These 13 restaurants are some of the best places to eat in Columbus Georgia. These places include where the locals eat and they have some of the best reviews.
My list of best places to eat in Columbus Georgia is going to include not only the type of food but also the locations. If this is your first time visiting Columbus, you may be pleasantly surprised to find such a vast array of restaurants to choose from.
This article contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy.
Most of these Columbus, Ga. restaurants offer online ordering. Check their website for more information.
Types of restaurants in this list include; Barbeque, Burgers and Hot Dogs, Fine Dining, Italian, Southern Cooking, and Steakhouses.
Let’s begin our list of places to eat in Columbus with Barbeque. Folks in the south take their BBQ quite seriously and that includes the side dishes like coleslaw.
Barbeque Restaurants in Columbus, Ga.
Bbq joints, as us southerners like to call them, tend to have great longevity and very loyal customers when locally owned. For that reason, you will find the locations often are off the beaten path and the buildings to be quite vintage. Don’t let that deter you, these restaurants are a great place to experience authentic southern barbeque.
1. Zombie Pig BBQ 6201 Veterans Pkwy Ste B, Columbus, GA 31909
Locally owned and operated. Winner of more than a few awards for good food and customer service on Trip Advisor and locally as well. I like that, don’t you? Excellent reviews online and y’all know how hard folks can be these days to please.
The menu includes; ribs, pork, chicken, and even smoked sausage. Sides offered include; macaroni and cheese, slaw, baked beans, pasta salad, black beans, potato salad, and chips.
2. Smokey Pig Barbeque 1617 11th Ave, Columbus, GA 31901
Family-owned and operated since 1953. These folks know how important good food and good customer service are. There is no website and no active Facebook page at this time.
Reviews are a solid 4.5 on all sites. That usually means it’s really a 5 but some folks were probably in a bad mood the day they wrote the review.
The menu includes all the favorites such as ribs, bbq, chicken, BBQ nachos, and Brunswick stew. Try the BBQ baked potato for a real treat. Sides include; baked beans and potato salad.
3. Clearview B-B-Q 4222 River Rd, Columbus, GA 31904
Family-owned and operated for more than 16 years. Off the beaten path and a local favorite. Reviews speak for themselves. No website.
The menu includes BBQ both chipped and chopped, ribs, chicken, and sausage. Don’t forget to try one of their locally famous hot dogs while you are there. Sides include; Brunswick stew, coleslaw, baked beans, and potato salad.
Burgers and Hot Dog Places to eat in Columbus Georgia
4. The Black Cow 115 12th St Suite A, Columbus, GA 31901
A nice laid-back rustic southern charm dining experience that is located in Uptown Columbus within walking distance from the Whitewater Rapids.
Named by a Garden and Gun readers survey as ‘Best burgers in the south’. Their Pimento Cheeseburger gets rave reviews. Also popular on their varied menu are the Lobster Tots, Fried Green Tomatoes and goat cheese tower, and the Meatloaf and the Meatloaf sliders too.
5. Jordan’s Girls Gourmet Dawgs 803 Veterans Pkwy, Columbus, GA 31901
These folks know how to not only make a good hot dog but how to provide great customer service in the process. Their reviews are simply fabulous. They have an Airborne Dawg and a Ranger Dawg plus SEC football team Dawgs too. It’s just a fun menu to order from. They even have veggie dawg and vegan choices.
Get your food to go or dine in. Food is cooked to order. Hours are for a lunch-only restaurant so not your dinner place but definitely a good lunch.
Fine Dining
Fine dining restaurants offer an upscale ambiance which generally requires strict dress code requirements. Business casual or formal dress is to be expected at fine dining restaurants. A unique and exciting menu with multiple courses and smaller portion sizes often features exotic meat choices. Your food will be prepared by an experienced and rated chef. The service will be excellent and the price tag will be over the top. It’s an experience. Reservations are required.
6. Epic 1201 Front Ave Ste E, Columbus, GA 31901
Epic Cuisine has been serving the Columbus area since 2012. Their reviews are excellent and plentiful with phrases such as “Beyond all expectations”
They are recipients of the AAA Four Diamond Award 2021 and the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence.
Celebrate a special occasion by reserving the Chef’s Table at Epic. Catering and take-out are also available but please gift yourself the experience of dining in.
Make your reservations and plan to experience excellent service, great food, and a wonderful evening with someone special.
Also, see the Fine dining restaurants; Mabella Italian Steakhouse and Buckhead Steak and Wine listed under Steakhouses below.
Italian
7. Trevioli At The Rapids 1329 Front Ave. Columbus, GA 31901
Started in 2013 by two locals, there are two locations. Visit the downtown one at The Rapids for the downtown Columbus experience.
While Trevioli is an Italian restaurant, reviews suggest you can enjoy a good steak here as well. Reservations are accepted. Fine dining with a much-loved ambiance. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available on their menu.
8. Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzaria 7830 Veterans Pkwy. Columbus, GA 31909
Cerrone’s Brick Oven Pizzeria is locally owned and operated. Awarded 3rd best in the southeast, in the largest pizza competition in the United States. Serving the only true to region, authentic New York brick oven pizza. The reviews are great for Cerrone’s and the owner responds which means the customer is important to him.
Reviews are a testament that while the pizza is delicious, the meatballs are too. Their homemade pizza crust and garlic knots also get rave reviews.
Southern Cooking Restaurants
9. 11th and Bay Southern Table 1050 Bay Ave Corner of 11th Street and Bay Ave, Columbus, GA 31901
The ambiance is laid back but refined. Once an old cotton warehouse, enjoy your meal with a view of the sunset over the Chattahoochee while dining al fresco on the patio or around the fire pit. You may also enjoy dinner inside in the expansive open dining room with heart pine floors and beams, warm brick walls, and vintage Edison lighting.
Locally sourced food as much as possible, the menu is seasonally driven. Expect to see southern favorites like Shrimp and Grits and one of their signature dishes, Braised Pork Belly. Reservations are recommended.
10. Minnie’s Uptown 104 8th St, Columbus, GA 31901
Minnie’s is what we call a “meat and two” or a ‘meat and three’ restaurant. That means you get your choice of the meat offerings that day along with two or three vegetables of your choice. Cornbread or rolls is usually included.
Delicious authentic southern cuisine, made from scratch, from the hoecakes to the sweet tea. “It’s like eating at Grandma’s house”, many reviews say. Minnie’s has been a Columbus treasure since 1986.
Minnie’s features some differences in their menu each day with certain popular foods always offered. The prices are reasonable compared to today’s standards and the portions are plentiful.
You have a choice of Meat and one, meat and two, or meat and three. Actually, you can just eat veggies if you wish. No matter how you like the meal, be sure to treat yourself to dessert. Leave room for dessert because their cakes are amazing!
11. Plucked Up Chicken and Biscuits 1208 1st Ave, Columbus, GA 31901
Downhome cooking like you used to get at Grandma’s house. A favorite restaurant with the locals. Folks know this is a good place to get a delicious breakfast.
If you are a fan of food smothered with homemade gravy, stop here. Your taste buds are in for a treat.
The dining room is fun with eclectic decor. Reviews speak for themselves and they are great. Chicken and Biscuits along with a few other southern delights, like country-fried pork steak, are on the menu.
Steakhouses in Columbus, Ga.
My goal is to provide you with local restaurants which is why I am not listing any of the chain steakhouses here. However, there are a few in Columbus but I do recommend you check their online ratings before going. Locally owned restaurants usually go the extra mile with service and food.
12. Mabella Italian Steakhouse 14 W 11th St, Columbus, GA 31901
The best thing you can do is to make reservations. Locals love the food, service, and atmosphere and the secret is out so, make those reservations.
Located in the uptown area in a beautifully remodeled late 1800’s building. The storied building once housed a telephone operator business. If walls could talk!
Reviews are great for pretty much everything on the menu. As an Italian steakhouse, you have some fabulous choices between pasta and beef. Save room for dessert and order Mama Kay’s Cheesecake.
13. Buckhead Steak and Wine 5010 Armour Rd, Columbus, GA 31904
A locally-owned French-style southern steakhouse. Casual fine dining. Full bar and wine menu.
The restaurant menu includes some delicious choices such as their much-praised lobster bisque. Steaks and wild game are also a source of great reviews. They also feature a wine and drinks menu. Reviews also praise the customer service.
Private dining is available with prior reservations. A nice place to host a wedding reception or special events. Outdoor dining in a pleasant atmosphere.
13 Places To Eat In Columbus Georgia
Barbeque, Burgers, Hot Dogs, Italian food, down-home Southern cooking and fancied up Southern food, and let’s not forget a good steakhouse. You will find a good scrambled dog, some of the best Bar-B-Q the south has to offer, New York style brick oven pizza, and even scrumptious Biscuit Beignets among these top rated restaurants in Columbus, Ga.
If you are visiting Fort Benning or live within a day trip distance to Columbus, scroll my list of places to eat in Columbus Georgia, and start making plans. It will be tough to narrow them down but it will depend on what you have a hankering for.
My list includes some of the best Columbus restaurants you can find. There are too many to name them all so stay tuned, subscribe to our newsletter. There will be more to come.
More Places To Visit in Georgia
15 Best Places To Eat In Warner Robins, Ga.
13 Restaurants In Dublin, Ga. Where The Locals Eat
15 Restaurants Where The Locals Eat In Macon Georgia
5 Eclectic Drive-In Movie Theaters To Visit In Georgia
10 Haunted Places In Georgia You Can Visit
40 Plus Georgia Museums and Sites With Free Admission
