Dear Best of Carolina 2023 readers,

Best of Carolina has been a staple for many years here in Garnet Media Group. We’ve been producing the publication since 2013 – showcasing your favorite spots. However, this one is my favorite.

During freshman year I became marketing director and was thrown into producing the publication. It was rough, but I was proud. Now I’m a senior. A lot with Best of Carolina has changed over the last four years. We changed the process of Best of Carolina to make voting more accessible, we’ve added and taken away categories, we’ve showcased various Columbia icons’ favorite places from Dawn Staley to college deans, we’ve gotten creative with our design, and more. 

Despite all the changes, one thing has remained steady: Best of Carolina is yours. We spend an entire year collecting your nominations and encouraging you to vote to ensure that your favorite places are recognized. (PS: thank you to the writers, designers, photographers, and more that make every step of this process possible!)

However, this publication can never fully capture everyone’s personal relationship with these businesses, organizations, and staples. Your time spent in Columbia, whether four years or four hours, is special and should be commemorated in something like… say, a scrapbook? This is our Best of Carolina, but what’s yours? Use #MyBestofCarolina to share the places that make Columbia special, the places that would make it onto a page in the scrapbook of your journey here.

For now, whether you’re a family touring USC looking for a new place to dine or a student looking for an organization to join, this publication is for you. Enjoy!

P.S. Don’t see your favorites listed? Nominate them to win Best of Carolina 2024!