Five food spots expand Columbus culinary scene with fresh flavors

These stories keep you up to date on the expansion of the Columbus culinary scene. They highlight new offerings from various restaurants and cafes in the area.

Chester's BBQ collaborates with Skipper's Seafood to bring diverse menu options, such as catfish plates and beef tips. Another example is The Seed Coffee and Cafe, which serves Gypsy Goat Coffee along with sandwiches near the Chattahoochee River.

Kalani's Hawaiian Style Cafe opens its first brick-and-mortar location in Phenix City, offering Hawaiian cuisine such as garlic shrimp plates and poke bowls. Additionally, Dave's Hot Chicken introduces spicy dishes at its new location in Columbus. These establishments contribute to a vibrant and expanding culinary landscape in Columbus.

A new coffee spot is open in Columbus a stone’s throw away from the roaring waters of the Chattahoochee River. The Seed Coffee and Cafe located at The Rapids on Front Avenue is open for its first full week of serving coffee, sandwiches and more to the Columbus community. 01/02/2025

NO. 1: NEW COFFEE SHOP AND CAFE OPENS IN COLUMBUS A STONE’S THROW FROM THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

“This is a beautiful part of Columbus that’s just up and coming and there’s a lot of people that I think could use our service here.” | Published January 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Kelby Hutchison

The long awaited return of Clearview BBQ is finally here, and the Columbus community has come out in droves to again taste their barbecue. That includes Ledger-Enquirer reporter Kelby Hutchison.

NO. 2: WE ATE LUNCH AT THE REOPENED CLEARVIEW BBQ IN COLUMBUS. HERE’S OUR REVIEW

Having not had their sandwich for nearly a year and a half, I decided to be gluttonous and ordered four. | Published January 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Kelby Hutchison

Dave’s Hot Chicken has officially opened in Columbus, Georgia. It’s located at 5279 Whittlesey Blvd. 01/28/2025 By Mike Haskey

NO. 3: WE ATE AT DAVE’S HOT CHICKEN. HERE’S OUR REVIEW OF THE RESTAURANT’S NEW COLUMBUS LOCATION

As I walked into the restaurant the smell of spices hit me, and I couldn’t help but say, “This smells good.” | Published January 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Kelby Hutchison

Skipper’s Seafood has leased their restaurant to Chester’s BBQ. The restaurant still will keep the Skipper’s name but will have an expanded menu and be open for longer hours. By Jordyn Paul-Slater

NO. 4: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN 2 ICONIC COLUMBUS RESTAURANTS GET TOGETHER? THEY CREATE THIS NEW MENU

A favorite seafood restaurant has leased their space to a popular BBQ business, blending their dishes for a fresh eating experience in town. | Published February 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jordyn Paul-Slater

Kalani’s Hawaiian Style Cafe, 711 13th St. in Phenix City, is the first brick-and-mortar location of Kalani’s Mixed Plate, a Hawaiian-cuisine food truck that has served food in the Columbus and Fort Benning area since 2020. By Jordyn Paul-Slater

NO. 5: ‘WELCOMING EVERYONE LIKE FAMILY.’ NEW RESTAURANT BRINGS TASTE OF HAWAII TO PHENIX CITY

“This has always been a dream and passion of mine,” owner Kalani Sayles said. “It took a lot of work to get to this point, and it took a lot of years.” | Published March 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jordyn Paul-Slater

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.