Burgers, tacos & delis: Here are nearly 80 businesses that opened in the Midlands in 2024
The retail and restaurant scene in Columbia and across the Midlands is ever-changing.
There were new business openings across the region in 2024, including everything from new brunch spots to barbecue joints to pizza parlors and beyond. Chains and franchises continue to proliferate in the area, spreading their tendrils to major highways and busy thoroughfares. But there were plenty of locally owned establishments that opened their doors in Columbia and Lexington this year, too.
What follows is a look at many of the restaurants, bars, stores and other retail businesses that launched in the Midlands in 2024. To be absolutely certain, it is not an exhaustive, comprehensive list of every single business that debuted. Rather, it is a sampling of the the tapestry of business growth that The State wrote about in the last 12 months.
Mexican and Latin restaurants
Burrito lovers, rejoice. Chipotle, the national fresh Mex favorite, opened a new location at 5400 Forest Drive, near Forest Acres, in December. That’s located not far from I-77, west of Fort Jackson.
Northeast Columbia got a new spot for Mexican food, as Dos Amigos opened its doors in November at 8105 Two Notch Road. They serve nachos, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos and more.
Que! Bueno, which has a handful of traditional Mexican restaurants in the Midlands, opened an ice cream shop and snack bar in August at 2213 Augusta Road in West Columbia. It’s got banana splits, Mexican street corn, aguas frescas and more.
The downtown area near the University of South Carolina got a new restaurant in August when El Vago Mexican Kitchen opened at 601-A Main St., near the intersection with Blossom Street. Neighboring businesses include The Corner Blend smoothie shop and JJ Tea House.
Restaurateur Steve Cook, known for Saluda’s restaurant and other eateries, opened the new Mexican spot Arroyo Tacos + Tequila in August at 819 Harden St. in Five Points. It serves tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas and more.
A taste of Brazil came to Lexington with the June opening of Rio Express Grill. It’s located at 5594-B Sunset Blvd. The eatery touts its succulent meats and sides, including lamb marinated in white wine and lemon pepper, and tender pork shoulder marinated in white wine.
Noting it on social media at the time as “Big news for all amigos,” Brothers & Beer opened up a new Mexican restaurant in the spring at 2736 North Lake Drive near Irmo, not far from Lake Murrray. The Brothers & Beer brand has several restaurants across the Midlands area.
Masa Mexican Street Food opened in February at 2811-A Rosewood Drive in Columbia. “Classic Mexican dishes such as tacos, quesadillas, fresh tortillas, tamales, huaraches, and molotes are elevated with authentic flavor combinations and the use of freshly prepared in-house masa,” the restaurant touted amid its opening.
Burger joints
A new Krystal debuted in Orangeburg, and brought with it some celebrity shine, as Charlamagne Tha God is one of the franchisees. That location is at 1486 Chestnut St. in Orangeburg.
Where’s the beef? Well, it’s in Irmo. Wendy’s, the national burger franchise, brought a new store to 10601 Broad River Road. That’s a couple miles northwest of Interstate 26, near the intersection of Broad River Road and Dutch Fork Road.
Chubby’s Burgers, which opened its first location in Blythewood in 2022, expanded to the Forest Acres area with a second location in 2024. It’s at 106 Percival Road, suite 200, and offers smash-style burgers, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches and more.
This was the year that Whataburger made a splash in the Midlands. The Texas-based chain opened its first area location in September on Dutch Fork Road in Irmo. Then it brought a location to 202 Bridgeberry Lane in northeast Columbia in November.
A well-known national franchise hit Columbia in June when Checkers opened at 7373 Two Notch Road. That location has a double drive-thru, and offers all of the company’s hallmark menu items, including burgers, fries, chicken tenders, hot dogs, fish sandwiches, slushies and more.
Get in the Habit. A new burger spot called Habit Burger Grill opened in January in Lexington at 5304 Sunset Blvd. It is the first Lexington location of the chain that started in California in 1969. The restaurant is located about three miles east of Interstate 20.
