swalter518

Less than a week until we leave Chicago for Charleston/Folly Beach! I'd love any suggestions for restaurants (family friendly) for Asheville, Columbia, SC and Charleston. We'll be in Asheville around dinner time and Columbia around lunch time. We've got Mother's Day lunch scheduled for Poogan's Porch and we will hit Jestines but if anyone has suggestions for Charleston, Folly Beach or Mt. Pleasant that would be great too!

suewoo

The weather has been great. Hope it holds for you! The only places I know in Cola are a bit off the interstate. If it were me I'd just push on til you get to Charleston. Will you be going straight out to Folly? If so Taco Boy is wonderful. You may want to check out Bowen's as well (dinner only). In Mt P I like Jacob's in I'on, Boulevard Diner, and the great Seewee.
My faves downtown are High Cotton, Cru Cafe, SNOB and Fast and French. You may want to check out the rooftop bar at Market Pavilion-beautiful view of the harbor. Have fun!

Gretchen

Poogan's Porch is not as good as it used to be. And probably Suewoo's ideas are better than both jestine's and Poogan's. Fig is also a good destination.

padams421

The Market Place in Asheville

cmcfong

Vinnie's is a very family friendly Italian restaurant on Merrimon in Asheville. Stony Knob in Weaverville which is only about ten to fifteen minutes from downtown Asheville is a good restaurant choice.

Hominy Grill and Magnolia's are good restaurant choices in Charleston, but Magnolia's may be a little too much for children in the evening. Sue has given you some great ideas plenty to work with there.

palmettoprincess

Tupelo Honey is a good choice for Asheville.

If you get hungry before Columbia exit I-26 at the Newberry exit (about 74 I think). Downtown Newberry is pretty with a restored opera house. I like Cathy's Cakery for chicken salad and cake of course.

suewoo

That sounds like my kind of lunch.

swalter518

Awesome. Thanks you guys! Padams, Where is the Market Place in Asheville? We're staying at a Holiday Inn Express right off the Biltmore Square Mall (hopefully that's right off the expressway.)

Suewoo, We probably will head straight to Folly. Depends on the time we get into town and how the kids are doing. We can check into the condo at 3 pm. We also have one night for just DH and me-think SNOB. Any other suggestions?

suewoo

Call the rental agency when you get there. Sometimes they let you check in early if the cleaners have finished. There will be lots of traffic on the weekend so be prepared (meaning give everybody a potty break before you get to Folly Road). There are tons of great places downtown but I don't like to recommend unless I've been recently. Hominy Grill is always good.

swalter518

Is the Farmers Market near the Visitors Center going on now and if so, does anyone know the hours? It's been about 3 years since we were in Charleston but it was great from what I remember.

Cru Cafe keeps popping up again and again. We'll have to check it out. I hope Jestine's isn't a disappointment. Last time we were there the pecan chicken was to die for. (Although being a Yankee, I probably don't have the discerning pallete for southern food like a local.)

cmcfong

I have been to Cru a couple of times and was very impressed. It does get busy and you may be there during graduation when it gets very busy. Sit on the porch and feel the Southern breeze.

The Biltmore Square mall is very accessible from the interstate. I love Market Place (did a review of it on TA) but would not have rated it particularly kid friendly. Service is generally "leisurely". They do offer locally grown options where possible and the food is excellent.

suewoo

I love Jestine's-always have. The shrimpers are just starting and Jestine's fries them just right. The Coca Cola cake is also delicious.

I like Cru as well. My favorite is the General Tso's chicken. Both places are small and can get crowded.

The Farmer's Market is at Marion Square on Saturdays. There's another one at 4 on Tuesday evenings in Mt Pleasant at Moultrie Middle. It's a little less touristy (not that there's anything wrong with fun activities, but I want to get my maters and green beans and go home). The one downtown has artists as well as farmers, so you could get some souvenirs while there.

swalter518

Marion Sq. is near the visitor's center, right? If so, that was the one we went to before with all the great artists on top of the farmers. One of my favorite markets ever and I'm a big market fan.

suewoo

Correct. It's just in the next block.

aleos18

Columbia resturants- Blue Marlin, Little Pig's and Doc's