Recent restaurant openings in Columbia span casual dining and food trucks to upscale restaurants, entertainment venues and specialty retail, reflecting growing demand for varied dining and entertainment options throughout the region. Many new businesses are locating in high-traffic areas and filling spaces left vacant by previous closures, while some established restaurants are relocating or reimagining their operations to better serve their communities.
Read our previous coverage below.
More places for wings and pizza
Hungry for wings in Harbison? Restaurant chain opens new location in Columbia shopping district
Chex Grill & Wings opened a new location at 275 Park Terrace Drive in the Harbison shopping district, marking the chain’s second Columbia location. The restaurant offers chicken wings in various flavors, Philly cheesesteaks, Buffalo chicken subs, burgers, salads and quesadillas in a space formerly occupied by Blaze Pizza. —Riley Edenbeck; June 8, 2026
Look at the Columbia restaurant bringing the fire — and all you can eat wings — to Hampton Street
Fire King Pizza rebranded and relocated to 1840 Hampton St. after its previous iteration as Best Wings of Columbia closed its Colonial Life Boulevard location. Owner Tony Harrell and co-owner Jeremy Belton renovated the former Drake’s Duck-In space and offer hand-stretched pizzas, Philly cheesesteaks made with sirloin, wings and a lunch buffet with unlimited salad and wings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. —Sydney Dunlap; June 11, 2026
Play and eat in the Midlands
A look inside the Columbia pinball bar replacing Rockaway’s — and when it might open
Bang Back Bar and Grill opened a second location at 2719 Rosewood Drive in the former Rockaway Athletic Club space, set to open at the end of June. The new location features pinball machines, additional arcade games, a broader menu focused on sit-down dining and craft cocktails, with the original Five Points location remaining open. —Riley Edenbeck; June 13, 2026
WesCo Brew and Bowl in the Cayce Crossing Shopping Center will have its grand opening the weekend of June 26, 2026.
Cayce’s about to get 44,000 square feet of bowling, brews, games and food. Take a look inside.
WesCo Brew and Bowl opened in Cayce at 3040 Charleston Highway in the former Piggly Wiggly space after a $14 million renovation. The 44,000-square-foot venue features 12 bowling lanes with immersive technology, arcade games, two full bars with local and regional brews and a restaurant serving elevated comfort food. —Riley Edenbeck; June 17, 2026
Chains add new locations
A new Waffle House debuts northwest of Columbia. See its soft-opening hours.
Waffle House opened a new location at 151 Blanche Circle in Irmo, just off Dutch Fork Road in the Ballentine area. The location operates from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. currently, with 24-hour service coming soon, and sits in a high-traffic area near other fast food chains and local eateries. —Riley Edenbeck; June 15, 2026
Chocolate Pepsi? Kumquat chips? Columbia mall to get ‘Exotic’ snacks at new store
Exotic Snack Guys opened at Columbiana Centre shopping mall near the food court, offering international snacks, candy and drinks from over 40 countries. The store is one of the chain’s 90-plus locations across the country and features items like kumquat-flavored Lay’s chips, orange chocolate KitKats and Dubai chocolate-flavored Pepsi. —Riley Edenbeck; June 26, 2026
A hibachi chicken plate and mango bubble tea sit on a table at Asian Kitchen, a new restaurant that just opened on Laurel Street.
Asian restaurants open downtown
New Asian restaurant serves up hibachi, wings, bubble tea and more in downtown Columbia
Asian Kitchen opened at 1208 Laurel St. in downtown Columbia, taking over the former Casserole 2 Go space. The restaurant offers hibachi, pho, bubble tea with boba, fruit teas, tea lattes and smoothies, along with American options like wings, Philly cheesesteaks and chicken tenders. —Sydney Dunlap; June 26, 2026)
Local Asian chain to close one Columbia restaurant, reopen another with new flair
M Vista relocated from 701 Lady St. to 530 Lady St., the former M Grille location, reopening July 6 after 19 years at its original address. Owner Michelle Wang plans to introduce a new menu focused on anti-inflammatory and health-conscious dining while maintaining popular staples, utilizing the new location’s open kitchen, full bar and adjacent event space. —Riley Edenbeck; July 3, 2026
Local cafes are reborn
‘Retirement sucks’: Longtime Blythewood cafe reopens — this time on wheels
Scottie’s Cafe and Grill reopened as a permanent food truck at 10653 Wilson Blvd. in Blythewood after closing its brick-and-mortar location in December 2025. Owner Scottie Opolyn attempted retirement but found it unfulfilling and decided to launch the food truck instead, operating three days a week with rotating menus featuring American, Greek and Italian fare at discounted prices compared to the original restaurant. —Sydney Dunlap; June 5, 2026
Neset Hikmet poses as steam pours out of the oven at Bakehouse and Cafe.
New Columbia Bakehouse and Cafe will look to break curse at downtown spot that’s seen much turnover
Bakehouse and Cafe by Farmers Market Exchange opened at 1237 Washington St., a location that previously hosted multiple restaurants including M Fresh and The Strudel Shop. Owner Neset Hikmet and his son Ali shifted their business model from the larger Farmers Market Xchange location to focus on handmade bread, coffee and grab-and-go breakfast and lunch options with about six tables for dine-in customers. —Sydney Dunlap; June 19, 2026
NY Deli & Co. is a new deli venture coming to the Five Points neighborhood in late summer.
Get your deli on
Columbia’s new deli on the block: NY-style, late-night sandwich shop to open near USC
NY Deli & Co. is set to open at 819 Harden St. in Five Points in a space formerly occupied by Arroyo Tacos + Tequila. The deli will serve classic pastrami and Reuben sandwiches, fresh-pressed juices and grab-and-go snacks, with late-night Phillies available until 3 a.m. It aims for a late summer opening. —Riley Edenbeck; June 17, 2026
Columbia breakfast and lunch favorite sets an opening date for new Lexington location
Cinnamon Roll Deli opened at 309 South Lake Dr. in Lexington on June 29 in the former Cafe Strudel location. The new space features a window into the dough room where customers can watch cinnamon rolls being made, and includes indoor and outdoor seating designed as a welcoming gathering place. —Sydney Dunlap; June 26, 2026
Shop and eat
Restaurant and market hoping to bridge Columbia’s gaps is now open. Take a look inside.
Melrose Market opened at 2710 Gervais St. on June 30, combining a full-service restaurant with a retail market space. The venue features a modern American brasserie menu with items ranging from $12 to $25, natural wines, craft cocktails and a separate retail area with beer, wine, snacks and small gifts. —Sydney Dunlap; June 30, 2026
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.postandcourier.com ’
