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We've compiled the best of the best in The Midlands and Upstate - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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.
Mirrors and art adorn the walls at this French-inspired bakery and café serving coffee, sandwiches, soups, and cheese plates. Next door, the retail shop sells wine, kitchen gadgets, French table linens, and fancy food items.
This cozy bistro with upscale French fare is set in a below-ground-level dining room in one of the first buildings constructed in the city after Sherman's infamous march. It has exposed brick walls, arched windows, and original wide-plank floors, plus sidewalk seating, and feels like a true city bistro. Dinners are creative but not over the top, with entrées such as seared breast of duck with orange and fennel, and a classic steak frites.
The palette of plums and golds is a stunning contrast to the original brick and wood that was uncovered during the renovation of this 19th-century cotton exchange building. Although the menu changes seasonally, perennial favorites—a layered appetizer of fried green tomatoes and jalapeño pimento cheese, shrimp, and locally ground grits, and the wonderful white-chocolate banana-cream pie—are always available.
