9 Best Restaurants in Upper King, Charleston

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 white wine sauce or gnocchi with chanterelles), and two desserts are offered. Sharing multiple dishes is a good option.  If the dining room feels too snug, head to the outdoor patio, perfect for dinner or brunch.

It's not just what's in the pint glasses at this upscale brewpub that has locals raving. The kitchen's mac-and-peas and crunchy salad with shrimp, featuring the region's hallmark ingredients, are almost universally adored. The atmosphere is chic yet comfortable with large booths, canvas chairs, and a huge bar, while an outdoor patio invites you to sip in the sunshine. This is the original location—the restaurant shares its name with a more casual restaurant north of downtown.

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.

Although it's billed as a pizza parlor, this neighborhood trattoria stuns taste buds with its entire menu, including anchovies in pepper and grapefruit and entrées like swordfish with horseradish mustard. The thin-crust pizzas are complemented by an impressive selection of natural wines and a daily cocktail special.

Avocado toast will never get old at this lively coffee shop, which since opening in Charleston has brought its Israeli-influenced menu and healthful beverages to an Atlanta extension of the popular brand.

Founded by two young local bar scene vets who believe unironically in the power of a good breakfast, Daps supplies the West Side with an array of hashes and exceptional pancakes, brushed with sugary cereal on request. The brunchy sandwiches, including an extra-porky take on the standard bánh mì, are especially smart.

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.

The Harbinger serves lovely salads, but once you approach the welcoming coffee counter—outfitted with an always-gleaming pastry case—it's hard not to think of dessert first. The selection varies seasonally, but anything made with tahini is a sure bet.

If it looks like a cross between a veterans' hall and a dive bar, that's because the Tattooed Moose is going for a decidedly unpretentious vibe. With 90-plus beers on the menu and a large moose head behind the counter, the place cuts a distinctive figure; homey eats like house-smoked barbecue brisket, chicken salad, jumbo chicken wings, and fried turkey breast are just some of the offerings. The bar's famous duck club is a menu showstopper—it relies on duck confit, apple-smoked bacon, garlic aioli, and ripened tomatoes bounded by sweet Hawaiian bread. If you find yourself on Johns Island, the Moose now has a larger satellite location that caters to families and the happy hour crowd.