21 Best Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina

French fine dining with a hint of Carolina flair is flawlessly executed at this stunning brasserie in a former bank with soaring ceilings and wide windows overlooking horse-drawn carriages on Broad Street. Yes, you'll find escargots, foie gras, and steak frites, all executed at the highest possible level, but save room for entrées like the duck breast cassoulet, served over a confit leg with the perfect amount of crispy indulgence. Before or after your meal, grab a drink downstairs in the speakeasy-esque Bar Vaute, built into the semi-underground former vault. 

Spend an evening at this trendsetter for fresh-off-the-farm ingredients cooked with unfussy, flavorful finesse—the Food Is Good kitchen has produced two James Beard Best Chef: Southeast winners. The menu changes frequently, but the family-style vegetables might be as simple as young beets in sherry vinegar served in a plain white bowl. Main dishes get more complex: there's the must-have chicken liver pâté, slow-baked red porgy with Carolina Gold grits, and perfectly executed pan-roasted golden tilefish. The waitstaff is as inspired and informed as the masterpieces they serve.

Award-winning chefs deliver 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 $165, but spilling over with fruits de mer, it is worth every penny.

Affectionately known as S.N.O.B., this former warehouse with atmospheric brick-and-stucco walls introduced the open kitchen concept to Charleston, and the dining room still bustles with energy. Many of the specialties, including wild game, are served as small plates that are perfect for sharing. The $16 daily lunch specials are often memorable, such as mussels with spinach, grape tomatoes, and smoked bacon, or a hearty chicken pot pie.

Michael Mina made a splash in Charleston with this lavish ristorante, marking the moment when serial fine-dining restauranteurs once focused on Las Vegas and resort destinations finally arrived in one of the nation's most celebrated—yet still primarily independent—restaurant scenes. The difficulty securing a reservation underscores how warmly Sorelle has been welcomed, thanks to flavor memories implanted by the piccata-style swordfish and a zeppole bedecked with caviar, stracciatella, and prosciutto. At $50, that savory Italian doughnut is a frontrunner for the most magnificently decadent mouthful in Charleston. Spread across two floors of a historic building, the Sorelle experience varies from a chef's table outside the wood-fired oven to cozy corner booths in the always-ebullient dining room. 

What began as a neighborhood Italian joint on Johns Island was soon discovered by downtowners as a reason to drive off the peninsula. Chef Jacques Larson's amalgam of Italian cuisine and Lowcountry seafood is both authentic and inventive, from handmade Granny Smith apple ravioli to local littleneck clams, served with a spicy lemon-caper zupetta. The calm, romantic atmosphere rivals any date night downtown, but unlike anywhere along King Street, there's plenty of parking.

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.

The cuisine at this fine-dining mainstay is rooted in traditional Lowcountry, including shrimp and grits and roasted oysters. Horse-drawn carriages pass outside the wide windows, and the softly lit, gilt-trimmed dining room is ideal for romantic occasions, though some locals prefer the more casual scene downstairs.

This perennial favorite inside the Charleston Place hotel provides what many regard as the city's highest gastronomic experience. The dining room's pale wood floors, flowing drapes, and elegant Queen Anne chairs provide a soothing setting for entrées—including a Wagyu tenderloin and fish a la plancha—broken into "From Our Waters" and "From Our Fields" on the seasonal menu. A jazz ensemble adds a hip yet unobtrusive element to the experience.

Located at the Wentworth Mansion, this former residential home is full of hand-carved marble fireplaces and stained-glass windows. The Ashley and Cooper tasting menus lean on Lowcountry roots with gussied up flair, like a grilled pimento cheese sandwich with prosciutto and paddlefish caviar, and foie gras flan with pickled pearl onions. The low lighting and quiet comfort of Circa 1886 make it hard to top for an intimate, romantic meal.

