Sit under the surf art that covers the bamboo-lined walls, and order grilled grouper sandwiches in this narrow space on Center Street with a surfboard... Read More
At lunchtime and dinnertime, hungry locals pack into this pillbox eatery to sip champagne flutes and eye the seafood counter, where they can slurp down... Read More
Chef Nate Whiting earned his reputation as one of Charleston's gastronomical wizards, serving up elevated tapas-style dishes that make dinner... Read More
Meat lovers will want to slide into booths at Artisan Meat Share ("AMS") and order up boards of artisanal charcuterie—perhaps even splurge on the $50 ... Read More
One of those surprises-in-a-plaza places, Bacco serves octopus and clams, just-baked breads, pizza, and other delicious Mediterranean fare from their... Read More
When the “open” light is on at this non-descript store front on Folly Road, it’s time to stop by for whatever’s just come out of the oven. Specialties... Read More
East Bay Street sees the brunt of the tourist crowds, and many visitors are happy to stumble upon this independent bakery and coffeehouse. Bakehouse... Read More
Worth the short drive to Sullivan's Island, this bright little sweet shop churns out dreamy artisanal gelato and sorbets using locally sourced... Read More
From the outside, this King Street bar often looks like it’s closed. There are no overhead lights here, no bright signs or TV screens—just a room of low... Read More
Black Tap is easily Charleston's hippest coffee purveyor, and for good reason: they roast their beans on a nearby island, achieve perfect pour-overs,... Read More
Black Tap is without a doubt, Charleston’s favorite minimal coffee house. The coffee at this light-filled Beaufain Street shop is hand-poured... Read More
Overlooking the beach and the fishing pier, Blu is a champion of the South Carolina Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood program and it’s where local high... Read More
When owner Robert Barber accepted a James Beard Award in New York City for his family’s super-rustic oyster and fish house, he was wearing white rubber... Read More
At Bowens, fresh steamed oysters are served by the shovel-full. Hungry patrons line up for heaping portions of crispy fried whitefish, Frogmore Stew,... Read More
Chef Frank McMahon already has a following for his fish cookery at Hank’s Seafood nearby, but this place goes Parisian—with tile floors and café chairs... Read More
Brasserie Gigi opened in 2014 and is already earning buzz for its Parisian style and flowing French Champagne, but not many people have discovered the... Read More
This one is a local favorite. In a narrow house with a long side porch on St. Phillip Street, the Brown’s Court crew bakes everything from English... Read More
Deliciously inventive sandwiches with dedication to local sourcing (they even have a garden out back) make this hip and rustic eatery a go-to lunch spot... Read More
De-licious sandwiches are the bread and butter (or grilled squash or roast beef or local fish or whatever else they’re serving) at this lunch hangout in... Read More
Tucked on a side street just off King, Café Framboise lures passersby with excellent coffee, freshly baked breads, creative crepes, puff pastry tarts,... Read More
This small shop on upper King serves a variety of hot biscuits, like cheese-chive, buttermilk, country ham, fried chicken, or black pepper bacon, with... Read More
Housed inside the Charleston Place Hotel in downtown the Charleston Grill offers diners a unique blend of southern, French, and contemporary cuisines,... Read More
More than 1,300 wine labels fill the cellar in this Charleston Place restaurant, including many rare vintage wines arranged in the mahogany cabinets in... Read More
There’s something urban, international and comfortably familiar about this well-loved hotel restaurant, particularly when host Mickey Bakst makes his... Read More
Snuggled into a tiny, rustic house hidden down a side alley, chef Jill Mathias keeps diners salivating for her daily menu that gives a nod to Southern... Read More
Oops, we stayed more than two hours for lunch (again), ordered three courses, and drank coppery-colored rosé. I just don’t want to leave this one-room... Read More
Please, please meet me here, anytime. Owners Fanny (a French beauty) and Patrick Panella (tall and handsome) already had the city’s favorite wine bar,... Read More
In a line-up of beach bars, condos, and ice cream shops on the front beach of Isle of Palms, Coda del Pesce is an outlier, serving octopus, snapper,... Read More
Sister restaurant to Charleston mainstays Magnolias and Blossom, Cypress serves a seasonal, Lowcountry- and Pacific Rim-inspired menu by James Beard... Read More
This place is a classic for fried seafood, turkey wings, and a can of soda while you’re waiting…and you’ll probably have to wait a bit. At this longtime... Read More
The bartender recommends the fresh charcuterie (they also have a cured option), and we think the catfish rillettes are smoky-incredible. Another sure... Read More
Two words: pizza and fire. This restaurant features in-season ingredients, and makes great dough, pies, and salads, all while cooking and baking with a... Read More
