However you care to spend Easter this year (and no, we haven’t forgotten about our Jewish friends celebrating Passover!), opt to support local in any way you can – be it through a take-home meal, brunch at a local restaurant or even in the goodies you stock in your Easter baskets.
At-Home Eats
Enjoy the best of hosting your loved ones for an Easter meal without having to do any of the prep. Order ahead from one or more of these local eateries for a no stress, all satisfaction holiday dining experience.
Your Easter table will happily be creaking under the weight of Spotted Salamander’s take and make options. Deviled eggs, sugar and spice glazed ham, crab pie, mac and cheese (of course!), lemon chess pie and more make up the springtime meal of our dreams.
We know this is a holiday where ham, eggs and cheese tend to reign supreme and we also know that not everyone partakes. If that’s you, score some vegan eats, including desserts, from A Peace of Soul instead.
CITY GRIT Hospitality Group, who oversees several initiatives in town including, but not limited to, smallSUGAR and Il Focolare, has a full take-home Easter Sunday feast featuring the likes of a brown sugar-sweet tea glazed ham, pineapple casserole, sides, and refreshing key lime pie for dessert.
Ally and Eloise has Easter dessert options aplenty, like a beautiful bunny cake, coconut cake, a baby cake box, vanilla cake pops and more.
For the sweet tooth folks who prefer to eat plant-based, Tasty As Fit has you covered with a special carrot cake.
Sunday Brunch
You’re already dressed in your Easter best – so show off that ‘fit while out at brunch.
In addition to their take home Family Meal, CITY GRIT Hospitality Group is also offering an Easter brunch, perfect for the crowd who loves to eat well but would rather pass on dish duty this holiday.
For both sweet and savory soul food options, look no further than Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles.
DiPrato’s is a go-to brunch spot for good reason. Peaches and cream pancakes, a breakfast panini, Monte Cristo French Toast Sandwich and all the Adluh grits you can eat make for a pretty iconic brunch experience. And you know you’re going to go home with a tub full of pimento cheese and warm pita chips for later, too.
Keep it laid-back at Café Strudel. With two locations in West Columbia and Lexington, both offer a relaxed atmosphere and next-level eats. Cinnamon pancakes, Lowcountry Hashbrowns and the ever-popular Hangover Hashbrowns? Be still, my heart.
Omelets, eggs benedict, biscuits and gravy and, of course, prime cuts of steak all await you at Halls Chophouse.
Shake things up and ditch the traditional Easter brunch for some Lat-Asian fusion flavor at Publico. It is still Sunday Funday, after all.
You had us at breakfast pizza and you kept us with your $12 mimosa bucket. Dine inside or on the patio at Za’s on Devine for both of these menu standouts and more.
Lovely outdoor bistro tables and French-inspired eats like Croque Madame and French toast (lol) scream spring at Hampton Street Vineyard.
Motor Supply Co. Bistro in the Vista keeps it fresh with seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients shaping the rotating menu. Plus, their patio is temperature-controlled, so weather need not ever be a concern.
Honestly, we could go on and on about the brunch scene in Columbia SC, so head here for even more ideas.
Easter Basket Bounty
Make sure your baskets are brimming with local goods.
Head to Mast General Store for fun vintage toys and all your favorite classic candies. For colorful basket fillers, stop by A Little Happy where stickers, games, hats, notebooks and more line the shelves.
Who doesn’t love the gift of an activity or experience? Line your basket with tickets to a Fireflies baseball game or one of our area’s attractions like Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, EdVenture, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia Museum of Art and more, for a fun family outing this spring. Or, tuck in some tickets to a local concert or festival coming up in the next couple months. Check out our spring events blog for inspo.
Hey, adults deserve Easter baskets, too. Sneak in some bath bombs from Sunshine Artisan Bath & Body, a locally-made candle from Seminole Candle Company, KiRoKa Essentials and Just a Dude Candle Company, fancy olive oils and balsamic vinegars from Crescent Olive, hot sauce from The War Mouth or a six-pack from one of our local breweries.
Don’t feel like assembling your own? Uptown on Main and The Gourmet Shop both boast a strong basket game, so just leave it to the pros and it’ll be our little secret.
