COLUMBIA — Soda City has made it onto The Local Palette’s list of “Top 10 Foodie Towns in the South” for 2024. If it gets enough votes, it has a chance to take home the number one spot.
To compile this list, Local Palate editors surveyed chefs, restaurants, grocers and food vendors in 40 small Southern towns.
In addition to Columbia, the shortlist of 10 schools also includes Alpharetta, Georgia; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Charlottesville, Virginia.
Readers can vote until June 16th, and the top three towns with the most votes will be announced. The first place winner – “Town with the Best Food in the South” – will be determined by four days of social media voting immediately following the June 16th announcement.
Jane Godiner jgodiner@postandcourier.com
According to Charlene Slaughter, director of communications for Experience Columbia, the nomination further highlights and strengthens Columbia’s rapidly developing food and beverage industry.
“We’re thrilled to be considered and named among this group of cities,” Slaughter said. “The opportunity for Columbia to become a top culinary city is another way to attract tourists to the region.”
The nominations come as two Columbia James Beard Award finalists, chef Robby Robinson of Lula Drake Wine Parlor and City Limits Barbecue, await the June 10 announcement of the winners.
“There’s been a lot of excitement recently on the culinary scene in Columbia,” Slaughter says, “and I think Columbia’s restaurants and chefs are as good as any other place, so this is great for Columbia.”
Vote for “Best Food City in the South” here.
