Charleston City Paper - Dish Dining Guide, Fall 2022

The eggplant farce at Sorghum & Salt

Editor and Publisher: Andy Brack news

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The weather is dipping into the 60s, leaves are falling from the trees (some of them, anyway) and we’re once again layering on jackets, sweaters and sweatshirts. Autumn is here, and there’s no better way to enjoy the season than with a fresh slice of pie from some of Charleston’s top restaurants. Or, if you’re craving something more savory, creamy or even a bit crazy, let us guide you to some of the weirdest (and absolutely delicious) fries in the city. For those who don’t want to have to choose, we’ve rounded up a handful of places in town that offer chef’s tables and tasting menus, all curated by restaurants like Wild Common, Sorghum & Salt or Chasing Sage. And of course, our Top 50 is back and better than ever, highlighting some of Charleston’s longstanding favorites. New to this issue is City Paper’s Hot List, a curated list of new(ish) restaurants that have opened recently, and definitely deserve the hype. Bundle up and enjoy. —Michael Pham

inside

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Whole lotta pasta

Tuck in to these star pasta dishes around town this fall

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Indecisive dining

Charleston chefs choose your night for you with their handpicked, pre-selected menus

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No longer the side

These Charleston establishments bring French fries to the forefront

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Eyes on the pies Dig into slices of gooey goodness at these Charleston establishments

Prime time

Daniel ‘Dano’ and Bethany Heinze delight in prime rib and red wine for an autumn meal

Circulation Team: Chris Glenn, Robert Hogg, Stephen Jenkins, David Lampley, Spencer Martin, John Melnick, Tashana Remsburg

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on the cover

Carolina-grown honeycrisp apple, nuoc cham, ssam sauce and togarashi peanuts at Chasing Sage. Photographed by Rūta Smith.

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Whole lotta

Tuck in to these star pasta dishes around town this fall

By Samantha Connors

harlestonians have different interpretations of fall weather, but as soon as temperatures dip below 70, it’s all about sweaters, hot toddies and the ultimate comfort food — pasta.

Few dishes are quite as satisfying in the cooler months than a cheesy, saucy bowl of your favorite pasta. Gnocchi dumplings mixed with braised meats and cooked in brown butter and sage, manicotti stuffed with an almost obscene amount of ricotta or tagliatelle topped with squash — you name it, Charleston’s got it.

Mondo’s owner Chris Orlando said he makes about 700 pounds of pasta per week

Photos by Rūta Smith

For some chefs in town, pasta isn’t just a delicious comfort food, but a reminder of bygone days making pasta with their grandmothers. For others, it’s the best way to embrace the fall fully.

Nostalgic comfort food

Chris Orlando, owner of Mondo’s on James Island, is a prime example. He’s been serving pasta dishes for 25 years, but it still stirs up memories of time spent churning out pasta on Sundays alongside his grandparents.

“I learned how to cook from my grandparents,” Orlando said. “They’re all from Abruzzo. They came over [from Italy] and that’s all we did on Sunday, just cook all day long. So, it always smells like that in here to me, and it always reminds me of my childhood — even 25 years into it.”

That kind of familial nostalgia reso nates with Mondo’s customers, many of whom are regulars who have frequented the pasta joint through generations.

“I’m almost on my third gen eration of clientele,” Orlando said. “I have customers whose kids have had kids who are now coming in here.”

Orlando, who grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, said Mondo’s focuses on “neighborhood comfort food” with simple, family recipes that pack big flavor. And pasta is the star of the menu. Mondo’s serves up every kind of pasta an Italian foodie would want — ravioli, mani cotti and a classic, spaghetti and meatballs.

All of Mondo’s pastas are made and extracted inhouse by Orlando, with the exception of the gluten-free pasta and raviolis. Raviolis are sourced from local pasta company Rio Bertolini’s.

“I have no recipes,” Orlando said. “We have no recipes here. It’s all freestyle, like it’s all verbal. I have guys who are 40 years old now that have been with us since they were 16, so it’s different. It’s just an instinct.”

For anyone with Italian heritage, the manicotti at Mondo’s is sure to bring you back to your nonna’s kitchen. Stuffed with spoonfuls of ricotta

cheese and topped with Mondo’s housemade marinara sauce, this Italian version of a tamale is the per fect comfort food for fall.

Though mainstays like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meat balls are always top sellers, more fall dishes will make an appearance as the weather cools, like Bolognese (a meat-based pasta sauce), Italian Wedding Soup, stuffed pastas and lasagna. When City Paper inter viewed Orlando, he said he was

experimenting with a broccoli rabe and meatball lasagna.

Mixing in fall ingredients

Mondo’s isn’t the only place prepping for cooler temps with fall-inspired pasta dishes. Chef Tim Morton at downtown’s Frannie & The Fox said he’ll be adding new dishes with the changing seasons.

Frannie & The Fox sources most of its pasta from a wheat farmer in Italy. To keep the wheat operation running, Morton said, the farmer uses his wheat to make and sell his own pasta. “But all of our fill pastas, we make from scratch

in house,” he added.

One of those fill pastas includes a new fall ravioli stuffed with butternut squash, brown butter and duck confit. But other staple dishes, such as the clam cacio e pepe, a simple cream-based pasta dish made with bucatini, will remain on the menu.

Morton described the popular cacio e pepe dish as being made with a generous amount of parmesan and black pepper. Using a small amount of pasta water, Morton then adds a little bit of clam broth and lemon juice to create a sauce.

“It’s a comfortable thing. It’s very traditional,” he said of the cacio e pepe. “And I think sometimes there’s a reemergence of just simplicity.

Something that’s super rich at its bones, very simple, but when it’s done right, it’s super special.”

Fall is duck-heavy here

King Street Italian eatery Indaco is gearing up for autumn with its fall squash agnolotti cooked with sage and brown butter. Chef Mark Bolchoz said other fall dishes to hit the menu will include duck confit or a duck ragu.

“Fall is always very duck-heavy for me,” he said. “Something about the flavors and what pairs well with it, you know, foie gras, dried cherries, that kind of thing. So, going into the fall, I would definitely say duck is a big one, and we pride ourselves on being a total utiliza tion place.”

Bolchoz explained Indaco tries to use as much of an animal as possible to avoid waste. Duck breasts are broken down for a piatti (or entree) dish; legs are added to a ragu sauce; bones are cooked to create stock, adding a level of depth to its flavor.

“With respect to the ingredient and, in this case, to the animal, it’s great to be able to use every scrap,” he said.

Indaco sources its meats from local purveyors as much as possible, including Spade and Clover, KeeganFilion Farm, Tarvin Seafood and Storey Farms and its pasta is cut or extruded in house. Dense pastas like tagliatelle, ravioli and other filled pastas are made from an egg dough then rolled out and cut either by hand or with a rolling

Photos by Emeline

Frannie & The Fox offers several pasta dishes like the clam cacio e pepe (left) and rigatoni (above)

cutter. Firmer, drier pastas like rigatoni, spaghetti and bucatini are made from dough with just semolina and water and run through a pasta extruder.

Bolchoz said Indaco is “seasonal by design” as the restaurant sources produce and proteins based on what’s in season, though some dishes, like the tagliatelle, have a permanent place on the menu.

“It was the opening dish and obviously it’s a huge hit,” he said. “It’s gone through a bit of modification over time, but it’s still pretty true to the original, which is house-cured pork belly from Keegan [Filion] Farms, pork stock butter, it’s kind of a play on carbonara, so parmesan and then we finish it with that Storey Farms egg and recommend that the guests give that a stir at the table.”

Digging in

Wild Olive on Johns Island has been pumping out pasta since 2009. Chef and owner Jacques Larson, who took over the restaurant six months after its opening, said two of Wild Olive’s current pastas have withstood the test of time, remaining on the menu since the beginning: the tagliatelle alla Bolognese and the pap pardelle with guanciale, which is cured pork jowls or cheek. Guanciale is similar to pancetta, but a bit fattier. It’s typically cured longer, creating a deeper flavor.

Aside from those two dishes, Wild Olive usually runs eight to nine pastas on the menu every night plus regular specials. Larson said some pastas change seasonally, particularly the filled pastas, while others remain.

Pasta from page 7

Rūta Smith

Indaco makes its pasta in-house and incorporates seasonal ingredients into dishes throughout the year

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For this fall, Larson said guests can expect some heavier fall dishes with new filled pastas and a bianca lasagna stuffed with roasted artichokes, spinach and caramelized onions. But, his favorite fall ingredients to cook with are brown butter and sage. “I don’t know why but just like pancetta and sage, it just always screams autumn to me,” he said.

Wild Olive’s short rib gnocchi is another cool weather favorite.

“The gnocchi is the perfect example [of a fall dish],” Larson said. “Anything that’s braised or stewed. People tend to prefer food that, you know, sticks to your ribs and is comforting. For a lot of people, braised meats are synonymous with com fort food.”

With the exception of the glutenfree option, all of Wild Olive’s pastas are made and extruded in-house by its pasta maker, Alberto Deramona, who has been with the restaurant almost since its opening.

Deramona started off as a dishwasher, but Larson said his knack for quickness and precision made it clear that he was naturally talented.

“All those years ago, I trained him on some basic folds, sheeting the pasta, cutting the noodles,” Larson said. “Now, you look at his pasta and it looks like it’s machine made. He’s amazing. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Larson said Deramoma developed a doppio (or double) ravioli dish filled with mushrooms for the summer menu, but look out for new, creative takes on fall

offerings using items like a milk-braised pork or candy roaster squash from Bradford Family Farms.

Pasta from

Photos courtesy Wild Olive

Alberto Deramona (top) is Wild Olive’s resident pasta maker

Though technically a dumpling, gnocchi is often identified as a pasta

Indecisive dining

Let these Charleston chefs choose your night for you with their hand-picked, pre-selected menus

By Elise DeVoe

Even if you study the menu several times before going to a restaurant, the analysis paralysis can hit when you sit down. Should you go with your gut or get the server’s recommendation? Does the progression of menu items make sense? Are you ordering too much food?

