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:

  1. Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
  2. Bakon Southern Eatery
  3. Black Rooster
  4. Blue Fin
  5. Blue Marlin
  6. Bourbon
  7. Carolina Ale House
  8. Catch Seafood
  9. Chophouse of Chapin
  10. Columbo’s at the DoubleTree
  11. Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse
  12. Craft and Draft Irmo
  13. Gervais and Vine
  14. Grill Marks
  15. Halls Chophouse
  16. Hampton Street Vineyard
  17. Harbor Inn Seafood Restaurant 
  18. Le Peep
  19. Liberty Tap Room on the Lake
  20. Lizard’s Thicket restaurants
  21. Market on Main
  22. Mr. Friendly’s New Southern Cafe
  23. Original Pancake House
  24. Park and Lady
  25. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
  26. The Flying Biscuit Cafe
  27. The Garden Grille at the Hilton Garden Inn
  28. Saluda’s
  29. The Melting Pot
  30. Willie Jewell’s Old School Bar-B-Q
  31. 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.)