Sandwiches and delis
Don’t forget to dab a bit of hot sauce onto that Hook & Ladder. Firehouse Subs opened a new location at 10136 Two Notch Road in Columbia in October.
For decades, No Name Deli has been a go-to spot on Marion Street in downtown Columbia. In 2024, it spread its wings to Forest Acres. No Name debuted a second location in October at 4712-A Forest Drive. Yes, the new one still has that great chicken salad sandwich.
Crave Artisan Market, which has long had a location on Columbia’s Millwood Avenue, opened a second location in June at 725 Meeting St. in West Columbia. The new Crave is in the spot where Primal Gourmet once was. Crave is known for its sandwiches, hot dogs, and take-home items such as chicken pot pie.
The Columbiana Centre got a new place for sandwiches when a Sub Station II opened in the mall’s food court. Sub Station II has locations in Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Its largest presence is in South Carolina, where there are more than two dozen stores.
Sully’s Steamers, which is known for its sandwiches made on steamed bagels, opened a shop in February on Sunset Boulevard in Lexington. Sully’s also has a location on Devine Street in Columbia.
Pizza and Italian
A taste of New York came to Irmo in August. Ferrara Real NY Pizza and Pasta opened up at 6801 St. Andrews Road. That’s just north of Irmo High School, in the Quail Valley Plaza shopping center.
Grab a slice and hoist a glass: The Cheesy Pint pizzeria opened its doors in April at 2742 North Lake Drive in Irmo, in a shopping center anchored by a Publix grocery store. They have pizza, calzones, craft beer and more.
Southern cooking and barbecue
A new restaurant with a host of Southern favorites and a bistro flair opened its doors in November. The Cornbread Cafe is at 1101 Church St. in the heart of Elgin, across the street from the U.S. Post Office, just northwest of Jefferson Davis Highway.
The Harbison area got a new barbecue spot in April. Mission BBQ, a chain with locations across the US, opened a new store at 275 Harbison Blvd. The patriotic-themed eatery has pulled pork, ribs, pulled chicken and other smoked meats. Try the hand-cut fries and the seasonal peach cobbler, which are standouts among the sides.
Breakfast, brunch, lunch and coffee
Do you really, really love cereal? Well, you’re in luck. Got Milk Cereal Bar, a restaurant that specializes in, you guessed it, cereal, opened in September at 3730 N. Main St. in Columbia. Try the Black Panther, which comes with Cocoa Puffs and Cookie Crisp, topped with chocolate syrup and Oreo bits.
Scattered, covered and opened: A new Waffle House popped up in May at 5209 Highway 321 in Gaston in Lexington County. Be sure to ask for double hashbrowns and get them peppered.
Son of a biscuit! Vicious Biscuit opened a new brunch spot at 3246 Forest Drive in Forest Acres in April. It’s in a spot that formerly was home to a Pizza Joint restaurant. We recommend the Fat Boy, which is a buttermilk biscuit with a crispy fried chicken breast, pimento cheese and a spicy honey drizzle.
A spot for breakfast and lunch offerings opened in the heart of Lexington. The Hangar Provisions restaurant is at 109-U Old Chapin Road. That’s in the Shoppes at Flight Deck retail development that includes a host of restaurants and businesses.
Biscuitville, the breakfast restaurant chain that has been a staple in some Southern states for nearly six decades, opened its second location in Columbia in February. It’s at 7924 Garners Ferry Road. Biscuitville was founded in 1975 in Danville, Virginia.
After a successful run in Cayce, Piecewise Coffee opened a second shop in 2024. It’s located at 2824 Devine St., in the space that formerly hosted Blūm Coffee.
A franchise that is known for brunch opened a location in Columbia’s Harbison retail district in 2024. First Watch is at 275 Harbison Blvd. The menu includes a host of omelets, variations on eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles, salads, sandwiches and more.