To help with this indecisiveness, several restau rants here in Charleston offer tasting menus and chef’s tables, leaving the decision in the chef’s hands. The menu is already set, so sit back, relax and enjoy a stress-free dinner.

‘Let us pick for you’ at Chasing Sage

When visiting Chasing Sage, the staff wants you to feel as if you’re at a friend’s house for an intimate dinner party. At a dinner party, you wouldn’t order food from your host, so Chasing Sage recreates that experience with its “let us pick for you” menu.

“The idea of it is to present an alternating format, where we design a meal around you or your group,

and we don’t keep it super specific,” said Walter Edward, co-chef and co-owner. “We allow a lot of leeway for me, the [other] chef and also for the servers to kind of guide people along this meal, how ever we deem is right for that person.”

When diners choose this experience, they discuss their preferences with the server and can request specific dishes from the a la carte menu, or leave it entirely up to the kitchen. The menu can easily be made vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free. Some courses may come out with one portion per diner, while other courses are better when shared.

The “let us pick for you” menu consists of five courses for $65 per person, with the option to add beverage pairings for an additional $45. When City Paper spoke to Edward, the meal kicked off with a dish that would be the corn kid’s dream: sweet corn agnolotti. This pasta dish is made with polenta that’s cooked in corn stock and corn juice and served atop a corn and basil soup. The finishing touch is popcorn shoots that are grown in-house.

Chasing Sage (above) regularly changes its farm-to-table dishes depending on seasonality and availability

“It’s sort of like corn on corn on corn,” Edward said. “It’s really appreciating all the aspects of corn season in just a few small bites.”

Edward describes the first course as “snacky” and the second course as light and vegetable-focused. The second round of dishes is followed by a bread course, then two more savory plates before dessert.

The menu changes a couple of times per week, so diners can expect a unique experience with every visit.

At the time of writing, the featured dessert was poached pears with pear fritters, brown butter toasted walnuts and miso butterscotch ice cream.

“I love to look at a menu and know that you like certain ingredients in certain preparations, but at the same time, sometimes it can be hard to

know what it’s going to be until you get it,” Edward said. “Sometimes it’s really fun to put the reins in someone else’s hands.”

Chef’s counter at Wild Common

When Wild Common resumed service after the 2020 lockdown, executive chef Orlando Pagán sat down with the restaurant’s owners and suggested a tasting menu-only format. At the time, it was just Pagán and his sous chef running the kitchen, so the duo wanted to focus on only a few dishes and execute them perfectly.

“The main feedback from guests was that they’ve been planning three meals a day — breakfast, lunch and dinner — for the last few months and it’s really good to not even think about [cooking] right now. Just sit down and have somebody cook for me,” Pagán said.

The Spring Street restaurant currently serves a four-course tasting menu with three seatings Wednesday through Sunday and four seatings on Friday and Saturday. For an especially interactive experience, Pagán recommends sitting at the chef’s counter, not to be confused with the chef’s table.

The chef’s table is a private dining experience for groups, while the chef’s counter refers to the eight seats directly in front of the kitchen, allowing diners a front row seat to their meals’ preparation and plating. Guests at the chef’s counter enjoy the same four-course tasting menu as the rest of the dining room, but are able to interact with the chefs more.

“We go deeper into dishes, you know, people tend

to ask more about specific sauces, they see us plating, how the whole structure of the restaurant is and how each course kind of develops,” Pagán said.

The tasting menu begins with smaller portions to ease people into the meal. Right now, for example, the menu may start with crab rice with kimchi or a baked oyster. Then, guests have the option to add a caviar course to their meals. The next course would be a bit more robust, like a duck breast with mush room quiche. For dessert, expect something playful like the chef’s elevated take on a Fig Newton.

Chef Pagán explained that the menu changes fairly often, depending on if he is particularly excited about a specific ingredient or if one of his cooks brings an exciting idea to the table. Guests can expect dishes with an array of influences, from the flavors of Asia to North Africa. The chef added that after 25 years in the industry, he tends to get bored easily and switches up the menu as he sees fit.

“That’s the beauty of it right now. We are not under an umbrella of one cuisine; we touch everything and

Diners can enjoy Wild Common’s (above) unique menu offerings at the chef’s counter or as a private chef’s table dining experience

it keeps it interesting for the cooks and the guests,” Pagán said.

Tasting menu at Sorghum & Salt

One of the best ways to experience the locally-driven, vegetable-forward menu at Sorghum & Salt is by ordering the tasting menu. Prior to 2020, the down town restaurant only offered this chef-curated menu on select days, but now diners can have this experi ence any day that the restaurant is open.

Diners can choose between a four and six-course menu, which are $62 and $85 per person, respec tively. Wine pairings can be added for an additional $35 for four courses and $50 for six. Local produce is the star of Sorghum & Salt’s menu, so over time, vegan dishes were organically added and now, cus tomers can order a completely vegan tasting menu.

Every tasting menu experience at Sorghum & Salt — vegan, vegetarian or otherwise — starts with an amuse-bouche, a bite-sized hors d’oeuvre, then either two or four small plates, an entree and dessert. At the time of writing, the amuse-bouche was an intriguing combination of a homemade peanut butter marshmallow sitting atop salsa

“That’s the beauty of it right now. We are not under an umbrella of one cuisine; we touch everything and it keeps it interesting for the cooks and the guests” —Chef Pagán

Photos by R ū ta Smith

pioneer in refined Lowcountry cuisine for

years, 82 Queen's menu features awardwinning She Crab Soup and Barbecue Shrimp & Grits, served in one of their 11

or iconic garden

Queen Street Charleston, SC

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macha (medium-spice salsa made with dried chiles and nuts), which is topped with fermented collard greens and chopped peanuts.

“It’s a weird one, but it’s really good,” said Trevor Evans, the restaurant’s opera tions manager. “The fermented collards bring spice, the salsa macha brings some sweetness and the homemade peanut butter marshmallow encrusted with pea nuts gives you some really cool texture as well as a flavor combination that you wouldn’t normally be used to.”

From there, diners enjoy one or three more small plates before the entree. A vegan entree Sorghum & Salt has previ ously featured is an eggplant farce that is breaded with panko breadcrumbs, lightly fried and served alongside cherry toma toes, walnut gremolata and chickpea aioli.

For the omnivores, Sorghum & Salt also serves entrees like slow-roasted A-5 Wagyu beef and market fish.

“If there’s two vegans, two people who aren’t and two people with peanut aller gies at one table, we will accommodate on a per-plate basis,” Evans said. “We make things as similar as possible so diners can have the same experience.”

For dessert, diners can expect a dish like vegan white chocolate mousse made with soy and coconut milk atop Meyer lemon puree, which is garnished with

popcorn powder and pistachios. For nonvegans, the dessert is also topped with caramelized white chocolate.

If you want to check out Sorghum & Salt’s tasting menu, the restaurant offers a standard, vegetarian and vegan tasting menu every night. The restaurant is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and reservations can be booked on Resy or by phone.

Chef menus from page

Photos by R ū ta Smith

Sorghum & Salt can accommodate all diets

USUAL.

NO LONGER

These Charleston establishments bring French fries to the forefront

By Michael Pham

French fries can be a simple side dish added to almost any meal. Burger? Pair it with fries. Steak? Fries, please. This crispy variety of potato is often an unadorned, though beloved, afterthought, but with the right toppings, fries can be the star of the show — the pièce de résistance of a night out.

Just because a French fry dish is listed under “appetizers” on a menu doesn’t mean it can’t be a meal in itself. These five Charleston restaurants are changing what it means to snack on fries.

Clam Chowder over fries

The Darling Oyster Bar

What started as a play on poutine became one of The Darling’s most pop ular appetizers: clam chowder fries.

“It’s something that’s been a staple dish of ours since the beginning,” said Derick Wade, chef of The Darling.

The Darling’s clam chowder is avail able as a traditional soup paired with sal tines or oyster crackers on the side for $9. But, if you want to test out a new dipping agent, opt for the $3 upcharge to have the chowder poured over French fries, creating what Wade calls “an East Coast or Nor’eastern” poutine.

“We were trying to do something a little different, and wanted to do something like a poutine,” Wade said. “And the clam chowder just kind of came in and stole the show. People love it and eat it up.”

The soup is a take on chunky New England clam chowder, which starts with a traditional creamy broth. Local clams, smoked bacon and vegetables like fennel are added to the broth for flavor and tex ture. Then, the soup is poured over fries,

adding a crunchy texture to the dish. The longer it sits, the more the potatoes absorb the full-bodied chowder.

“[The clam chowder] brings just that full flavor of everything all together and on top of the French fries. It’s just great,” Wade said.

Collison Fries

Holy City Brewing

Holy City Brewing’s Collision Fries (above) and The Darling’s clam chowder over fries may require a fork

Holy City Brewing keeps it nice, easy and cheesy with its Collision Fries, top ping crispy fries with house made beer cheese… and more cheese.

The beer cheese combo of pepper jack and beer balances the cheese’s spice and the beer’s bitter hops. A light brew is the beer of choice at Holy City.

“The bitterness from the beer or a darker beer will translate to the cheese and it’s not always pleasant,” co-owner Chris Brown said. “So while you get a little hint of beer, based on the style used, it’s just a very tasty melted cheese.”

To make the dish even cheesier, sharp cheddar jack tops the Collision Fries and creamy ranch dressing melds the cheeses together. Finally, bacon lardons add fat and a crispy texture to each handful of fries.

Andrew Cebulka

THE SIDE

The other side of potatoes

Potatoes can be cut and cooked in all different shapes and styles. Grated potatoes formed into small cylinders create crunchy tater tots, another favorite variety of potato to accompany burgers and sandwiches.

Charleston City Paper readers have named The Recovery Room Charleston’s best late night bar since 2011, and for good reason. The kitchen is open until 1 a.m. and gives the late night crowd what it wants after a few cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon: Loaded Tater Tachos (tater tots dressed up like nachos).

If you ask a local where to get tots, chances are Recovery Room’s Tater Tachos will probably be the first dish to come to mind.

