Columbians have spoken and once again picked the best businesses in our city! Readers have voted on everything from the best places to eat pizza and fried chicken to the best locations to find children’s shoes or to see a movie. The next few pages will serve as a guide to the city from those who know it best – people like you.
This is your city, your magazine and these are your choices for the best of Columbia. See who won this year’s categories, and help us celebrate these wonderful businesses that make Columbia a great place to live!
*Names in italics have achieved Hall of Fame status, having been named Best of Columbia at least five times.
(L to R) Phillip Gardner, Lauren Boland, Gene Strause, Dale Roberts, Mark Murff, Mandy Morse and Ron Williams of Sea Ray dropped anchor and captured the win for Best Boat Dealer in this year’s Best of Columbia contest.
Food
Best boiled peanuts
Cromer’s
Best grits
Blue Marlin
Best wings
Wild Wing
Best ribs
Hudson’s Smokehouse
Best barbecue
Hudson’s Smokehouse
Best salad
California Dreaming
Best appetizer
Bonefish Grill
Best fried chicken
Zesto’s
Best steak
Longhorn Steakhouse
Best hamburger
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
Best french fries
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
Best pizza
Za’s Brick Oven Pizza
Best sandwich
Groucho’s Deli
Best dessert
Nonnah’s
Best cookie
The Fresh Market
Best ice cream
Marble Slab
Best milkshake
Rush’s
Best biscuit
Bojangles’
Best chicken salad
The Gourmet Shop
Best cole slaw
Zesto’s
Best pasta salad
The Gourmet Shop
Best doughnuts
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Best bakery
Tiffany’s
Best iced tea
Bojangles’
Best cocktail
Blue Martini
Restaurants
Best Restaurant in Irmo
Catch 22
Best Restaurant in Lexington
Travinia Italian Kitchen
Best Restaurant in Columbia
Mr. Friendly’s
Best Restaurant in West Columbia/Cayce
Terra
Best Restaurant in Northeast
Solstice
Best Chinese Restaurant
Miyo’s
Best Japanese Restaurant
Sato Japanese Steak & Seafood
Best Thai Restaurant
Thai Lotus
Best Mexican Restaurant
Eric’s San José
Best Greek restaurant
Devine Foods
Best Italian restaurant
Villa Tronco
Best seafood restaurant
Blue Marlin
Best sushi restaurant
Miyo’s
Best lakeside restaurant
Rusty Anchor
Best fine dining restaurant
Dianne’s on Devine
Best fast food restaurant
Rush’s
Best romantic dinner
Ristorante Divino
Best outdoor dining
Harper’s
Best Sunday brunch
DiPrato’s
Best business lunch
Motor Supply Company
Best family restaurant
Lizard’s Thicket
Best coffee house
Starbucks
Best wait staff
Dianne’s On Devine
Best wine menu
Gervais & Vine
Best new restaurant
Conrad’s Restaurant
Best bang for the buck
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Retail
Best shopping venue
Columbiana Station
Best women’s clothing store
Talbots
Best women’s evening wear store
Coplon’s
Best bridal wear store
David’s Bridal
Best women’s shoe store
Kicks Exceptional Shoes
Best men’s clothing store
Granger Owings Classic Clothiers
Best men’s formal wear store
The Black Tie
Best children’s clothing store
Little Lambs & Ivy II
Best children’s shoe store
Tootsies Children’s Shoes
Best athletic wear store
Todd & Moore
Best sporting goods store
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Best bicycle specialty store
Outspokin’
Best running specialty store
Strictly Running
Best gift store
Gibson’s on Devine
Best jewelry store
Handpicked
Best fashion accessories store
Just the Thing
Best vision wear
Devine Eyes
Best toy store
Be Beep A Toy Shop
Best pet boutique
Pupcakes Pet Boutique
Best florist
Rosewood Florist
Best bookstore
