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Satisfy Any Craving at These 10 Charleston Restaurants

Table of Contents

By Helen Mitternight 

White tablecloths or butcher paper – you can dine high or low in the Charleston area. Here are 10 places that satisfy any appetite.

Downtown Charleston

 

Peninsula Grill: The entry makes you feel like at last you get to wander into one of those courtyards you’ve glimPeninsula Grill, Charleston, SCpsed past wrought iron in the historic district. The dining room and menu are classic and polished – this is where you want to bring that casual date you want to turn into something more. Don’t leave without ordering the famous coconut cake – a tower of flaked coconut Anglaise atop light, fluffy cake. No one will look askance if you order an extra slice for later. 112 North Market St., Charleston | peninsulagrill.com

 

Vincent Chicco’s: You might think you have to stay away from “concept restaurants,” but this Italian place named after one of Charleston’s defiant anti-Prohibition characters, does a terrific job with the sauces, which really is what defines a good Italian restaurant. Plus, the pasta is homemade. The atmosphere is comfortable with enough nods to its namesake that you might find yourself whispering when you order your hooch. 39-G John St. (in Hutson Alley), Charleston | holycityhospitality.com/vincent-chiccos

 

Kaminsky’s Dessert Café: Face it, sometimes the protein and greens are just too much and all you want is something sweet. Kaminsky’s is perfect for that, with oversized desserts or milkshakes, and, if you want to be more grownup about your sweet tooth, dessert martinis, hot toddies and other creations. Pastries are created in-house and change daily. 78 North Market St., Charleston | kaminskys.com

 

5Church: Yes, this is inside a beautiful old church. And, as a contrast to all that peace and holiness, Sun Tzu’s Art of War is written on the vaulted ceilings. But you may never need to look up, either to pray or read, because the extensive menu may hold your attention. The menu has burgers, chops and fish elevated by innovative treatments. All sides are served family style, so you don’t have to narrow it down to just one. Try the Viper cocktail, a blend of Patron Silver, orange liquor, lime juice, cucumber water and cayenne pepper, and you may feel your prayers are already answered. 32 North Market St., Charleston | 5churchcharleston.com

Zero George (photo by Christopher Shane)

 

Zero Restaurant + Bar: This jewel of a restaurant is tucked into a boutique hotel that Conde Nast Traveler named a “top 5 foodie hotel in the world,” and one visit will confirm that designation. This is fine dining at its best. The menu changes all the time, but “snacks” such as eggs and caviar or beef tartare only hint at the creativity the chef brings to each dish. The bar provides seasonal cocktails that complement the dishes, and you can sneak a peek at the restaurant cooking school if you want to see the chefs of the future. 0 George St., Charleston | zerorestaurantcharleston.com

 

Meeting at Market: If you want a break from all that genteel history so you can cheer on your home team, Meeting at Market has you covered. This new addition to the Market Street area is pure sports bar all the way. You can see the huge flat-screen TVs from the sidewalk at City Market, but come on in for elevated pub fare like smoked seafood mousse or duck confit sliders and for the 20 rotating craft beers. Finish off with chocolate bourbon bread pudding because it will take the sting off if your team loses. Meeting and Market streets (in Belmond Charleston Place) | belmond.com

 

West Ashley/James Island/Johns Island/Folly Beach

 

Al Di La: If you don’t look too closely at the West Ashley traffic, you’ll think you’re in Italy while sitting on the patio of this Avondale restaurant. You can add to the illusion by sampling the rich gnocchi made with ricotta and mascarpone and served with garlicky shrimp, grape tomatoes and basil. The risotto changes by season – in the fall, for instance, you can find risotto with butternut squash, brown butter, sage and seared scallops. You can also hope that the daily specials include the impressive tomahawk pork chop, mellowed with roasted Brussels sprouts. Tiramasu is almost a cliché for dessert, but order it here anyway – you won’t be sorry. 25 Magnolia Road, Charleston | aldilarestaurant.com

 

Triangle Char + Bar: This West Ashley outpost of the Triangle Trio (there is one in Mount Pleasant and one in Summerville) prides itself on knowing its beef – all beef for the juicy burgers is sourced locally. You can get burgers that include bacon jam, truffle mayo or other customizations that help Triangle claim best burger titles with regularity. If burgers aren’t your thing, stop by on Taco Tuesday for some of the best, freshest tacos around. 828 Savannah Highway, Charleston | trianglecharandbar.com

 

Lost Dog Café: What’s better than breakfast for breakfast? Breakfast for lunch, of course. Lost Dog Café serves breakfast until mid-afternoon each day. After your morning stroll on the beach warm up with locally roasted coffee or an espresso, latte and chai tea. The breakfast menu serves up everything from muffins and cinnamon rolls to breakfast burrito, shrimp and grits and pancakes drizzled with real maple syrup and fresh fruit. And, on Mondays, enjoy $3 Mason Jar mimosas all day (hey, you’re at the beach so why not?). 106 West Huron Ave., Folly Beach | lostdogfollybeach.com

 

Mt. Pleasant/Isle of Palms/Sullivan’s Island

Crave Kitchen and Cocktails
Crave Kitchen and Cocktails

Crave Kitchen and Cocktails: Don’t be put off by the entrance to this retail enclave. The sign says Seaside Farms and it looks like the entrance to a suburb. Once you pass the stone entry, however, Crave sits at the beginning of a cute little street of shops. The energy is lively and the food is good, but there’s a reason Crave keeps winning Charleston’s Mac Off and that Esquire Magazine calls out “the most life-changing mac ‘n’ cheese in America.” The mac ‘n’ cheese, a generous serving of smoky, creamy cheeses over Cavatappi pasta, can be topped with anything from scallops to pulled pork. It’s a good dish to share, but if you want it all to yourself, it just gets better left over. 1968 Riviera Drive, Unit O, Mount Pleasant | cravekitchenandcocktails.com

Helen Mitternight is a former AP reporter and current freelancer living in downtown Charleston. Her lifestyle blog, “Stilettos Not Required,” can be found at helenmitternight.com.

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Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

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