The potatoes are fried to a golden crisp and drenched in jack and cheddar shredded cheeses. Peppers and onions are added to boost the salinity,

Islander 71’s

She-Crab fries are a successful experiment that landed on the menu for good

while jalapeños add spice and tomatoes add acidity. The Tachos are served with sour cream and salsa on the side to add more creaminess and freshness at your disposal. Each bite is a flavor bomb.

If you want to keep it simple, Recovery Room also offers plain or cheesy tots. (Pro tip: ordering a basket of tots and a can of PBR is still less than $10.)

Bay Street Biergarten serves up another wild side of potatoes with its Freaky Tots. Awaken your taste buds with notes of sweet, salty, savory and umami.

The Freaky Tots are topped with cheese and demiglace, a salty, meaty dark French sauce with hints of sweetness, for full hearty richness. A bit of sweetness also is added with bacon jam to balance the savory demi-glace sauce. For an extra $5, add pulled pork or chicken for an even heartier dish.

The Alley offers three different types of topping specials for its tots (and fries): original, buffalo or chili cheese for $10.

The original is a cheesy, creamy drizzle over potatoes. The cheese dressing is made from melted smoked Gouda fondue and Parmesan cheese. Sour cream is added for acidity and to match the richness of the cheese, while bacon and scallions top it off for a crunch (as if the crispy exterior of the tots weren’t enough!).

For buffalo tots, The Alley uses a buffalo chicken dip and blue cheese dressing and crumbles to help cool it down a tad.

The chili cheese toppings are for those who want to get their fingers messy. The potatoes are topped with a special house made “Holy City chili,” sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions.

French Fries from page 16

She-Crab Fries

Islander 71 Fish House and Deck Bar

Sometimes, the best dish is the least expected one. At least that was the case at Islander 71 when owner Dave Lorenz and partners curated the menu.

Lorenz, his wife Chrissy, partner

Jon Bushnell and others were already working on a she-crab soup for the menu when they started to experiment. There were extra French fries in the kitchen, and they decided to try combining the two seemingly different dishes. The shecrab fries were born.

Lorenz said the process reminded him of an old Reese’s Pieces commercial. “It was like, ‘You put your chocolate in my

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BAR on the Ave’s Surf ‘n’ Turf fries combine land, sea and spud for hearty meal

peanut butter,’ and ‘you put my peanut butter in your chocolate.’ And then they’re like, ‘Oh, this is amazing,’” he said. They had a similar reaction when the she-crab fries were created.

The soup is a mixture of heavy cream cooked with fish stock and she-crab meat. Take this classic Lowcountry dish and combine it with the salty simplicity of French fries for a flavor explosion. Tossed with a house-made fry spice that brings out a sweet, salty, spicy taste, the

fries balance the richness of the soup. The crispy exterior of the fries soften as the drizzle of creamy soup soaks in.

“It was almost by, I don’t want to say mistake, but just like dumb luck that we were like, ‘Let’s put these two flavors together,’ Lorenz said.

Surf ‘n’ Turf fries BAR on the Ave BAR on the Ave on Spruill Avenue in North Charleston is the place to go if you’re looking for creative takes on French fries. Relax and hide away from the hustle and bustle of downtown at this new joint with menu offerings like chicken and waffles, burgers, wings and more.

But one of BAR’s specialty dishes combines land, sea and spuds to create the Surf ‘n’ Turf fries, a mixture of salt, umami and brine for a flavor combo unlike many others.

The savory steak bites, the richness of the three-cheese blend of cheddar, moz zarella and provolone and salt of the fries balances the freshness of the crab meat.

It’s the perfect dish to chow down on after a day at the park or an evening of bar hopping around Park Circle.

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EYES ON THE PIES

Dig into slices of gooey goodness at these Charleston establishments

By Michael Pham

Sometimes a sweet treat is exactly what you need after a savory dinner. Stuffed and full of sodium, sugar is the counteractive ingredient to balance a belly. As the seasons change and temperatures drop, warm, gooey pie with a nice pastry crust makes for the perfect dessert.

If you’re looking to order a slice after your meal without making another stop, these Charleston restaurants offer tasty pies that pair well with the menus.

Slightly North of Broad SNOB’s signature pie is a warm sour cream apple pie, a classic dessert item that’s been on the menu since it first opened its doors 29 years ago.

Sour cream may not sound like a typ

ical pie ingredient, but it is what separates SNOB’s apple pie from the rest. Sour cream is folded into the filling, and once baked, creates an almost cheesecakelike texture, according to gen eral manager Analisa Muti.

“It gives it a lot more depth,” she added. “And the flavor pro file is completely different. It has

SNOB (above) and Swig & Swine (right) offer new takes on classic pie recipes

from

a kind of a cream cheese flavor, and a little tartness from the sour cream.”

That sour cream custardlike filling is then poured over the thinly sliced Granny Smith apples prior to baking, seeping into each layer. Once sliced, the pie is topped with a house-made walnut streusel and a cinnamon vanilla drizzle for more depth and a little fall spice.

“I would say, if you were gonna round out a meal with a slice of apple pie after your pork chop, [this pie is] perfect,” Muti said. She also sug gested pairing the pie with the signature espresso martini.

Magnolia’s

After digging into one of Magnolia’s creative entrees like the Lowcountry bouil labaisse or shellfish over grits, top

off the night with a classic — the Southern pecan pie.

Magnolia’s pecan pie is lay ered with a praline lace cookie and topped with roasted pecans and bourbon caramel. Served warm, the pie is paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to round out the flavors of pecan and caramel.

The simplicity of the roasted pecans and caramel in this dish stir up memories of digging into a homemade pie at grandma’s house on a cool autumn evening.

And if you love the pie enough after that first bite, you can preorder a whole one for the holidays.

Swig & Swine

After chowing down on pork rind nachos or a brisket sandwich, wrap up your meal with one of three pies offered at Swig & Swine: chocolate cream, Nutter Butter and chocolate bourbon pecan.

Swig & Swine keeps its chocolate cream pie simple, with a smooth, silky chocolate cream juxtaposed

Ms. Rose’s cookie brownie pie combines two classics for a rich, chocolately slice

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with a crispy flaky crust. For the Nutter Butter pie, Swig & Swine takes the classic flavors of this crunchy, peanut buttery snack and transforms it into a small, singleserving pie form.

The chocolate bourbon takes a small spin on a classic. It starts with a pecan pie, but instead of adding traditional ingredients like caramel or corn syrup, Swig & Swine includes the balanced flavors of sweet and bitter chocolate, offsetting the toastiness of the pecans.

Ms. Rose’s Fine Food & Cocktails

After a hearty flounder sandwich or mussels linguine at Ms. Rose’s, don’t forget to leave room for its signature cookie brownie pie or its current seasonal offering, the Mile High Cinnamon Apple Pie.

While some menu items change with the seasons, the cookie brownie pie stays in the spotlight. It’s been on the menu since Ms. Rose’s opened in 2012, according

to Amanee Neirouz, current opera tions manager of Ms. Rose’s and former head of Relish Restaurant Group’s pastry department.

The cookie brownie pie is exactly how it sounds: a cookie and a brownie in pie form. Think of a cookie cake, but twice as thick and with a fudgy brownie base.

The layers are baked together and served with vanilla ice cream to enhance the sweetness of the chocolate brownie, and drizzled with caramel and chocolate.

For the new Mile High Cinnamon Apple Pie, the bakers at Ms. Rose’s stuff the pie crust with green and red apples to create a balance of sweet and sour. Brown cinnamon sugar coats the slices of apple to add a bitter and spice element, pleasantly awakening all your taste buds. Finally, an oatmeal streusel tops the pie to add an extra crunch.

Ms. Rose’s Mile High Cinnamon Apple Pie is its seasonal offering for fall

R ū ta Smith

MODEL

CP Hotlist

New to our quarterly Dish is the CP Hotlist, which shines a spotlight on notable, relatively new hot restaurants that have impressed our cuisine team. We encourage you to check them out and let us know whether you think they should be added to our Top 50 list.

On the CP Hotlist (in alphabetical order):

Berkeley’s (2021), downtown Charleston. Soak in the North Central neighborhood from the front patio and escape King Street crowds at this spot that feels like going over to a friend’s home for dinner. Berkeley’s keeps its menu relatively simple but packs big flavor into each dish with plenty of options for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. Opt for a traditional or vegetarian cheesesteak (made with mushrooms) or select another savory sandwich. If you’ve craving something heavier, look to chicken or eggplant parmesan, cavatappi or hanger steak. Moderate. EatAtBerkeleys.com. Lunch, dinner, Wed.-Sun.

The Pass (2021), downtown Charleston. If you’re looking for an OMG sandwich experience, this is the joint. Not only does it have a tuna crudo sandwich named OMG, but every one of the “unapologetically interesting sandwiches” could have “OMG” as part of their names. Among the other delights served up in the 700-squarefoot space: the Cacio e Pepe, a sand wich served on sourdough bread filled with cheesy goodness mixed with the saltiness of prosciutto and a drizzle of truffle honey; Such a Nice Italian Boy, a classic Italian sandwich with pickled Calabrian chili relish on a ciabatta roll; and the LBC, the perfect breakfast sandwich with house-cured lox, house made scallion cream cheese, cucumbers and pickled onions on an everything bagel. Inexpensive. Thepasschs.com.

Lunch, Wed.-Sun.

Philosophia (2022), Mount Pleasant. A new entry for East Cooper dining, Philosophia blends the joy of dining with friendship and a menu that rocks

Greek cuisine. “Amazingly good Greek food served in one of the most attrac tive new restaurants in the area,” one satisfied gourmand said. Favorites include starters of pesto hummus and Greek pimento cheese and main dishes of pastitsio, whole branzino and stuffed leg of lamb. Wow. Moderate to expensive. Philosophiamtpleasant.com. Dinner Wed.-Sun.