Barnes & Noble
Best Gamecock store
Jewelry Warehouse
Best antique store
Meeting Street Interiors
Best local art store
City Art
Best kitchen store
Mary & Martha’s
Best wine shop
Total Wine & More
Best frame shop
HoFP
Best glass store
ACE Glass
Best lighting store
The Lite House
Best Gardening Store
Woodley’s
Best mattress store
Best Mattress
Best appliance store
Jeffers McGill
Best home furnishings store
Whit Ash
Best office furnishings store
COF
Best flooring/floor covering store
Cogdill Carpet
Best wallpaper/wall covering store
Wallpaper Additions
Best clothing consignment shop
Reventé
Best furniture consignment shop
Worth Repeating
Best office supplies
Staples
Best supermarket
Publix
Home
Best home builder
Baudo & Associates
Best home remodeler
Willm Construction
Best apartment complex
Aspyre
Best condominiums
Adesso
Best retirement community
Still Hopes
Best assisted living facility
Still Hopes
Recreation
Best exercise facility
Gold’s Gym
Best golf course
Forest Lake Country Club
Best marina
Lake Murray Marina
Best boat dealer
Sea Ray
Best place for a kid’s birthday party
Monkey Joe’s
Service
Best residential real estate agency
Coldwell Banker United, Realtors®
Best commercial real estate agency
Colliers Keenan
Best real estate agent
Rhett Wolfe
Best insurance agency
State Farm
Best insurance agent
Jack Godbold
Best fence company
Brabham Fence Company
Best landscaping company
Blue Moon Landscaping
Best hardscape company
Hay Hill Services
(L to R) Will Fowler, David Stack, Fred Gantt and Elizabeth Rice of Hay Hill Services reeled in a big one with their win for Best Hardscape Company.
Best moving company
Palmetto Specialty Transfer
Best residential interior designer
Brandon Davidson Interiors
Best commercial interior designer
Katherine J. Anderson Design/Interiors
Best furniture refinisher
Colonial Woodworking
Best pest control service
Terminix
Best security system
ADT
Best carpet cleaner
Stanley Steemer
Best chimney sweep
Top Hat Sweepers
Ron Rust of Top Hat Sweepers kicks up his heels over his win for Best Chimney Sweep this year.
Best plumbing company
Meetze Plumbing
Best heating/air service
2nd Wind Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
Best Facial
Urban Nirvana
Best Massage
Urban Nirvana
Best nail salon
Soak
Best tanning salon
Beaches
Best hair salon
Shear Expectations
Best lodging
Sheraton
Best cell phone company
Verizon
Best auto repair company
Andrews Auto
Best professional photographer
John Wrightenberry Photography
Best embroiderer
Uptown on Main
Best car rental agency
Enterprise
Best limo service
CMI
Best staffing agency
Snelling
Best travel agency
Forest Lake Travel
Best modeling agency
Millie Lewis
Best dry cleaner
Tripp’s Fine Cleaners
Best car wash
Frank’s
Best caterer
Southern Way
Best event planner
Carolina Event Consultants
Best wedding venue
Millstone at Adam’s Pond
Best pet grooming
Sarah & Suzie’s Grooming
Best pet sitter
Camp Bow Wow
Best doggie day care
Camp Bow Wow
Media & Entertainment
Best TV station
WIS-TV
Best TV personality
Dawndy Mercer Plank
Best radio station
WCOS
Best radio personality
Jonathon Rush
Best live theatre
Trustus Theatre
Best movie theater
Regal Sandhill Cinema 16
Best museum
Columbia Museum of Art
Best art gallery
City Art
Best nightlife
The Vista
Our readers are the best!
We always want to know what our readers really think, and this year we rewarded a lucky voter for voicing her opinion. Linda Amick of Irmo won a $100 gift certificate to Mr. Friendly’s for sending in her ballot.
Columbia Metropolitan magazine thanks Linda and everyone else for participating in our annual poll.
