Of all the restaurants in a city, 10Best reduces the options to the places with the most attractive and the best reputation. We offer carefully selected selections so you can explore Columbia restaurants on your own. However, if time is running out and you don't have time to take a look at all of our offerings, here's our list of the best restaurants in Columbia. Here, we summarize the best companies in a special selection of ten.
These places promise a stellar experience and a taste of the city that you can't miss. The Solstice Kitchen & wine bar is ideal for a business dinner or a date. If you're looking to impress, it's a fantastic option. The menu has something for everyone, with starters, small plates and full-size main courses.
Among the most outstanding are fried scallops in whole wheat butter preserved with lemon and sage with spinach and walnut ravioli, a small filet mignon with fried green tomato, goat cheese and candied tomato, double pork chop in brine with whiskey and lobster risotto. The wine list is extensive and has earned the restaurant the Wine Spectator Excellence Award. Located in a carefully renovated historic VFW officers club, complemented by a 19th century mahogany bar and a magnificent 1915 Schomacker grand piano, Saluda's is elegant and sophisticated. Chefs focus on continental and Southern dishes, often modifying favorites for a more modern presentation.
Try Rockefeller oyster bruschetta, fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and a balsamic reduction, braised scallops with tomato and saffron sauce and white truffle risotto, or blackened chicken with peach and honey jam from South Carolina. It's also perfect for an elegant Sunday brunch. Southern cuisine has some signature dishes, and Mr. Friendly's, owned by the same property as Solstice and Gervais & Vine, stands out with a more exclusive and sometimes innovative version of the classics.
Crab cakes are topped with walnuts and served with fried dill pickles and cayenne mayonnaise, a grilled filet mignon is wrapped in bacon and topped with pimento cheese, and blackened chicken comes with tassel ham sauce or Creole andouille sauce. The waits attest to the place's popularity, but don't worry: a craft beer or glass of wine from the award-winning list will help you pass the time. Gervais & Vine is a trendy spot that offers dozens of wines by the glass, a wide variety of beers and an excellent selection of single malts and other liqueurs. Satisfy your hunger with about 30 hot and cold tapas, such as grilled scallops, small filet mignon with feta cheese and balsamic reduction, grilled sausages, Spanish asparagus, bruschetta, spiced almonds, marinated manchego, olives or smoked salmon with dill cream cheese and capers.
Or, try a gourmet stone-baked pizza instead. Lexington County also has a wide selection of delicious options. Cross the Gervais Street Bridge to try the acclaimed Terra, in West Columbia, or dine with views at Liberty on the Lake, in Irmo. That said, you'll also want to keep an eye out for hidden gems in unexpected places, such as Inakaya, an authentic Japanese restaurant and sushi bar located in a mall in northeastern Columbia.
Or Duke's Pad Thai in Cayce. With delicious Duke's Tacos and Street Eats on the menu, it's no surprise that Duke's holds the title of one of the best Thai restaurants in the area. Chef Mike Davis takes a seasonal approach to New South South cuisine and creates notable dishes, such as roasted South Carolina quails stuffed with apple and foie gras, crab orecchiette, shrimp remoulade, braised scallops with succotash, macaroni and cheese filled with grilled lamb, as well as a handful of beautiful and unusual wood-baked pizzas. Of its five areas, only the Columbia area was built in South Carolina, while the rest is in North Carolina.
Right in the center of South Carolina, Columbia is an easy weekend getaway, and visitors enjoy Gamecock sports, outdoor activities along the river, visits to museums and historic homes, or just simple moments with friends...
