Owners Chris May, sister Samantha Meduri and brother-in-law Derek Meduri brought the first Dave’s Cosmic Subs to Columbus. Credit: Beka Cagle | Lantern Reporter
A new High Street restaurant promises to take its patrons on a psychedelic trip to outer space, or at least as far as Cleveland.
Dave’s Cosmic Subs, a sub shop that has developed a cult following in northeast Ohio due to its wide array of signature subs along with its eccentric branding, is opening the doors to its first Columbus location in the South Campus area this week.
Chris May and Derek Meduri, brothers-in-law originally from northeast Ohio, grew up loving Dave’s Cosmic Subs and decided they wanted to open the chain’s first location in the state capital soon after they moved to the city, Meduri said.
“Any time we couldn’t have [Dave’s Cosmic Subs], we were just always thinking about it,” May said. “So we really wanted one down here.”
Brandon Lombardy, son of owner Dave Lombardy, has been involved in the business since the original location’s opening in 1997 and said he’s excited to finally bring the shop to Columbus. He described the restaurant as “an east coast deli meets a west coast rock-and-roll vibe.”
The shop offers a variety of 30 signature 8-inch subs, with an option to create your own, ranging from $7 to $10 in price. The sub menu includes options such as Dave’s Best Meatball Ever, Dave’s Famous Reuben and one of the team’s favorites, Dave’s Famous Bleu, a hot turkey sub smothered in blue cheese dressing.
“All the sandwiches are super inventive,” May said. “There’s some off-the-wall sandwiches, but you can come in and get just your standard turkey sandwich too.”
Dave’s Cosmic Sauce, which Lombardy describes as a “creamy vinegar-based Italian dressing,” is added to almost every sub on the menu. The secret-recipe sauce is sold by the bottle.
Vegetarian and vegan sub options are also available. The shop’s freshly baked Italian bread is vegan, as well as Dave’s Cosmic Sauce, which was intended to cater to a wide audience, Lombardy said.
The restaurant also offers a variety of salads and sides, including hand-cut fries, chili and potato chips. Also on the menu are cookies, brownies and the shop’s own brand of bottled soda, referred to as “Dave’s Drinks.”
Meduri described the shop’s interior as “laid-back yet psychedelic.” The walls are painted yellow, pink and red and covered in posters of bands such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead.
The decor stays fairly consistent in each location, but every shop is unique in its own way, Lombardy said. Hung on the walls of the Columbus location are guitars belonging to May and Meduri’s family and a cymbal from May’s drum set.
“The first time I ever had [Dave’s Cosmic Subs], the first thing that drew me in was the vibe,” Meduri said. “It’s an experience every time you walk into one.”
Also part of the shop’s team is Meduri’s wife and May’s sister, Samantha; May’s wife, Erica; and May’s parents, Michael and Judy.
The restaurant’s hours haven’t been finalized, but the team plans to be open until around 9 p.m. initially and eventually transition to late-night hours, May said.
The shop will offer takeout, catering and delivery through Uber Eats and DoorDash. They will accept cash, cards and BuckID.
Dave’s Cosmic Subs is located at 1766 N. High St. near Bullwinkles.
