Wellness-seekers and foodies unite: a new café experience has come to Hilliard! Located in The Well, Alchemy offers a variety of food and drink options with health and taste at front of mind.
Patrons can enjoy many of the brand’s beloved staples – smoothies, protein-packed bowls, and breakfast wraps – that seek to embrace its Midwest roots in new ways.
Those renting event spaces at The Well, available starting in 2026, will be able to choose Alchemy as a catering vendor for their event and experience the brand’s elevated new catering menu.
With a mindset that believes “really good food is the foundation of a healthier and happier lifestyle,” Alchemy is the perfect addition to Hilliard’s new Recreation and Wellness Center.
The brand already has a series of popular, wellness-inspired food concepts in the Central Ohio area. Alchemy Café, at 625 Parsons Ave. in Columbus, is their flagship location and offers the original Alchemy menu. The brand then expanded to include Alchemy Kitchen at 1439 Grandview Ave. in Grandview Heights.
This third location in Hilliard seeks to bridge food and wellness even more directly.
“A comprehensive approach to wellness is about much more than what you eat or how you move,” affirms Alchemy’s website. “People are busy, so one of our biggest goals is to make functional, feel-good food and basic nutritional education more accessible – so you can spend more time doing you.”
So how did we get here? What began as a chance encounter has turned into a major milestone for both Alchemy and The Well. Plans for this partnership began in March 2024 during a lunch-and-learn event with City of Hilliard employees when Alchemy co-founder Abed Alshahal met Recreation and Parks Deputy Director Erin Duffee. That conversation —rooted in a shared passion for community health and integrative wellness — sparked the beginning of a meaningful collaboration.
Soon after that first meeting, Duffee and Recreation and Parks Director Ed Merritt met with the Alchemy team at their Grandview location, and the idea of bringing Alchemy to Hilliard quickly took shape.
“Although we weren’t actively looking to expand — especially outside Columbus —we immediately aligned on vision and values,” Alshahal said. “As a first-generation business owner and graduate of The Ohio State University, the opportunity to build something here felt like a perfect fit.”
What made the decision feel even more meant to be? The partnership between the City and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. There is 25,000 square feet of The Well dedicated to OSUWMC, where they offer urgent care, physical therapy, mental and behavioral health options, and integrative health practices.
“It’s been our vision to intersect healthcare and food service since day one,” Alshahal said. “Partnering with the City of Hilliard and being neighbors with OSUWMC creates a true integrative health trifecta.”
Duffee agrees.
“I am truly inspired by the collaboration between OSUWMC, Alchemy, and our Recreation and Parks Department,” she said. “Together, we have the opportunity to create a wellness experience that goes beyond traditional models, setting a new standard for how health, community, and innovation can come together and serve our residents.”
The Hilliard Alchemy location will serve as a space of creativity and connection for the community, something Alshahal is passionate about preserving.
“At our best, Alchemy is community care in action—meeting people where they are, sparking curiosity, and supporting health journeys with great food and meaningful relationships,” he said.
Whether you’re grabbing a smoothie after a workout, enjoying lunch with a friend, or just stopping in for your daily provisions, Alchemy at The Well promises to be a fresh and nourishing addition to the Hilliard community.
