A hotly anticipated food hall in a growing Columbia district has set its opening date.

Gather COLA, which is in the last stages of construction at 2191 Pickens St. in the BullStreet District, will open at 10 a.m. Dec. 5, according to a Monday afternoon release. It will be Columbia’s first open-air food hall, and will feature 10 restaurants, three retailers and, early next year, private office and co-working spaces.

The food hall project is an effort from Four Oaks Property Group, Cason Development, Garvin Design Group, Hood Construction and Hughes Development, the lead developer for the BullStreet District. Four Oaks also is behind the Gather GVL food hall in Greenville.

“The Gather COLA project came together smoothly thanks to an exceptional group of partners,” Gather COLA co-founder Mack Cross said in a release. “Working alongside the City of Columbia and all of our project partners has been an absolute pleasure. … Gather COLA will stand as a testament to what’s possible when talented, community-minded people work together. “

Organizers said, once open, Gather COLA’s hours will be open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

Retailers for the food hall project include nationally known sweet spot Crumbl Cookies, a vintage clothier called Ageless, and a flower pop-up from The Avenue Events that will allow customers to build their own arrangements.

Meanwhile, project officials announced Monday that SOCO, the long-running co-working space company, will manage the private offices and co-working spaces that will be a part of Gather COLA. That part of the project is expected to open in early 2026 and, per the release, will aim to be “the premier workspace for busy, talented, and ambitious professionals.”

As for the food and beverage vendors that have been announced for the project, they are as follows:

* Banh Sai – This will be an outpost of the Asian fusion restaurant of the same name out of Wilmington, N.C. The menu at the original location features Asian bowls, burritos, Bao buns, fried chicken, pork egg rolls and more.

* Bessie’s Burgers & More – This is a new effort from the popular food truck Bessie’s Bites & Sweet Delights. They’ll offer smashburgers, sides, desserts and more.

* Bull & Bread – Here’s an offshoot from the creators of the popular Wilmington, N.C. sandwich shop The Half. Bull & Bread co-owner Carl Cross has said that Gather COLA will be “a place that caters to everyone young and old and everybody who is anybody can show up and have a great experience.”

* Cocobowlz – This is a growing chain that has become known for its acai bowls and smoothies. The company currently has Midlands shops in Irmo and Five Points.

* Gyromania – Already a popular restaurant in Elgin, Gyromania is now ready to come downtown as part of Gather. They are known for their gyros, Mediterranean platters and other fresh Greek offerings.

* Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles – Here’s one that brings the sheen of critical acclaim to the in-development food hall, as Kiki’s was a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist in 2024.

* Los Chicanos – They’ve been a well-known Mexican food truck in the Midlands in recent years, and now they are set to have a brick-and-mortar presence at Gather.

* Melt Cheesesteaks & More – This spot will offer Philly-style cheesesteaks, hot Italian beef, seasonal specials, and peach bread, among other things

* Remedy – This will be a cocktail bar perched above an amphitheater at the site, making it a prime place for mingling and sipping.

* Session Taproom – What would a food hall be without a spot to grab a beer? Session will offer, according to organizers, “a carefully curated lineup of beers and easy-drinking sippers.”

* Smoke It Up – If you are opening a food hall in Columbia, you probably want to have a barbecue presence. And that’s what Gather is getting with Smoke It Up, which has operated a successful food truck in the area for several years. Keep an eye out for those ribs.

* Spicy Voodoo’s Big Easy Seafood – A taste of New Orleans will come to Gather with this one. Like several others that are a part of this project, it will be an offshoot of a popular food truck.