Roster for Columbia’s first food hall is complete. Here’s what’s coming
A cheesesteak spot will round out the food vendor lineup for a coming food hall in a growing Columbia district.
Melt Cheesesteaks & More will be a part of the under-construction Gather COLA food hall at the BullStreet District near downtown Columbia, according to recent social media posts from Gather. The cheesesteak spot marks the final food vendor spot for the initial lineup at the coming food hall, which plans to open later this year.
“Created by locally loved bartender and manager at Coa Agaveria, Matt Koleske, rooted in his Wisconsin pride and passion for bold flavors, Melt will dish out a crave-worthy lineup: Philly-style cheesesteaks, hot Italian beef, seasonal specials, and peach bread,” Gather COLA noted on Instagram. “With bread shipped straight from Philly and Wisconsin cheese repping Matt’s roots, this spot is all about comfort, flavor, and a whole lot of heart.”
Gather COLA will be at the corner of Sabal and Freed streets in the BullStreet District, not far from the REI outdoor store.
The Columbia food hall is a project from Greenville’s Four Oaks Property Group, Cason Development, and Hughes Development, the lead developer for BullStreet. It’s set to include 8,500 square feet of office space on multiple floors and an outdoor area designed for live entertainment — in addition to the two bars, 10 food vendor and restaurant spaces and pop-up areas aimed at micro-retailers. Four Oaks Property Group also developed the lauded Gather GVL food hall in Greenville.
Here’s a look at the other food and drink vendors and bars that have been announced for Gather COLA:
* Banh Sai — This will be an outpost of the Asian fusion restaurant of the same name out of Wilmington, N.C. The menu at the original location features Asian bowls, burritos, Bao buns, fried chicken, pork egg rolls and more.
* Bessie’s Burgers & More — This is a new effort from the popular food truck Bessie’s Bites & Sweet Delights. They’ll offer smashburgers, sides, desserts and more.
* Bull & Bread — Here’s an offshoot from the creators of the popular Wilmington, N.C. sandwich shop The Half. Bull & Bread co-owner Carl Cross has said that Gather COLA will be “a place that caters to everyone young and old and everybody who is anybody can show up and have a great experience.”
* Cocobowlz — This is a growing chain that has become known for its acai bowls and smoothies. The company currently has Midlands shops in Irmo and Five Points.
* Gyromania — Already a popular restaurant in Elgin, Gyromania is now ready to come downtown as part of Gather. They are known for their gyros, Mediterranean platters and other fresh Greek offerings.
* Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles — Here’s one that brings the sheen of critical acclaim to the in-development food hall, as Kiki’s was a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist in 2024.
* Los Chicanos — They’ve been a well-known Mexican food truck in the Midlands in recent years, and now they are set to have a brick-and-mortar presence at Gather.
* Remedy — This will be a cocktail bar perched above an amphitheater at the site, making it a prime place for mingling and sipping.
* Session Taproom — What would a food hall be without a spot to grab a beer? Session will offer, according to organizers, “a carefully curated lineup of beers and easy-drinking sippers.”
* Smoke It Up — If you are opening a food hall in Columbia, you probably want to have a barbecue presence. And that’s what Gather is getting with Smoke It Up, which has operated a successful food truck in the area for several years. Keep an eye out for those ribs.
* Spicy Voodoo’s Big Easy Seafood — A taste of New Orleans will come to Gather with this one. Like several others that are a part of this project, it will be an offshoot of a popular food truck.
This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 12:55 PM.