Pink Bellies (2021), downtown Charleston. From humble beginnings as a food truck serving hungry College of Charleston students to a stall in former food hall Workshop, Pink Bellies has now morphed into a bustling hot Vietnamese spot in midtown. Cult-followers enjoy Thai Phi’s spicy, decadent garlic noodles and other Vietnamese fare in a moody, yet vibrant dining room that brings a much-needed modern vibe to King Street. Other fan favorites include the spicy lamb dumplings and pho mai burger. Expensive. Eatatpinkbellies.com. Dinner, Thurs.-Sun.

Rancho Lewis (2022), Charleston Neck. Barbecue chef extraordinaire John Lewis, already known for bringing his tasty Texas brisket to Charleston, adds Tex-Mex to the mix with Rancho Lewis, where he uses his favorite Hatch chiles in many dishes. The tortillas are made fresh onsite, and, if you can stray from the tempting tacos, the burger — made with brisket — is terrific. Another diner raved: “Don’t leave without eating the steak fajitas. Period.” Moderate. Rancholewischs.com. Lunch, Wed.-Sun.

Vern’s (2022), downtown Charleston. Tucked on the corner of Bogard and Ashe streets, Vern’s is the definition of a friendly neighborhood dining spot. And boy, is it popular. This New American restaurant offers familystyle meals, which allow everyone at a table to enjoy dishes like gnochetti sardi, a rich and creamy gnocchi dish with arugula and walnut pesto, or the bavette steak with a sweet-tart balsamic glaze. Expensive. VernsChs. com. Dinner, Thurs.-Sun; Brunch, Sat.-Sun.

SPECTACULAR

Dining with

& Dinner

Dat at

Additions to the local food scene that are worth taking note of

The shrimp and grits at Slightly North of Broad

Rūta Smith file photo

Our go-to restaurants for everything from decadent to down-home fare

Looking for a bite to eat in Charleston can be overwhelming. Simply searching the internet for “food in Charleston” can yield inconsistent results. Fortunately, we’ve narrowed down the list to the city’s Top 50 restaurants, a not-so-easy task. From steak and scallops to Japanese fried chicken and curry mac and cheese, there’s no shortage of classic and traditional foods you can find in the Holy City. But what sets these 50 establishments apart isn’t the price or location, but the dedication each establishment puts into providing a memorable dining experience. This is the list to give family or friends visiting the city; the list to scan through when you’re undecided; the list with options for every budget; and the list that, like Charleston and the seasons, always changes.

The list is organized in alphabetical order.

167 Raw Oyster Bar

SEAFOOD

Moderate Downtown. 193 King St. (843) 579-4997

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Surrounded by high-end boutiques, swanky inns, antique stores and art gal leries, 167 Raw’s King Street home sits along a quiet stretch of storefronts. But fear not, it still boasts the same lineup of New England bivalves and lobstah rolls that were much-lauded at its existing original (and teeny) spot at 289 East Bay St., which now operates as 167 Sushi Bar. The first floor of 167 Raw’s ever-socharming 19th century building is long and narrow, with original brick walls and a walnut bar. Even with four times (at least) as much seating as its original space, 167 Raw gets packed. Arrive early to tuck into your 10-hour carnita taco and tuna burger.

Basic Kitchen

CAFE

Moderate Downtown. 82 Wentworth St. (843) 789-4568

basickitchen.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.), Weekend Brunch

In a city filled with hearty Southern cuisine, sometimes it’s tricky to find a flavorful, light meal. Not the case at Basic Kitchen. According to co-owner Ben Towill, that has been exactly the goal since opening the restaurant with his wife Kate in 2017. “We want to provide massive flavor and a meal that’s hearty but still feels light,” he said. Robin Hollis, who took over as Basic Kitchen execu tive chef in July 2019, has honed in on this mission by creating more whole some dishes that highlight vegetables from local purveyors. BK’s lunch menu is divided into small plates, bowls, salads, sandwiches and sweets. For dinner selec tions, it offers big plates like market fish with peach salsa, cilantro, avocado and lime or chicken or cauliflower schnitzel.

Bertha’s Kitchen

SOUL FOOD

Inexpensive

Downtown. 2332 Meeting Street Road.

(843) 554-6519

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Fri.)

Head up Meeting Street until you see a two-story robin’s egg blue building with purple trim and a line stretching out the door. The Southern soul food platters here are so tasty, generous and inexpen sive, that the line starts forming well before it’s open for lunch. Businessmen, laborers and far-flung tourists alike shuffle through the quick cafeteria-style service counter loaded with a smorgas bord of meat and threes, such as fried pork chops, fish specials, yams, stewed greens, home-style mac and cheese,

on

Top 50

limas nestled with smoked turkey necks, dark roux okra soup, moist cornbread and fried chicken better than anyone’s grandma ever made. Bertha’s building was announced for sale earlier this year, but has since been taken off the market.

Bistronomy by Nico

FRENCH

Expensive Downtown. 64 Spring St. (843) 410-6221 bistronomybynico.com

Serving Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

One month after getting the keys to 64 Spring St., Bistronomy by Nico coowners Nico Romo and Dominique Chantepie opened the French bistro after revamping the space previously occu pied by Josephine Wine Bar. The cuisine mirrors the vibrant atmosphere and draws on celebrated dishes from Romo’s 10 years at Fish, which closed in 2017 after 17 years on King Street. Romo calls Bistronomy’s menu approachable French cuisine with an Asian fusion twist. The menu changes seasonally, but at the time of publishing, it included items like frog legs, 24-hour short ribs, bouillabaisse and escargot rice dumplings. If you want to sample Romo’s fare in Mount Pleasant, his original bistro NICO sits right off of Shem Creek.

Bowens Island Restaurant

SEAFOOD

Moderate James Island. 1870 Bowens Island Road. (843) 795-2757

bowensisland.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Don’t expect white tablecloth and maitre d’service at Bowens Island. It’s famously no frills, but it’s worth it. The nightly crowds are a testament to the family fish camp. Since its founding in 1946, it’s grown from a grimy, albeit quaint, cinder block outpost to a pluff-mud pantheon that offers up damn good fried seafood, hushpuppies and cold local beer in its upstairs dining room. Follow your nose downstairs and elbow-out yourself a space at the all-you-can-eat oyster tables and slurp down tasty local oysters by the shovelful that were likely pulled off the marsh that day. Oyster season or not, we have a hard time passing up the Frogmore Stew, a pot full of potatoes, sausage, corn on the cob and shrimp steamed together as God intended it.

Butcher & Bee

MEDITERRANEAN

Moderate Downtown. 1085 Morrison Drive. (843) 619-0202 butcherandbee.com

Serving Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

Butcher & Bee is an elevated restaurant that belies its hipster hangout roots in its old dark, tiny space on Upper King Street. B&B’s menu features a range of dishes with everything from falafel to crispy schnitzels and carefully crafted local seafood to veggie-forward dishes. B&B’s mezze selection is a collection of small plates with a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influence, an excellent feature on the menu for brunch, lunch and dinner. It’s safe to say that pretty much anything you order from here will be incredibly creative.

Charleston Grill

MODERN AMERICAN

Very Expensive Downtown. 224 King St. (843) 577-4522 charlestongrill.com

Serving Dinner (Wed.-Thurs.)

Amid ever-shifting culinary fashions, Charleston Grill has remained one of the city’s crown jewels by delivering a consistently flawless dining experience. Executive chef Michelle Weaver’s dishes can be decadently lush, like her beef ten derloin with a red wine gastrique or seared foie gras, spiked with a strawberry jam and balsamic vinegar. The dishes are bal anced, ingredient-centric creations, while contemporary spins on Southern cuisine are bold and satisfying. The best way to experience the full sweep of the cuisine is to pick out items from each section of Weaver’s menu and sit back to enjoy the house jazz band tucked in the corner.

Chasing Sage

MODERN AMERICAN

Moderate Downtown. 267 Rutledge Ave. (854) 444-3402 chasingsagerestaurant.com

Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Focused on farm-to-table cuisine, Chasing Sage is always a delight because you never quite know what dishes will appear on the menu. The plates rotate regu larly, depending on what’s in season and what local purveyors provide. You might indulge in small plates like corn dump-

lings with bacon and chili oil or blue crab lettuce wraps topped with avocado and watermelon. Plates are organized by price and designed to be shared. Dishes are often veggie-forward, but there are plenty of options for meat eaters. If you’re dining with a large group, opt for the chef’s choice and let the kitchen decide.

Chez Nous

FRENCH

Expensive Downtown. 6 Payne Court. (843) 579-3060 cheznouschs.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Tues.-Sun.),

Sun. Brunch

Most mornings before lunch, the Chez Nous Instagram feed (@cheznous charleston) features a picture of the day’s menu, handwritten in black ink on a small white card in executive chef Jill Mathias’ eccentric and highly stylized script. Next comes a separate picture of each and every dish being served that day, taken from above in flawless light. Admittedly, it’s only seven pictures

total, since Chez Nous serves just two starters, two entrees and two desserts, and the selection changes daily. The set ting is charmingly old and the cuisine European-inspired, but it’s hardly a throwback to an older mode of dining. Chez Nous stands alone just as it is, an eccentric outlier. With such a dynamic menu, any review of Chez Nous is by necessity a fleeting snapshot.

Chubby Fish

SEAFOOD

Expensive Downtown. 252 Coming St. (843) 222-3949 chubbyfishcharleston.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Executive chef James London serves a hyper-local, daily changing menu at this vibrant Coming Street restaurant, which opened in June 2018. And while the fish selection may vary, London is known for a few signature preparations. Expect raw oysters, crudos and likely one small plate that incorporates caviar. We recommend ordering several dishes and sharing with the group before finishing off with sweets from Life Raft Treats’ Cynthia Wong,

who supplies Chubby Fish with dessert. Chubby Fish doesn’t take reservations, but it’s well worth the wait for one of 30 or so seats inside a restaurant that prides itself on turning under utilized types of fish into dishes you’ll crave for weeks.

