Hey ya’ll! Columbia, South Carolina is really starting to feel like home for me so I decided to write about my favorite restaurants in the city (so far)!
Places To Eat:
Kaminsky’s
If you know me, you know about my obsession with chocolate, and you have probably heard me rave about Kaminsky’s. They serve specialty drinks and to-die-for desserts. I love to come here to celebrate good days, get through bad days, and everything in between. https://www.kaminskys.com/
Pawley’s Front Porch
In two words: AMAZING BURGERS. They were frequently voted for the best burger and outdoor dining. https://pawleysfrontporch.com/our-menu/
Cantina 76
Ask anyone on campus and they will say that Cantina 76 is their favorite Mexican place. They have two locations, one on Devine Street and one on Main Street. I have only been to the Main Street one because it is so conveniently located near all of the hotels downtown. http://www.cantina76.com/
HomeTeam BBQ
Home Team is ridiculously good. My favorite thing to start with is tater tots with queso (sounds weird but is such a good pairing). Then, I order a brisket sandwich with pickled onions as my entree. This is the go to place whenever there is an away game because sports TVs are everywhere, and there is really fast service and good food. https://hometeambbq.com/
Grouchos Deli
Grouchos is my favorite sub shop in the area! They have a diner feel to the restaurant and a huge menu. Grouchos is known for all of their own specialty sauces that come on most of their sandwiches. They also have soups and salads if you are tired of sandwiches. https://www.grouchos.com/
Baked Bear
Baked Bear is not your typical ice cream shop. Rather than a dessert, it is more of a full meal, so come on an empty stomach. Here you can order warm cookie icecream sandwhiches with customizable cookie and ice cream flavors. They also have brownie bowls if you prefer that.
The Gourmet Shop
The Gourmet Shop is the best bistro in town. This unique shop serves as a cafe, a wine and cheese shop, and also sells a ton of kitchen supplies and decor. This place is always slammed on the weekend as crowds flock to their fresh breakfast, charcuterie trays, salads, and brie melt baguettes. I love ordering it to go so I don’t have a long wait and then having a picnic on the Horseshoe. https://www.thegourmetshop.net/
Drip Coffee
Drip Coffee is my favorite coffee place in the area, and it is located right across the street from the Gourmet Shop making it easy to kill two birds with one stone. I love how sustainable they are by giving long, thick noodles as coffee stirrers. They have such a great hometown feel. http://dripcolumbia.com/
Lizards Thicket
Lizards Thicket is where my friends and I go for a home cooked southern meal. I love to get their chicken and waffles however my best friend gets their country fried steak with mashed potatoes and lima beans. It is a sit-down restaurant but is served quickly and is pretty cheap. It kind of reminds me of Cracker Barrel minus all the toys. https://www.lizards thicket.com/
Grill Marks
When my parents come into town, they love going to Grill Marks. I consider it a fancy burger place because some of the burgers get up to $15. Not only does Grill Marks have amazing burgers, but they also have specialty shakes. They have a lot of delicious food. I almost always leave with a belly ache from overeating because it is just too good. https://www.grillmarks.com/
The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli
The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli is a local gem to Columbia that has frequently won awards for “Best Breakfast”, “Best New Restaurant” and “Best Bakery” in South Carolina as well as being featured on Food Network’s Ginormous Foods. It is an extremely cute little place with local art hanging up along all of the walls, fun and colorful outdoor tables, and delicious food. You can order a specialty cinnamon roll regular size for breakfast, or you can order something from the deli menu and get a mini classic cinnamon roll on the side. https://www.thecinnamonrolldeli.com/
While some of these may be chains in the south or specifically South Carolina, I have never had them before coming to UofSC. However, I tried to pick as many local spots as I could!
If you liked this post, check out my other recommendations of things to do in Columbia for UofSC students.