The founding pitmaster at Fiery Ron’s is a chef with big restaurant experience, and he’s featured live music since day one. Friends with kids love this... Read More
The kitchen consistently churns out marvels such as duck egg tartine, mangalitsa prosciutto with sage and persimmon, fluffy ricotta gnocchi, and locally... Read More
Though it’s best known for its seasonal, locally sourced cuisine, the wine program of this beloved downtown restaurant has also won serious... Read More
Tradd Newton renovated an abandoned, 1940’s naval building to open Fleet Landing. The restaurant sits on top of the marsh on the city's peninsula... Read More
I love to order the Lowcountry gumbo at Fleet and sit on the outside deck. Right downtown and literally on pilings above the water and marsh grass, it’s... Read More
Another clandestine location, you’ll get to the entrance along a narrow, one-block street. Then enter a cozy room with a small, well-worn bar, the clink... Read More
Open since 1984 on Broad Street, this is not a coffee shop per se, but it’s a well-known fact that G&M helped bring French press coffee to... Read More
Several times, I have been lucky enough to be at the table when one of Chef Frank McMahon’s icy towers of seafood arrives. It feels like everyone in the... Read More
Get this—a fried egg, pimento cheese, grilled okra, fresh tomato, pineapple, Sriacha mayo, Canadian bacon—the toppings for BBQ sandwiches and tacos here... Read More
Hemingway vibe. High Cotton, which serves roughly 800 Espresso Martinis a month, takes its name from an old southern term for living well; high-growing... Read More
Chef Robert Stehling may not be a Lowcountry local, but his "highrise" biscuits and breakfast shrimp are as authentic as Nana used to make, and the... Read More
This breakfast-lunch-and-dinner menu is built on many of the signature Charleston flavors I love most—like butter beans, collard greens, fish and grits,... Read More
Chef Sean Brock's testament to new southern cuisine, Husk sources heirloom grains, heritage animals, and classic Lowcountry produce both from area farms... Read More
Sure, the first of dozens of locations opened in Alabama in the 1980s, but Charleston thinks of this place as one of its own. I love to walk in off King... Read More
This long-time Vanderhorst Street coffee and sandwich shop has evolved into a busy stop for college students, writers, and the creative crowd who meet... Read More
Known for its well seasoned, crispy fried chicken, raw bar, and rustic chic, Leon's fills with locals and visitors for lunch and dinner daily. Read More
Char-grilled oysters in a former auto body shop, that’s what we come here for. Garage bay open, this is comfort-food-central, serving up scalloped... Read More
An expert shucker hired away from New Orleans helps Leon’s keep up with oyster orders—you can get them char-grilled or raw with a mignonette and... Read More
Bring your pup to the Lost Dog Cafe and grab a seat on the beach house’s porch. They’ll have bowls of water waiting for Fido, but you might have to wait... Read More
Three generations of the Gadsden family cook at this tiny soul-food cookshop. Read More
Luxe low country. McCrady's is Charleston's first tavern, built in 1778 in the heart of the city's historic French quarter. Read More
I like the almost-secret feel of this place. After arriving via an alley, I’m greeted by the bartender who pours me a fat glass of red. Then I... Read More
At McCrady’s, you’re sitting in one of the most historic dining rooms in the city—maybe near the fireplace with a sophisticated absinthe cocktail.... Read More
Mustard-based sauce on the BBQ, that’s Melvin’s speciatly. Fast service, too, and southern sides including collard greens and fried okra. A granddaddy... Read More
Located on North Market Street, Mercato serves upscale interpretations of classic Italian fare. While the menu contains the requisite fettuccine alfredo... Read More
Minero serves up a wide array of flavorful tacos, incorporating southern touches like fried catfish or shrimp and Masa grits, all cradled in charred... Read More
This menu of dishes named for Italian race cars is built around Neapolitan pizza and salads too, but when you’re talking local ingredients and nice... Read More
Hint: if you order the fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato pistelle at this Windermere Boulevard eatery, ask for the baguette to be toasted. Baking for... Read More
Housed inside the 150-year-old South Carolina Loan & Trust building, Oak Steakhouse serves steaks, local seafood, and vegetarian dishes with a farm... Read More
Brighter, lighter and beach-ier than his wildly popular Wild Olive on John’s Island, Chef Jacques Larson is drawing East Cooper crowds to new digs on... Read More
Brighter, lighter, and beach-ier than his wildly popular Wild Olive on John’s Island, Chef Jacques Larson’s Obstinate Daughter is drawing even more... Read More
There’s such a great vibe at this old house on Pitt Street in the historic Old Village, along with one of Charleston’s favorite chefs for decades, Frank... Read More
A town-gathering place, the parking lot of Page’s Okra Grill is full breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the mayor of Mount Pleasant, Linda Page, is an... Read More