Coda del Pesce

ITALIAN/SEAFOOD

Expensive

Isle of Palms. 1130 Ocean Blvd. (843) 242-8570 codadelpesce.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

With Coda del Pesce, chef/owner Ken Vedrinski of former downtown main stay Trattoria Lucca headed out to Isle of Palms to create a beachside Italian sea food restaurant. The beautiful secondstory dining room has brick walls, reclaimed wood floors and, in a rarity for the Lowcountry, floor-to-ceiling windows offering a lovely view of the Atlantic. It’s an ideal setting for Vedrinski’s signa ture high-end Italian fare, which offers plenty of bright flavors and unexpected twists. Masterful pasta anchors the primi selection, which includes ricotta gnudi tossed with mushrooms, guanciale (pork

jowls) and vacche rosse Parmesan cheese.

The secondi highlights fresh fish like swordfish and swordfish “marsala.” Pair any of these with an Italian wine from the impressive list, and you’ll have one splendid fish tale to share with friends.

Dave’s Carry-Out

SOUL FOOD/SEAFOOD

Inexpensive Downtown. 42-C Morris St. (843) 577-7943 facebook.com/Daves-CarryOut-111720082197029/

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

This soul food joint offers a true taste of Charleston. For under $10 you can get a takeout box filled to the brim with the best of Lowcountry cooking like pork chops, crispy chicken wings and finger-lickin’ ribs. The selection of sides is small but tasty — try the lima beans, thick steak fries or rice. The lunch specials change daily, but your best bet is to go with a seafood platter, which ranges from $10 for a generous por tion of shrimp to $20 for shrimp, fish, scal lops and deviled crab. If you want a true

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Experience by the taste, half glass, full glass or bottle

Full Menu and Bar Daily Happy Hour 5-7pm Live Music Thu-Sun BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY EARLY!

Uncorkchs.com

Top 50

local experience, opt for the lima beans and rice. It’s meaty and filling. A few tables allow customers to dine in, but most folks get their Dave’s to-go, whether for lunch or a greasy late-night snack.

Delaney Oyster House

SEAFOOD Moderate Downtown. 115 Calhoun St. (843) 594-0099 delaneyoysterhouse.com

Serving Dinner (daily)

The Neighborhood Dining Group — owners of Husk — have converted an old single house on Calhoun Street into a stunner of a seafood restaurant. The raw bar offerings range from local oysters and clams to hackleback caviar, and executive chef Shamil Velazquez’s inventive small plates are stylish and intensely flavored. The menu has featured rich poached lobster tossed with mayo and lemon and a golden tilefish served with roasted carrots, apple and collard green salad. Each dish is finished with a precise visual style that befits the picture-perfect setting. Grab a

seat out on the second floor piazza, order a glass of chilled red wine and dig in.

Edmund’s Oast

MODERN AMERICAN Expensive Downtown. 1081 Morrison Drive. (843) 727-1145 edmundsoast.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Daily), This hip gastropub has a laid-back vibe. There are communal tables, as well as a chef’s counter and an expansive outdoor patio. Chef Bob Cook’s menu highlights include the house-made charcuterie and cheese plates, plus upscale bar food like barbecue escargot, port skirt steak or spicy Korean meatballs with pine apple and Carolina gold rice. The drink menu is every bit as compelling, rife with small batch cocktails, meads and a host of inventive beers brewed onsite. And happy hour in The Bower when the weather’s nice, well, the price and vibes cannot be beat.

AND HOLIDAY PARTIES

Estadio

TAPAS

Moderate Downtown. 122 Spring St. estadio-chs.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Estadio, which opened on Spring Street in October 2019, is technically the second outpost of a successful Washington, D.C., Spanish-style bar and tapas restaurant. The decor and the deep sherry and gin selection echo the D.C. original, but exec utive chef Alex Lira’s impressive menu is unique to Charleston. The pintxos and tapas — grilled shrimp on skewers, deviled eggs and caviar and matriano hashbrowns with black and white ancho vies — offer beguiling little bites. Fresh local crudo and flat iron steak cooked with a poblano romesco and served with caramelized leek mashed potatoes are offered on the heavier side. With a slate of sherry cocktails, “gin tonics” made with rare Spanish brands and porróns of wine, Estadio brings a brilliant taste of Spain to the heart of downtown Charleston.

EVO

PIZZA

Inexpensive

North Charleston. 1075 E. Montague Ave. (843) 225-1796 evopizza.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

At EVO, the use of fresh, local ingredi ents is key, and it’s been keeping it local from the very beginning, back when it was a mobile wood-fired oven serving pizza at the farmers market in Marion Square. Large chalkboards decorate the walls, listing local ingredients from various farms, along with daily specials, ranging from house-made sausages to duck crostini. But we’re partial to the pizza. The crust is thin and slightly charred, and the mozzarella is made fresh and pulled in-house twice a day. The pistachio pesto pie was named one of the best pizzas in the country by Food Network Magazine, and the sinful Pork Trifecta keeps customers coming back.

Check out the beer list for what’s on tap, and you’ll find plenty of local brews to keep your inner beer snob happy.

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

FRENCH BISTRO

Moderate

Downtown. 550 King St. (843) 203-6297 felixchs.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sun.), Brunch (Sat.-Sun.)

If you’re looking for a bright, comfort able French bistro in which to relax with delicious food with small plates and a soothing glass of wine or a cocktail, this is the place. We like a lot of what’s on the menu of this French-style bistro and bar, but will direct you to three classics that won’t disappoint – French onion soup, lobster deviled eggs and steak frites. “Everything is exceptional,” said one patron who returns time and again. “If you are hungry and want a burger, get the Raclette Burger. Do not add any condi ments, eat it as served. Be prepared to have a food orgasm.”

FIG MODERN AMERICAN

Very Expensive

Downtown. 232 Meeting St. (843) 805-5900 eatatfig.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

In 2003, chef Mike Lata set out to prove that “food is good.” After blazing a trail for the robust local farm-to-table restaurant scene, FIG still stands out, winning awards and creating devo tees year after year. Although snag ging a reservation can be a challenge, the seasonally inspired cuisine and impeccable service are worth the effort. Change is a constant, but stalwart menu standbys, like the pillowy ricotta gnocchi alla Bolognese, never fail to satisfy. Be sure to check out the wine offerings, as — along with two nods for Best Chef Southeast — FIG is also a national James Beard award-winner for Outstanding Wine Program.

The Glass Onion

NEW SOUTHERN Moderate

West Ashley. 1219 Savannah Hwy. (843) 225-1717

ilovetheglassonion.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.), Sat. Brunch

Since 2008, the Glass Onion has exempli fied the “neighborhood favorite” category — a restaurant less formal and ambi tious than a fine dining spot but still delivering seriously delicious meals. The offerings blend the home cooking of chef/ owner Chris Stewart’s native Alabama with dishes and styles he absorbed while working in fine dining kitchens first in New Orleans and then in Charleston. That means hearty, savory gumbo brim ming with okra and sausage and Cajun fish cakes made with shrimp and catfish, served with Charleston red rice, collard greens and a red remoulade. Pristine local seafood makes for fresh, satisfying plates, like pan-roasted trout served over tender braised beans and thick mashed potatoes. While some have become staples on the menu like the shrimp po’boy, others rotate daily, with a new menu available every day at 11 a.m. on the website.

Halls Chophouse

STEAKHOUSE

Expensive Downtown. 434 King St. (843) 727-0090

Hallschophouse.com

Serving Dinner (Mon.-Thurs.), Lunch (Sat.-Sun.)

Sure, there are newer and “hotter” restau rants, but Halls Chophouse is a special occasion classic for a reason. You can’t get better service with your steak, the wine list includes some unexpected offerings and the cocktails are generous. And the steak, of course, is fabulous. Pro tip: order the giant tomahawk cut and split it. One diner told us to order any of the dried aged steaks, especially if you need a reason to cry tears of joy. “While I have only eaten there a few times for dinner,” he said. “I dream of the next opportunity to go back.”

Hannibal’s Kitchen

SOUL FOOD

Inexpensive Downtown. 16 Blake St. (843) 722-2256 Hannibalkitchen.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Sun.-Sat.)

Hannibal’s Kitchen is a no-frills soul food joint on the East Side of downtown Charleston that has “been feeding the

soul of the city” for more than 40 years. After serving the community for so many years, Hannibal’s has become an institu tion in the Charleston food scene. It was even listed on The New York Times 2021 top 50 restaurants in the country. Try the signature dish “crab and shrimp rice.” Salmon, shrimp and shark steak are three other hot items at lunch time. And don’t skip out on the traditional Southern sides including lima beans, okra soup, fried chicken, pork chops and collard greens.

Husk Restaurant

NEW SOUTHERN

Expensive

Downtown. 76 Queen St. (843) 577-2500

huskrestaurant.com

Serving Dinner (daily), Brunch (Sat.-Sun.)

Husk has outposts in Nashville, Greenville and Savannah, but this loca tion — housed in a white mansion on Queen Street — is the original. Here, the kitchen creates must-try marvels with a frequently changing menu like Southern fried chicken skins, “Kentuckyaki” pigs ear lettuce wraps or the hulking Carolina heritage pork chop, while dessert offer ings include such innovations as the savory-sweet cornbread pudding. There’s a welcoming, rustic atmosphere indoors, but if weather permits, sit out on the upstairs porch and enjoy what is, without hesitation, Southern food at its best.

Indaco

ITALIAN Moderate

Downtown. 526 King St. (843) 727-1228 Indacorestaurant.com

Serving Dinner (daily), Brunch (Sat.-Sun.)

If you’re looking for classic Italian pizza and pasta in a chic but laid back setting, Indaco is the place to go. Choose from classic Italian antipasti like polpette (meatballs) and prosciutto di parma; wood-fired pizzas, including a spicy sop pressata; and handmade pastas like the staple tagliatelle with pork tesa and black pepper, topped with a Storey Farms egg, chives and Parmesan. For the full Indaco experience, order the “for the table” chef’s choice, which includes a three-course meal for $50 per person. One frequent Indaco diner said, “This is comfort food your Italian grandma would make if she kept up with food trends. You can’t go wrong with the pizza, which changes sea-

sonally, or the evergreen tagliatelle.”

