Taste The Latest

Columbia’s dining scene is evolving. Refresh your restaurant rotation and discover new favorites. 

Columbia is often considered an island in the middle of Missouri. Columbia is what visitors may “unexpect,” especially when sampling the city’s culinary scene.  

We’re spoiled with food.  

Residents may lament the lack of this or that, but taking in this list of new culinary spots, there is no doubting the diversity of experiences and flavors available out your front door.   

Columbia is a community that supports those who try in anything they do, and those who work hard are rewarded. This can be seen in many small business featured throughout this magazine and driving around town. We love local. We love sourcing locally for our food.   

Columbia’s award-winning Farmers Market is fueled by a vibrant farming scene. Local produce feeds both chefs’ imaginations and diners’ stomachs while making eating fresh and seasonally a reality.   

The restaurants, cafes, and experiences on this list take patrons around the world and reflect Columbia’s love for an excellent bite. 

Forks up! 

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Mahi’s Ethiopian Kitchen 

Ethiopian 

In a small kitchen within Alley A, cooking begins before sunrise. Throughout the morning, onions and lentils marry garlic and spices like turmeric and cumin while chicken and beef cook until falling apart in large pots. By lunchtime, luscious smells of spice waft into the street, luring passersby to turn left into the alley and experience something new.   

In the minimalist space that is Mahi’s Ethiopian Kitchen, diners close their eyes and transport themselves across oceans without the jet lag. As the sole Ethiopian restaurant in Columbia, Chef Mahi’s cooking provides more than a place to eat; it’s a place for exploration and introduction to a rich culture through its food.   

Specialties are served atop injera, a giant, thin, spongy pancake-like bread, which is the foundation of many Ethiopian meals. Injera can be used to scoop up and eat the multicolored mounds of warm, sweet spices and long-cooked stews called wots.   

Ethiopian cuisine contains multitudes of vegetarian and vegan options, which is atypical of most Columbia establishments. The mainly repeat diners can attest that animal proteins are not missed in these authentic, transportive dishes.   

Best enjoyed with adventurous friends who like to share. Try the sampler platter to get a little bit of everything.   

905 Alley A #1  
Wed – Sat | 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  
mahiethiopiankitchen.com 

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Pho Quan Viet   

Vietnamese 

After years of setting Columbia’s standard for Viet food, Pho Quan Viet was ready for more. Moving into a new space on Paris Road in early 2024, the beloved family-run establishment now boasts an expanded space, expanded hours, and what the people care about most — an expanded menu.   

Pho Quan now delights patrons with milk tea, spicy noodle dishes like bún bò huế, and one of Vietnam’s other famous foods — the bánh mì sandwich. Named after the Vietnamese baguette, the light and airy bánh mì varies based on its main protein. One of Pho Quan’s options highlights light and herbal lemongrass beef in perfect union with pickled veg and a special sauce. The bánh mì holds its own against Pho Quan’s namesake specialty pho, which can warm the cloudiest, coldest of Missouri days with its healing, clean broth.   

Best enjoyed over a lunch date with an old friend. Try the pho tai bo vien. It’s why it has gained Pho Quan’s pho-fect reputation. 

2016 Paris Road  
Mon – Sat | 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.  
facebook.com/phoquanvietcuisine 

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Sipz Sodas 

Ice-cold sodas and snacks   

Driving around Columbia, sometimes the craving hits for something sweet, something carbonated, and something quick. To be satisfied, a trip to Sipz Sodas’ drive-thru may be in order.   

After six years in Columbia, Brenda and Joel Andrus opened Columbia’s only soda shop in May 2023. Sipz Sodas brags about introducing the concept of “dirty sodas” — where sodas are mixed with syrups, creams, and fruit purees — to mid-Mo.   

Because pouring cream into a frizzy soda may be a new experience, Brenda wants customers to taste as many samples as needed to see where their tastebuds land. With thirty (and counting) different soda flavors, one may dare say there is something for the whole family.   

Neighbors and friends shared their palates and creativity to develop the initial flavors. Now, monthly specials like Mizzou-themed drinks rotate each month. The most popular beverages are creations of lemonades spiked with energy drinks.   

If your sweet tooth isn’t satisfied enough by the forty-four-ounce Mega Sip, Sipz also offers house made cookies. Or, if you’d rather balance out the sugar buzz, house-baked pretzels are available, too.   

