This is a very popular outdoor food court near downtown Columbia, SC. We visited the Gather Cola a few weeks ago,as they have a lot of food options. This open air food court is a great hangout for the locals as there is live music, 2 stories of food and bar vendors. My spouse and I had a difficult time deciding on what we had a taste for, as they had acai bowls. Burgers, tacos, Mexican and Mediterranean food, etc. There is street parking nearby, along with a parking garage so we didn't have any issues with finding parking. The day we visited the weather was excellent, so as expected they were alot of people enjoying this popular hangout. read more

Gather Cola - Food Stands Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Gather COLA seems like it has a lot of potential and could be a very fun place to hang out in the future. But for now (as of January 2026), I simply wasn't impressed with the selection of food and vendors that they had. It seemed to be a lot of specialty items like New Orleans Seafood, Asian Fusion, Chicken & Waffles, etc., but no basic food items like pizza, hot dogs, or chicken tenders. It did seem like they had a cool bar called Session, but there wasn't anything else that really drew me to it food-wise. I will say, however, that the setup was pretty cool, and Gather does seem to be a great place to let your dog, kids, or perhaps both, run around for a little while or to meet with friends. It also seems like a great place to have a large event like a corporate gathering or club meeting, as it has an upstairs patio and bar that you can rent out. All-in-all, Gather COLA is a cool place, but it still seems to be stuck in the "development" stage of its inception. If they can get some better food options, I could definitely see myself coming back in the future and maybe even becoming a regular. If they stick with what they have now, I'll probably stop by some time in the summer months to grab a beer but won't frequent it very often. read more

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This was my 2nd visit to The Gather Cola. Im very familiar with the Gather on Greenville and the Cola version, gives that one a run for its money. Great food choices and plenty of space and seating. Both times I've come for lunch on a workday amd its been jumping, so I can just imagine how busy it would be on the weekend. read more

Gather Cola - Pulled pork sandwich from Smoked - Food Stands Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Great new addition to Columbia! I really enjoyed visiting with friends on a Friday night. There are plenty of food selections and small shops. The food was good and served quickly. There was live music and plenty of places to take a small walk after dinner. read more

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Gather is a nice vibe. It's family friendly but the later it get it's more of an adult atmosphere. I love the food choices. Bessie's for a chilli hot dog and Big Easy for fish. I've enjoyed myself the few times I've been. read more

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I'm so excited Columbia finally got a Gather! I love the Greenville location and I know I'll be giving this place alot of money haha. Just so you're not confused, the cocktail bar is upstairs and beer at the bar downstairs. (If you're looking to save money on an adult beverage, the Narragansett lager is only $4). If you enjoy eating multiple cuisines in one setting, you'll love this place. My favorite so far has been the Greek food at Gyromania. read more

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Gather was a absolutely amazing experience! Limitless options and something for everyone! I tried a kids meal from Bessie's and it was absolutely delicious. The burger was seasoned to perfection. I got a Al Pastor store taco from los Chino's and it was the best bite of the day. I will definitely be back for more and I also tried a bowl from banh sai! The flavors were a mix of deliciously, savory and fresh. This was also my favorite. The atmosphere was amazing a little congested, but that is exactly what I expected. I see plenty of amazing outings here can't wait to come back. read more

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Sooooooo yummy! So good that I retuned the next day for the same items. Hubby and I had the Bahn Sai bowl with crispy chicken. Tasty, bursting of flavor and fresh/healthier. Our bowls consisted of half lettuce/half rice with cucumber, daikon radish, pickled carrots, green onions & cilantro. Opted out on the jalapeño. The crispy chicken were large pieces of fried chicken with aioli on top. Get their homemade hot green sauce (adds so much dimension). Def a fave from now on. Super friendly family. read more

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This is a pretty cool spot with plenty of dining options and just a low-key place to enjoy fresh air, food, options, and your company. It's a couple levels from what I observed with the stairs, but I didn't go any higher than the second level. There's plenty of seating and just a shared space to gather. It seems like the staff is working really hard to stay on top of the cleanliness, and the service was pretty good at the places I visited. There was also a DJ on the night I went, so I enjoyed the music. There's a variety of food options as well, and a bar as well as a beer bar. This is such a lovely addition to the Columbia area. read more

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We went here on a Saturday, after the Peace Walk & this place was PACKED. THE lines were long (it was about 1.5 hours of standing in line to getting out food), but the vibe was cool! People were friendly, the kids were having a great time, and the food (@ Bahn Sai) was a bit overpriced but delicious non the less (they were VERY SLOW.) There's more seating upstairs where there's a full bar, looked like a cool place to sit & people watch, and was less hectic. I look forward to returning. read more