Ken Vedrinski's Italian homage to the sea on the Isle of Palms is worth the hike from downtown. The crudo (raw fish) with tangerines, wine vinegar, and pickled garlic makes an excellent starter before you dive into local blue crab with parsley, lemons, and bread crumbs or clams with preserved tomatoes and spicy peppers. If the chef is around, he'll be more than happy to make wine recommendations and provide some entertaining conversation. A bonus: this tiny restaurant has ocean views from its second-story patio.

The cuisine at this atmospheric establishment—combined with a staggering array of excellent wines and white-jacketed service—makes Grill 225 a popular special occasion spot. Take the opportunity to dress up; the elegant wood floors and red-velvet upholstery call for it. If you enjoy red meat, indulge in the wet-aged steaks; the filet with foie gras bathed in a fig demiglace is equally excellent. Expect hefty portions, but save room for the pastry chef's shining creations, which include a contemporized version of baked Alaska with a nutty crust, flambéed table-side.

Thanks to its impressive 28-day-aged USDA steaks, Halls Chophouse is regarded as one of the top steak houses in town. The 28-ounce Tomahawk rib eye, the New York strip, and the slow-roasted prime rib are especially recommended. The bustling bar is a good place to rub shoulders with a variety of well-to-do locals. A heads-up: the service borders on excessive (or is it obsessive?); the staff takes uncommon heed of its guests, though the lavishly prepared steaks offer the restaurant's greatest source of hospitality.

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 harks back to an earlier time in Charleston's culinary history. The atmosphere retains an authentic vibe, with waiters in long white aprons buzzing about.

This Charleston classic remains unchanged by time: picture lazily spinning paddle fans, lush palm trees, and exposed brick walls. The kitchen serves up regional classics like a Lowcountry boil and bacon-wrapped stuffed rabbit loin. If you want a traditional dinner, there are thick cuts of steaks and chops with your choice of sauce and side dishes like fried Brussels sprouts and creamy white corn grits. For dessert, the pecan pie baked with bourbon brown sugar caramel and the high-rising peanut butter pie are like rich Southern blessings.

Husk's strict devotion to regional sourcing helped set a new standard for restaurants across the South. Supper favorites on the daily-changing menu include seafood such as snapper, catfish, and flounder, frequently paired with heirloom vegetables. Try the fried chicken skins or a skillet of smoky bacon cornbread—both are terrifically popular. The building itself, balcony intact, dates to the late 19th century, and the freestanding bar beside the restaurant is lined with 100-year-old exposed brick and several Kentucky bourbons and whiskeys. If you can't score a reservation, Husk Bar next door is arguably just as good for intimate drinks and a burger.

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. Don't miss the black-pepper tagliatelle crowned with a soft-boiled egg yolk.

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.

The theme at this extremely popular—and worthy—tourist destination is evident in the vivid paintings of white magnolia blossoms that adorn the walls. The menu pays homage to classic dishes like fried green tomatoes with white cheddar grits, caramelized onions, and country ham. Lunch is a more affordable way to sample the best of Lowcountry cuisine.

In a 19th-century bank building, this ornate dining room juxtaposes antique crystal chandeliers with contemporary art. Reserve a table on the third floor for the full effect and the best vistas. It's pricey, but the filet mignon with foie-gras-and-black-truffle butter is excellent, and the side dishes, like creamed spinach, are perfectly executed. Favorite appetizers include beef carpaccio and roasted bone marrow. The service is professional and cordial under the leadership of executive chef Jeremiah Bacon.

This fine-dining stalwart melds Lowcountry produce and seafood into traditional but inspired dishes, at once eyeing the past and the future. The dining room fixtures (walls covered in olive-green velvet and 18th-century-style portraits, with wrought-iron chandeliers on the ceiling) serve as an excellent backdrop for Angus steaks, jumbo sea scallops, and Berkshire pork chops. A permanent tent allows for courtyard dining, rain or shine. Finish your meal with the decadent coconut cake that helped put Peninsula on the map. The servers are pros; the personable sommelier makes wine selections that truly complement your meal, anything from bubbly to clarets and dessert wines.