Business Details
28 Years
experience
Fresh Bagels & Catering Services in Columbia, SC
Carolina Cafe and Catering Co has been serving the Columbia community since 1998 with a commitment to quality and hospitality. Originally established as The Bagel Shop, we specialize in handcrafted New York-style bagels and have expanded to offer a full menu of fresh sandwiches, salads, and specialty coffee drinks. Our catering services provide customized solutions for events of all sizes, from intimate gatherings to large corporate functions. Located steps from the University of South Carolina historic Horseshoe, we combine prime accessibility with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. With over two decades of local ownership, we maintain a focus on using fresh, high-quality ingredients in all our offerings.Our team takes pride in delivering exceptional service whether you're visiting our cafe or hosting an event. From breakfast buffets to boxed lunches, we ensure every detail meets our exacting standards. Our proximity to the South Carolina State House allows us to serve legislators, government officials, and visitors with equal dedication. We maintain traditional methods for bagel preparation while innovating with modern flavor combinations. Every menu item, from our signature sandwiches to housemade dressings, reflects our commitment to culinary excellence. Our staff's extensive experience ensures consistent quality and customer satisfaction across all services.
Services
Catering Services
NY Style Bagels
Specialty Coffee
Boxed Lunches
Housemade Salads
Details
- Year established: 1998
Highlights and features
- We offer 24 years of experience in cafe and catering services
- Our team creates bespoke catering solutions for every event
- We use fresh, locally sourced ingredients in all our offerings
- Our staff provides personalized service with attention to detail
- We maintain traditional bagel-making methods with modern flavors
What people say
Best bagels in Columbia
Friendly and helpful
Fresh bagels
Phenomenal food
Quick breakfast
Services
Catering Services
Our full-service catering handles events from 10 to 100+ guests with customized menus. We offer breakfast buffets, boxed lunches, and plated dinners using the same fresh ingredients as our cafe. Clients receive personalized planning assistance to create memorable dining experiences for corporate events, weddings, and private parties.
NY Style Bagels
Handcrafted daily using traditional boiling and baking methods, our bagels come in 10 varieties including Everything, Sesame, and Cinnamon Raisin. Available plain or with premium spreads like garden vegetable cream cheese, we also offer bagel sandwiches with multiple filling options for breakfast and lunch.
Signature Sandwiches
Featuring 14 signature creations served on 9 different bread types, our sandwiches include premium ingredients like wood-smoked salmon and house-roasted beef. Each order includes fresh fruit, chips, and a pickle, with options for dietary preferences including vegetarian and low-fat choices.
Housemade Salads
Six salad options feature locally sourced produce and housemade dressings like cilantro lime vinaigrette. Guests can choose from classic Caesar to specialty mixes with grilled chicken and goat cheese. All salads use crisp, fresh ingredients prepared daily in our kitchen.
Boxed Lunches
Customizable boxed meals serve groups with efficiency and quality. Options include sandwich trays, personalized boxes with multiple filling choices, and diet plates with protein selections. Each order includes sides, condiments, and serving kits for hassle-free event dining.
Questions
What catering services do you offer?
We provide full-service catering for events of all sizes including breakfast buffets, boxed lunches, and plated dinners with customizable menus.
Are your bagels made fresh daily?
Yes, all our New York-style bagels are handcrafted and baked fresh daily using traditional boiling and baking methods.
What are your operating hours?
We're open Monday-Friday 7 AM-3 PM, Saturday-Sunday 8 AM-2 PM for cafe service with catering available by appointment.
Do you offer delivery services?
Catering orders include delivery setup within Columbia, with pickup available for smaller orders during regular business hours.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards for catering orders and cash/card payments for in-store purchases at our cafe location.
Reviews (5)
Natalia Kravtsov
Jun 02, 2022
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Seriously this is a coffee shop? The ice was in a dirty cooler on the floor. The coffee taste like water down dirt. can't believe I even had them remake it only to toss out!
Heather Shealey
Apr 06, 2022
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I have ordered from here several times, and the food is usually decent, and the delivery arrives in a reasonable time frame. Today may have been an off day for them. I placed an order online, and was pretty much immediately called to give them a different bagel choice since they ran out of the kind I ordered. I did this, and was told the order would be made. After almost an hour and a half of waiting for the delivery, I was contacted again by a different person and told they were completely out of all bagels, and so they hadn't made my order yet.
I requested a refund, which I then immediately received. Their communication with customers seems good, but their communication with each other, boh vs. foh, seems like it could use some improvement so things like this do not happen. I would still try them again and feel they are a good local business to support.
I requested a refund, which I then immediately received. Their communication with customers seems good, but their communication with each other, boh vs. foh, seems like it could use some improvement so things like this do not happen. I would still try them again and feel they are a good local business to support.
Krista Larson
Jan 01, 2022
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I love Carolina Cafe's food and atmosphere but their ridiculous wait is not worth it. I totally understand being swamped with people coming in the door but I placed an online order at 7:45am for pickup at 9am. It is 9:45 and I am still waiting. This is insane. Not worth the wait.
Addison N.
Nov 22, 2021
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Love the food, but their ordering options during the weekends are so cumbersome we've relegated to other local options. Waiting in line is notoriously long. Calling in a pick up is impossible at certain hours. Online ordering is advertised on their website, but actually unavailable once you get ready to checkout. Complaining about management, not the employees!
Madison G.
Nov 11, 2021
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I wish I took a picture of my bagel. It was just a plain bagel, toasted, with extra cream cheese. That's it. Simple, easy. However. I'm a Jersey Girl who worked in NY City for 18 years. I live in Atlanta. The south tends to serve round bread and call them bagels. Since I was traveling I thought I'd search great bagels. Carolina Cafe came up first and with loads of amazing pictures I thought I'd walk over.
It was well worth it and what an amazing surprise! Outstanding bagels! They looked and tasted just like their fab NY City counterparts. I couldn't believe it! I sat outside and savored my bagel. Loved the location too. Try this place. It won't let you down.
It was well worth it and what an amazing surprise! Outstanding bagels! They looked and tasted just like their fab NY City counterparts. I couldn't believe it! I sat outside and savored my bagel. Loved the location too. Try this place. It won't let you down.
