Free Acorn Cakes and whoopie pies: Eateries list treats for Columbia County Restaurant Week

Amanda King, Augusta Chronicle
·3 min read
The Chicken Cake is a signature dish at the Acorn Restaurant at Red Oak Manor.
The Chicken Cake is a signature dish at the Acorn Restaurant at Red Oak Manor.

Renee Meyer Dean and her family have owned and managed the Acorn Restaurant in Harlem for 13 years and know that January is usually the slowest time of the year for the restaurant industry.

"Everyone's recovering from the holidays and probably overspending and probably overeating, so January is historically a quiet month for the restaurant business," she said.

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau are hoping to drive traffic to local restaurants with their second annual Columbia County Restaurant Week Jan. 24-30. The event was first held last year after a rough 2020.

Namaste Indian Street Food is one of the participants in Columbia County's Restaurant Week.
Namaste Indian Street Food is one of the participants in Columbia County's Restaurant Week.

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"Restaurants went through a tough time with COVID and there are just different challenges for them now," Chamber President/CEO Russell Lahodny said. "For us, it's a way to highlight our core businesses in our backyard."

Twelve restaurants – from casual dining Zaxby's to upscale cuisine like Cork and Flame – will have special items on their menu or deals on regular items during the seven-day event. Dean said the Acorn Restaurant will have free Acorn Cakes, which are fried grits.

The Chamber and CVB are encouraging people to take pictures of their dishes and post them to social media with the hashtag #ColumbiaCountyEats.

The Funnel Cake Lounge, which opened last year, will participate in its first Columbia County Restaurant Week Jan. 24-30.
The Funnel Cake Lounge, which opened last year, will participate in its first Columbia County Restaurant Week Jan. 24-30.

Russell Fiveash, co-owner of Ironwood Tavern in Evans, said his business is slightly slower in January, but it's not concerning. His biggest goal for Restaurant Week is to get new customers in the door.

"(I hope customers) see what Columbia County has to offer for food and our regular customers will see some new things on the menu," he said.

Lahodny said the week gives patrons a reason to branch out and try something new.

"Maybe there's a new restaurant that opened up or maybe there's one down the street that you wanted to go to but just haven't yet – this just might be that opportunity to try something new," he said.

Participating restaurants

The Acorn Restaurant, 410 N Louisville Street, Harlem; redoakmanor.com

  • Special: Free dessert or Acorn Cakes appetizer (fried grits) with purchase

Cork and Flame, 4414 Evans to Locks Road, Evans; corkandflame.com

  • Specials: Pumpkin Swordfish, Alaskan Halibut, The Game Trio featuring a selection of game meats from the southeast

Funnel Cake Lounge, 212 S Belair Rd STE 196, Martinez; facebook.com/funnelcakelounge

  • Special: Free Deep-Fried Snickers with the purchase of Lounge Creation

Ironwood Tavern, 5117 Washington Road, Suite 1, Evans; ironwoodtavern.com

  • Specials: Shrimp Po Boy, Truffle & Pig Pizza

Laziza Mediterranean Grill, 4272 Washington Road, Suite 8A, Evans; lazizagrill.com

  • $5 Feta Fries

Main Street Treats, 170 N Louisville St., Harlem; facebook.com/MainStreetTreats170

  • $1 off milkshakes

Namaste Indian Street Food, 4272 Washington Road, Suite 5A, Evans; namastestreetfood.com

  • Buy One Get One lunch Thali from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and Buy One Get One kids meals all week

Rooted Coffeehouse, 3116 William Few Parkway #1, Evans; rootedcoffeehouse.com

Stay. Social Tap + Table, 7025 Evans Towne Center Blvd. #205 Evans; staysocialevans.com

  • Lunch combos $13 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday

  • Free whoopie pie or dessert trifle with dinner tapas purchase from 4 p.m.-closing Tuesday-Saturday

The Crazy Empanada, 3562 River Watch Parkway, Suite 7, Martinez; facebook.com/empnadas2017

  • Mystery Box for 4 people for $40

  • Choose your own for $50

Tropical Smoothie, 617 Mullins Colony Drive, Evans; tropicalsmoothiecafe.com

Zaxby’s; 612 Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans; 3031 William Few Parkway, Evans; 3969 Columbia Road, Martinez; 510 Fury’s Ferry Road, Martinez; zaxbys.com

  • 20% off catering platters (one platter per order; delivery $20 if less than $100 order)

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Columbia County Restaurant Week created to spark business, lure diners