Local Restaurants and
Student’s take on local restaurants
by Alma Jarbou
From the Grind to Shakespeare’s to Las Margaritas, the area near RBHS has some of the best restaurants and cafes in Columbia. Each convenient walk from Rock Bridge lasts seven to nine minutes and worth every minute to taste (and drink) some amazing things.
Shakespeare’s, 3911 Peachtree Dr, is loved by many students at RBHS. Elwyn Kemp, a freshman, loves to go there with her friends and family, to hang out and enjoy a slice of pizza.
“Shakespeare’s is a good hometown pizza joint in Columbia,” Kemp said. “There’s a good sense of community and happiness there.”
Shakespeare’s is also known for hosting many events, such as hosting soccer banquets or getting first place in a debate tournament. But no matter what, the pizza place has always been a local favorite.
Another place to eat lunch or dinner is Las Margaritas, 10 Southampton Dr. The Mexican restaurant is widely known as having mouthwatering food for an amazingly low price.
Mikayla Nelson, a freshman, describes it as having an awesome atmosphere with just the perfect mix of a Mexican cuisine and a twist with an American twist.
“The seasoning is amazing,” said Nelson. “and I love the music there!”.
A recognizable favorite near RBHS is The Grind, 1, 4603 John Garry Dr. The coffee house is known for its coffee and different drinks, students and teachers alike love to go to this coffee shop to study in its peaceful climate, or to catch up with some friends.
“The Grind is really great because sometimes if you have a free AUT, and you’re an upperclassman so, you’re allowed to leave campus, you can study, do some work and enjoy a coffee,” junior James Glaser said.
Each one of there restaurants is great for some family time, or catching up with some friends after school. Each restaurant’s atmosphere has a unique feel to it and with so many different types of food and drinks, you’re experience will be different each time.
“It’s so hard to choose one between all three! they’re all excellent for different types of outings…I love them all!”. Says Kemp.
Local Restaurants
by Olivia Peters
The Grind –The Grind coffee shop first opened its doors in 2016 and ever since has been one of the main “Go To” places next to Rock Bridge High School, As many students have been seen leaving campus to stop by there for lunch. It is known for its nice atmosphere and friendly environment by anyone who lives near it. The Grind was born out of a love for coffee, as the owners had recently noticed that the main coffee shops were all downtown they decided they wanted to fix that and make one next to our high school. They are also personally committed to making high-quality drinks, just for you. Also having a closing time of midnight they are accommodated to the neighborhood, while also being open 24 hours every day during finals weeks for the students.
Las Margaritas – Las Margaritas opened in 2012 as an expansion of the original Las Margaritas that opened its doors in Poplar Bluff, MO in 1997. Esquivel’s cuisine was so popular at his first restaurant that he later opened a second Mexican spot, in a spot where almost all the restaurant before had failed and it became one of the most loved Mexican restaurants in Columbia MO. With a very family friendly environment, the space features a large patio and sits adjacent to the manmade lake. They make and serve freshly prepared food and drinks each time someone new joins them. While also offering a wide range of authentic Mexican favorites, which makes it a very popular place near Rockbridge.
Shakespeare’s – Shakespeare’s pizza near Rock Bridge first opened its doors in 2012. While not only serving pizza of all types, they also like to give back to their community whenever they can. They also enjoy helping schools like rock bridge for example. They are open until around 10pm-11pm every night. The workers at Shakespeare make sure everyone is happy at their restaurant and love to throw dough out of the shoot for children to play with.
Angelo’s – A local favorite, Angelo’s is one of the oldest restaurants in the Rock Bridge Area.
Interview by Ella McGinty
Hidden Gems of CoMo
by Mariah Blackburn
Living in a college town gives the opportunity for the community to have a variety of restaurants throughout Columbia. Around RBHS a few students gave me their top picks of local restaurants here in Columbia that other students should try.
“My favorite place to eat in COMO is Shakespeare’s because they have fantastic pizza and a really fun atmosphere,” Madison Hopper a senior said. Shakespeare’s Pizza “offers delicious and filling food, is close to school but also has other locations, and the vintage and rustic vibes makes for a fun and comfortable environment.”
Shakespeare’s has all sorts of toppings to create any sort of pizza. However, Hopper’s favorite item to get is their classic pepperoni pizza.
