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$$$ | Upper King |
The menu may be nearly illegible, the space minuscule, and locating the tucked-away location like finding Waldo, but the food is almost always sublime. Each night only two appetizers, two entrées (like snapper with a vin jaune [type of white wine] sauce or gnocchi with chanterelles), and two desserts are offered. Sharing multiple dishes is a good option. Chef Jill Mathias writes down her menu daily, and her lovely calligraphy is often hard to read, but the attentive staff is happy to explain all the offerings. If the dining room feels too snug, head to the outdoor patio, perfect for dinner or brunch.
6 Payne Ct., Charleston, South Carolina, 29403, USA
Known For
- Romantic hideaway dining
- Unique French, Spanish, and Italian fare
- Constantly changing menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Reservations essential
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$$$ | Downtown Historic District |
Affectionately known as S.N.O.B., this former warehouse with atmospheric brick-and-stucco walls has a chef's table that looks directly into the open kitchen. Many of the specialties, including wild game and other less common meats, are served as small plates that are perfect for sharing. The $14 daily lunch specials are often memorable, such as mussels with spinach, grape tomatoes, and smoked bacon, or a hearty chicken pot pie.
192 E. Bay St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- Bustling lunchtime service
- History as the forefather of the farm-to-table movement in Charleston
- Upscale, authentic Southern fare
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Market |
Executive chef and owner Kevin Johnson's outstanding restaurant sits in impressive quarters near the corner of Cannon and King Streets. The menu suggests a humble, considerate approach, as the dishes represent local flavors: the wood-roasted carrots come with feta, raisins, and pistachio crumble, while the wood-roasted whole fish is delivered with salsa verde. The high wainscoting and tall shelving filled with jams and jellies, pickled vegetables, and vintage kitchenware add to the earthy, unassuming presence.
4 Cannon St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29403, USA
Known For
- Down-to-earth dishes designed for sharing
- A monstrous wood-fired oven
- Decadent cassoulet
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$ | Upper King |
Award-winning chef Mike Lata delivers every possible type of underwater delight here, from local littleneck clams to wahoo carpaccio. The two-story dining room of this former bank building fills up fast, but you can always belly up to the stunning bar while you wait and enjoy a variety of clever cocktails. Perhaps the best seat is at the oyster bar, where the freshest of bivalves await. And if you're looking for optimum indulgence, ask for the seafood tower. The triple decker will set you back $125, but spilling over with fruits de mer, it is worth every penny.
544 King St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29403, USA
Known For
- Heady wine pairings
- Daily plat du jour
- Excellent oyster bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$ | |
At first glance, the odd name appears to refer to this waterfront restaurant's exterior, topped off with a shabby screened-in porch (in actuality, the Richard and Charlene was a trawler that slammed into the building during a hurricane in 1989). Located in the Old Village of Mount Pleasant, the kitchen serves up Southern tradition on a plate: boiled peanuts, fried shrimp, and stone-crab claws. The best option is the most expensive—the mixed seafood platter with fried flounder, shrimp, oysters, and scallops. Get here early, as the place shuts down by 8 or 9 each night.
106 Haddrell St., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, 29464, USA
Known For
- Generous platters of fried seafood
- Old-school ambience right on the shrimp docks
- Boiled peanuts served at every table
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | Upper King |
Against a backdrop of classic French-bistro style—think gleaming wood, cozy booths, and white-papered tables—Charleston's night owls feast on such favorites here as steamed mussels in a half dozen preparations. Order them with pommes frites, as the French do. Each night of the week there's a special, such as the popular bouillabaisse on Sunday. If you're seeking quiet, ask for a table in the dining room on the right. It's noisy—but so much fun—at the bar.
39 John St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- Lively social scene
- Weekly specials, including Sunday bouillabaisse
- Amazing burgers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Lower King |
This landmark mainstay continues to thrive as an atmospheric, fine-dining establishment. As always, the food has strong Southern leanings, with seafood highlights, including Charleston bouillabaisse; don't miss the creamy grits (perfection) or authentic fried green tomatoes. Indoor and garden dining make this a great place to linger, perhaps under a gazebo or in an elegant, art-rich (and air-conditioned) room inside the historic residence. Also notable is the genuinely caring service and extensive wine list featuring new varietal blends (no house wine here), which has earned it high and consistent praise.
82 Queen St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- One of the city's quintessential she-crab soups
- Romantic dining
- Extensive and unique wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Market |
Cuisine at this fine-dining mainstay where nearly a dozen windows afford picturesque views of the passing horse-drawn carriages is traditional Lowcountry, including shrimp and grits and fried chicken. The softly lit, gilt-trimmed dining room is ideal for romantic occasions, though some locals prefer the more casual scene downstairs.
12 Anson St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- Several steps above most of the tourist-oriented fare on Market Street
- Contender for the best she-crab soup in town
- House-made pecan pie
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Upper King |
Off a little alley in a restored indigo warehouse, Coast Bar & Grill has a stripped-down look with exposed brick walls and wood columns. Wood-fired seafood and heavy sauces are staples, but lighter dishes like fish tacos and ceviche make it a standout. Highlights include braised grouper served with tasty herbs, shiitake mushrooms, and decadent bacon-and-cheese grits, as well as the lobster and crab gratin, which comes complete with Parmesan mashed potatoes. The place can be noisy, but it's always fun. (It transforms into a boisterous bar in the later hours.) You can watch the cooks in the heat of the open kitchen in the front room or go in the back dining room where it is cooler. There are usually half-price wine specials, and there's live music on Sunday evening.
