Local eateries offer city's best for student budgets
The city of Columbia is known for many things: lively college nightlife in Five Points, a perpetual thick layer of humidity, missing governors and, of course, our Gamecocks. Is it the pinnacle of fine dining and gourmet cuisine? Not so much. But believe it or not, there are plenty of dining spots right around the corner that can fit any budget and any taste.
Whether you prefer a hole-in-the-wall diner or the white tablecloth, “May I take your coat, sir?” experience, these eateries demand at least one visit during the half of your collegiate experience you don’t spend in class — or at the bar.
Pawleys Front Porch
827 Harden St.
$
A Five Points’ favorite for some time now, Pawleys Front Porch was tacked on the national map when “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” brought loudmouth host Guy Fieri (and his equally loud bleached hair) to the burger joint for a television spot. And the grills haven’t stopped cooking since.
Loved by locals for its spacious front porch, draft brews and jaw-unhinging burgers, the Front Porch melds a blend of tasty ingredients like guacamole, pineapple, cured ham and house-made jalapeno pimento cheese into a medley of hand-patted burgers with names pulled straight from the Lowcountry index.
Crowd pleasers like the Wadmalaw burger with chipotle barbecue sauce and fried pickle chips or the Caw Caw Creek patty with green tomato and jalapeno bacon swim alongside more hefty favorites like the Beaufort topped with a Frank’s Red Hot onion ring and tasty fried egg. And if you’re dining on a budget, try to stop in on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m., when all burgers are offered at half price.
Dano’s Pizza
2800 Rosewood Drive
$
Growing up in the South, many of us claim to know what real “New York style” pizza is. And yet we still continue to order Papa John’s like we’d be betraying the man if we didn’t. Dano’s is the real deal. The restaurant opened nearly a decade ago and soon became one of the Rosewood and Shandon neighborhoods’ favorite spots for hot, hand-cut pizza at a fair price.
Now the eatery has become a weekly stop for local families, professionals and college students who enjoy pitchers of cold beer on sale after a long workday or $3.99 lunches during the weekdays.
Dano’s has a number of premade pizzas to tantalize every taste bud, including a meat lover pizza for the carnivorous diner or the slightly tamer veggie pizza for those who prefer a little more green on their pie. And if you’re feeling creative, dive into any number of fresh toppings like broccoli, banana peppers, feta cheese and bacon. If you’re not a pizza person (and you will be after one Dano’s slice) try one of the homemade calzones, salads or sub sandwiches.
The Oyster Bar
1123 Park St.
$$
Even though we live a mere hour and a half from the nearest coast, good seafood is somehow still tragically difficult to come by in Columbia. Enter the Oyster Bar, our own seafood harbor located right in the Vista. Boasting a host of steamed and fried scallops, oysters and shrimp on the menu daily, those craving a good Lowcountry meal will not leave disappointed. If you’re looking for the package deal, order the Beaufort Basket featuring a bevy of steamed crawfish, shrimp, sausage and potatoes served full-fledged coastal style with corn on the cob and slaw. The Capital City Oysters served on the half shell are topped with creamy garlic Alfredo sauce, bacon and cheddar cheese, and gumbos and chowders are made daily to warm the chilly winter evenings. And yes, they do have delicious shrimp and grits, which can be substituted for scallops or smothered with bacon, cheese and sausage.