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.
Honey River Catering's expansive menu of options includes fresh spring fare like an orange bourbon glazed whole roasted chicken, a spring pea salad, hasselback sweet potatoes, spring asparagus orzotto and a lattice topped berry pie, just to name a few. Oh and did we mention the crepe platter!? Because that's important information to know.
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 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 glazed ham, pineapple casserole, sides, and refreshing key lime pie bars for dessert. Bonus, they’re also offering Southern Shabbat and Passover Seder meals available for pickup March 26 – 28 (please refer to their website for specific pickup dates and instructions), as well! Everything from matzoh and macaroons to kugel and brisket. And you can’t forget the challah! Make a one-time purchase or arrange for a recurring weekly pickup.
Speaking of Passover, Ally and Eloise is offering flourless options like a Queen Mother’s Cake, coconut macaroon brownies and a flourless chocolate cake. They have Easter dessert options aplenty, too, like a beautiful bunny cake, coconut cake, a baby cake box, vanilla cake pops and more. But get your orders in fast – Passover pre-orders close March 25th at 4 p.m. and Easter orders close the following Thursday.
Book your Easter-themed baked goods with Silver Spoon Bake Shop! Party fours, macarons, yeast rolls, mini white cheddar biscuits, cinnamon rolls and more will have your carbs covered from breakfast through dinner and dessert.
For the sweet tooth folks who prefer to eat plant-based, Tasty As Fit has you covered with a special carrot cake preorder.
Sunday Brunch
You’re already dressed in your Easter best – so show off that ‘fit while out at brunch.
Both The Grand and The Main Course on Main Street are hosting special Easter brunch events. At The Grand, you’ll find an omelet station, build-your-own Bloody Mary bar and live music, while The Main Course will house a gourmet brunch buffet complete with carving station.
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.
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.
Add in an Easter Box filled with a mix of adorably pastel-frosted cookies from Blue Flour Bakery.
You can never have too many sweets, so check out the colorful Evolution Through Chocolate Easter truffles coming soon to The Hideout and while you’re there, scoop up a box of macarons, too.
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.
