“Don’t shop on an empty stomach” is advice designed to prevent impulse purchases at the grocery store. If you’re visiting Carfagna’s culinary campus in Polaris, however, I might suggest the opposite: Come hungry. For nearly 100 years, Carfagna’s has been a Columbus institution.

Founder Saturnino “Sam” Carfagna opened his first market in Linden in 1937, specializing in live chickens and fresh meat.  Since then, four generations have expanded the business to provide fresh, prepared and imported Italian ingredients through various stores and kitchens in Central Ohio.