4 Best Restaurants in The Midlands and Upstate, South Carolina

Wood paneling and modern art set the tone at this fine-dining stalwart, where the daily-changing menu (posted online) includes seafood like tempura soft-shell crabs, hearty steaks, and braised duck. Order ahead to be sure the kitchen hasn't run out of its signature blackberry cobbler.

Who knew that barbecue sauce could be the base for such tasty salad dressing or that pimento cheese could elevate a fillet to near perfection? Appetizers of fried pickles and country ham--spinach dip only add to the creative thinking that makes Mr. Friendly's such a local treasure. The ever-changing wine-by-the-glass menu is another.

This contemporary diner's menu features a little of everything, from bacon and eggs, burgers, and souvlaki to Greek-style chicken and shrimp and grits. Sit in the booths or at the half-circle counter with stools to enjoy your meal; when you're done, check out the sweets menu from the Stax Bakery next door.

This popular restaurant with pomegranate-color walls and high ceilings has the fillets and pastas, but the reason many locals come is for the herb rotisserie chicken. The beef for the burgers is ground on the spot, and salads consist of locally grown organic vegetables.