New French-inspired restaurant opening soon in Columbus. When to try it

Lou Lou’s Bistro and Foster’s Bar, replacing Wicked Hen at 1350 13th St, is set to have a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony this week.

The grand opening ceremony will be hosted at the restaurant at 5 p.m. July 18. Attendees can expect to enjoy appetizers, live music and puppies during the event, according to an event announcement.

Owners Scott and Wesley Ailsworth announced in March on Facebook that they were taking over management of Wicked Hen and temporarily closed the restaurant for renovations at the end of April.

“Seeing this dream become a reality is something we’re incredibly grateful for,” Wesley said in a statement sent to the Ledger-Enquirer. “ ... Our hope is that Lou Lou’s and Foster’s become places where friends gather, families celebrate, neighbors become regulars, and everyone feels genuinely welcome. “

Bitsy Dedwylder, project and program coordinator at Midtown Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on revitalizing and enhancing midtown Columbus, praised the opening in a statement to the Ledger-Enquirer.

“Wesley and Scott have done an outstanding job creating a broad menu that has a perfect price point — a place where folks will dine in and meet for drinks regularly…We are really excited and thrilled they are fulfilling their life dreams here in Midtown,” she said.

When is Lou Lou’s Bistro open?

Lou Lou’s serves lunch Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m., and on Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m.

It is also open Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and serves brunch Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is closed on Sunday nights.

Both Lou Lou’s and Foster’s are closed on Wednesdays, and Foster’s opens at 4 p.m. daily except on Sundays.

Who are the owners of Lou Lou’s Bistro?

Scott Ailsworth has worked as Wicked Hen’s head chef for about a year. The owner, Bryan Walker, approached him in November 2025 about taking over the space. He told the Ledger-Enquirer in a previous interview that the opportunity was a surprise, but it came at the right time.

“I’ve wanted to have a space of my own for a very long time,” Scott said. “Starting something from scratch would have been a lot more difficult, and so I was really excited and was just like, ‘How could I make this work?’ I wanted to do everything I could to do it.”

“We’ve always wanted to open something,” Wesley added. “We’ve had so many ideas before we moved here. We’ve talked about catering, we’ve talked about a market, and we’ve walked around a Greek counter-service place. I mean, you name it, we’ve had an idea about it. This opportunity just came at the right time.”

The Ailsworths said they plan to split day-to-day responsibilities based on their backgrounds. Wesley Ailsworth said she will focus on front-of-house operations while continuing her job with a Columbus interior design firm. Scott Ailsworth said he will lead the kitchen as executive chef.

Wesley also said she expects to be at the restaurant regularly in the evenings and will take on some hosting duties.

“This is our new home,” Wesley said.

What’s planned for the menu

Scott Ailsworth said the new concept will keep some current best-sellers and add French-inspired dishes alongside Southern fare.

“We’re going to have some French tones in the bistro downstairs, steak frites, a croque-monsieur sandwich, French onion soup, and a couple other French-inspired dishes, along with some Southern neighborhood restaurant and bar fare,” he said.

Decisions about what stays on the menu are guided by what regular customers already order, Scott Ailsworth said.

“Being the head chef here in the last year, I’ve seen what sells,” Scott said. “I see what works, and I see what people keep coming back for.”

Scott also mentioned having pimento cheese crackers, a Georgia peach chutney pork chop, fried green tomato BLT, and a daily crabcake sandwich, among many other dishes to be included.