DINING GUIDE

This section offers a rotating selection of restaurants in Columbia drawn from our extensive online dining guide. The restaurants featured in this section are picked by our magazine editors and are not chosen with any consideration to advertising. To include your restaurant in our extensive online dining guide, email peg@insidecolumbia.net.

DINER

MUGS UP AMERICAN

603 Orange St. Columbia’s drive-in, Mugs Up, has been serving burgers and home-brewed root beer for 66 years this July. Try the chili cheese fries or BBQ burger, but whatever you order to eat, be sure to wash it down with an ice cold root beer float. Trust us, it’s a necessity.

GEISHA SUSHI BAR

ASIAN

804 E. Broadway Located right on Broadway in downtown CoMo, Geisha Sushi Bar is the perfect spot for lunch with the girls or a date dinner night. Its unassuming exterior belies its beautiful bites, and the generous lunch portions are not only budgetfriendly, but fantastic. Try the Snow Crab California roll with snow crab, cucumber, avocado and sesame seeds or their “On the Grill” rolls, with options ranging from yellow tail tuna to smoked eel.

UKNEAD SWEETS

DESSERT

808 Cherry St. From tira-Mizzous to Boba tea and mini cheesecakes, UKnead Sweets downtown has your confectionary cravings covered. Whether you’re stopping by for an after-

dinner sweet or picking up a specialty cake for an event, you "knead" to check this place out. Try the strawberry Black Forest and peanut butter chocolate cakes for your next occasion, or for no occasion at all, we won’t judge.

SHORTWAVE COFFEE

COFFEE

915 Alley A Shortwave, in the artsy Alley A, serves up caffeinated concoctions sure to cure any late night or early morning woes. Their menu offerings range from loose leaf teas to espresso and pour over coffee drinks, but their signature drink is the Mint Mayday, a sweet and creamy cold brew with fresh muddled mint. Try the honey rose or lavender latte if you’re looking for something a little different.

BIG MAMA’S CAFÉ

BREAKFAST

3510 Interstate 70 Drive SE Freshly opened this March, Big Mama’s Café is serving up all of the diner and southern fixings sure to make you say “bless your heart,” un-ironically of course. Be sure to go during fried chicken days — Wednesdays and Sundays — and catfish day, on Fridays only. For breakfast, try an omelet or skillet, and during lunch try the Tiger Express burger topped with chili, cheese and onions, or the Texas Burger with barbecue sauce, bacon, cheese and onion rings served on Texas Toast.

ROOM38

FINE DINING

38 N. Eighth St. If you haven’t been to this popular downtown bar/restaurant, you’ve surely seen photos posted on their patio under the “Cheers” sign. Not only is Room38 a photogenic hot spot, but they also some superb sips and delectable dishes. Try the French Lemonade cocktail, with cucumber, basil, lemon infused gin and St. Germain, or go with a traditional Basil Haydens served neat. Regardless you simply cannot leave without trying the pretzel bites, doughy warm balls of goodness tossed in honey butter and served pepper jack cheese dip. Other staff favorites include the Lobster Mac N Cheese and the chocolate torte (which is gluten free!).

GUNTER HANS INTERNATIONAL

7 Hitt Street Gunter Hans is a beer fan’s paradise. With both local and German offerings, there’s something to please everyone’s palate. Try the Dunkel, a Munichstyle brown lager, or the Hefe Weizen, if you’re looking for German beer favorites. Not a beer drinker? Gunter Hans’ bretzels are worth a visit in and of themselves. Order one of their gourmet dips — mustard, cinnamon butter, cheese or a seasonal favorite — or opt for all four with the Signature Dip Flight. Be sure to check out their biergarten, or patio as we Americans know and love it, this summer for some sunset sipping.

RIO GRANDE

MEXICAN

3306 W. Broadway Business Park Ct. This west Columbia Mexican joint dishes up authentic favorites sure to please. Whether you’re in the mood for carnitas or fajitas or just a quesadilla, it’ll hit the spot. And of course, what would a Mexican restaurant be without margaritas? If you’re feeling particularly party-ready, order a Monster margarita — 46 ounces of tequila-filled temptation! And, be sure to check out their Taco Tuesday specials!

ARRIS PIZZA

PIZZA/INTERNATIONAL

1020 E. Green Meadows Road, Ste. #102 There are only a few Greek spots in CoMo and Arris Pizza on the south side is sure to satisfy your cravings for gyro goodness. While their location may be a little-known spot, the generous portions are definitely worth a visit, or three. Many of their pizzas are named after Greek gods, such as the Hippocrates, which is topped with a variety of veggies, such as mushrooms, spinach and artichoke hearts and feta and pizza cheese. More traditional fare such as spanakopita and manicotti is sure to please, too.

STAY TUNED FOR ...

BUD’S BBQ

BARBECUE/MEXICAN

304 S. Ninth Be on the lookout for what will be Columbia’s newest barbecue joint this summer. Bud’s Bar Brunch Que — BBQ — is set to open later this summer in what used to be Ingredient True Eatery’s spot downtown and will serve up smoked meat, tacos and local brews.