SECTION 1 Cover Best of Carolina 2 BEST OF CAROLINA 2020 Gosh! Thank you! The votes are in, and we’re so flattered our Bakery and Deli Gosh!blu Thank you! The votes are in, and we’resh. so flattered our Grocery Store isare a fa favoritesvorite of of so so many many readers.readers. Thank Thank youyou forfor all all the the times times you’veyou’ve chosen chosen PublixPublix to to shop make for youryour sub, grocery to make items. your cake,And thank to makeyou, your especially, party platters. for one And thank you, especially,more thing: for for one making more thing: our da fory. making our day. TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 CONTENTS 4 Maps 22 Food & Drink 6 On Campus 34 Retail 12 Entertainment 38 Services ATTRIBUTIONS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Gracie Bryant Sarah Scarborough WRITERS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Gracie Bryant, Lauren Busman, Kendall Hyman, Sydney Patterson Mardy Kramer, Joshua Matthews, Elyse Pellegrino, Lindsey Stack, Faith Worrell ART DIRECTOR Grace Steptoe COPY EDITORS Taylor Beltz, Grace Farrar, Rita Naidu, Makayla Hansen ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Patrick DiDomenico PHOTOGRAPHERS Lauren Busman, Kate Gharib, Elyse Pellegrino, CREATIVE SERVICES Kayla Jeffers, Faith Worrell, Cait Patel, Molly Collins, Meredith Price, Julia Linthicum, Ethan Lam, Shreyas Saboo Emily Schoonover, Meagen Sigmon ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Barron Coleman, Brittany Harrelson, Glenn Johnson, Emily Johnson, Lauren Busman, Silvia Ramirez 4 BEST OF CAROLINA 2020 BEST OF ON CAMPUS 1. Chick-fil-A 2. Patterson Hall 3. Alpha Gamma Delta BULL ST 4. Thomas Cooper Library 7 DEVINE ST BEST OF ENTERTAINMENT ELMWOOD AVE 5. Strom Thurmond Wellness HARDEN ST and Fitness Center 6. Williams-Brice Stadium 2423 TAYLOR ST 7. Greek Festival 2813 8. The Senate 35 2019 9. Russell House Theater 3637 10. Breakers Bar & Grill 17 11. Social Bar and Lounge 2325 3213 3936 12. Salty Nut Cafe HAMPTON ST GERVAIS ST 10 13. Publico 2519 3021 14. Jake’s 3739 1011 12 2118 1214 2016 32 8 11 15. Village Idiot Pizza & Pub 2224 2731 15 2627 38 ASSEMBLY ST 1 DEVINE ST BEST OF FOOD DRINK 49 3415 16. The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli 2822 2 17. Cool Beans Coffee Co 34 18. The Gourmet Shop 29 3316 19. Kaminsky’s 20. Cook Out 21. Home Team BBQ 3018 22. Domino’s Pizza 75 23. Good Life Cafe BLOSSOM ST 3 24. Hibachi House 25. Pawleys Front Porch HUGER ST 26. River Rat Brewery 27. The Baked Bear 28. The Belgian Waffle Truck 29. Moe’s Southwest Grill 30. California Dreaming 31. Cantina 76 BEST OF RETAIL 32. Publix Super Market at Gervais Place 33. Barefoot Campus Outfitter Where to 34. University of South Carolina Bookstore find the SHOP RD BEST OF SERVICES 35. Hub at Columbia winners 56 36. Immaculate Body Piercing CONGAREE RIVER 2631 37. Firestone Complete Auto Care 38. Paul Mitchell The School Columbia 39. Gervais Nails & Spa MAPS 5 FivePENDLETON ST Points PINE ST STARK ST COLLEGE ST 25 GREENE ST PAVILLION ST 13 10 36 LEE ST GREGG ST HARDEN ST HEIDT ST 12 21 18 15 SANTEE AVE 14 27 DEVINE ST LAURENS ST SALUDA AVE HILTON ST BLOSSOM ST 6 BEST OF CAROLINA 2020 On Campus on campus ON CAMPUS 7 Best On-Campus Eats Chick-Fil-A Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Google Money Rating Located on the bottom floor of Russell House Saturday 8:30 a.m.–10 p.m. With Meal Plan Options Gracie Bryant f you visit downstairs Russell are included in the several meal plan IHouse anytime between 12:30 options listed at the line’s entrance. If and 2 p.m. you’re bound to run you’re looking to splurge and treat into the extremely long Chick-fil-A yourself after a test or a hard day of line. While there are a multitude classes, the milkshakes and cookies are of restaurants across campus highly spoken of — and the ice cream and housed within Russell House machine is almost never broken. specifically, Chick-fil-A always seems to be a go-to for students. Breakfast is served until 10:30 a.m. and meal plan students are able to choose from ‘Chick-N-Minis” or a Chick-fil-A biscuit. Popular lunch and dinner menu items include the classic Chick-fil-A sandwich or nuggets which LAUREN BUSMAN Best On-Campus Housing Patterson Hall Gracie Bryant oving onto campus as a suite-style dorm, in which each the year, which is right in the middle Mfreshman brings a variety of suite includes two bedrooms and a range for typical on-campus housing mixed emotions, usually intense bathroom shared between four people. costs, according to the University excitement and sometimes Freshmen living here are typically of South Carolina housing website. overwhelming fear. Two of the members of the Galen Health Fellows However, there’s no denying Patterson biggest questions freshmen face or Visual