“All of their ingredients are fresh and authentic, so the flavor, even on a simpler pizza, is awesome,” Hopper said. Old beat up signs hand from stone walls while kids stand by the pizza makers to get a glob of dough. Pinball machines and crane machines in the restaurant mimic a classic hangout from the 1980’s.
Another local restaurant stuck back in time is The Broadway Diner, located 22 S 4th St. Khalid Ibdah senior loves going to The Broadway Diner.
“Going to a diner isn’t something I do very often, so when it ends up happening it makes it all the more enjoyable” Ibdah said.
“There’s so much to get at The Broadway Diner that I don’t think I’ve gotten the same thing more than once,” Ibdah said. Ibdah’s favorite thing to get are the crispy hash browns. The Broadway Diner is a cute snug establishment located 22 South 4th Street, just outside of the main street of downtown with a giant neon “Diner” sign on the roof. The interior has kept its ‘50s aesthetic throughout the years and has vibrants teals and reds decorated on every booth. It’s a great place to hang out with friends on an early Saturday morning.
For sophomore Lauren Munns, her favorite restaurant is Gumby’s, located 1201 E Broadway.
“I like Gumby’s because it’s a fun atmosphere for a family dinner or Friday night hangout,” Munns said. “It’s a chill pizza place but the food is still different and tastes good.”
Munns also loves that Gumby’s is so affordable. All their items run about 20$ and below, but a large pizza costs only $14.99. Her favorite thing to eat there are the Pokey sticks. The infamous Pokey sticks are similar to cheese bread, but they’re a classic thing to get when locals go to Gumby’s. Gumby’s is located downtown and has a pool table and a jukebox so groups of friends can meet up and hang out.
Rachel Riegel is a junior and works at the restaurant The Wine Cellar, 505 Cherry Street.
“Since I work at the Wine Cellar, I know how intricate and high quality the food is and the amount of thought that goes into preparing and making them,” Riegel said.
Riegel recommends the potato and kale croquettes because of the unique flavor and they are a vegan option at the restaurant. Located downtown, a kelly green awning hangs over the door with a small sign hanging from the side of the building. When Riegel isn’t eating at The Wine Cellar she goes to her second favorite local restaurant is Cafe Poland, 807 Locust Street.
“Cafe Poland is owned by a sweet old Polish woman who makes such delicious and genuine Polish food,” Riegel said. Riegel gets the crepes at Cafe Poland because you can get them in a variety of toppings. Cafe Poland is a little white building with green window frames located on a corner down the street from the Tiger Hotel.
“Supporting local restaurants and businesses is super important and really has a positive effect on the community,” Riegel said. “Visiting local restaurants is a great way to know your city better and support small business owners.
Students and Part Time Jobs
Everyone knows Rock Bridge’s motto is ‘Freedom with responsibility’. But many students have other obligations.
Students such as Abigail Froman, a sophomore, have to balance their work life with their school life.
For Froman, working at B&B Bagels means having to keep all her grades high so she won’t have to quit her job.
“As a student, working at B&B was a pretty big motivator for me,” Froman said. “I like making money and I like spending money, so if I start failing a class, my parents will probably make me quit my job…so I’ve been pretty good about my grades.”
Froman’s grades have increased noticeably as she began to understand what it meant to have so much responsibility. However, Froman isn’t the only one who has to deal with the balance of schoolwork and working. Hannah Ollar, a senior, got a job at Andy’s when she was just a freshman.
“Getting a job really changed me as a student. Most of it came from getting a car and a job,” Ollar said. “I had to be way more organized with my time and homework.”
When she first got the job, Ollar used to goof off with her friends most of the time, and the rest of the time had homework. Sometimes, working at Andy’s gave Ollar amusing anecdotes to tell. For instance, once she didn’t notice that a card was declined and let a customer get his food for free.
“Another time, Andy’s was closing, and the police came up to us and asked us if we had seen a guy running around wearing a wig,” said Ollar. “It was super funny because it turns out he stole a car but was running on foot.”
But even with these entertaining accidents, Ollar and Froman still know they have to figure out when to stop joking around and go back to doing hard work.
“I definitely have a lot more respect for people in the fast food service,” Froman said. “We only get breaks once a whole, and mistakes will be made, so I really know the stress of having a lot of obligations. Since I’m a part of that now, I really know what it’s like to have an important responsibility.”
What is your favorite restaurants around RBHS? Leave a comment below.
