My Father’s Favorite Columbia Restaurants

Mar 7

Written By

By Lyssa Kligman Harvey

My father, Melton Kligman, loved to go out to eat! The only child of Ukrainian and Polish immigrants Louis and Ida Kligman, he was born in Columbia and lived there his entire life. He grew up on Hampton Street, attended Columbia High School, and eventually raised his own family in Forest Acres. Melton was an attorney in downtown Columbia for close to 50 years (1950s-2000). His office was on Sumter Street, and later Bull Street. Eating lunch with his colleagues, my father had the opportunity to sample many different downtown Columbia restaurants. Today’s convenient culture of frequently eating out certainly isn’t what it was like 50 years ago. My grandparents never went out to eat until they were elderly and then only with my father and mother. So, going out to eat for lunch was special for my father. Eating out has always been a conduit for socializing…to see others and to be seen. Attorneys appreciate the art of conversation, and they often relish a good lunch with a side of purposeful conversation on court and cases.

My father was tall, thin, and athletic. With his stature and metabolism, he never had a weight problem and enjoyed his food. He was spoiled by my mother, Helene Firetag Kligman, who was a wonderfully creative cook and baker. With five children, she usually cooked and cleaned up dinner almost every night of the week. As a family of seven, we would very seldom go out to eat. My mother had every night’s dinner routinely planned, usually with child-friendly foods. Sunday night was waffles, Monday night - spaghetti, Tuesday night- Lo Mein prepared Chinese food, Wednesday night- meatloaf, and Thursday night - soup and fish sticks. Friday night, the Sabbath meal, was usually with my paternal grandparents, and we would eat my grandmother’s roasted chicken, carrots, and potatoes. Saturday night was TV dinner with a babysitter, and my parents would join friends at each other’s home. But, every now and then we would go out to eat! Dad would take us back to his favorites for a special treat. We would experience new places and new foods. We would dress up and practice good table manners. It was fun!

Cogburn’s, The Fountain Room at Tapp’s, Morrison’s Cafeteria, The Market Restaurant, and Captain’s Kitchen were my father’s favorites. None of these iconic Columbia restaurants remain in operation. We would go out to celebrate birthdays and special occasions, and my father would sometimes take each of us to lunch on Saturday for a special treat. I remember each one of the restaurants vividly.

Melton Kligman and daughter, Lyssa Kligman Harvey, c.1977. Courtesy Lyssa Kligman Harvey.

Cogburn’s

The lunch counter at Cogburn’s, 1979. Courtesy The State Newspaper Photograph Archive, Richland Library, Columbia, S.C.

Cogburn’s was known for its steaks, steak sandwiches, and Dixiecrat sandwiches—link sausage and mustard on loaf bread. Located at 1317Sumter Street, it was within walking distance of my father’s office. I remember cooking the steaks on the griddle and serving them with baked potatoes or french fries. It was delicious. When I went to lunch with Dad we would sit at the counter, and I was allowed to have a Coca-Cola!

The Fountain Room at Tapp’s

The cover of The Fountain Room’s menu, 1970. Courtesy Richland Library, Columbia, S.C.

Tapp’s was a department store on the corner of Main and Blanding Streets. “Meet me at Tapp’s!” was their catchy slogan. It had a very popular restaurantdownstairs below the retail floors called The Fountain Room.

Decorated in art deco style, it had a lunch counter as well as dozens of tables covered with white tablecloths and cloth napkins. The Fountain Room was always crowded, and everyone seemed to know each other. The taste of the tomato-based beef vegetable soup and log-like corn muffins is forever imprinted on my taste buds and brain. (See recipe below for the cornstick muffins!)

The cover of The Fountain Room’s menu, 1970. Courtesy Richland Library, Columbia, S.C.

Morrison’s Cafeteria

Morrison’s Cafeteria was located at 1334 Sumter Street. It was unique and a perfect place to take a family. We each got a Formica pale yellow tray and pushed it down the piped serving counter and got to pick out whatever we wanted! What a treat! I think this is the first place I encountered cubes of Jell-O and whipped cream. They had daily specials, and we often went on the nights they served fish or my father’s favorite, calf’s liver and onions.

The Market Restaurant

The Market Restaurant was located at 1205 Assembly Street. This favorite Columbia restaurant was saved for birthdays, anniversaries, and for out-of-town company. It was one of the first places that I remember eating foods from another culture. The Greek food was delicious and savory, and the aroma of the Mediterranean spices used in its preparation was incredible. My father’s favorite from the menu was the grilled lamb chops. The Market Restaurant was probably the first place I had a salad.

Captain’s Kitchen

Captain’s Kitchen opened around 1964 and was located on Decker Boulevard across from what was Dentsville High School. Although the restaurant was less than five miles from our home off Trenholm Road, it felt like we were traveling miles and miles out into the country to eat fried fish platters! We all loved the fried shrimp and hush puppies!