Mr. Friendly’s New Southern Cafe is one of the many eateries offering special meal deals during Restaurant Week. (Photo by Holly Poag.)
Dig in, Midlands. Restaurant Week is coming to Columbia during Oct. 6-16.
Thirty-one restaurants across the Midlands are participating in the two-week event, offering special meal deals to attract visitors after the busier summer months.
Lenza Jolley, director of marketing and communications for the S.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association, is excited that more restaurants are participating after the smaller crowds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re really excited that everybody’s out and about again, they’re going out to the restaurants and they’re wanting to have that in-person dining experience,” Jolley said.
Reservations are highly recommended, as restaurants such as the Black Rooster, Mr. Friendly’s New Southern Cafe and The Flying Biscuit Cafe will be busier than usual.
The Flying Biscuit Cafe, which recently opened in Five Points, is using Restaurant Week to introduce itself to the community.
Cafe owner John Robert Barth said the brunch spot will offer two courses for $20 per person.
Mr. Friendly’s has been a part of Restaurant Week since it began in 2010. Traditionally, the restaurant sells a three-course dinner, averaging around $40 per person.
Blake Justice, the general manager, said the restaurant would have daily specials over the two weeks.
“We’re excited to get a lot of new faces this year,” Justice said.
Because tourism typically drops after the summer months, Jolley said her hope is the timing is good for visitors.
“There’s a lot of festivals, and the fair is coming,” Jolley said. “We’ve got football games — all of that. So it’s really a great opportunity for people coming into town.”
Here’s who’s participating this year:
- Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
- Bakon Southern Eatery
- Black Rooster
- Blue Fin
- Blue Marlin
- Bourbon
- Carolina Ale House
- Catch Seafood
- Chophouse of Chapin
- Columbo’s at the DoubleTree
- Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse
- Craft and Draft Irmo
- Gervais and Vine
- Grill Marks
- Halls Chophouse
- Hampton Street Vineyard
- Harbor Inn Seafood Restaurant
- Le Peep
- Liberty Tap Room on the Lake
- Lizard’s Thicket restaurants
- Market on Main
- Mr. Friendly’s New Southern Cafe
- Original Pancake House
- Park and Lady
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House
- The Flying Biscuit Cafe
- The Garden Grille at the Hilton Garden Inn
- Saluda’s
- The Melting Pot
- Willie Jewell’s Old School Bar-B-Q
- Za’s Brick Oven Pizza
Lenza Jolley, the communications director of the S.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association, is excited about Restaurant Week 2022 being sponsored in part by Tito’s Vodka. (Photo by Holly Poag.)
The S.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association starts to plan the Midlands’ Restaurant Week in the spring. (Photo by Holly Poag.)