Asian, Indian and fusion cuisine
The Village at Sandhill got a new dining option in the fall when Yu Noodles opened its doors at 461-3 Town Center Place. They have a host of noodle dishes, including Sichuan beef noodle soup, hot and sour noodles with minced pork, and Yibin spicy dry noodles with minced pork, among others.
Aroma of India restaurant opened its doors in September in the Five Points neighborhood. The menu features various basmati rice dishes, Hyderabadi biryani offerings such as the south Indian chicken biryani, a host of naan breads, and traditional dishes such as tandoori chicken.
26 Pho Boba Korean Food opened ins September at 5341-C Sunset Blvd. in the Topspin Plaza shopping center in Lexington. It features both Korean and Vietnamese favorites. For instance, the establishment offers a number of Korean bibimbap dishes, including beef bulgogi, spicy chicken bulgogi, honey roasted pork bulgogi, and more. It also has a deep roster of pho offerings, including options with rare steak, beef shank and mixed vegetables.
Mr. Toy Hibachi & Sushi Takeout made its debut on Aug. 29 at 1314 Leesburg Road, Suite K in Columbia. It offers offers a host of hibachi lunches and dinners including chicken teriyaki, ribeye steak, shrimp, scallops, vegetables and more. It also debuted with a nearly 4-minute rap song that was posted on social media.
A company known for Asian and Latin flavors brought a new spot to downtown Lexington. TakoSushi opened in September at 102-C W. Main St., near the intersection of Church and Main streets. The restaurant has seating for 60 inside and another 48 outside. TakoSushi also opened a new location in 2024 in the 4700 block of Forest Drive in Forest Acres.
Pho & Banh Mi restaurant opened in August at 2250 Sunset Blvd. in West Columbia. As the name suggests, the eatery offers a number of Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, as well as pho soup and more.
Columbia got a new spot for Asian street food when Alley Street Eats launched in July at 4478 Rosewood Drive. “We promote flavors that are common in the Asian night markets from China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Vietnam,” the restaurant says on its website. “Come hang out at our ‘chill’ atmosphere to just kick back and relax while you enjoy the street food deliciousness!”
Embrace the Madness, Five Points. Teriyaki Madness opened in April at 942 Harden St. It sells a host of bowls, including offerings highlighted by orange chicken, steak teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki and more.
Everything is better on a stick. That’s the ethos at Mr. Cow, a restaurant that specializes in Korean corn dogs. It opened in the spring at the Columbiana Centre mall off Harbison Boulevard. The corn dogs at Mr. Cow come with a host of different toppings, coatings and fillings. For instance, you can get them filled with an all-beef hot dog frank, or with mozzarella cheese, or with a mix of a hot dog and mozzarella, or with a mix of mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
A new spot for Korean barbecue and other Asian flavors opened at the Village at Sandhill. KPot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot launched in February at 480-2 Town Center Place, which was formerly home to a Wild Wing Cafe. KPot is known for its all-you-can-eat offerings prepared at the customer’s table.
Forest Acres welcomed a new Asian restaurant in January when CO opened at Trenholm Plaza. Among the many items on the CO menu is Vietnamse ramen, which comes with pork belly, shredded pork, poached egg, egg noodles and bok choy, served in a pork broth.
Chicken restaurants
A new chicken wing restaurant entered the chat in November. Wings Co. opened at 529 Bush River Road, in a building that formerly was home to a Schlotzsky’s Deli. Wings Co. has wings, tenders, sandwiches, chicken and waffles, and more.
Let’s get Crazy. A new chicken wing joint, Crazy Wings, opened its doors in June at 910 Devine St. in the 650 Lincoln development near Colonial Life Arena. It has traditional and boneless wings, with more than 20 different sauces and flavors.
Braza Chicken Rotisserie and Grill restaurant opened in July at 676 St. Andrews Road in Columbia. It offers a host of Peruvian chicken dishes, along with bowls, salads, sandwiches and burritos. They also have sides, desserts and “munchies” such as empanadas.
