wanderer

My husband and I will be visiting Charleston for the first time in May. This is a get-away from it all trip for us, having just lost our beloved 18 year old cat suddenly.

This trip we really want to just kick back and don't really feel like getting dressed up to eat out, so are looking for some casual restaurants with good food. I've listed some ones that sounded good, but hard to know if they are casual. Would love ideas...

39 Rue de Jean, Bar Cafe, Anson, Boulevard Diner, Carolinas, Gaulart and Hominy Grill, Il Cortile, Blossom Cafe, Sermet's Corner, Slightly North of Broad.

We will be staying on Broad St.

Gretchen

I thought you were going to Savannah for 3 days. If so, cut Savannah and add onto Charleston--better food, sightseeing, everything. Savannah is good for a day and a night. I think most restaurants are not extremely formal in Charleston so your choices are fine although several I have never heard discussed anywhere. Peninsula Grill is special. Do not eat at Hyman's--casual and awful.Our kids (adult foodies) loved Hank's.

TedTurner

None of the restaurants you mentioned demand dressiness, especially during lunch. Nothing wrong with being dressed up if you like, but they're not stuffy places. At night you'll see some people dress up a bit to go to Anson, SNOB, Blossom etc, but many people will be relatively casual as well. I wouldn't feel comfortable in some of those places in shorts and a T-shirt at night, but since a large percentage of the business in Charleston is from tourists, you'll see a bit of everything. My sympathies about your cat. Our animals are almost like little humans in the family, too. It's very hard when one of them moves on.

wanderer

We are going to BOTH Savannah and Charleston, with 3 nights in Charleston, then driving up to Beaufort and then on to Charleston. I think we have 2 days in Savannah and 5 days in Charleston. Beaufort is just a drive through.

Ted Turner, thanks for the comment about the animals. They become family and the grief is not different - some people don't understand that. We're hoping this get-way takes our minds off of it for a little bit.

Thanks Gretchen too for your comments.

Rumrita1

We spent some time in Charleston in October. Agree w/ Ted Turner's comments on dress. I especially enjoyed the Hominy Grill, which had a "down home feel" and lovely high pressed tin ceilngs . Hominy Grill is not in the main tourist area and was a pretty long walk (of course I felt less guilt about the giant piece of corn bread as I hoofed it back to town). A more casual down home retaurant is Jestine's Kitchen - lots of low country favorites here too and its within walking distance of main tourist area.

In Beaufort try to get to the 11th St Dockside. The shrimp boats come in right next door. Unfortunately it's not open for lunch. Here's a link to a review of Beaufort.

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/tr...52644261209854