39D John St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- Wood-fired oven
- Live acoustic music on Sunday
- Gatherings before shows at the adjacent Charleston Music Hall
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Market |
The sunny wraparound porch in an 18th-century house lures people to this eatery from lauded local chef John Zucker, but it's the inventive menu that keeps them coming back. Fried chicken breasts are topped with poblano peppers and mozzarella, and duck confit is served with caramelized pecans, goat cheese, and fried shoestring onions. Meat dishes are laced with sauces featuring green peppercorns, port wine, pear sherry, chipotle peppers, and horseradish cream.
18 Pinckney St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- Local produce and seafood
- Four-cheese macaroni
- Cozy dining in a centuries-old Charleston single home
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Cannonborough |
Years after shuttering the much beloved La Fourchette, Perig Goulet revived his French bistro setup in a roomier dining room on Rutledge Avenue. As the name implies, roast chicken and French fries are central to the kitchen's output, but there aren't any missteps on the tightly edited menu. The fairly priced wine list bulges with classics, with plenty of rustic red to underscore the restaurant's neighborhood feel.
210 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, South Carolina, 29403, USA
Known For
- Savory lamb chops
- Local clientele
- Reasonable wine list
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$$$ | Market |
This upscale fish house serves such Southern adaptations as Lowcountry bouillabaisse and seafood platters that come with sweet-potato fries and coleslaw. With a community table flanked by paper-topped private tables, the lively spot hearkens back to an earlier time in Charleston's culinary history. The atmosphere retains an authentic vibe, with waiters in long white aprons buzzing about.
10 Hayne St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- Local following in a tourist-heavy district
- Generous seafood platters
- Oyster happy hour 4:30–6 on weekdays
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Upper King |
For sophisticated Italian fare in a vibrant (and sometimes boisterous) setting, this hip spot on Upper King is the place. A modern aesthetic of exposed wood and an open kitchen may drive the design, but the food isn't putting on airs. Start with the burrata cheese served with crisp flatbread, then dive into one of the many unique salads—the spring vegetable salad, with a cornucopia of seasonal veggies, is recommended. Don't miss the black-pepper tagliatelle crowned with a soft-boiled egg yolk.
526 King St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29403, USA
Known For
- An open kitchen that spills into the dining room
- Negroni cocktail on tap
- Black-pepper tagliatelle crowned with a soft-boiled egg yolk
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$ | College of Charleston Campus |
The fragrance of beef, lamb, and chicken shawarma wafts from the glass front doors of this Lebanese restaurant, bringing the authentic flavors of the Middle East to Charleston. Adventurous eaters can find beef tongue and frogs' legs on the huge menu, or skip straight to sweet treats with meghli rice flour pudding bedecked in cloves, coconut, and cinnamon. Generous portions make up for slightly high prices, and the service is friendly and informative.
298 King St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- Authentic Middle Eastern fare
- Hard-to-find Lebanese wines
- Unique desserts like osmalieh (crispy shredded dough with pistachios)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$$$ | Lower King |
Set in a pale yellow building on Society Street, Muse lays bare Mediterranean stylings in sophisticated, relaxed quarters. The menu offers standout versions of classic fine-dining fare like veal scaloppini and a grilled pork chop, as well as the signature dish: a delicious, scarcely fried sea bass, served with head and tail intact, over a ragù of butter beans and pancetta. The bar functions as a drawing room, permitting easy introductions and closer inspection of the restaurant's impressive, 100-plus-bottle wine list.
82 Society St., Charleston, South Carolina, 29401, USA
Known For
- 75 wines by the glass
- Late-night weekend menu
- Ricotta cheesecake with blueberry coulis
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | |
The old metal cages remain at this converted post office, but instead of mail you'll find Southern-inspired fare like a savory shrimp and grits that ups the ante with scallops. The seafood averse can opt for a filet mignon burger or a Carolina rib eye. When there's a piano man in the upstairs bar, so much the better.
1442 Hwy. 174, Edisto Island, South Carolina, 29438, USA
Known For
- Relaxed upscale dining out in the country
- Local seafood cooked near the source
- Lively local scene on weekends
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Jan., Sun., and Mon. No lunch, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | |
This relaxed waterfront spot offers up fare from land and sea alike. Start off with hush puppies served with sweet honey butter and a bowl of she-crab soup, then move on to the Edisto Creek shrimp basket or the fresh catch of the day. Sit on the deck when weather permits, and there's live music on the weekends. Add a specialty cocktail to start and a slice of key lime pie to finish and you have vacation dining done right.
3702 Docksite Rd., Edisto Island, South Carolina, 29438, USA
Known For
- Waterfront dining with a horizon view across the marsh
- Hopping bar scene on Friday and Saturday night
- Thursday theme menus during winter
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$$$ | |
Locals and visitors alike tend to (mistakenly) overlook this Mount Pleasant staple in favor of the more stylish picks downtown. Chef Ben Berryhill leans on his Texas roots to formulate a South-by-Southwest approach, cooking venison sausage, double-cut pork chops, and rib-eye steaks on a wood-burning grill he calls "The Beast." Also sample savory beef empanadas or large "fork-and-knife" tacos from the bar, and head out to the outdoor patio for a beer or beverage. The nightlife here is lively.
803 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, 29466, USA
Known For
- Bustling evening bar scene
- Tex-Mex weekend brunch
- Local seafood prepared with spice and flair
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
