Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Columbia area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (out of 4) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
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South Congaree House of Pizza & Family Restaurant
1 / 29- Rating: 4.3/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 714 Main St. West Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
Ray's Diner
2 / 29- Rating: 4.3/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3110 Two Notch Road Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
Just Us Cafe
3 / 29- Rating: 4.3/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1208 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, South Carolina
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Pitas
4 / 29- Rating: 4.3/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1800 Taylor St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Greek
- Read more on Yelp
Taqueria Jalisco
5 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 612 Saint Andrews Road Ste 10 Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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Steve's Classic Burgers
6 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (235 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 612 St. Andrews Road Ste 7 Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Burgers, American, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
Cromer's P-Nuts
7 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3030 North Main St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Cafes, Popcorn Shops, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
Crossings Deli
8 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8604 Farrow Road Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Delis
- Read more on Yelp
Halal International
9 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1601 Broad River Road Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Grocery, Halal
- Read more on Yelp
La Estrella
10 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1921 Airport Blvd. Cayce, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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Indah Coffee
11 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2238 Sumter St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
The Other Store
12 / 29- Rating: 4.4/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4130 Bethel Church Road Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
Spotted Salamander Catering
13 / 29- Rating: 4.5/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1531 Richland St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Desserts, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Carolina Buffet
14 / 29- Rating: 4.5/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3122 Platt Springs Road West Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Buffets
- Read more on Yelp
Southern Seafood & Diet
15 / 29- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2237 Charleston Hwy Cayce, South Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
16 / 29- Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1002 Park St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Tacos El Puebla
17 / 29- Rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4346-4398 Fort Jackson Blvd. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Street Vendors, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Mack's Cash Grocery
18 / 29- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1809 Laurel St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
Andy's Delicatessen
19 / 29- Rating: 4.6/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2005 Greene St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Delis
- Read more on Yelp
The Wurst Wagen
20 / 29- Rating: 4.6/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, German
- Read more on Yelp
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The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli
21 / 29- Rating: 4.6/5 (835 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2617 Devine St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Delis, Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Tacos Nayarit
22 / 29- Rating: 4.6/5 (479 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1531 Percival Road Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Azalea Coffee Bar
23 / 29- Rating: 4.7/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2700 Devine St. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Swanson's Deli
24 / 29- Rating: 4.7/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1332 Main St. Ste 7B Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Tacos Nayarit
25 / 29- Rating: 4.8/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1942 Decker Blvd. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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Seoul Restaurant
26 / 29- Rating: 4.8/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1717 Decker Blvd. Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Korean
- Read more on Yelp
Zach's Sandwich Shack
27 / 29- Rating: 4.8/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3512C Bush River Road Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
Manny's Shaved Ice N' Snacks
28 / 29- Rating: 4.9/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1228 Augusta Road West Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Shaved Ice, Mexican, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
- Read more on Yelp
Johnson's Restaurant
29 / 29- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5200 Monticello Road Columbia, South Carolina
- Categories: Barbecue, Burgers
- 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 388 metros.
