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One South Carolina restaurant recently received a rare recognition.
Ladder 13 was named Southern Living’s Restaurant of the Month for Aug., an honor reserved for the spots that deliver a unique dining experience to its customers. The restaurant is also one of the most booked restaurants in Columbia, according to OpenTable.
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It’s not your typical Mediterranean restaurant. Ladder 13 is located in the Lantern Hotel, which is housed inside the old Central Fire Station on Senate Street. Customers or guests get to enjoy breakfast, brunch and dinner in the same hall where ladder and pump trucks used to park.
“What started as a historic firehouse in the heart of the Vista has become one of Columbia’s most talked-about tables, and we couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come,” said Lantern Columbia on an Instagram post. “From the original fire doors overhead to the wood-fired oven in back, every detail of this space tells a story, and we’re so glad Southern Living took notice.”
Here’s what to know about the feature:
How does Restaurant of the Month work?
Southern Living doesn’t just pick a restaurant at random for a feature.
Every establishment named Southern Living’s Restaurant of the Month is editorially selected and reflects exceptional dining, thoughtful design, and a distinctive influence on the community.
A Southern Living writer or editor usually takes the trip to visit the selected restaurant and write about their experience. Here’s what they thought about Ladder 13.
Why was Ladder 13 chosen?
The unusual setting of Ladder 13 definitely piqued Southern Living’s interest.
At the front of the restaurant are the firehouse doors that roll up for when fire trucks needed to pass through. When the weather’s nice, and the dining room could use a little more sunshine, they’ll bring up the doors. Another fun firehouse feature is the dining room’s tall brass pole that looks like a fire pole, but is actually a clever light fixture.
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The restaurant’s exceptional food and service also helped earn its title as Restaurant of the Month.
Ladder 13 opened for business in Feb., and it has grown into an upscale eatery that rivals other well-known Columbia restaurants. The Lantern Columbia’s owners brought in Kevin Johnson, a James Beard Award-nominated chef, to curate the Mediterranean menu, which includes dishes such as wood-fired pizzas, house made pastas and grilled meats.
Since then, Executive Chef Joseph Wolfson, who previously worked at Bourbon, has taken over. He is a Columbia native who has studied at Johnson & Wales in Charleston and has honed his skills as a chef, according to Southern Living.
At the center of the kitchen is a giant wood-burning oven that makes delicious pizzas. Customers can’t get enough of their best-selling pizza, the hot Calabrese, which is topped with spicy Calabrian chile-laced sausage along with fresh mozzarella and creamy ricotta.
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