Columbia's restaurant scene has grown considerably, with a good range of options concentrated in the Vista district along Gervais Street and in Five Points near the university. Southern comfort food, barbecue, and a growing number of international restaurants are all well represented.
Motor Supply Co. Bistro in the Vista is the standout for serious cooking. For South Carolina barbecue — whole-hog, mustard-sauce, the real thing — True BBQ is the benchmark. The university area has cheaper options including a good Vietnamese and Korean presence around Rosewood Drive southeast of campus.