Best enjoyed with the family after Saturday soccer practice. Try the crowd favorite toasted marshmallow — vanilla syrup and vanilla cream with Dr. Pepper.   

124 E. Nifong Blvd. Ste. J  
Mon – Sat | 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.  
sipzsodas.com 

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Myanmar Kitchen  

Burmese   

An unassuming and delicious hole-in-the-wall, Myanmar Kitchen is Columbia’s first restaurant dedicated entirely to the cuisine of Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma.  

You may taste familiar Asian flavors. Situated between India, China, and Thailand, Burmese food takes on the flavors of its neighbors with its own subtle twists. Burmese food often balances sweet and spicy and uses unique ingredients such as tea leaves and chickpea flour. These ingredients are then executed in specific fashions, such as the Burmese-style fried chickpeas, prevalent on Myanmar Kitchen’s menu, which add a delicate texture to soups and curries.   

Originally from Myanmar, the owners express love and care in their dishes and welcome questions about their food. The recommended thinly sliced papaya salad is a must-order. A level three spice has a mild, pleasant kick subdued by crushed peanuts. Complement the freshness of the salad with the equally crave-worthy coconut curry. It may be hard to resist licking your bowl.  

Best enjoyed on an empty stomach, your eyes closed to taste every nuanced flavor. Order seconds. Try the mohinga, a fish soup made with rice noodles, a national dish of Myanmar.   

1301 Vandiver Dr. # J  
Tues – Sat | 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  
Facebook: Myanmar Kitchen 

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Wynnsome Cake & Tea  

Coffee, tea, and cake  

Wynnsome Cake & Tea feels like coming home. This was the intention of owner and baker, Emma Briner, to curate a space that feels like an extension of her home and a place for people to feel seen. At the core of Wynnsome is hospitality. She explains, “Wynnsome is who we are and cake and tea is what we do.” Emma’s brother crafted the tables, her curtains, and menus, and other decor are handmade gifts from creative friends.   

If the atmosphere doesn’t get you at Wynnsome, the cakes and drinks will. The rotating cake menu features favorites like salted maple pistachio and fruit forward delights. Cakes are made on site by Emma and her small team with carefully chosen, high quality ingredients.   

Tea drinkers can rejoice in a menu finally curated for them instead of their coffee loving friends. Staff are eager to curate an experience pairing teas and cakes for an elevated afternoon pick-me-up. While the usual coffee beverages like cappuccinos and cortados are available, she urges patrons to trust her team to deliver a cup of tea even tea haters will love.   

Best enjoyed by hosting a book club with besties over a pot of tea and shared slices of cake. Try the burnt cheesecake and order one to go on your way out.   

1020 E. Broadway, Suite G  
Wed – Sat | Noon to 8 p.m.  
wynnsome.org 

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Sage Cafe  

Coffee, lunch, and brunch 

Wide leather chairs, sweet smells of coffee, and smiling staff greet patrons entering Sage Cafe. Located in the previous Coffee Zone location, Sage Cafe’s motto to “stay awhile” is easy to abide in its renovated, cozy space. Sage is equally equipped as a place to meet for a weekend brunch as for a Tuesday coffee meeting. The long line of plush marble two-tops invites you to connect one-on-one with a friend over a slice of dense and perfectly just-sweet-enough almond cardamom tea cake.  

Sourcing as many local ingredients as possible from mid-Mo farms, Sage’s menu elevates beloved lunch and brunch favorites by subverting expectations by sandwiching eggs between waffles for the ultimate breakfast sandwich or shaking up lattes with aromatic syrups like lavender.   

Best enjoyed over brunch with a good book and Ninth Street people watching. Try a pastry (or all the pastries?) along with a seasonal sip like a S’mores Latte.  

11 N Ninth St.  
Mon – Sat | 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.  
Sunday | 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  
Instagram: @sage.como 

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Endwell Taverna  

Italian   

Entering Endwell Taverna, you may not feel like you’re in Columbia anymore. The industrial space is warmed by ornate wallpaper accented with gold light fixtures and large windows welcome a flood of natural light. There is not a TV in sight.   

