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 in this year’s categories and help us celebrate these wonderful businesses that make Columbia a great place to live! Names with a * are members of our Hall of Fame, meaning that they’ve been named the Best of Columbia for five or more years.
FOOD
Best Appetizer
Bonefish Grill*
Best Bakery
Tiffany’s*
Best Barbecue
Hudson’s Smokehouse*
Best Biscuits
Bojangles’*
Best Boiled Peanuts
Cromer’s P-Nuts, Inc.*
Best Chicken Salad
The Gourmet Shop*
Best Cookie
Insomnia Cookies
Best Dessert
Nonnah’s*
Best Doughnuts
Krispy Kreme*
Best French Fries
Five Guys Burgers and Fries*
Best Fried Chicken
Zesto*
Best Grits
Blue Marlin*
Best Hamburger
Five Guys Burgers and Fries*
Best Ice Cream
Marble Slab Creamery*
Best Iced Tea
Bojangles’*
Best Milkshake
Rush’s*
Best Pizza
Za’s*
Best Ribs
Hudson’s Smokehouse*
Best Salad
California Dreaming*
Best Sandwich
Groucho’s*
Best Steak
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Best Wings
Wild Wing Café
RESTAURANTS
Best Bang for the Buck
Moe’s
Best Business Lunch
Motor Supply Company
Best Chinese Restaurant
Miyo’s*
Best Coffee House
Starbucks*
Best Family Restaurant
Lizard’s Thicket*
Best Fast Food
Rush’s*
Best Fine Dining Restaurant
Dianne’s on Devine*
Best Greek Restaurant
Devine Foods
Best Healthy Restaurant
Zoe’s Kitchen
Best Italian Restaurant
Villa Tronco*
Best Japanese Restaurant
Miyabi Japanese Steakhouse
Best Mexican Restaurant
Eric’s San José*
Best New Restaurant
Rosso Trattoria Italia
Best Outdoor Dining
Carolina Ale House
Best Restaurant in Columbia
Mr. Friendly’s*
Best Restaurant in Irmo
Catch 22*
Best Restaurant in Lexington
Travinia Italian Kitchen*
Best Restaurant in the Northeast
Solstice
Best Restaurant in West Columbia/Cayce
Terra
Best Romantic Dinner
Al’s Upstairs Italian Restaurant*
Best Seafood Restaurant
Blue Marlin*
Best Sunday Brunch
DiPrato’s
Best Sushi Restaurant
Inakaya
Best Thai Restaurant
Mai Thai Cuisine
Best Wait Staff
Mr. Friendly’s*
Best Wine Menu
Gervais & Vine*
Emma Marie Rowland, 6, daughter of Bumble Boutique owners Melissa and Aaron Rowland, is stuffed with pride over her parents’ store winning Best Children’s Clothing Store. Photography by Jeff Amberg.