This newly opened neighborhood parlor serves up nostalgia in the form of gourmet hot dogs, loaded tots, dressed waffles, and unique ice creams like... Read More
Check out the chalkboard of oyster varieties when you walk in. Pearlz serves terrific blue cheese burgers, lobster rolls (New England style), and clams... Read More
The Peninsula Grill, which opened in N. Market Street’s Planters Inn in 1997, transports diners into the state’s historic past with its... Read More
It’s so cool to walk in from busy Market Street to the elegance of Peninsula Grill’s plush dining room. This is a classic of the city, with portrait... Read More
The burger, the burger. I don’t know if writer Edgar Allen Poe ate much beef when he was stationed at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island in the 1820s,... Read More
This tin and wooden building reminds me of a Caribbean beach bar. It doesn’t look like much from the outside—the original Red’s really was a dock for... Read More
The shutters and wall-sized windows of Rita’s Seaside Grille are propped open when it’s warm outside, and the burgers come stacked high with all your... Read More
You won’t mistake this place for a chain. Before opening this year as a restaurant with tables and take-out, the Roadside Seafood food truck earned a... Read More
In a James Island neighborhood near the center of the island, Smoky Oak Taproom has dozens of beers on tap and cooks most anything over fire, including... Read More
Pouring dozens of wines by the glass for just $4 to $6.50, it’s no wonder that this terrific wine bar, helmed by master sommelier Brad Ball, is abuzz... Read More
Chef RJ Moody dishes up share-able, affordable, seasonal plates like local clams swimming in a miso cream broth, or delicata squash drizzled with... Read More
An artisanal cupcake shop at heart (with a few other nibbles thrown in), Sugar Bakeshop is the place to go for individual pick-me-ups or build-your-own... Read More
With big oak trees out front and cool pastel walls inside, bakeries don’t get much sweeter than Sugar. Former New York architects Bill Bowick and David... Read More
Pitmaster Anthony DiBernado burns the midnight oil to smoke his pork, brisket, ribs, turkey, and sausages to tender, pink-rimmed perfection. Read More
At this Breach Inlet spot, vintage wooden boats hang from the rafters, there’s a rooftop deck, and guests can come by land or by water. Built in the... Read More
Executive Chef Jon Cropf leads a talented team in the creative kitchen, producing dishes as engaging to the eye as they are to the palate, with nuanced... Read More
Home of Tuesday night fried chicken dinners, 75-cent deviled eggs, half-price wine nights, annual birthday dinners for Julia Child, and other prix-fixe... Read More
It’s fascinating to sit near the kitchen of this restaurant, and watch Chef Kevin Johnson and his crew get their farm-to-table plates ready to serve.... Read More
Offerings range from house-ground burgers with pecorino truffle frites, to seafood charcuterie, a seasonal house gnudi, stuffed local quail, and an... Read More
Dishes are freshly sourced, creative, beautifully conceived and executed, the ambiance comfortably chic. With both the kitchen and bar laser-focused on... Read More
The Ordinary is Chef Lata's temple of fresh seafood, set in a renovated bank with soaring ceilings and handsome bar. Read More
I used to bank here. Truthfully, this was a bank branch before the FIG owners did a revamp and made it into a cool palace of seafood where beautiful... Read More
Near the white barracks of The Citadel and 60-acre Hampton Park, this sunny farm-to-table local café serves up breakfast, brunch, lunch, happy hour, and... Read More
Coffee, toast and eggs: now that’s breakfast. Creative java drinks like the Siddhartha with caramel and almond, and the city’s best chai latte are... Read More
Grab a plush leather swivel chair or an intimate booth for daily brunches, inventive cocktails, and sophisticated but unpretentious locavore dinners. Read More
I’m willing to bet you’ve never had a white clam pizza before. At the ‘Wich Doctor on Hudson, it’s a thin-crust, Neapolitan revelation. The tiny take... Read More
Bold, modern, global spot with chef Nate Whiting. Order the she-crab soup, loaded with the sweet meat. Read More
The menu changes weekly at the chef's discretion, but you can count on fresh, innovative salads, panini, tacos, soups, house made pastas, and fresh... Read More
This rustic nook of a place is best known for its delicious noodle bowls made with pork broth and an egg on top (so good); but all sorts of comforting,... Read More
Lauren Mitterer, a James Beard Award-nominated pastry chef, put her Spring Street bakery on the map in 2010 with Sticky Bun Sundays, a weekly... Read More
This trendy but unpretentious Asian fusion eatery packs in appreciative crowds for lunch and dinner daily. Read More
There’s no restaurant sign here; just a Monkey King mural painted on the side of this former gas station to let you know you’re in the right place. The... Read More
The intimate dining room, piazza, and enclosed brick patio lend a secretive elegance to Chef Vinson Petrillo's refined cuisine. Read More
