Restaurants in Cayce

From the wedge to the driver, every club gets to spend time out of the bag and under the sun at The Caddy Shak Restaurant & Driving Range. The lighted driving range offers both artificial and Bermuda grass hitting stations, where golfers aim into an expansive target field with plenty of space for towering shots. The range even rewards players who hit consecutive balls into target buckets with cash prizes, which golfers can use to finally purchase that diamond-encrusted ball marker they’ve had their eyes on. The practice facility also encompasses a putting green, sand trap, and chipping areas. PGA instructor Jim Williams oversees the facility’s action, dispensing advice in lessons for players of all ability levels.

But Caddy Shak is not merely a practice venue. Staffers also maintain a 12-hole, par-three course, which packs all the pressure and fun of a live round into a compact 1,788-yard layout. The course tests golfers’ touch with the short stick on holes as short as 80 yards, while forcing some to reach for a 3-wood or oversized crow bar to reach greens 190 yards in the distance.

There are two schools of thought at Harbor Inn Seafood Restaurant: fried or broiled. Whatever side you take, you'll enjoy the same flounder fillets, scallops, and crab cakes heaped with hearty helpings of baked potatoes, french fries, and hush puppies. Ten-ounce rib-eye and strip steaks provide a tasty alternative to seafood, and a children's menu includes pintsize portions fit for youngsters or the precocious wooden doll you call "son."

Saluda's Restaurant celebrates many histories. Its solid mahogany bar was part of Philadelphia's Blakely Hotel in the late 1800s, its walls sport vintage European posters advertising festive drinks, and its menu pays homage to timeless Southern staples, from shrimp and grits to artfully grilled rib eyes. Perhaps the greatest nod to the past is the building itself, which was constructed after World War I as a VFW officers club. There, veterans would gather to carouse and reminisce, fostering a convivial tradition that Saluda's has since restored and nurtured.

Executive chef Blake Fairies fuels the animated atmosphere with dishes whose down-home roots benefit from French and Italian influences. His prime concern is freshness—in an interview with Undefined magazine, he revealed how his fish du jour is often prepped the day after his friend Mark, a member of Abundant Seafood in Charleston, lures it onto his boat with promises of a free tropical time share. Like much of the kitchen's produce, chef Blake’s flash-fried green tomatoes come from local farms, and his entrees incorporate seasonal ingredients to complement ones imported from across the world. The results are plates that blend classic taste with inventive zest: steaks in black-truffle butter, helpings of handmade pasta, and pork chops brined in sweet tea. At the bar, guests can peruse more than 300 wines as well as cocktails and small-batch bourbon.

Eric Leon has been wrapping enchiladas and simmering the spices of traditional Mexican cuisine since he was 12 years old. Now, he helms a team of chefs as they bury crispy chimichangas beneath mounds of melted cheese, serve heaps of shrimp and bell peppers in a still-sizzling skillet, and marinate chunks of chicken in a dark, chocolaty mole sauce. Authentic dishes such as these have earned San Jose Mexican Restaurant its spot as Columbia’s Best Mexican Restaurant according to Columbia Metropolitan readers. The eatery’s popularity also stems from the lively environs: the glow of TVs and video games flicker off brick walls, and occasional live music encourages syncopated chewing.

The two sisters and a brother who run Tios Mexican Cafe and Cantina serve up Tex-Mex specialties such as barbecued tacos, mexican pizzas, and wet burritos smothered with mild enchilada sauce and cheese. They also cater to vegetarians with options such as the burrito-in-a-bowl, which is made with lard-free refried Beans and Daiya vegan cheese. Food isn’t the only reason to visit, though: the spot also houses a game room and a full bar with cocktails, beer, and 25 types of tequila.

Executive chef Fulvio Valsecchi discovered cooking at a young age. The prodigy was born and raised in Lake Como, Italy, and began culinary school in Milan at the ripe age of 16. After immigrating to America in 1969, he opened the incredibly successful Ristorante Divino, a mecca for Northern Italian cuisine that won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence eight years in a row.

On his way to and from Divino, Fulvio used to pass by a little building on Fort Jackson Boulevard. He began daydreaming about a departure from his upscale Italian roots—something more family-centric and homey. After one too many passes, Fulvio decided to let that idea stretch its legs, buy the building, and open The Diner as a hub for modern southern comfort food.

The 4,000-square-foot restaurant hosts three dining areas and a separate bar stocked with beer and wine, all of which sport a 1950s-diner theme. Vibrant wall paintings by Columbia's own Chicken Man transport diners back in time with images of cherry-red convertibles, revving motorcycles, and forlorn bicyclists. As guests admire the nostalgic decor, chefs busy themselves by assembling ingredients from local markets and crafting European-style rémoulades to accent their southern staples of fried green tomatoes, meatloaf, and Cajun shrimp.