3 Columbia-area restaurants named James Beard semifinalists, in running for highest food honors

Sarah Ellis
·3 min read

A trio of Columbia-area restaurants and chefs have been named semifinalists for the most prestigious culinary awards in the United States, marking the second straight year that multiple Midlands culinary institutions have been recognized among the nation’s best.

Lula Drake Wine Parlour, City Limits Barbeque and Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles are all 2024 James Beard Award semifinalists, announced Wednesday.

It’s the second consecutive James Beard nod for Lula Drake, the tony wine bar that opened seven years ago on downtown Columbia’s Main Street. Owner Tim Gardner’s bar is up for this year’s James Beard Award for Best Wine and Other Beverages Program. Last year, Lula Drake advanced to the final round of nominees in the James Beard Outstanding Hospitality category.

City Limits and Kiki’s are both in the running for James Beard’s Best Chef: Southeast award, with nods for chefs Robbie Robinson and Kitwanda “Kiki” and Tyrone Cyrus, respectively.

For 12 years, the husband-and-wife Cyruses have run what’s been seen as one of the tastiest fried chicken operations in South Carolina. The first Kiki’s restaurant opened on Columbia’s Parklane Road in 2012 and has welcomed Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Several years later, the business expanded with a second restaurant on Bower Parkway in the busy Harbison retail district. Kiki Cyrus was named a S.C. Chef Ambassador in 2018.

Robinson opened City Limits’ first permanent brick-and-mortar home in Cayce last year after operating as a food truck since 2016. The business quickly made a name for itself among barbecue connoisseurs across the Midlands, leaning heavily into the trappings of Texas-style barbecue (brisket, beef ribs, etc.) and the favorites of the Carolinas (pulled and chopped pork, hash etc.).

A total of 11 South Carolina restaurants and bars were named semifinalists for this year’s James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards, which are given each year to “recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive,” according to the James Beard Foundation. The awards are considered one of — if not the — highest culinary achievements in the country.

The other 2024 semifinalists from South Carolina are:

  • Outstanding Restaurateur: Kimball Brienza and Stephen Palmer, O-Ku Sushi, Charleston

  • Emerging Chef: Nikko Cagalanan, Kultura, Charleston

  • Best New Restaurant: Scoundrel, Greenville

  • Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Tania Cienfuegos Harris, Topsoil Kitchen & Market, Travelers Rest

  • Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Remy Funfrock, La Pâtisserie, Charleston

  • Outstanding Bar: Edmund’s Oast, Charleston

  • Best Chef Southeast: Jacques Larson, The Obstinate Daughter, Sullivan’s Island

  • Best Chef Southeast: James London, Chubby Fish, Charleston

In 2023, Columbia also boasted three James Beard semifinalists: Lula Drake, City Grit Hospitality Group (smallSUGAR, il Focolare pizzaria and City Grit Market) and Spotted Salamander Cafe and Catering, with Lula Drake and City Grit advancing to the finalist round.