Hello Thursday.
April 18 2024
Winter finally decided to show up this week in Cola, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some fresh-air dining. Quite a few Midlands restaurants are prepared, offering heated outdoor dining spaces to keep you comfortable + safe while enjoying your meal.
We’ve rounded up a list of 10 local restaurants with alfresco patios that will keep you warm and dry whatever the weather.
Market on Main's signature burger and fries. | Photo by Market on Main
Devine Street
- Za’s on Devine, 2930 Devine St. | Let the roll-up enclosure keep your body warm, while the pizza gets crispy in the wood-fired oven.
- Cantina 76, 2901 Devine St. | The covered porch offers an outdoor fireplace, ready to keep you toasty while you await your tacos.
Five Points
- Publico, 2013 Greene St. | Stay warm out back by reserving an igloo available through Feb. 22.
- Home Team BBQ,700 Harden St. | The roll-up patio enclosure keeps it warm on cold days, all while you can smell the smoked meats.
Main Street
- Market on Main,1320 Main St. | Reserve your heated igloo on RESY for a night out with friends.
- Hendrix, 1649 Main St. | The rooftop bar overlooking Main Street serves smaller plates until 9 p.m.
West Columbia
- Black Rooster, 201 Meeting St. | Picture this, a view of the Cola skyline at sunset while you take a bite into the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich. Double warmth.
- WECO Bottle + Biergarten, 626 Meeting St. | Not exactly a restaurant, but scheduled food truck’s offer a variety of options next to the covered + heated patio.
The Vista
- Motor Supply Co., 920 Gervais St. | The renovated patio with garage door-style windows give the patio an open, outdoor feel.
- Grill Marks, 711 Gervais St. | Relax with the sites + sounds of the Vista in front of you — p.s. It's never too cold for a milkshake.
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Today
Friday
- Amos Hoffman Trio | Fri., Jan. 7 | 9 p.m.-12 a.m. | The Joint at 1710 Main | Free
- Emo Night Columbia | Fri., Jan. 14 | 8 p.m. | The Senate | $10+ | It’s Columbia’s meetup for ages 18+ that never really left the Black Parade once they were welcomed into it. 🎤
Saturday
Plan Ahead
- Young Leaders Society Oyster Roast | Thurs., Jan. 20 | 5-8 p.m. | City Market Place, 705 Gervais St. | $40-50 per person | Shuck oysters, groove to Prettier Than Matt + give back through the silent auction or raffle, benefitting Be a Book Bunny — cold-weather donations are encouraged.*
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Weather
- 60º | Partly cloudy | 13% chance of rain
Coming Soon
- Dust off those roller skates Cola, SkateStation USA is back. The local landmark will re-open with a new name + ownership as Sports & Skate Station on Thurs., Jan.13. More info to roll out soon. 🛼
Number
- 11,128. That's how many pieces of trash and debris Congaree River Keeper collected on its cleanups in 2021. The organization that works to protect and improve water quality, wildlife habitat + recreation partnered with the South Carolina Aquarium to track all trash cleanups through its Litter-Free Digital Journal app. 🚯
Development
- In an effort to keep up with construction demand, Lexington County company, Capital Concrete, is expanding. The expansion comes as the Midlands continues to see residential growth towards the Gilbert + Batesburg-Leesville areas. (The Post and Courier)
- Convenience store QuickTrip, QT for short, has expanded its footprint to eight locations in the Midlands. The location at the St. Andrews Road interchange is projected to open on Jan. 20. ⛽ (The Post and Courier)
Eat
- Chef Chris Williams of Roy’s Grille in Lexington was appointed as one of three chefs to serve as South Carolina Chef Ambassadors for 2022. Now in its eighth year, Chef Ambassadors represent South Carolina at food festivals, media events + other forums. 🔪
Sports
- The Gamecocks men’s basketball team lost at home to Auburn Tuesday evening 81-66. Next up, the team travels to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt Saturday at noon in their first SEC road matchup. 🏀 (The State)
Arts
- A dedication ceremony for the Vista Peace Pole will be held next Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the median at the 900 block of Senate Street. The Columbia Peace Pole Initiative, in collaboration with One Columbia, commissioned Columbia artist Eileen Blyth to create a unique + artistic version. 💈
- Trustus Theatre has hired Jessica Francis Fichter as its new Executive Director. Jessica is a former playwright and directors lab member for The Actors Studio in New York City. The Vista theater opens its 37th season on Jan. 21 with the musical “tick, tick… BOOM!” 🎭 (The Post and Courier)
Community
- Merrill Gardens’ Good Friends Make Great Neighbors program is the ultimate win-win. Any resident who refers a friend (who then moves in) gets to split $2,000 with their new neighbor. Read: Both parties receive a $1,000 check. Cha-ching.*
Learn
- New year, new you, new language. If your goal in 2022 is to start speaking a new language, Babbel’s got your back. The app’s lessons are based on real life situations and help you become conversational in just 3 weeks. Get up to 60% off when you sign up today. 🌎*
Health
- Meet Trey Wiggins. He’s 9 months old, and he enjoys music and toys that make noise. Here’s how Dr. Paul C. Browne of Lexington Maternal Fetal Medicine + Dr. Crystal Y. Johnson of Lexington Women’s Care Sandhills helped Trey enter the world safely.*
*This paid content, brought to you by our advertising partners, helps make this newsletter free.
You don’t have to travel far to enjoy nature in Columbia. Take a stroll down the river walk and you might see a river otter popping its head out of the water, or these Canada Geese standing on a rock in the river as they continue their winter migration.
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Editor's pick: You sent in a lot of great suggestions for the property for sale at 3500 Forest Dr. Readers Lucinda S. suggested a dedicated ballroom dance facility + Annette wrote they'd like to see a pocket park. I could get down to both of those.
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COLAtoday Team
Editorial: Samantha, David, Kaylee
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