Have a conversation and connect over your meal of perfectly executed eggplant parm which will leave you to test the bounds of your stomach. Upon introducing chicken riggies — an Italian-American pasta dish native to Upstate New York State — to your tastebuds, it will quickly become a craving demanding satisfaction. The rigatoni pasta dish consists of chicken and hot and sweet peppers in a spicy tomato sauce.   

Come in a smaller group or be prepared to wait by the bar, with cocktail glass in hand, salivating over passing pizza. Better yet, sit at the bar, and watch the bartenders crank out an endless line of Aperol Spritz. Finish your meal with a digestivo from Endwell’s extensive drink menu.   

Best enjoyed on a date night with your lovely. Try starting your night with fried chickpeas while debating which bottle of Italian wine to order. 

107 N. Ninth St.  
Wed – Sun | 11 a.m. to midnight  
Bar open late  
endwelltaverna.com 

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El Poblano Grill & Cantina  

Mexican  

Mexican food is as ubiquitous as cheeseburgers in the American diet. While honoring decades of what’s expected from Mexican restaurants — think tortilla chips, queso and margaritas, and doing them well — El Poblano is introducing something different.    

El Poblano is a place to bring your friends for a good time. The welcoming and cozy atmosphere encouraged you to saddle up in a booth. Order margaritas and graze on tortilla chips while catching up. Soon, large servings of fresh food from the expansive menu selection of family recipes will land on the table to be swiftly devoured. You’ll leave satisfied and ready to return.   

Best enjoyed with all of your friends and family, ideally for someone’s birthday. Try the barrio tacos, guac, and chips with a side of margaritas.   

2513 Old 63 South Ste 103 
Mon, Wed, Thurs | 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.  
Fri & Sat | 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.  
Sunday | 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.  
elpoblanogrillcantina.com 

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Dada Döner  

Turkish street food  

Dada Döner has made the leap from food truck to brick-and-mortar.  

During its short tenure in Columbia as a food truck, Dada Döner has cultivated a robust following of eaters spreading the good news about its chicken döner. Döner is the Turkish name for meat cooked on a vertical spit or rotisserie. Döner means to rotate, while the word kebab refers to meat cooked on skewers over a fire. Once the outer layers start­­ to crisp, they’re thinly sliced and served over rice or in a flatbread wrap, in sandwiches, or as part of a plate with rice and a salad. Traditionally made with lamb, beef and chicken have become staples. Dada Döner complements savory sandwiches with a selection of tangy and cooling yogurt-based sauces.   

Dada Döner’s menu is simple, focusing on fresh, never processed food. Other menu highlights are the chicken iskender, another kebab style dish of sliced meat layered over toasted pita topped with tomato sauce, and an answer for vegetarians, Çiğ Köfte, a vegan meatball covered in a pomegranate sauce.   

Best enjoyed as a satisfying lunch when you need a break from the office. Try the chicken döner that made the eatery recongized.  

1201 E Broadway  
Tues – Sat | Noon to 7 p.m. 
Facebook: Dada Doner  

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Jowin’s Kitchen Gooey Butter Bakery  

American desserts  

Jowin’s Kitchen’s owner and head baker, Jean Nicklas, became a Great Resignation statistic after leaving her corporate job during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then she knew it was time to pursue her bakery dreams. Her dream of gooey butter cake.   

Gooey butter cake is a rich dessert with a buttery crust foundation under a sweet dense vanilla cake. It originated in St. Louis in the 1930s, most likely by accident with a cake mix.  

Raised in St. Louis, Nicklas makes the kind of gooey butter cake grandma would feed you. She uses a scratch recipe developed and tweaked from her family recipe to accommodate growing demand. She focuses on using the best, high quality ingredients for the best cake.   

After three summers at the Saturday Farmers Market and working nearly every community event in Columbia and the surrounding area, Jean has nested in a retail space. But, do not fret, her “gooey butter cake” pop-up tent will still be around at the Farmers Market and events.   

Jean now offers nine different flavors including turtle, chocolate marble, and seasonal favorites like pumpkin. For the winter season, she will have other delectable and giftable holiday treats such as cranberry bread to savor.   

Try the lemon gooey butter cake. A seasonal gooey butter cake was deemed so good that Jowin fans demanded it be available year-round.  

601 Business Loop 70 W Suite 203  
Located inside the Parkade Plaza  
Tues – Fri | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.   
jowinskitchen.com