Jack of Cups Saloon

INTERNATIONAL

Inexpensive Folly Beach. 34 Center St. (843) 633-0042

jackofcupssaloon.net

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Wed.-Mon.)

Jack of Cups Saloon describes its cuisine as “globally inspired comfort food made with love,” and anyone who has dined here understands why. Jack of Cups co-owner and chef Lesley Carroll puts creativity and care into every dish she develops. And she’s always quick to offer a smile or share a laugh with diners. Menu offerings rotate with the seasons and incorporate unique, unexpected flavor combinations like the ever-popular red curry mac and cheese. Other unusual and delicious offerings that have popped up on the menu include Tom Kha Gai gnocchi, a traditional Thai coconut broth-turned-sauce blended with a classic Italian dumpling, and Cap’N Crunch deviled eggs. Check the menu ahead of time to discover the latest Jack of

Cups creations. One diner is particularly fond of the ever-changing menu. “The sea sonal menu brings new, exciting changes every quarter,” she said. “This summer’s Cashew Korma was hands down the best curry I’ve ever put in my mouth. Sweet and savory, I couldn’t get enough. I felt like I died and went to curry heaven.”

Jackrabbit Filly

CHINESE Moderate

North Charleston. 4628 Spruill Ave. (843) 460-0037

jackrabbitfilly.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Wed.-Sat.), Sun. Brunch

The menu at Jackrabbit Filly — Shuai and Corrie Wang’s brick-and-mortar jump from their popular Short Grain food truck — takes quintessential Asian fare, and adds some vamp. The pork and cab bage dumplings are where Yangtze meets Ganges, with a rich mix of pork, cabbage, ginger and coriander encased inside the perfectly cooked pasta wrapper. Topped with a pungent chinkiang vinegar and Lao Gan Ma chili crisp sauce, the first bite is

like suddenly finding something in life you hadn’t even realized was missing. Short Grain’s beloved karaage endures — the meat is juicy, the coating crunchy and the drizzle of lemon mayo and ponzu, along with some togarashi-induced heat, should be presented with the following dis claimer: “The karaage is a small structure made of chicken. It is delicious, and you are not ready for it.”

Kwei Fei

CHINESE Moderate James Island. 1977 Maybank Hwy. kweifei.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Set next door to Charleston Pour House in the space previously occupied by The Lot, Kwei Fei’s interior looks the sameish, except now the chairs are yellow and you’ll find some Asian knick knacks scattered about. But the updates are the only understated thing about Kwei Fei. Pretty much nothing else — from the food to the music to the chef himself — can be described as subtle. Kwei Fei’s menu is an equally wild ride, offering an

array of appetizers, entrees and veggiebased sides sorted into blocks labeled “Loud,” “Hot” and “Vibes.” The crescent dumplings are an outstanding way to give your tastebuds a crash course in the events to come. Made with ground pork and redolent Sichuan pepper, the five plump dumplings are served in a soybased, vinegary sauce and topped with fresh cilantro and chives. Hot, sour, salty, sweet: everyone’s here. On the “vibes” side of things, vegetarians are well-taken care of with the dry-fried green beans. Here some rice makes sense and adds bulk to the dry, fried shiitakes and peppers, which are coated in sichuan peppercorn and fermented bean paste, served with mushrooms and of course, peppers.

Le Farfalle

ITALIAN

Expensive

Downtown. 15 Beaufain St. (843) 212-0920 lefarfallecharleston.com

Serving Lunch (Mon.-Sat.), Dinner (daily), Sun. Brunch

Led by celebrated chef Michael Toscano, Le Farfalle is certain to delight. The bright,

tickets

upscale space is generously laid out with an elegant bar suitable for a quick lunch of agnolotti pasta or a relaxed after-dinner conversation over craft cocktails. Dinner service starts with a slice from the restau rant’s ginormous wedge of ParmigianoReggiano cheese, but matters are then in your own hands. Seasonal appetizer stand outs have included a veal tartare toast served with shoestring fries and a sublime octopus carpaccio. You can’t go wrong with the house-made pastas, and other memo rable dinner selections have included a vibrant whole branzino with pine nuts and a tender fried chicken picatta.

Lenoir

NEW SOUTHERN

Moderate Downtown. 68 Wentworth St. (843) 534-9031 Dineatlenoir.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

Chef Vivian Howard’s first restaurants outside Eastern North Carolina opened in Charleston in the first half of 2021. After PBS’ A Chef’s Life introduced Howard to audiences far from her first restau rant, Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, N.C.,

she now has two concepts open in the Wentworth-facing side of the downtown Renaissance Hotel. Handy & Hot checks the boxes as the hotel’s quick-service lobby cafe (with the addition of snackable hand pies and knockout biscuit sandwiches), but Lenoir is where Howard will make her mark. Tables ring the cozy dining room around a central bar, and a steady stream of reinvented Southern specialties flow from the kitchen. With dishes ranging from cornbread fritters and blueberry bar becue chicken wings to the K-town patty melt, Howard’s touch as a chef is apparent without taking things too seriously.

Leon’s Fine Poultry & Oysters

SEAFOOD

Moderate Downtown. 698 King St. (843) 531-6500 leonsoystershop.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

The chargrilled oysters at Leon’s embody the restaurant’s approach to food: unfussy and delicious. The “Fry-Up”

Perfect for Tailgate season!

premier choice for bartending service

Charleston

Top 50

platter is a choice of oysters, shrimp, catfish or clams battered and delicately fried and served with a tartar sauce so good we sometimes just dip a fork in it in between bites. If we know anything about restaurateurs Brooks Reitz and Tim Mink, it’s that they know how to design a restaurant that both looks and feels good. This is the kind of place that gets in your regular rotation because it’s comfortable, delicious and reliable.

Lewis Barbecue

BARBECUE

Moderate Downtown. 464 N. Nassau St. (843) 805-9500

lewisbarbecue.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

Lewis’ building houses four custom-built smokers and a sausage smoker that can cook 1,600 links at a time, all hand-built by Lewis and his father. Once inside, you’ll queue up to have meat hand-sliced by one of two meat-cutters stationed behind a long counter directing you to opposite ends. Lewis’ “life changing” beef brisket is definitely the star. The infinitely tender meat has a salty, peppery crust and shines with melted fat. But there’s also juicy smoked turkey, pulled pork, pork ribs and Texas sausage called “hot guts” available and priced by the pound (or hot guts by the link). After your tray is filled with your order of meats, choose your sides from mustardy potato salad, lemon slaw, cowboy beans and rich green chile corn pudding.

Little Miss Ha

VIETNAMESE

Moderate Mount Pleasant. 915 Houston Northcutt Blvd. (843) 388-7251

Littlemissha.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Janice Hudgins’ elevated fast casual Vietnamese restaurant grew from humble beginnings. What started as a family endeavor, doing private dinners and popups, turned into a booth at former food court The Workshop, which morphed into the current full-service restaurant Hudgins opened in Mount Pleasant in early 2020. Hudgins’ brother Ryan is the executive chef but their mother (“Miss Ha”) was the inspiration behind the res taurant. So it goes without saying, “mom’s egg rolls” are a standout on the menu. We have a special affinity for the dumplings,

spicy green curry and beef pho (though you can swap beef for chicken or veg gies). But, you can get a taste of authentic Vietnamese from any of the offerings at Little Miss Ha, where every dish tastes like a home cooked meal.

Maison

FRENCH

Expensive Downtown. 708 King St. (843) 990-9165 maisoncharleston.com

Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Maison shares a low, unassuming King Street building with a climbing gym, but step inside and you’ll find an immacu late invocation of a stylish French bistro. There’s a pewter-topped bar, hexagonal white and black floor tiles and Parisianstyle bistro chairs with white and black woven backs. The menu options — escar gots, steak frites, rabbit en croute — seem to hew to traditional bistro standards at first, but chef Vandy Vanderwarker gives each a creative, flavorful spin. The thick wedge of the monkfish chop has a smooth, buttery bite beneath its golden brown sear, heightened by the unexpected richness of roasted chicken butter sauce. With deep, intense flavors and a playful sensibility, Maison’s daring interpretations of tradi tional French plates are a welcome addi tion to the Charleston scene.

Malagon

TAPAS

Moderate Downtown. 33 Spring St. (843) 926-0475 malagonchs.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

Even experienced tapas lovers may find themselves a bit wide-eyed at Malagon — the comprehensive menu isn’t fooling around. Rather, it gets right down to some sweet tapas tenderness, starting with familiar snacks like marcona almonds and dates wrapped in ham. The mojama (cured tuna belly) is a classic treat. Firm and salty, it’s often referred to as the jamón of the sea. Accompanied by roughly a dozen baby potatoes, tender chunks of octopus have a silky texture similar to that of a rare scallop. The mild flavors of the two soft ingredients are dominated by the sprinkling of smoked paprika on top. Despite being “small plates” and probably owing in part to all the potatoes, your meal can be surpris ingly filling and notably affordable.

Malagon is not only doing something dif ferent, it’s doing it extremely well.

Malika Pakistani Chai Canteen

PAKISTANI Moderate Mount Pleasant. 1333 Theater Drive. (843) 897-5727 Malikacanteen.com

Serving Lunch (Fri.-Sun.) , Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

Owners Maryam Ghaznavi and Raheel Gauba have taken Charleston by storm with their authentic Pakistani com fort food. First starting out as a pop-up in 2019 as Ma’am Saab (which will be opening in the old Jestine’s Kitchen on Meeting Street), the couple introduced a new cuisine to the market, bringing to the table dishes like chicken biryani or aloo gobi. When the couple opened up Malika, they expanded their flavors and brought Pakistani street food to the fold, introducing samosa chaats, aloo tikki, dhamaka burger and chicken tikka rolls. Wash down the spices with local beers,

selected wines and house-made cocktails at one of the few Pakistani restaurants in the country to serve alcohol. But if you’re looking for something traditional, Malika also offers Pakistani staples like mango lassi, a creamy mango shake or Pakola, a rosewater cream soda.

