Here are 17 new restaurants opened or planned in the Columbia area’s busiest districts
Columbia’s restaurant scene continues to thrive with a diverse array of new openings across its most vibrant areas.
Among the notable new or coming entrants is Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar, which plans to bring its casual seafood vibes to the BullStreet District, likely in 2025. The downtown area has seen the addition in 2024 of Prohibition, with innovative dishes and live music.
Harbison Boulevard continues to add culinary offerings including Yummy Bowl’s Asian cuisine, which is coming soon, and Mission BBQ’s smoked meats, which hit the scene in 2024. These openings underscore the city’s growth and appeal, offering residents and visitors an expanding spectrum of dining options.
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
No. 1: A growing restaurant brand is headed to Columbia’s BullStreet District. What to know
Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar to open new Columbia SC location | Published July 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 2: A new restaurant for Asian cuisine opens along a busy Columbia street. Check out where
The spot has a host of Asian flavors, from Taiwanese popcorn chicken to Sichuan wontons and beyond. | Published July 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 3: A new Outback Steakhouse has opened in this bustling Midlands commercial corridor
It’s at a site that was formerly home to a different national chain restaurant. | Published September 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 4: A well-known chicken restaurant is coming to this Midlands shopping center in a busy area
They’re known for wings, tenders and sandwiches. Now a new location is headed to a high-traffic road in a growing spot of the Midlands. | Published September 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 5: There’s a New York-style pizza place now open in this bustling corridor in the Midlands
The new restaurant is in an area that includes a host of other businesses and is near one of the area’s major high schools. | Published August 14, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 6: New West Columbia restaurant pushing two increasingly popular Vietnamese dishes has opened
This location was previously briefly home to a country buffet. Now you’ll find a vastly different menu there. | Published March 6, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jordan Lawrence
No. 7: TakoSushi opens a Forest Acres location
The restaurant, which features a menu with both Asian and Latin flavors, has several locations across the region. One of the newer ones is in a busy shopping area near Columbia. | Published May 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 8: A new Mexican ice cream shop and snack bar opens up in this busy spot in West Columbia
The shop, which offers ice cream, street corn and other goodies, is located near a number of well-known Midlands businesses. | Published July 26, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 9: A new spot for Asian cuisine debuts in this trendy Columbia-area shopping center
The company already had locations in Charleston, Charlotte and elsewhere. Now it has a storefront in one of the Midlands most popular retail developments. | Published January 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 10: A growing chain known for brunch opened in this busy Columbia area. Here’s where
The daytime cafe has more than 500 locations across 29 states. Now it has made its Midlands debut. | Published January 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 11: Highly anticipated bar, restaurant brings Charleston flair to Columbia and has opened on Main Street
The downtown Columbia space “has been updated to pay homage to the aesthetics of a 1920’s speakeasy situated in plain sight,” the company said. | Published April 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 12: A new Asian restaurant is headed to a shopping center in a key Columbia commercial district
The restaurant, which has locations across the U.S., offers sushi, ramen and more. | Published September 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 13: A well-known restaurant chain is opening a new location in Columbiana Centre mall.
The mall has remained vibrant with stores, restaurants and other attractions. | Published June 3, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 14: A new restaurant is headed to the former Yamato space in Columbia’s Harbison area
Yamato closed its doors earlier this year after decades in business. Now another restaurant is coming to the building along Columbiana Drive. | Published September 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 15: Popular ice cream shop Handel’s opens second Columbia location. Check out where
The company opened its first Midlands shop in Forest Acres, then it moved ahead with plans for another spot in a bustling retail corridor. | Published Aug 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 16: Columbia’s got a new BBQ spot in a bustling retail corridor
They have ribs, brisket, chicken and more, and they opened in one of the most popular commercial districts the Midlands. | Published April 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
No. 17: Breakfast spot Biscuitville will open a third location in the Columbia area. Here’s where
The company, which has long been popular in North Carolina and Virginia, has continued to spread into South Carolina and the Midlands. | Published September 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Trainor
This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.