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City in Missouri, U.S.
Photo: Me5000 at English Wikipedia, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Columbia is a bustling college town in Missouri, halfway between St. Louis and Kansas City. It is home of the University of Missouri (also known as 'Mizzou') as well as two other post-secondary institutions Stephens College and Columbia College.
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The Columns on the Quad of the University of Missouri campus are the second-most photographed landmark in Missouri, right behind the St. Louis Arch.
Has a fascinating collection of everything between ancient Southeast Asian sculpture to paintings by famous Missourians.
This stretch of land on the Missouri River is a lovely place to go hiking, walking, or to eat Thai food. It's a 10 minute drive from south Columbia and is located on the Katy Trail.
Some seriously good pizza and a goofy collegetown-like atmosphere.
has great burgers, supposedly the best burger in the nation. No known link to prove the claim, but they have a piece of newspaper framed on the wall that says so. One thing is sure, they really have great burgers. They go to church on Sundays.
A locally owned, affordable restaurant featuring "Americana" type food: unique sandwiches, burgers, pastas and a few slightly more expensive entrées. Has a good bar and beer selection and very comfortable atmosphere. One of the local favorites is the "crab rangoo dip" appetizer.
A local favorite for Thai food. Atmosphere is refreshing and the cooks let you order your food on a "hotness scale of 1 (low) to 10 (very hot). It is also known for serving water out of their signature tin cups.
Focuses on organic options. Everything from coffee to salads is offered in organic options along with fresh squeezed juices. The breakfast menu contains tried and true favorites along with a variety of international options. Lunch is served as well.
Another option for Thai food.
A great 1950s themed diner, open for breakfast and lunch. Very crowded on weekends so be prepared to wait.
A locally owned restaurant with a flair for jazz. During most evenings, there is a live jazz piano and occasionally has a live Jazz band play (participates in the "we always swing" jazz series wealwaysswing.org) The atmosphere is kind of dark, crowded (due to its popularity). The food is usually excellent with a menu that ranges from the inexpensive (sandwiches and burgers) to more higher end entrees.
A restaurant owner by the same group that owns Addison's. The higher mid-range restaurant offers an excellent atmosphere, and a menu that features many diverse pastas, some unique to the area. Sophia's also has decent wine options and an excellent dessert menu.
The only vegetarian restaurant in central Missouri, and it's quite popular with the lunch crowds. The cafe also serves breakfast.
Serves up local foods and produce, but is not entirely vegetarian.
Sports Zone Restaurant and Grill's casual upscale atmosphere encourages everyone to relax and have a great time while catching sports action on high definition flat screen TVs placed throughout the restaurant.
Local brewery, started by some of the same folks from the Root Cellar. Solid selection of house brews, along with a good sampling of non house beers, and a menu showcasing locally grown and raised food stock.
Combining local ingredients, swanky atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable wait staff, along with a heaping dose of excellent management. One of the true gems of Columbia's culinary scene. Dinner can be a bit pricey, but lunch is a steal for the quality. Rotating taps from all over the world and a wide selection of local and not so local wine, along with monthly beer and wine dinners.
Restaurant, bar, pet-friendly.
Indoor heated pool and wireless high-speed Internet access.
Outdoor pool, free breakfast, wireless high-speed Internet access.
the largest mall in the mid-Missouri area, and contains many of the typical mall stores available around the country. Anchors are Target, Barnes and Noble, JCPenny, and Dillard's (with a separate men's store).
By plane
MO-X (pronounced 'moe-ex') operates an airport shuttle service that does door-to-door pick-up/drop-off from town to airport (St.
By bus
There is a public bus system, GoCOMO, that operates free of charge. The downtown area is very small, so you can easily get around on foot.
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Columbia · Regional · COU
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