3 Best Restaurants in Columbia, The Midlands and Upstate

Background Illustration for Restaurants

We've compiled the best of the best in Columbia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Motor Supply Company Bistro

$$$$ | Vista Fodor's Choice
The daily-changing menu at this stalwart of the Columbia dining scene highlights the best of what local farmers and purveyors have to offer, worked into eclectic dishes that span European to Asian influences. The artsy interior (a former engine parts building, on the National Register of Historic Places) and thoughtful service make it a standout.
920 Gervais St., Columbia, SC, 29201, USA
803-256–6687
Known For
  • Curated beer and wine selection
  • Daily farm-to-table menu
  • Gorgeous setting in a renovated 19th-century building
Restaurant Details
Closed Mon.
Reservations recommended

Something incorrect in this review?

The Gourmet Shop

$ | Five Points

Mirrors and art adorn the walls at this French-inspired bakery and café serving coffee, sandwiches, soups, and cheese plates. Next door, the retail shop sells wine, kitchen gadgets, French table linens, and fancy food items.

Hampton Street Vineyard

$$$ | Downtown

This cozy bistro with upscale French fare is set in a below-ground-level dining room in one of the first buildings constructed in the city after Sherman's infamous march. It has exposed brick walls, arched windows, and original wide-plank floors, plus sidewalk seating, and feels like a true city bistro. Dinners are creative but not over the top, with entrées such as seared breast of duck with orange and fennel, and a classic steak frites.

1207 Hampton St., Columbia, SC, 29201, USA
803-252–0850
Known For
  • 650-bottle wine list that won Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence
  • Locally inspired, seasonally changing menu
  • Attractively presented entrées
Restaurant Details
Reservations recommended

Something incorrect in this review?

Recommended Fodor's Video