RETAIL
Best Antique Store
Meeting Street Interiors*
Best Appliance Store
Jeffers McGill*
Best Athletic Wear Store
Todd & Moore*
Best Bicycle Specialty Store
Outspokin’*
Best Bookstore
Barnes & Noble*
Best Bridal Wear Store
Jo-Lin’s Bridal
Best Children’s Clothing Store
Bumble Boutique
Best Children’s Shoe Store
Tootsies*
Best Clothing Consignment Shop
Revente*
Best Fashion Accessory Store
Just the Thing*
Best Flooring/Floor Covering Store
Redd Flooring and Design Center
Best Florist
Rosewood Florist*
Best Frame Shop
The Frame Shop
Best Furniture Consignment Shop
Consignment 1st
Best Gamecock Store
Jewelry Warehouse
Best Gardening Store
Woodley’s Garden Center*
Best Gift Store
Gibson’s on Devine
Best Glass Store
Ace Glass*
Best Home Furnishings Store
Strobler Home Furnishings
Best Jewelry Store
Sylvan and DuBose
Best Kitchen Store
Mary & Martha’s
Best Lighting Store
The Lite House*
Best Local Art Store
City Art*
Best Mattress Store
Best Mattress*
Best Men’s Clothing Store
Brittons
Best Men’s Formal Wear Store
Granger Owings
Best Men’s Shoe Store
Granger Owings
Best Office Furnishings Store
McWaters
Best Office Supplies
Staples*
Best Outdoor Store
The Backpacker
Best Pet Boutique
Pupcakes Pet Boutique
Best Running Specialty Store
Strictly Running
Best Shopping Venue
Columbiana Centre*
Best Sporting Goods Store
Todd & Moore*
Best Supermarket
Publix*
Best Toy Store
Be Beep A Toy Store*
Best Vision Wear
20/20 Vision
Best Wallpaper/ Wall Covering Store
Wallpaper Additions*
Best Wine Shop
Total Wine & More*
Best Women’s Clothing Store
Round Robin*
Best Women’s Evening Wear Store
Coplon’s*
Best Women’s Shoe Store
Kicks*
HOME
Best Apartment Complex
Hampton Greene
Best Assisted Living Facility
Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community*
Best Condominiums
Adesso
Best Home Remodeler
Remodeling Services Unlimited
Best Home Builder
Vesta Builders
Best New Home Community
Saluda River Club
Best Retirement Community
Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community*
RECREATION
Best Boat Dealer
Mid-Carolina Marine*
Best Exercise Facility
YMCA
Best Golf Course
Oak Hills Golf Club
Best Place for a Kid’s Birthday Party
Monkey Joe’s
Heyward Brabham, owner of Brabham Fence Company, will go to any extreme to announce his win for Best Fence Company. Photography by Jeff Amberg.
SERVICE
Best Auto Repair Company
Bob Andrews Motors
Best Car Rental Agency
Enterprise Rent-A-Car*
Best Car Wash
Frank’s Car Wash*
Best Carpet Cleaner
Whitehall Carpet Cleaners
Best Caterer
Southern Way Catering*
Best Chimney Sweep
Top Hat Sweepers*
Best Commercial Interior Designer
Pulliam-Morris Interiors
Best Commercial Real Estate Company
Grubb & Ellis / Wilson Kibler
Best Doggie Day Care
Westcott Acres Luxury Pet Resort
Best Dry Cleaner
Tripp’s Fine Cleaners*
Best Embroiderer
South Carolina Embroidery*
Best Event Venue
701 Whaley
Best Facial
Urban Nirvana*
Best Fence Company
Brabham Fence Company*
Best Furniture Refinisher
Colonial Woodworks*
Best Hair Salon
Shear Xpectations
Best Hardscape Company
Ducksback
Best Heating/Air Service
2nd Wind HVAC*
Best Insurance Agency
State Farm*
Best Insurance Agent
John Brigman
Best Landscape Company
Hay Hill Services
Best Limo Company
Imperial Transportation Services
Best Lodging
Hampton Inn on Gervais
Best Massage
Urban Nirvana*
Best Modeling Agency
Millie Lewis*
Best Moving Company
Two Men and A Truck*
Best Nail Salon
Soak
Best Pest Control Service
Home Pest Control
Best Pet Grooming
Westcott Acres Luxury Pet Resort
Best Plumbing Company
Meetze Plumbing
Best Pool Company
Griffin Pools & Spa
Best Real Estate Agent
Jimmy Derrick, Coldwell Banker United, Realtors®
Best Residential Interior Designer
Ford Boyd Interiors*
Best Residential Real Estate Agency
Coldwell Banker United, Realtors®*
Best Staffing Agency
Roper Staffing
Best Tanning Salon
Beaches Tanning Salon
Best Travel Agency
Forest Lake Travel*
Best Wedding Venue
Millstone at Adam’s Pond
MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT
Best Art Gallery
Columbia Museum of Art*
Best Live Theatre
Trustus Theatre*
Best Movie Theater
Columbiana Grande*
Best Museum
EdVenture
Best Radio Personality
Jonathon Rush*
Best Radio Station
97.5 WCOS
Best TV Personality
Ben Tanner
Best TV Station
WIS-TV*
