Foodie News is your quick hit of what’s happening around Columbia’s food scene — from restaurant news and local accolades to upcoming events, new menus, and other food-related happenings worth putting on your radar.
Sips for the Symphony brings cocktails, music, and community together
For one evening in October, Orr Street Studios will trade its usual creative energy for cocktail shakers, grazing boards, and live music.
The Missouri Symphony League is bringing back its third annual Sips for the Symphony on Thursday, October 15, inviting Columbia to gather for an evening of drinks, food, and fun, all in support of The Missouri Symphony.
Presented by Boone Health, the event will feature local personalities behind the bar, each with a signature cocktail. This year’s lineup includes some familiar faces from Columbia’s business, arts, and hospitality communities: Amy and Bill Schneider, Nickie Davis and Cody Finley, and Sarah Lark, with additional bartenders to be announced in the coming weeks.
For the Schneiders, the event is another way to give back to a community they’ve called home for more than 30 years. Amy Schneider leads the City of Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, while Bill has spent more than 25 years working in the local business community with RSI Kitchen & Bath.
Davis, executive director of The District, works closely with downtown businesses, while Finley brings two decades of experience in Columbia’s creative community as a tattoo artist and owner of Lore Tattoo.
Lark’s connection to The Missouri Symphony is especially personal. As the owner of Murry’s Restaurant and a member of the organization’s board, she’s already invested in its work. Her child is also a musician with the Missouri Symphony Conservatory.
Guests will have the opportunity to sample each bartender’s unique creations while enjoying an evening filled with friendly competition. Activities such as a designer purse auction, raffles, a whiskey pull, and a paddles-down auction will invite participation, while grazing platters and dessert boards will provide a continuous flow of food.
Live entertainment will enhance the evening, providing guests with plenty of reasons to enjoy another drink, catch up with friends, and soak in the atmosphere at Orr Street Studios.
Tickets are $75 and include grazing and dessert boards, plus two drink tickets for wine or beer. Guests who want to sample more featured cocktails can purchase additional cocktail passports.
Proceeds support The Missouri Symphony’s performances, music education programs, and community engagement efforts throughout mid-Missouri, ensuring that music remains central to the community.
Spend a fall Saturday sampling your way through downtown
There are worse ways to spend a fall Saturday than wandering around downtown Columbia with a good cup of coffee in hand.
Caffeine Crawl is back for its seventh year with The District, bringing together some of Columbia’s favorite coffee, tea, and sweet spots for a day of exploring and meeting the people behind the drinks.
On Saturday, October 17, select a route through The District that includes a unique mix of participating businesses, featured drinks, and experiences. Plus, you won’t have to worry about finding parking at each stop, since every route is less than a mile long and easily walkable.
Along the way, you’ll try drinks from places like Acola Coffee, Bubblecup Tea Zone, Camacho Coffee, Clementine’s Ice Cream, Fretboard Coffee, Hexagon Alley, Shortwave Coffee, Wilder Coffeehouse at The Tiger Hotel, and Wynnsome Cake & Tea. Caffeine Crawl gives you a chance to chat with baristas, owners, and other local folks about the craft and little details that go into your favorite drinks.
You don’t need to be a coffee expert to enjoy it. Come for the caffeine, bring a friend, explore downtown, and you might discover a new favorite spot for your morning cup.
Tickets are limited, and routes have a history of selling out, so don’t wait too long to snag yours.
ICYMI: Cafe Berlin takes 1st place in Columbia’s Vegan Chef Challenge
The community came out eager to vote, with over 200 ballots cast for the chefs and dishes featured in August’s Vegan Chef Challenge. Some diners went the extra mile to earn “super voter” status by visiting three or more participating restaurants. Voters included not only vegans and vegetarians but also meat-eaters who joined in on the fun. Together, their votes highlighted local chefs creatively showcasing plant-based cooking.
2026 Vegan Chef Challenge winners were announced on September 17:
- 1st place: Cafe Berlin
- 2nd place: Gina’s Vegan A Go Go
- 3rd place: Le Bao
- Most Creative Dish: Cherry Street Cellar
- Best Curry: Abbey’s Swahili
- Best Mediterranean: Babylon Taste
- Best Falafel: Beet Box
- Best Seitan: Cafe Berlin, Seitan Sandwich
- Best Salad: Cafe Poland, Beet Salad
- Best Burrito: Crazy Good Burritos
- Best Appetizer: Curry-osity
- Best Dessert: Gina’s Tiramisu
- Best Sandwich: Hex Alley, Druid’s Delight
- Best Noodle Dish: Le Bao, Tan Tan Soy
- Best Tofu: Sushi Fajita
A Facebook post made by Cafe Berlin stated: “VEGAN CHEF CHALLENGE FIRST PLACE TWO YEARS IN A ROW! Yeehaw! Thank y’all so much for voting for us! The Maple Peach Seitan and vegan B&G will make a return, but in the meantime, check out our stacked vegan menu full of delicious offerings! Way to go, Sam!”
