
Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Columbia, Missouri by diners
Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Columbia, Missouri by diners
The average person spends over 74 minutes eating and drinking on any given weekday. On weekends and holidays, that goes up to over 81 minutes. Where is a better place to spend that time than a restaurant?
Consumers agree. The National Restaurant Association states that 9 in 10 adults enjoy eating out at restaurants, which give people access to a world of great-tasting food that's often difficult to reproduce at home.
People choose restaurants to scope out the latest food trends, including deeper dives into Southeast Asian cuisines from Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines, without trying to master these complex dishes at home. Chefs also have the resources to experiment with ingredients and bring new favorites like hot honey, spicy maple, matcha, and pickled foods to the table.
Dining out also offers unique, hyperlocal experiences featuring local farmers, food producers, brewers, winemakers, and distillers in a way that connects diners to the area.
When the weather's nice, diners flock to al fresco seating. At least 2 in 5 diners like eating outdoors and look for great ambience like skyline views, rooftop settings, and waterfront seating to enhance their dining experience.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in the Columbia area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 4, 2025. Only businesses marked as having outdoor seating on the Yelp website were included. Yelp's ranking system calculates an adjusted rating value that considers the number of ratings and the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews within a 10-kilometer radius of Columbia were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 10 locations nationally, based on our Yelp data, were not included. Read on to see if your favorite spot made the list.
#29. El Oso Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 522 East Broadway Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Broadway Diner
- Rating: 4.0/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 22 South 4th St. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Thai Express
- Rating: 4.1/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 308 South 9th St. Ste 107 Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#26. El Fogón Veracruzano
- Rating: 4.1/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 923 East Broadway Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Cc's City Broiler
- Rating: 4.1/5 (337 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1401 Forum Blvd. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Wine Bars, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Chris McD's
- Rating: 4.1/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1400 Forum Blvd. Ste 6 Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Steakhouses, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Kampai Alley
- Rating: 4.1/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 907 Alley A Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Pappo's Pizzeria and Pub
- Rating: 4.1/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10 West Nifong Blvd. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Desserts, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Nourish Café & Market
- Rating: 4.1/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 East Broadway Ste B Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Cafes, Gluten-Free, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Just Love Coffee Cafe - Battle Crossing
- Rating: 4.1/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 5414 Clark Lane Ste 100 Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, New American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Shakespeare's Pizza - Downtown
- Rating: 4.1/5 (589 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 225 South 9th St. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1204 Hinkson Ave. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Food Trucks, Southern, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Murrys
- Rating: 4.2/5 (358 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3107 Green Meadows Way Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: American, Sandwiches, Jazz & Blues
- Read more on Yelp
#16. D. Rowe's Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1005 Club Village Drive Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: American, Barbecue, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Le Bao
- Rating: 4.2/5 (138 reviews)
- Address: 1009 Park Ave. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Pizza Tree
- Rating: 4.2/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 909 Cherry St. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Range Free
- Rating: 4.3/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Orr St. Ste 101 Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Cafes, Gluten-Free, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Big Mama's Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (88 reviews)
- Address: 3510 Interstate 70 Drive Southeast Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Cafes, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Delia's Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.4/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 201 North 10th St. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Tiger Chef
- Rating: 4.4/5 (100 reviews)
- Address: 907 Rain Forest Pwy Ste 101 Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Irene's BBQ
- Rating: 4.4/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 711 North College Ave. Ste B Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Barbecue, Beer Bar, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Barred Owl Butcher & Table
- Rating: 4.4/5 (306 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 47 East Broadway Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Butcher, American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. G & D Steakhouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2001 West Worley St. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Steakhouses, American, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#6. B&B Bagel
- Rating: 4.5/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 124 East Nifong Blvd. Ste A Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Med Mex Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Address: 2609 East Broadway Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Taqueria Don Pancho
- Rating: 4.7/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3907 Peachtree Drive Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Just Jeff's Street Food
- Rating: 4.7/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 701 Business Loop 70 West Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Food Stands, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Café Poland
- Rating: 4.8/5 (241 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 807 Locust St. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Polish, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Beet Box
- Rating: 4.8/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 602 Fay St. Columbia, Missouri
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 327 metros.