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It's a fun atmosphere with lots of food vendors to choose from. The upper floors have great views and areas with bars should you get thirsty. The vendors give great service and make suggests from their menus. read more

i am remiss to leave a bad review but this really really failed expectations. what they term a burger is actually a slider. No exaggeration. it wasn't even a very good slider. Bread was not fresh. Meat was sparing. Fries were fine. Wings were 3/5. i will never eat there again. tough to respect a place that calls a slider a burger. read more

So happy that I finally got to try Gather Cola! My group had a great time sitting on the turf listening to the live music. The food was also great, we tried the Mexican vendor and loved the quesa birria tacos. Overall it was a super fun experience, and we will definitely be back! read more

Gather Cola - Food Stands Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Columbia's Newest and maybe only food hall with a lot of lunch or dinner options. Outdoor seating with tables with several permanent vendors. Live music today ! Huge turnout even with the cold temperatures with rain throughout the day. read more

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Recently came here for a goodbye gathering. I had heard many people recently talking about Gather Cola and never quite knew exactly where it was. But the vibes here especially once it gets warmer are so cute. I've been to this area once before and it is very nice, clean and feels safe. A good place to bring the entire family- it has like a food truck feeling however the businesses are built in but there's a ton of food options to choice from and then being it's not indoors there's places for the kids to run around and hang out. We came on a Friday night and there was live entertainment as well. Being it is still the middle of winter and with the cold front it was nice on the fist level they had fire places to help keep warm with many chairs and tables, on the second floor they had heaters and couches with VIP sections you can rent out. Each place you ordered from was very efficient with sending out text for the most part when your food was ready so you don't have to stand around and wait. Service was great. Will definitely be back as it gets warmer. read more

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Gyromania really delivered! The shrimp gyro platter was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully put together. The shrimp were perfectly seasoned and grilled, laid over a crisp, vibrant salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and a generous sprinkle of feta. The pita was warm and soft, and the creamy sauce on the side tied everything together perfectly. Cocobowlz is a whole vibe. From the moment you see the bowls, you already know it's about to be good. The smoothie and açaí bowls were thick, cold, and packed with fresh fruit--beautifully layered with bananas, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, coconut flakes, and goji berries. Not overly sweet, just clean and refreshing. The boba refresher was equally impressive--bright, crisp, and super refreshing, especially paired with the bowls. Everything tasted fresh and intentional, and the presentation made it feel like a treat and a wellness moment all in one. read more

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First time visiting and I am HIGHLY Impressed. The vibe is great. There's a variety of food establishments that caters to different taste buds. Plenty of seating to handle the crowd. I definitely recommend this spot for an evening out for any occasion! GREAT JOB COLUMBIA read more

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cobra fries were great delicious and good price. bessies- never going back, for $5 for a scoop of ice cream i better be getting a real scoop instead she said her scooper is like that and gave me a half scoop... dont waste your money there kikis fried okra was yummy fluffy batter good with their hot sauce lots of seating, second level seating is nice and theres warmers close to other restaurants will be back read more

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Gather cola gives a really cool modern food scene vibe and the restaurants are good for the Cola area. I'm excited to see how they do, and I'll be back soon! read more

For a nice atmosphere & great food selections Gathers is the one stop place! And did I mention they sometime have live entertainment!

It has potential but there's nothing I'd eat here. Same kind of selections you'd see in a mall food court. We loved the venue though and will definitely be back for drinks. I gave it 4 stars for the effort. Not sure who they are trying to attract but it could go downhill very quickly if they don't take immediate action to recruit better/different food. Maybe offer free rent to a Charleston restaurant looking to expand. read more

I love the selection of food vendors and I love the urbanist vibe. I love it is by REI and a really great coffee shop that's isn't the Seattle based franchise read more

Gather Cola - Looking down on the Food Hall from is upper deck - Food Stands Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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So many good food options in one area is awesome! I was expecting there to be more space for people to sit and eat. It's kind of cramped compared to the Greenville location. But very exciting for Columbia to have something like this. read more

Really cool place with some great food options. Birria quesadilla was outstanding. The atmosphere is a new twist for the Columbia area. A great addition to Bull Street! read more

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I have tried and enjoyed 3 different restaurants and so far the food has been amazing and I love the outdoors experience

The food truck that sell cheesesteaks for $15 is disgusting and not worth it. The environment at the gather cola was nice, but it was cold, but I think it's gonna turn out to be very nice place to visit.. read more