With the colleges starting schools this week - and the population of downtown Columbia sky-rocketing - it can be difficult to find a restaurant without a longer than normal wait, especially on the weekends. The hotspots, such as Shakespeare's Pizza, Chipotle, The Heidelberg and others, can easily fill up with patrons making it difficult to get some eats in a timely manner. While all of these places are busy for a reason (good food, atmosphere, or any other number of reasons), many people overlook the lesser known restaurants which usually have much less of a wait and equally, if not better, food.
The first restaurant that either a relatively few people know about, or a relatively few people want to eat at, is Kampai. Tucked away in Alley A, Kampai specializes in sushi. Their focus on the many variety of the Japanese dish pays off because, in my own opinion, it is the best sushi in all of Missouri. With a huge selection to choose from, the menu is diverse enough for even the pickiest of sushi-eaters to find something they would enjoy (not to mention their tempura fried cheesecake or vanilla ice cream).
And, if the food doesn't convince you, the atmosphere is unique unto itself. While the entrance is, as I mentioned, located in Alley A away from all of the major hustle and bustle areas of the downtown, the lights inside are dimmed just enough to provide an intimate atmosphere with enough light to allow for easy conversation and dining. The prices are par for most sushi places, but with a much better quality. I strongly recommend Kampai to everyone visiting or living in Columbia.
The second restaurant is the International Cafe. While it is a pretty known place, every time I've been to the International Cafe, the place has been almost deserted. The small restaurant sells Greek food, including everyone's favorite: the yyro. While it's not the best gyro I've ever eaten, It's definitely not the worst. The prices are what you'd expect (around $6.50 for a gyro), the amount you get for the price is well worth it. The International Cafe does deliver as an added bonus and if I'm not mistaken, you can buy the gyro meat from the cafe and save it for later.
Another alternative to The International Cafe, and one I prefer to it, is the Olive Cafe, which focuses in the same fare as the International Cafe, but is also considered a grocery store; many of the ingredients are sold from the same counter that you could buy lunch.
These are only a few of the amazing restaurants around the downtown area that tend to get overlooked during Mizzou's orientation. They may not be as well known as some of the food stops around town, but they're worth at least one visit for anyone trying to find something new, or even just looking for a meal on a weekend evening without wanting to wait.
