Foodie and Mizzou Fan’s Guide to Exploring Columbia, Missouri

Story, photos by Cassie Hepler

It was bound to happen someday… the dreaded almost spending an overnight at the airport debacle. In my over almost 30 years of flying on airplanes, I had the worst and slimiest experience ever though American Airlines. I had a very slim window to make a layover and when I got an email the night before asking if I wanted to get paid (up to $700!) to switch my flight date and times, I had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well. Then at the gate at Phoenix airport, they pushed back the flight time a half hour making it near impossible. More than half of the plane had connecting flights and none of us made them – minus the flight to Paris who waited on their passengers patiently. They text me they had rerouted me to St. Louis… I was going to Columbia, Missouri and that was still hours away.

So off to the customer service counter I went which was a whole football field away. A lady in front of me got some food and hotel vouchers and I assumed I would get the same treatment. Boy was I wrong! They pretty much said tough shit, weather problems aren’t covered (I later heard multiple tales of plane issues, etc.). Then the woman proceeded to gaslight me there were no more flights out until very late the next day and whoops one first class seat (which wasn’t covered and would need to be paid extra for) got booked right in front of my eyes. Then oh whoops, there is a plane available to St. Louis still because it was delayed three hours… so I was forced to take that, stay overnight in a whirlwind fashion, take a shuttle back to the airport where some woman grabbed my luggage by mistake at Alamo car rental (another victim of the AA nonsense) so we had to return again and take a shuttle to Columbia through MoExpress. Upon arrival, I was exhausted from almost 24 hours of shit show travel. And after this huge f&%k you from American Airlines Group whose net worth as of October 10, 2023 is $8 Billion, I will be using up my points and then flying elsewhere. Surely the sky bus line must be drawn somewhere and they treat you as a human being!

I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we rolled into downtown Columbia, Missouri to my hotel at The Broadway Columbia, a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel which is walkable to most everywhere. Heads up they are doing construction to expand the hotel to be a massive property so if you’re sensitive to noise, request a room on the other end of the hotel. The comp cookies have shrunk in size (and they offer allergy free now), which is actually good because those older, fat styles were like 30 grams of fat! These were like 19 grams now which is almost acceptable. This hotel boasts a sweet rooftop bar and restaurant 11Eleven which offers a pretty tasty breakfast pastry. If you like to be near the action, this is your hotel! Beds are soft and comfy and there’s always some sort of nature bird noises being played as you walk to the elevator. The future expansion is going to be HUGE so plan accordingly!

First things first after I settled in, we headed to grab a real meal downtown. I was hungry for real food (those powdered eggs and questionable sausage patties just don’t satiate). It was a little cold and rainy so I was asking the weather gods to bring the sunshine for the game the next day.

Fortunately the tourism board had my back through the whole debacle and also encouraged me to take a nap as we were both texting late into the previous night stressing out. I never nap for hours but boy did I then like a bear in hibernation. As you probably know, I also have a Type A-nus problem but am actively working on it! When I awoke, I had some tea and felt like a normal human again. And it was off to enjoy some more food!

Barred Owl Butcher & Table celebrates locally sourced and responsibly raised food in downtown Columbia, Missouri. It’s so refreshing to see a town where mom and pops rule and big corporate conglomerates don’t really exist when it comes to fine dining. Even without tasting the cocktails, I can tell they slapped too! Every detail was outstanding down to last morsel because clean eating hits different (and your body digests it so much smoother like European style).

North Village Arts District was up next with First Friday, the free art crawl on the first Friday of each month. From 6 to 9 p.m., galleries, shops, and businesses are open with music, art demonstrations, children’s activities, refreshments and more. It was buzzing with people flowing around spaces and poking into rooms.

Meanwhile, revelry was brewing nearby at Mizzou Quadrangle on campus where students and fans gathered for the second annual Mizzou Madness. The idea is to get psyched for the next day’s game and the city was bursting at the seams with visitors so much so that parking was near impossible (take an Uber or Lyft is possible). Men’s and women’s basketball teams were introduced and able to participate in interactive games with members of the audience along with a live DJ, interactive games, food vendors, a laser show and of course… beer!

