Short North is lining up a new weekend obsession at 940 N. High St., where Litchi, a Japanese-inspired brunch cafe, is moving into the former Ampersand Asian Supper Club space. Fresh "Coming Soon" signs in the windows tease a summer opening and a menu built around Japanese soufflé pancakes, savory Asian-fusion brunch plates and cocktails.
Those window signs, first spotted and reported by Columbus Underground, preview a lineup that leans indulgent. The photos highlight dishes like Japanese soufflé pancake, an Egg Benedict with shredded beef and tubetti pasta finished with a soft-poached egg. The copy also calls out Sichuan peppercorn prawn pasta, mango shrimp salad and Thai curry sea bass, along with a cocktail program to match.
Local newsletter Breakfast With Nick pointed readers to earlier reporting in Columbus Foodletter that first flagged Litchi and framed it primarily as a cafe devoted to Japanese-style pancakes. That early coverage leaned hard on the pancake angle as the core of the concept. The quick turn from that initial tip to full window signage suggests the project has moved at a brisk pace.
Chen’s Short North Track Record
Owner Daniel Chen is not a newcomer to the neighborhood. He already operates 698 Restaurant in the Short North, according to the 698 Restaurant website, and Song Lan in Dublin, per Song Lan. The Short North directory also lists The 1126 Restaurant as Chen’s first High Street concept, which opened in 2018. Taken together, his growing portfolio suggests Litchi will have a ready-made audience for Asian-fusion leaning dishes on High Street.
Menu Highlights And What To Expect
The window copy documented by Columbus Underground promises a mix of sweet and savory plates, from thick, jiggly Japanese soufflé pancakes to an Egg Benedict with shredded beef and tubetti pasta crowned with a soft-poached egg. Seafood and curry entrees, including Sichuan peppercorn prawn pasta, mango shrimp salad and Thai curry sea bass, round out the preview. The variety hints at a hybrid brunch-and-dinner model rather than a single-note pancake cafe. For now, the storefront signage only mentions a summer opening, with no specific date on the books.
Short North Context
The Short North continues to shuffle its restaurant deck, as established spots bow out and new concepts slide in, and current listings show a tightly packed stretch of eateries along High Street. According to Short North’s directory, the neighborhood already supports multiple brunch-focused destinations, which means Litchi will be diving into a crowded weekend field. Its focus on Japanese-style pancakes may give it an edge against the more typical pancake and omelet players on the strip.
Chen’s team has not posted a firm opening date or soft-opening schedule yet, and there is no public menu beyond the teaser items in the window. Until more details drop, curious brunch hunters will have to keep an eye on 940 N. High St. for build-out progress and watch local coverage for the official launch.