Melfi’s ITALIAN

Expensive Downtown. 721 King St. (843) 513-0307 eatatmelfis.com

Serving Dinner (daily)

Named for the family who once ran a pharmacy in the same space, Melfi’s menu offers updated takes on Italian staples. The polished, old-school dining room is warm and buzzy, providing a welcome backdrop to get your carbs on. Slip into a leather booth and proceed to feast on house-made linguine tossed with clams, or “Roman-ish” pizza, like the Mr. Wally, made with vodka sauce, Fresno peppers, sliced salami and meaty henof-the-woods mushrooms. Don’t miss the delicate tuna crudo with buttery pine nuts and Calabrian chile vinaigrette.

Nana’s Uptown

SOUL FOOD

Inexpensive North Charleston. 5117 Dorchester Road. (843) 937-9311 nanasseafoodsoul.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

Downtown’s Nana’s Seafood & Soul closed in 2020 after nearly two decades on Line Street, but fans of the family owned and operated restaurant can still find its affordable Lowcountry fare at Nana’s Uptown, located in North Charleston at 5117 Dorchester Road. Mother and son duo Carolyn and Kenyatta McNeil’s takeout- and deliveryonly outpost specializes in seafood, with options like, whiting, shrimp, scallops and more. But that’s not all you’ll find at Nana’s. The chicken wings are a must as are daily specials like crab legs with garlic shrimp. For sides, expect the clas sics, with the baked mac and cheese and bread pudding stealing the show and don’t forget to wash it all down with Nana’s signature pineapple sweet tea. If we’ve learned anything over the past two years, it’s that high quality takeout

is something that can’t be taken for granted. Nana’s Uptown delivers every time, offering the North Charleston community an affordable option serving authentic eats.

Neon Tiger

VEGAN Moderate Downtown. 654 King St. (843) 640-3902 neontiger.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

One of a handful of all-vegan establish ments in Charleston, Neon Tiger doesn’t shy away from getting creative with its upscale offerings. The crispy trumpet mushroom calamari is a standout appe tizer option for traditional seafood lovers. To see just what the chefs at Neon Tiger can do with an all plant-based menu, opt for the reuben sandwich with seitan smoked meat or the “big buffalo chicken” sandwich that captures everything you love about a chicken sandwich — sans meat. And while you’re at it, order a pizza for the table to split, like the barbecue jackfruit

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or formaggio and champignon. Whether you’re vegan or just a curious eater looking to try something new, the creativity and flavor of Neon Tiger’s menu will impress.

Oak Steakhouse

STEAKHOUSE

Expensive Downtown. 17 Broad St. (843) 722-4220 oaksteakhouserestaurant.com

Serving Dinner (daily)

Located in a restored 150-year-old bank building, Oak is a long-running favorite for a big Charleston night out. Hefty prime ribeyes and strips are the main attractions, with luxurious family-style accompaniments like creamy whipped potatoes and lobster mac and cheese. Within the traditional steakhouse format, there is always a twist or two, like a daily local seafood special or beef belly with sorghum barbecue sauce. The deep wine list focuses on California reds, and the service is reliably top-notch, regard less of whether you eat downstairs in the bar area, with its exposed brick walls and clubby red leather booths, or at the white cloth-draped tables in the second story dining room, its high windows looking out over Broad Street.

The Obstinate Daughter

SEAFOOD/SOUTHERN

Moderate Sullivan’s Island. 2063 Middle St. (843) 416-5020 theobstinatedaughter.com

Serving Lunch (Mon.-Fri.), Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

At The Obstinate Daughter, executive chef Jacques Larson’s big, open kitchen has a plancha and a wood-fired oven, and he uses it to create a beguiling array of pizzas, pastas and small plates. The pizzas bear tempting toppings, like guanciale, white anchovy or pancetta. The dishes on the rotating “plates” menu range in size from griddled octopus with crispy potatoes and black olive tapenade to swordfish siciliana with green olives, capers, tomatoes, raisins and currant. Fluffy ricotta gnocchi are topped with an intensely flavorful short rib ragu with tender strands of beef in a pool of reddish orange tomato-tinged jus. OD boasts a cheery, casual environment for enjoying Larson’s impressive parade of delicate but flavorful dishes. And that makes it one of the best upscale dining destinations not just out on the beaches, but anywhere in town.

The Ordinary SEAFOOD

Expensive Downtown. 544 King St. (843) 414-7060 eattheordinary.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

In December 2012, a historic King Street bank building found new life as an upscale oyster hall. The Ordinary — second child of Adam Nemirow and chef Mike Lata — opened with soaring 22-foot ceilings, the promise of locally sourced seafood and lots of buzz. The Ordinary was the first of its kind. While regularly packed and filled with an upbeat ambiance, The Ordinary’s high ceilings diffuse the jovial noise to a pleasant buzz. Along with six daily varieties of raw oysters on the half shell, the house-smoked oysters are not to be missed. Presented in an oil and vin egar-filled preserve jar and spiked with slices of crisp pickled celery, the six oys ters are so gently smoked that they are still raw. As a result, each is tender and juicy, the delicate hint of ocean flavor touched with woodsy smoke. Served with fancied-up saltines (brushed with butter and Old Bay), rich, cold creme fraiche and vibrant hot sauce, the com bination is outstanding: cool, crisp and smoky all at once.

Peninsula Grill

NEW SOUTHERN

Very Expensive Downtown. 112 N. Market St. (843) 723-0700 peninsulagrill.com Serving Dinner (daily)

There are milestones in life that require a fancy steak. Or at least the kind of place where one can get a fancy steak. If you’re in the midst of such an occasion, Peninsula Grill has got you covered. Even after more than two decades, Peninsula Grill continues to impress with its luxu rious fare. Executive chef Kalen Fortuna has taken the helm, bringing with him over a decade of fine dining experience with plans to change the restaurant’s course. “We’re trying to take it in a much more refined aspect,” Fortuna said about the restaurant’s new direction. “A lot less meat and the stuff that’s been there for a long time. It’s really just trying to put nice, beautifully composed plates on the dish and working a lot with local farmers and seafood.”

Post House Restaurant

MODERN AMERICAN

Expensive Mount Pleasant. 101 Pitt St. (843) 203-7678 theposthouseinn.com

Serving Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

Post House Restaurant opened in Mount Pleasant in August 2020 after undergoing significant renovations led by Kate and Ben Towill of design and hospitality firm Basic Projects. Post House is a reincarna tion of The Old Village Post House, which closed in February 2019 after 16 years at 101 Pitt St. The Towills completely redesigned the circa-1896 space, moving the main dining room to the back of the restaurant and the bar to face Pitt Street. The space is adorned with antiques, vin tage rugs, local art, archival wallpaper and handcrafted fixtures. You’ll find seasonal snacks, raw bar options, fresh pastas, local seafood and an assortment of vegetarian dishes at Post House. Local seafood mas saman curry, Carolina heritage farm pork with creamy kimchi collard greens and a “backbar” cheeseburger are some of the main dishes that pair with starters like lamb wraps or Anson Mills cornbread.

Post House also features an expansive wine list with bottles from around the world, and those looking for a staycation can grab a room in the quaint inn con nected to the restaurant.

Renzo

PIZZA Moderate Downtown. 384 Huger St. (843) 952-7864 renzochs.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)

This former storefront-turned-hip neighborhood trattoria has a wood-fired oven and knows how to use it. Along with tempting starters like ricotta gnudi, charred broccolini or cavatelli, the menu features a trio of pastas, plus an array of creative Neapolitan-style pizzas. Feeling adventurous? The Cheli offers a tomato base with lamb sausage, tangy pickled peppers, honey and za’atar. There’s a bagel brunch on Sundays, plus Renzo offers one of the area’s largest selections of natural wine.

Rodney Scott’s BBQ BARBECUE

Inexpensive Downtown. 1011 King St. (843) 990-9535 rodneyscottsbbq.com

Serving Lunch, Dinner (daily)

Rodney Scott made waves in 2017 when,

restaurant

after two decades of cooking hogs at his family’s acclaimed operation in Hemingway, he brought his traditional burn barrel style of barbecue down to Charleston. That splendid whole hog — basted in a pepper-laced sauce and pulled into long, succulent strands — remains the foundation of Scott’s offering on King Street, but he’s added a few new options for the city crowd, like meaty spareribs, crisp fried catfish and craft beer on tap. The flawless collards and the ribeye sandwiches, made from pitsmoked steak sliced thin and piled high on soft rolls, are must-try sleepers.

Royal Tern

SEAFOOD

Expensive

Johns Island. 3005 Maybank Hwy. (843) 718-3434

theroyaltern.com

Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

Set on Johns Island between Wild Olive and Minero, The Royal Tern is a wel come and well-positioned addition to that existing pair of successful Maybank Highway restaurants. With a focus on fish, the menu offers an aquarium-full of options. Along with a raw bar, there are a handful of sandwiches, a half-dozen seafood entrees and a hat trick of woodfired steaks. The building is also glorious. Outside, it’s effortlessly stylish and would look just as appropriate nestled amongst a row of upscale beachfront estates. Inside, the chic, airy space boasts wood floors and high ceilings adorned with dramatic lights that resemble giant clusters of white grapes. The interior incorporates a number of current trends, including an open kitchen, marble-topped bar and miles of banquette seating. One of the best-looking joints in the area, The Royal Tern offers a hip place to scratch a variety of seafood itches on Johns Island.

SHIKI

SEAFOOD

Moderate Downtown. 334 E Bay St. (843) 720-8568 shikicharleston.com

Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

One of downtown’s longest standing restaurants, SHIKI delivers fresh sushi rolls, nigiri and more in a cozy, recently renovated dining room. Owner Hae Gon “David” Park opened SHIKI at 334 East Bay St. in 2001 after moving to Charleston from New York City, where

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ICE CREAM & COCKTAILS

he worked at esteemed sushi restaurants like Yuraku, serving as head sushi chef for five years. The chef prides himself on sourcing the highest-quality fish and his technique when making rolls, sashimi and nigiri that is second to none. Patrons who want to go big can order the chef’s choice “omakase,” which translates to “I’ll leave it up to you” in Japanese. Chef Park will bring out a seemingly endless assort ment of sashimi and nigiri bites, allowing guests to try a little bit of everything. For less devout sushi enthusiasts, there are approachable options like tempura shrimp and avocado rolls, teriyaki beef, pork katsu and more. SHIKI’s menu hasn’t changed much over the years, but why would it, as the restaurant helps fill a void in a city that has very few sushi-focused restaurants. Next time you’re in the mood for high quality sushi, give this family owned and operated restaurant a try.