Northeast Columbia got a new spot for tenders when Slim Chickens opened in May at 456 Killian Road, near Interstate 77. Slim Chickens also opened a new restaurant in Forest Acres in 2024, at 2809 N. Beltline Blvd.
Chicken Salad Chick opened a couple shops in the Midlands and nearby in 2024. First it opened a shop in February at 4840 Forest Drive in Forest Acres in the Trenholm Plaza shopping center. Then, in April, it launched a new location on Julep Way in Aiken.
Eventually we all end up at Zaxby’s. The ubiquitous chicken finger chain debuted a new Midlands location in April at 1325 Dutch Fork Road in the Irmo and Ballentine area. That’s in a commercial thoroughfare and is near a shopping center that includes a Food Lion grocery store and several other retail businesses.
Ice cream, smoothies and dessert
Tropical Smoothie Cafe opened some new locations in the Midlands in 2024. The company cut the ribbon on a shop at 1301 Broad St. in Sumter in May. And in September a Tropical Smoothie opened at 1180 Dutch Fork Road in the Ballentine area.
It was quite the year for Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream in the Midlands. The company opened two shops locally, with the first coming in May at 4619 Forest Drive in Forest Acres’ Cardinal Crossing development. Then, in August, it opened a second spot at 252-M Harbison Blvd. near Irmo.
Elgin got a new ice cream shop in July when Scoop of Heaven opened at 565-A Spears Creek Church Road. It has more than 30 flavors of ice cream, plus milkshakes and Rip Currents, which mix candy pieces into ice cream.
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice opened its doors at 4508 Hadscrabble Road. A chain with shops across the US, Jeremiah’s has 40 rotating flavors of Italian ice, as well as treats that mix Italian ice and ice cream together.
Things got peachy in Lexington in January when The Peach Cobbler Factory opened at 5570 Sunset Blvd., suite A2. The Peach Cobbler Factory menu includes, of course, peach cobbler, but also a host of other cobbler flavors, including strawberry peach, mango peach, honey apple, cherry, sweet potato pecan and more.
American casual dining
There’s a new spot for folks to grab a bite when they are headed to Colonial Life Arena. The Golden Spur opened in December in the 700 Lincoln development right across from the arena on Lincoln Street. It has burgers, salads, steaks and more.
Relax, Lexington. You can get your Bloomin’ Onion now. Outback Steakhouse opened a location in October at 5595 Sunset Blvd. There formerly was an O’Charley’s at that address.
The Lake Murray area got a new restaurant in August when SouthShore Grill and Grocery debuted at 3106 US 378 in Leesville. It was opened by the owners of the Midlands’ popular Cafe Strudel restaurants. It has shrimp and grits, burgers and much more.
A Charleston favorite made its downtown Columbia debut in April when Prohibition opened a location at 1556 Main St. The eatery and bar is inspired by the vibes of a 1920s speakeasy. The company has long had a location on King Street in Charleston.
Vista vibes
Steel Hands Brewing has crossed the river. The company has had a presence in Cayce since 2018, and in 2024 it opened a second Midlands location at 705-A Gervais St. in the Vista. Aside from its signature beer, the Vista location also offers hand-crafted gin and vodka, and rye whiskey.
A new spot for sweet treats and more opened its doors in September in the Vista. Dulce Bakery and Cafe has cake slices, cupcakes, tres leche, brownies, coffee, breakfast sandwiches and more.
Old Skool Outfitter, a vintage clothing shop, opened a new store at 929-C Gervais St. in the Vista in August. The company offers a host of vintage clothing, including jackets, jeans, T-shirts and more.
A spot for acai bowls, smoothies and more debuted in the Vista. Surf’s Up Acai Bowls opened its doors in March at 504 Gervais St. That’s at the corner of Gervais and Huger streets, in the same building that also houses Rebel Dogs hot dog restaurant and other businesses.