and Performing Arts living Hall is far from average. The new when preparing for their first and learning communities. building and central location allows semester are who they’ll live with students to enjoy their time living on and where they’ll live. While it As one of the more recently renovated campus and helped secure its selection would be impossible to name the buildings on campus, Patterson as the best on-campus living option at best roommate, Best of Carolina Hall includes modern features and the University of South Carolina. voters have named the best amenities. In the renovation, a kitchen on-campus residence: Patterson was added on each floor with new Hall. appliances for students to use at any time. There are also cyber lounges and Patterson Hall is located in central study rooms that overlook the city of campus, across from both Bull Street Columbia and USC campus. parking garage and Russell House and a short walk to most academic As of the 2019-2020 school year, buildings, making it a perfect home Patterson Hall housed 544 students KATE GHARIB for incoming freshmen. It is a co-ed, and rates averaged at $7,760 for 8 BEST OF CAROLINA 2020 Best Sorority Alpha Gamma Delta Mardy Kramer olonized in 2012, Alpha Nationally, AGD partners with Meals CGamma Delta’s Theta Omega on Wheels and Feeding America, but Chapter calls the University of chapters are also welcome to partner South Carolina home and has with local organizations that focus on been making big waves for fighting hunger. In the fall, AGD hosts such a young chapter. It was Give Thanks, an all-day BBQ and live recently recognized as one of the music fest with the proceeds going five “Greek” organizations that to hunger relief efforts. In the spring, “exceeded expectations with dis- AGD organizes the annual Strike Out tinction” by the university’s Office Hunger event, a bowling tournament of Fraternity and Sorority Life. where all proceeds go to Feeding America. The 2019 Strike Out Hunger Fraternity & Sorority Life publishes raised over $11,000! the Annual Chapter Expectation’s list every year, ranking chapters in the Alpha Gamma Delta also participates areas of “leadership and membership in on-campus fundraising efforts and development, safety and account- raised the second-highest amount of ability, community engagement, and money out of all organization teams academic excellence.” Alpha Gamma for last year’s Dance Marathon. And Delta was one of three Panhellenic all that dancing paid off, as they sororities to win such distinction. were the 2019 Spurs and Struts winners during UofSC’s Homecoming Additionally, according to FSL celebrations. statistics, Alpha Gamma Delta had the second-highest percentage of 4.0 GPAs in Greek Village and was fourth overall for GPAs in Greek Village. Their new member class of 2019 also had the second-highest GPA for ELYSE PELLEGRINO chapters in Greek Village. Best Fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon Mardy Kramer ounded in 1904, the South development, high standards for Since Columbia’s Big Brother Big diligence and brotherly love. Since Through a long history and dedication FCarolina Alpha Chapter of accountability and equal rights Sisters chapter is currently inactive, the reorganization, the fraternity has to philanthropy, SigEp has certainly Sigma Phi Epsilon has historic and responsibilities for all initiated Sigma Phi Epsilon has found other boasted one of the highest GPAs made its mark here on campus, roots at the University of South members. The non-pledging, non- causes to support, with a focus on food among Greek Life on campus. For earning it the reader-voted title of Best Carolina. Commonly known as hazing experience develops men for pantries this year. SigEp coordinated the 2019 fall semester, Sigma Phi Fraternity 2020. SigEp, the South Carolina Alpha personal, academic and professional a three-day canned food drive on Epsilon had the highest GPA among chapter was the 12th chapter growth. Greene Street, where it gathered over all fraternities. founded across the nation. It is 600 cans for Gamecock Pantry and now one of the largest fraternities In 2013, SigEp selected Big Brothers Harvest Hope Food Bank and raised SigEp also has two members on the in the country. Big Sisters of America as its main over $400 for Harvest Hope, too. Interfraternity Council (IFC) executive philanthropic project. According to the board for the 2019-2020 school The fraternity’s motto of “Building SigEp national website, there is a Big After reports of hazing came to light year. This is the second year in a row Balanced Men” is the core of its Brothers Big Sisters chapter within 40 a few years ago, SigEp restructured that Sigma Phi Epsilon has had two way of life, boasting continuous miles of almost every SigEp collegiate and rebranded.