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Charleston is blessed with a bevy of Southern-inflected selections, from barbecue parlors to fish shacks to casual places serving Lowcountry fare like shrimp and grits. If you'd like to try something new, there are plenty of places serving updated, inspired versions of classic dishes. Before you leave, you'll definitely see why Charleston is considered one of the greatest food cities in the world.
The city's dining scene status continues to rise, boosted by a group of James Beard Foundation repeat award winners. Robert Stehling of Hominy Grill, Mike Lata of FIG and The Ordinary, Jason Stanhope of FIG, and Sean Brock of McCrady's and Husk each earned the designation of Best Chef: Southeast, in successive years. The city boasts other prodigious talents, too: Alex Lira of Bar Normandy, Jeremiah Bacon of the Macintosh, Michelle Weaver of Charleston Grill, Ken Vedrinski of Trattoria Lucca, Jacques Larson of Wild Olive and The Obstinate Daughter, and Josh Walker of Xiao Bao Biscuit. It's the establishment of the New South, circa now.
As for attire, Charleston invites a crisp yet casual atmosphere. Don't forget, it was recognized as the Most Mannerly City in the country by Marjabelle Young Stewart, which means that residents are slow to judge (or, at the least, that they're doing so very quietly). On the whole, the city encourages comfort and unhurried, easy pacing. The result is an idyllic setting in which to enjoy oysters on the half shell and other homegrown delicacies from the land and sea that jointly grant the city its impressive culinary standing.
This upscale Pakistani restaurant opening in the space where Jestine's once served red rice and chicken livers quietly signaled a transition for Charleston from a place with excellent distinctive cuisine to a cosmopolitan city with both deep culinary roots and a growing international scene. The kababs, chicken tikka, and biryani were immediately among the most buzzed-about dishes in town after Ma'am Saab debuted in 2023. A hip soundtrack and cool neon lighting help set the tone.
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.
Grab a window seat at this casual spot for a pleasant view of East Washington Street while you dig into shrimp and stone-ground grits, a Philly-style cheese steak, or a juicy burger on a kaiser roll. Desserts like bourbon pecan pie are house-made and served in generous portions. The menu’s not for gourmands, but the basic pub fare works, especially if you’re there to catch the game over a bite and beer.
An homage to the Italian city of the same name, Monza provides genuine Neapolitan-style pizza and an introduction to one of the world's most historic motor-sport racing circuits: the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. The pizza—baked in a wood-fired oven, in traditional style—boasts a thin, crisp crust and toppings like house-made sausage, pepperoni, eggplant, roasted red peppers, and locally farmed eggs. Locals are understandably wild for the butterbean salad.
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.
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.
Pink Bellies has followed the Gen-Z trajectory of food truck to food hall tenant to standalone restaurant, but the Vietnamese-leaning kitchen has thankfully never made radical changes to its noodle bowls. Still, it's the bar food that has inspired fans to follow Pink Bellies on its journey, including an In-N-Out-inspired burger and garlicky wings.
South Carolinians have been flocking here for egg salad sandwiches and ice cream for close to a century.
The bar and restaurant is beloved among visitors and locals for its fish tacos and gourmet burgers, all named after stories by Edgar Allen Poe, who was stationed on Sullivan's Island with the Army in the late 1820s. (His stint inspired "The Gold Bug," a short story about a magical beetle, and, much later, Poe's Tavern). To wit, here you'll find: the Tell-Tale Heart, containing fried eggs, applewood bacon, and cheddar cheese; the Amontillado, with guacamole, jalapeño jack cheese, pico de gallo, and chipotle sour cream; and naturally, the Gold Bug Plus, done up in a variety of cheeses. Come early to enjoy the clever treats, as Poe's stays busy year-round.
From the moment that Kate and Ben Towill came to South Carolina to open an exceedingly Instagrammable vegetable-focused restaurant in downtown Charleston, fans have clamored for more of their spot-on style. That wish is granted in the form of Post House, an effortlessly tasteful neighborhood bistro featuring thoughtful takes on classics such as Caesar salad, steak frites, and peel-and-eat shrimp.
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, if it’s a weekend, enjoy the live music. Add a specialty cocktail to start and a slice of key lime pie to finish and you have vacation dining done right.
John Lewis based his excellent and hugely successful Lewis Barbecue on the time he spent smoking meat in Austin, but he casts his gaze further back at Rancho Lewis, based on childhood memories of meals in New Mexico. Most patrons will mistake the menu for Tex-Mex, but the Hatch chiles and exceptional beans, sourced from Las Cruces, make his state allegiance clear.
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.
This unassuming café set in a one-time bungalow is the island's go-to breakfast spot for omelets, biscuits, and piles of pancakes. Lunch and dinner offerings shift to an array of sandwich options, seafood entrées, and fried platters. It's kid-friendly and has a dine-outside deck, but come early if you don't want to wait for a table for brunch.
This no-frills spot serves meaty masterpieces—no, really—like the Super Butt, house-braised pork with smoked sweet onions and potato cream cheese, and a generous rib-eye cheese steak. Add a hearty beer list and poutine (fries covered in gravy), and it's worth the drive. Heading to Kiawah Island? It's also an excellent weigh station en route.
Accommodating locals and out-of-towners alike, Taco Boy delivers tasty Mexican American treats to a bustling patio crowd. The ambience is half the allure of this eclectic outpost featuring rehabbed or reclaimed materials—right down to the bar counter, carved from a fallen North Carolina walnut tree, and the funky Mexican folk art adorning every inch of wall space. It's a forward-thinking and fun joint, perfect for downing margaritas and micheladas (beer with lime juice, tomato juice, and chilies) or sharing a sampler trio of house-made guacamole and two types of salsa. For beach-bound travelers, Folly Beach—south of downtown Charleston—boasts the original restaurant on Center Street.
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.
Local artist Honey McCrary spent over a year building the 700-square-foot undersea mosaic on the ceiling of this seafood eatery. The beautiful artwork is reason alone to step inside, and it underscores the effort and intention put into the overall design and menu at this fine-dining haven along the City Market. Shareable plates include a signature seafood tower and roasted clams, shrimp, and oysters.
This 1940s-era filling station—the pumps are still outside—has been converted into an eclectic bar and seafood restaurant. The menu ranges from bar bites like buffalo wings and burgers to local shrimp, crab cakes, and pan-seared mahi-mahi and never disappoints. While the interior is all dive with its concrete floors and bathrooms outside, the food is always fresh and local, plus the beer inventory consists of microbrews. Monday night brings karaoke and draws a lively mix of locals and visitors. Blues and rock bands regularly play on the weekends.
