfying crunch of a bar snack but enough character to hold its own at a proper dinner table, which says a lot about this Worthington restaurant’s approach to comfort food.

The menu moves easily from shareable starters to sandwiches, salads, brunch plates and dinner entrées. A group can pass around skillet cornbread and whipped goat cheese with bread, while somebody else orders a fish sandwich, and no one has to feel as though they have been dragged to the wrong sort of restaurant.

There is a welcoming liveliness here, with choices that suit a casual catch-up, a birthday meal, a family gathering or a lingering Sunday brunch. The different rooms help, too: diners can settle into the main dining space, choose the tavern or bar area, claim a booth or high-top table, or head outdoors when patio seating is available.

The Brussels sprouts are a natural opening order. Roasted or fried until notably crisp, then brightened by those salty fried capers, they bring more texture and punch than the usual obligatory vegetable appetizer.

Skillet cornbread is another regular favorite, and it works particularly well for a table that wants to share something warm before deciding how serious dinner is going to be. It also turns up with brunch, a useful reminder that this is not a restaurant that treats the weekend menu as an afterthought.

The whipped goat cheese, served with bread for spreading, is a softer counterpoint to the sprouts. Pork belly with slaw offers another direction: crisp, spicy and built for a few bites at a time rather than a polite little nibble.

Crabcakes have also made a memorable pairing with the Brussels sprouts. That is a good order for diners who prefer to construct dinner through a few smaller, more interesting choices instead of committing immediately to one large entrée.

The sandwich side of the menu gives the restaurant plenty of all-purpose appeal. A grilled walleye sandwich has paired light, flaky fish with sauce and slaw, alongside sweet potato fries that arrive crisp on the outside and soft within.

Another fish sandwich has featured tender fish and aioli, while a Philly-style sandwich offers a more familiar, hearty route. Tomato jam has appeared with grilled cheese and other sandwiches, adding a sweet-savory detail that keeps even a classic lunch-minded order from feeling routine.

Soup can be more than a supporting player here. Tomato soup with chickpeas and spinach has brought a little substance to the bowl, while jambalaya and chicken poblano soup have appeared among the changing selections. These are the kinds of options that make soup-and-sandwich lunch sound considerably more tempting than a fallback plan.

Not every meal has to begin with pork belly and end with cake. Beet salad brings beets together with fresh vegetables, and another salad combination has included shaved carrots, beets and curry cauliflower.

Those salads make a useful counterbalance to the restaurant’s more indulgent choices, especially if the table is already sharing cornbread or sprouts. A Caesar salad also appears at brunch, offering a straightforward choice for someone who would rather skip the sweeter morning plates.

For dinner, the menu has ranged through shrimp Alfredo pasta, salmon and chicken saltimbocca. The variety gives a mixed party room to order in different directions without turning the table into a negotiation.

Seasonal dishes are part of the restaurant’s rhythm, so a particular soup, sandwich combination or entrée may not always be on hand. That changing element is welcome here; it keeps repeat visits from becoming a strict repeat of the last order.

Brunch at The Whitney House has enough range to handle the traditionalist and the person who regards brunch as an excuse for dessert before noon. Quiche, hash, traditional eggs with potatoes and an egg sandwich cover the savory basics with more polish than a standard diner lineup.

French toast has arrived with candied bacon, fresh fruit and whipped cream, a full sweet-and-salty plate with no need for further embellishment. Cinnamon roll bread pudding and coffee cake take the morning in an even more dessert-forward direction.

A bloody Mary is a recurring favorite for brunch, and skillet cornbread can return to the table if you did not get enough of it at dinner. That overlap is handy: some places divide their menus into entirely separate personalities, while this one carries its good ideas through the day.

The room you choose can shape the meal. The main dining spaces and tavern have noticeably different moods, so a meal can land more polished or more relaxed without leaving the building. Booths and comfortable high-top tables add still more options for couples, groups and a quick drink with food.

Outside, the patio faces Main Street, giving diners a view of Worthington activity as it passes by. Umbrellas provide shade during sunny daytime brunches, and the patio has been described as pet friendly.

That outdoor setup is especially appealing for a long brunch or an unhurried early dinner, when a meal can stretch a little past the original plan. Indoor seating remains the alternative when patio conditions are not cooperating.

Friendly, attentive service is a consistent strength. Staff members are comfortable making suggestions and explaining dishes, which matters on a menu that can send a table from goat cheese to walleye to chicken saltimbocca in a hurry.

There is also a refreshingly kitchen-connected spirit to the place. Conversations about a dish, including the tomato soup, have not felt out of bounds, a small but telling sign for diners who enjoy knowing a little more about what lands in front of them.

The restaurant is relatively small, and reservations are recommended. Parking can be found in nearby street spaces, a free lot or a parking garage, depending on what is open at the time. Once inside, the difficult decision is less about where to sit than whether to save room for pretzel cake or another cake selection.