COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two new restaurants have announced openings in the Midlands -- Showmars Greek restaurant in Lexington, and Smoked oyster bar and barbecue on Main Street in Columbia.
Set to open in 2021, Smoked is the latest production from Scott Middleton -- a local developer who has almost single-handedly revitalized the 1600 block of Columbia's Main Street. The Middleton family company is responsible for The Grand bowling alley, The Main Course restaurant and entertainment center and Immersion art space on Main. Now the entrepreneur adds Smoked -- an upscale oyster bar, barbecue smokehouse and microbrewery in the three buildings at 1639-1645 Main Street.
Following his business model, Middleton purchased the buildings built in the late 1800s and early 1900s and restored them to fit modern businesses. In a statement, Sara Middleton stated, “Our passion for restoring historic properties and bringing ‘outside the box’ restaurant experiences to Columbia will be on full display with Smoked. With my love of oysters and my brother, Greg Middleton’s passion for smoked barbeque, we hope to bring a new and unique culinary experience to the city. We are thrilled to bring growth to Columbia and further expand its exceptional dining and entertainment options.”
When it opens in Fall 2021, the approximately 13,000 square-foot space will feature views of the microbrewery, a 360-degree oyster bar, dining lounges, private event spaces, and a state-of-the-art luscious, green courtyard. Garvin Design Group is in charge of the renovations and the building’s 1866 historic storefront will be restored, providing clear views to the interior from the street.
In Lexington, Showmars, a mini-restaurant chain based in Charlotte, opened its doors over the weekend. The restaurant features fresh, made-to-order Greek and Southern staples with menu items such as Soups & Salads, Pita Sandwiches, the World-Famous Fish Sandwich and Carolina Original Pita Burgers™, Southern or Greek Entrées, Baklava Cheesecake and more.
The restaurant offers online ordering, dine-in, outdoor patio seating as well as take out, curbside pickup and contactless delivery. Showmars has also partnered with DoorDash to make its menu easily accessible to the entire community.
Showmars, located at 5318 Sunset Blvd, Suite H, in Lexington, will be adhering to recommended COVID-19 practices, social distancing guidelines and upholding the highest cleaning standards as set by the CDC and South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control. Showmars employees are required to wear masks, undergo COVID-19 screenings ahead of their shift and sanitize and disinfect the restaurant daily.