Carolina Cafe & Catering Co — Restaurant in Columbia

Neither my parents nor I live close to downtown and never know when we'll be down there. We've each bought a dozen bagels on a fairly regular basis for several years. I don't think I've been there during "rush" hour more than once ever.

Yesterday, we happened to be downtown and my mom asked to stop to pick up bagels. It was a little before 1 pm and aside from us and the 3 people behind the counter, there were only 2 people sitting and eating. After giving her order to the guy acting as cashier 3 times, I said that I was also going to get a dozen. At that point a girl behind the counter stated that we need to give 24 hours notice if we want a dozen bagels but they'd do it this time. Apparently she was doing us a favor by allowing us to buy bagels from a bagel bakery, without a full day's notice. I decided to skip the bagels after that.

I went looking on their website for the pre-order policy and the only place I finally found it was in tiny print on their menu. I messaged the owners on Facebook about what happened and was told this has been their policy for years (first I've ever heard of it and I've never seen any notice posted in the store for this being a long-time policy). The reason I was given for the 24 hour notice is that they want to be sure their customers ordering individual bagels for a sandwich won't be disappointed if they run out.

In all the years I've bought bagels, I've never seen a policy that results in selling less, but I'll find a place that doesn't have an issue with...

I’ve lived in Columbia for 5 years and have FINALLY been able to try this place. Conveniently located between the state house, campus, and some student apartment living. Parking can be challenging but it’s a great place to go prior, during, or after church…

The food: it’s priced great. It taste… good. It’s a bagel for crying out loud, not a Michelin star meal! Diverse menu options with how many bagels you can get. I went with a classic Lake Murray: Locks, Capers, and Cream Cheese and onions. It ain’t my NJ girlfriends mothers, but it will DO.

The coffee was actually astounding. I was delightfully surprised by how good their coffee was. Felt like a Folgers commercial moment.

The atmosphere: I’ve only seen lines wrapped around the door as if it’s a job fair in the 1930s, but on this unbusy Sunday, it was homey. I believe the place could do some interior upgrades. Some good trim on the walls covering holes, a new paint schemes of something to match that green base. Ceiling tiles? Open it up…

Carolina Cafe, it was solid. Would def recommend for anyone in Columbia wanting a local spot that likes...

I went to this place almost every day in college, it was always slow but well worth the wait. The last few expierences though have been awful. Today the order was a bacon egg and cheese on sundried tomato bagel and a sundried tomato with cream cheese. We got our order 25 min later in a non crowded cafe. My bacon egg and cheese had a hair in it and the bagel with cream cheese was jalapeño and not sun dried tomato. I took my bagel up to the counter and quitely asked if they could make me a new one and they agreed, my girlfriend not wanting a confrontation went up to the counter and paid for a new one and made sure to exclaim that she wanted sundried tomato and not jalapeño. The second go around with our order came about 30 min later. My bacon egg and cheese was correct but again they gave her a jalapeño bagel and not what she asked for. This business has gone down hill since a few years ago and I dont know what would possess any one to go back to this sorry excuse for a cafe with...