The sun was shining for us on game day the next morning which made everyone happy and jovial! Drinks were flowing and the excited energy was contagious. When it’s game day, you have to rise and shine and that we did bright and early in the morning. Everything and everyone was decked out in black and gold and luckily for me, I had packed a flannel in those very colors and always have tons of black layers as the weather heats up to shed off. The Tiger Letterwinners Club invited us to their tailgate and we also swung by a tailgate thrown by Zimmer Communications. Once inside, we were given field passes to visit the field during pre-game warm-ups which was pretty rad.

This was my first college football game and when I tell people this, their brains explode because I went to Penn State University and never attended a game. And then same in Philly, although I did shoot Eagles tailgating pics for CBS Sports and attended Philly Fashion Touchdown parties with Nicole Miller so that counts, right? Anyway, this was quite an experience from tailgating in the morning to all the pre-show hype and being able to walk around the field made us feel special.

This game was high stakes because is was LSU vs. Mizzou. Having already defeated a ranked team this season, the Mizzou football team was taking on an SEC conference foe in the LSU Tigers. Unfortunately Mizzou lost however not by much and it was a tense ending. I think it was the perfect segway into the sports.

Here are some players to watch, from a true Mizzou fan include CB Kris Abrams-Draine leads the nation in passes defended (1.8 per game), including three INTs. LB Chad Bailey has 11 tackles and a PBU since returning to the starting lineup at Vanderbilt. WR Luther Burden III is the FBS’s leading receiver with 54 catches, 793 yards and a 132.2 yards per game average. RB Cody Schrader ranks fourth among active NCAA players in rushing yards with 5,031 and is third in the SEC in rushing with 577 yards and a 96.2 ypg avg. His 6.14 ypc average leads all SEC backs with 94 or more totes.

After Mizzou lost, the buzz was kind of sad trombone music and you could feel a shift in energy. But you know what always fixes that? A reset nap!

New American fare rooted in local products, craft beers, cocktails, a sommelier crafted wine list and local art at Sycamore Restaurant in downtown Columbia, Missouri. Sycamore Restaurant was outstanding with its comfort food menu, cocktails and hand crafted experience. This fine dining establishment is walkable from most anywhere downtown including my hotel and offers an upscale atmosphere without being pretentious. Put this on your bucket list when visiting Como, you won’t be disappointed!

After dinner, it was back to the hotel for a good nights sleep. Mind you, I was still healing from deviated septum surgery so my energy levels were not normal and I really appreciated the laid back itinerary the team had planned for me. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light but full of energy the next morning!

Nestled on the Missouri River, I was loving on Les Bourgeois Bistro. With such amazing views, you can easily imagine a wedding or celebration outside. The trees were putting on their fall display of yellow, gold and green hues as the wind whipped around us. The charming and nature loving small town of Rocheport, Missouri is a perfect getaway for someone trying to flee the rat race and city life with many unique places to stay tucked away into the trees and bike paths. Of course we had to end the experience with a wine tasting and those sweet whites and ice wine were my faves!

Cooper’s Landing Riverside Resort & Marina is the perfect place to spend a Sunday fun day! With live music, the sun shining down and tons of local beers available plus food trucks with gourmet pizza and tacos, what’s not to love? It was a great afternoon of getting to know some new friends (howdy Amy, Bill, Megan and Mike) as well as all the many doggos enjoying nature too. There’s also glamping available on the riverside if you want to really absorb all the forest energy as well as hiking and walking trails. Plans for a huge expansion are underway too by former Blue Note jazz club owner Richard King!

That evening I literally brushed my teeth and went straight to sleep. And was amazed I didn’t have a hint of hangover in the morning so those biscuits must be magic! It was time to checkout after some complimentary coffees and be on my way back home with fingers and toes crossed for a smooth travel day.

After all that eating, it was time to move my expanding caboose!

Now take a hike with me to Devil’s Icebox in Columbia, Missouri! There’s nothing like absorbing the fresh air and smells of nature with fall coming to the trees in a beautiful array of colors. Chubby squirrels were running around the fallen leaves fattening up for the winter. While you can’t visit the cave anymore due to the almost extinct bats, you can enjoy this open air cave and climb around inside of it with the sounds of waterfalls in the background. If I had my hiking shoes, climbing gear and more time, I would have been all up in that space with the other friends I found!

After absorbing nature’s amazing energy, I was ready to face flying once again at the smallest airport I’ve ever been to so far, Columbia Airport. And fortunately it was smooth sailing this time to get home. You know what they say about good food will heal what ails you? I believe it because upon return, I went to my checkup and was 90% healed. Just sayin’ Como might be magical ya’ll!