What could it look like?

Riverfront restaurants are (finally) slated to happen in Cola. Space has been made for 2-3 restaurants to join the 30,000 sqft. of retail space in Sola Station, the final planned phase of the three-part CanalSide apartment development (off Huger, near Riverfront Park), which will house 1,000 residents when it's finished by the end of 2018.

The spaces slated for restaurants sit atop a public promenade overlooking the Columbia Canal, with views of the Saluda, Broad + Congaree Rivers.

If you’ve had a conversation with just about any Soda Citizen in the last few years, it’s probably touched on how Cola could take more advantage of its rivers for hospitality + entertainment purposes; becoming a “riverfront destination city” for tourists and locals.

Bottom line: This is pretty dang exciting. Aside from the former New Orleans restaurant (which a reader reminded us about – closed in 2010; now Stone River event venue) and Joe’s Crab Shack (closed in 1999), Cola hasn’t had a true riverfront restaurant. It’s all happening.

So, what could riverfront dining look like in Columbia?

Here are some other riverfront destination cities in the Southeast(ish) and some serious restaurant-inspo from them.

Greenville, S.C. | The Lazy Goat

San Antonio, Texas | Bella on the River

Wilmington, N.C. | The George on the Riverwalk

Savannah, Ga. | Rocks on the Roof

Washington D.C. | Fiola Mare

Richmond, Va. | The Boathouse

It seems like every other week there’s something that pops up or happens in Columbia that makes me say, “this feels like a big city!” And a riverfront restaurant/cafe/even coffee shop (I’ll take it) would be the highest form of that. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Congaree/Broad/Saluda.

What are some of your riverfront restaurants in other cities? Tell us on Facebook or Instagram.

– Chloe