COLUMBIA'S LUNCH REVIEW

Columbia, South Carolina is not a city famous for fine cuisine. With Charleston's accomplished restaurants 100 miles to the east and Charlotte's innovative new eating spots 100 miles to the north, Columbia seems, at first glance, to be lost somewhere between the finer culinary destinations of the Carolinas. However, those of us who live, work, and play in Columbia know that you can't judge a book by its cover, and you can't dismiss a restaurant simply because it is not located on a pretty stretch of coast or decked out in the latest urban chic. Columbia, S.C., is a place where you can find some incredible, tasty fare - if you know where to look.

From 8:00 in the morning until 6:00 or 7:00 at night, we work on Main Street in downtown Columbia. When the clock approaches noon, we hear the sweet call of the city's restaurants beckoning us to hit the streets and enjoy the working man's greatest reprieve - Lunch. Columbia and the surrounding areas have so many great lunch locations that we often spend a good portion of the morning debating where the day's lunch trip will take us. Sometimes we will walk to a great sandwich shop just around the corner; other times, we will trek out to Lexington County on a tip that the best wings in the area await us. Either way, we have learned that getting out for a bite to eat is the best refresher to push us through the afternoon grind.

Lunch is, undoubtedly, the highlight of our workday, and we want to encourage our fellow Columbians to break free from the frozen Lean Cuisines and chalky protein bars that they choke down at their desk for lunch. Pick another meal of the day to deprive yourself if you are trying to cut back on the calories or the expense of dining, but do not forfeit your opportunity to take an hour of the day with co-workers, clients, and friends to get out and experience one of the best reasons to live in Columbia, SC - its great lunch spots!

In this blog, we will let you know what we uncover on these lunch excursions. Hopefully, we will find some places you have never tried and inspire you to patronize a new lunch establishment tomorrow. In the rare case we find a disappointing spot, we will be sure to let you know of this, too. If we describe an experience that is uncharacteristic of your own, please post and let all of us know about it. Through this blog, we hope to whet your appetites and to fuel support for our fine, local dining spots. Lunch is calling, Columbia!