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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 spot is one of those delightful throwbacks—a drugstore with a soda fountain where the news of the day is discussed and young people share a Coca-Cola float. You can get a pimento cheese on white bread for $2.30, and if you want a scoop of ice cream to go with it, that'll cost you $1.50 (just remember: it's cash-only).
Operating as a one-stop butcher shop and deli counter, Ted's sells beef, game, seafood, and homemade sausages to complement its selection of artisanal cheeses, wine, and other specialty foods. Among the lunchtime favorites are the house-roasted Wagyu beef panini and the ever-changing bacon-of-the-month BLT. On Friday nights there are wine tastings and a bargain prix-fixe dinner.
Three words: maple bacon doughnuts. If that's not enough to get you in the door, any number of other creative options—think raspberry nutella or berries and mascarpone—should do the trick. Allison Smith and Mark Remi opened their sweetheart of a store because they suspected there was an untapped enthusiasm for artisanal doughnuts. The verdict? Unqualified success. There are 7 to 10 varieties daily, filled with homemade jam and other fillings. Just name your flavor.
Don't pass up the sweet and savory crepes, named for the islands surrounding Charleston, at this venerable neighborhood institution that also serves pressed breakfast and lunch sandwiches, smoothies, cold brew, and craft beer. The art-filled space doubles as a wineshop—pick up a bottle on the way to a picnic at nearby Colonial Lake.
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