The Hollow, an upscale restaurant that features wild game, opened in March at 823 Gervais St., in the former spot of Jason’s Deli. The space was totally overhauled for The Hollow, with the restaurant offering a forest aesthetic, with deep brown and bright green highlights throughout the dining room. There are exposed brick walls, large windows along the east side of the restaurant allowing diners to see into the kitchen, and a sprawling, 10-foot tree that fans out above the bar in the back.
Health and beauty businesses
Aquarius Spa & Salon moved into a newly constructed location in 2024 at 113 Virginia St. in Chapin. The business, which offers a hair salon, manicures and pedicures, massages, facials, and more, was previously located in a nearby historic home.
A new spot for haircuts made its way to Lexington. Circa Barbershop, which has locations across South Carolina, opened a shop in October at 101-B E. Main St., right behind Craft Axe Throwing and across the street from the Icehouse Amphitheater.
Image Studios, a high-end salon provider that has locations in 25 states, opened a new location in BullStreet’s First Base Building next to Segra Park in Columbia. The 5,700-square-foot facility launched in November, and has space for up to 29 independent beauty professionals to have their own customizable suites.
The Judgement Free Zone hit West Columbia in June when Planet Fitness opened in 2412 Augusta Road. That’s a busy section of August Road, with more than 38,000 card per day traveling through the corridor, per state traffic statistics.
ISI Elite Training, which has franchise locations in numerous states, opened a space in the Village at Sandhill Marketplace in northeast Columbia, adjacent to the larger Village at Sandhill development. It offers athletic based training for all fitness levels.
A new workout space opened in the BullStreet District when Pvolve debuted in June. The company touts itself as an “omni-channel fitness company with an innovative, science-led method that pairs functional movement with proprietary equipment.”
Do you like to play pickleball all night long? Well, you’ll appreciate this: 24 Hour Pickleball opened in March at 4590 Augusta Road in Lexington. The facility has eight indoor courts and four outdoor courts.
Retail stores, hotels and other businesses
Orvis, a company that has outdoor apparel stores nationwide, opened a new spot in a trendy Columbia shopping center. It debuted in October at 702 Cross Hill Road in the Cross Hill Market shopping center just off Devine Street. This is the first Orvis store in Columbia.
Discount shoppers take note: A new Five Below opened in October in the Parkland Plaza shopping center in Cayce. So if you need a phone charger, a Butterfinger bar, a My Little Pony T-shirt and an Billie Eilish poster, you’ve got a place to go.
It was a big year for Barnes & Noble in the Columbia area. In March the national bookseller opened a new store at 6090 Garners Ferry Road in the Shoppes at Woodhill. Then, in October, Barnes & Noble launched a new store inside the Columbiana Centre mall. A bookstore in the mall again? Yes, please.
The Flutter Wing, an extension of the award-winning Hotel Trundle in downtown Columbia, opened in 2024 at 1544 Main St., above Drake’s Duck-In. That’s right around the corner from the main Hotel Trundle building on Taylor Street. The Flutter Wing features a bridal suite and other amenities.
Dollar General, the ubiquitous discount brand, opened a new location in 2024 at 3967 Highway 378 in Leesville, near Lake Murray.
Need to make some home repairs? A new spot where you can get the tools you need opened in West Columbia in 2024. Harbor Freight Tools debuted in August at 2347 Augusta Road, in the shopping center near the intersection of Augusta and Dreher roads.
Gadgetboy, a shop that sells and repairs a host of computers, smartphones and other tools of digital wizardry, opened its doors at 2822 Devine St. in June. It has tech gear including MacBooks, iPhones, tablets and more.
A farming community in the Midlands got a new spot for supplies and gear when a new Tractor Supply Co. store opened in Saluda. It’s located in the 4000 block of the Columbia Highway, just east of downtown Saluda.
Saluda now knows about the almighty Dollar. The town welcomed a new Dollar Tree discount store in January along Travis Avenue.
