West Columbia’s City Limits Barbeque was up for a Beard Award. Results are in
A popular West Columbia barbecue spot came up short in its quest for one of the most prestigious awards in the culinary world.
Robbie Robinson, owner of City Limits Barbeque at 1119 Methodist Park Road, was a finalist for the Best Chef: Southeast honor at the James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony Monday night at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. It was the second consecutive year Robinson and City Limits were up for that award.
Alas, the Best Chef: Southeast award went to Jake Howell of Nashville’s Peninsula on Monday night.
The James Beard Foundation Awards are considered the preeminent honors in the culinary scene across the U.S. They have often been referred to as the Oscars of the food world.
Only one Columbia restaurant has ever won a James Beard Award. Lula Drake Wine Parlour took the honors in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages category in 2024.
Robinson and City Limits were the only South Carolina finalists represented at Monday night’s awards.
City Limits Barbeque started as a food truck in 2016, with Robinson initially establishing a niche audience and an almost cult following as the truck set up at different spots in the area. In 2023, City Limits moved into a brick-and-mortar home at 1119 Methodist Park Road in West Columbia.
Robinson’s restaurant is known for blending Texas and Carolina barbecue traditions, with customers lining up every weekend — it’s only open Saturdays and Sundays — for ribs, brisket, chopped pork and a host of side dishes.
City Limits earned national acclaim in the last couple years. For instance, it was named one of the South’s best new barbecue joints in 2024 by Southern Living, landing at No. 4 on the magazine’s top 22 list.
Then there was The New York Times, which tabbed City Limits as one of the 50 best restaurants in America for 2024, calling it “the place students of regional smoked meat dream of.”
Texas Monthly, meanwhile, had City Limits on its 2024 list as one of the best Texas-style barbecue joints located outside of Texas. The magazine scoured 149 different Texas-style barbecue joints across 37 states to come up with its final list of 53 restaurants.
This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 9:37 PM.