Slightly North of Broad

NEW SOUTHERN

Expensive Downtown. 192 East Bay St. (843) 723-3424 snobcharleston.com

Serving Lunch (Mon.-Fri.), Dinner (daily), Weekend Brunch

Slightly North of Broad is the perfect place to take visiting friends for their first taste of Charleston cuisine, for it embodies so much of what makes the city’s dining scene special. Since taking the reins in 2016, executive chef Russ Moore has deftly balanced the res taurant’s traditional dishes with more forward-looking fare. Pristinely fresh seafood gets an elegant Southern touch on plates like New Bedford scallops with tomato ham hock broth or seared tuna topped with crisp fried oysters and tart yellow “mustard Q” sauce. SNOB was a local charcuterie pioneer and a platter of hearty country pate, savory pork rillettes and lush chicken liver mousse is the per fect evening starter.

Stella’s

GREEK

Moderate Downtown. 114 St. Philip St. (843) 400-0026 stellascharleston.com

Serving Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)

It’s hard to say what’s most striking about Stella’s on St. Philip Street. Is it the hip, yet boisterous vibe? The large portions at an incredibly reasonable price point?

Or the vast, authentic and consistently delicious menu? Regardless of your ulti mate conclusion, this is a trifecta worth a visit… or five. The grilled octopus and spanakopita are simple perfection, while the saganaki is a visual showstopper and an excuse to pig out on cheese. Stella’s own recipes — namely her calamari and braised lamb shank with No. 5 noodles and brown butter shank sauce, are at once comforting and elevated, testimony to the woman who inspired it all.

Wild Olive

ITALIAN Moderate Johns Island. 2867 Maybank Hwy. (843) 737-4177

wildoliverestaurant.com

Serving Dinner (daily)

Right off Maybank Highway sits Wild Olive, chef Jacques Larson’s haven for exquisite Italian fare. Since 2009, it has served as the go-to place for anniversary dinners and reunions with old friends.

A comfortable bar greets those looking for a casual bite, but don’t let that relaxed atmosphere deceive you. Larson’s food is anything but. Incredible (and deca dent) risotto fritters stuffed with sausage, spinach, Parmesan and mozzarella are a great way to start. And always ask about the specials, of which there are plenty.

A past highlight was a pappardelle with prosciutto, pork and escarole. Larson is a firm believer in local and his conviction permeates everything on the plate.

Zero Restaurant + Bar

MODERN AMERICAN Expensive Downtown. 0 George St. (843) 817-7900 zerogeorge.com

Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)

On the grounds of the elegant Zero George Street Boutique Hotel, Zero Restaurant + Bar’s romantic dining room is set in a former carriage house built in 1804. Here, chef Vinson Petrillo whips up innovative tasting menus with the option of four or seven courses, plus optional wine pairings.

Selections vary with the seasons, but anticipate such treats as lightly grilled mackerel served with foie gras and local citrus, or venison prepared with vadouvan curry and taleggio cheese.

Hit up happy hour for a craft cocktail; whether wielding a lead pipe or the candlestick, the bourbon-based Colonel Mustard is sure to pack a punch.

The Best Food Under the Sun!

CHARLESTON’S FAVORITES

TRIED AND TRUE HOLY CITY EATERIES

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Annie O’Love’s Cafe of Sweet Abundance

ANNIE O’LOVE’S CAFE OF SWEET ABUNDANCE

MacDaddy Chik’n Sammie, Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shortcake Jar of Abundance, Dream Big Cookie of Abundance, Cookie Celebration Vegan Cheesecake, Chik’n and Waffles

1901 Ashley River Road, Charleston (843) 225-8368 • annieolovegranola.com

CHARLESTON OYSTER HOUSE

Oyster shooter, whole crispy flounder, snapper, coast seafood special, she crab soup, roasted beet salad 35 S. Market St., Charleston (843) 853-2900 • oysterhouse.menu

334 E. Bay St. Ste. H, Downtown (843) 723-1234, 405 Dorchester Road, North Charleston (843) 747-1235, 858 Savannah Hwy, West Ashley (843) 571-2244, 9135 University Blvd., North Charleston (843) 553-7374 2519 N. Main St. Suite B, Summerville (843) 471-2444 • eastbaydeli.com

THE GLASS ONION

Upbeat spot serving refined, locally sourced soul-food favorites in charming environs.

1219 Savannah Hwy., Charleston (843) 225-1717 • ilovetheglassonion.com

ELEVE AT GRAND BOHEMIAN HOTEL 55 Wentworth St., Charleston (843) 724-4144 kesslercollection.com/bohemiancharleston

HALLS CHOPHOUSE

Filet mignon, pepper jack creamed corn skillet, Southern caramel cake, fried green tomatoes, Halls chop salad

434 King St., Charleston

FLEET LANDING

300 Nexton Square Dr., Summerville (843) 727-0090

BEDFORD FALLS

Bedford burger, crispy chicken sandwich, dry-rubbed wings, spicy margarita, $3 Coors buckets

430 Meeting St., Charleston (843) 577-9312 • bedfordfallschs.com

COCKTAIL CLUB

Tea time cocktail, double standard, the stay at home dad, send nudes cocktail, water my lawn punch bowl 479 King St., Charleston (843) 734-9411 thecocktailclubcharleston.com

Charleston shrimp & grits, stuffed hush puppies, Lowcountry seafood pasta, triggerfish sandwich, crab cakes. 186 Concord St., Charleston (843) 722-8100 • Fleetlanding.net

hallschophouse.com

BOHEMIAN BULL

Build your own burger, wings, classic reuben, southern fried chicken sandwich 1531 Folly Road, James Island (843) 225-1817 • bohemianbull.com

DEEP WATER VINEYARD

Palmetto pepper jalapeno wine, rotating draft meads, magnolia white wine, sea island red wine, Zinfandel red wine 6775 Bears Bluff Road, Wadmalaw Island (843) 559-6867 • deepwatervineyard.com

FLYIN’ HIGH FROZEN YOGURT

Six different flavors & swirls, tons of toppings, sugar free & dairy free options. Gourmet sandwiches, coffee, espresso, snacks & more!

3157C Maybank Hwy., Johns Island flyinhighfroyo.com

HOLY CITY BREWING

Holy City burger, chicken wings, soft pretzels

1021 Aragon Ave., North Charleston (843) 459-2948 • holycitybrewing.com

BOWENS ISLAND RESTAURANT

Locally harvested oysters, fried shrimp, hushpuppies, Frogmore stew

1870 Bowens Island Road, Charleston (843) 795-2757 • bowensisland.com

DUKE’S BBQ

Meat + 2 or 3, meatloaf (Wednesdays), fried flounder & red rice (Fridays), BBQ by the pound, banana pudding 331 Folly Road, Charleston (843) 789-4801• facebook.com/DukesSC

GABRIELLE AT HOTEL BENNETT

Bold and flavorful dining overlooking Marion Square. 404 King St., Downtown (844) 713-0404 • GabrielleDining.com

INDACO

526 King St., Charleston (843) 727-1228 indacorestaurant.com

JALISCO

Roasted shrimp, tamales, enchiladas, taco birria, carne asada

1271 Folly Road, Charleston (843) 638-8844

jalisco-chs.com

CANTINA 76

Peruvian shrimp taco, beef brisket taco, roasted chicken salad, chicken quesadilla, veggie taco

819 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant (843) 388-7717

219 Farm Lake View Road, Kiawah Island (843) 737-4607 • cantina76.com

EAST BAY DELI

Chief Reuben, The Citadel, buffalo chicken wrap, crunchy salad 1120 Oakland Market Road, Mount Pleasant • (843) 216-5423,

GENE’S HAUFBRAU

Buffayaki or Southern fried wings, hand breaded chicken tenders, the motherload burger, fried pork chop sandwich, chicken quesadilla 817 Savannah Hwy., Charleston (843) 225-4363 • genes.beer

KISS CAFE

Hash It Out, Nunzio Perfect French Dip, The New Yorker, and specialty mimosas. 1802 Crowne Commons Way, Johns Island (843) 405-8808 • kiss-cafe.com

LOCALS

Unique sushi rolls, great bar food and local drinks

1150 Queensborough Blvd., Mount Pleasant

1680 Old Towne Road • Charleston localssushi.com • localsraw.com

PINK CACTUS

Don’t miss our killer tamales, tacos, enchiladas, tortas, quesadillas and most importantly — margaritas! 100 A Spring St., Charleston (843) 764-9343 • pinkcactuschs.com

SEANACHAI WHISKEY & COCKTAIL BAR

Steak frites, fish and chips, house-made corned beef and cabbage, burgers, brunch

3157 Maybank Hwy., Johns Island (843) 737-4221 seanachaiwhiskeyandcocktailbar.com

VICKERY’S

Lowcountry sauté, shrimp, sausage and grits, classic Cuban sandwich, mahi club, cashew encrusted tuna salad

1313 Shrimp Boat Lane, Mount Pleasant (843) 884-4440 • vickerysmtp.com

MAYA CHARLESTON

Aguachile, tuna tostada, al pastor taco, pollo en mole negro, enchiladas de calabaza 479-B King St., Charleston (843) 789-4299 • mayachs.com

POE’S TAVERN

Charleston’s best burger (City Paper Best of Charleston, 7 years in a row!), tacos and salads

2210 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island (843) 883-0083 poestavern.com

THAILICIOUS

Authentic Thai dishes by Thai chefs created from imported ingredients. Savory noodles to stir fries to fried rice to noodle soup to hot pot. Come take your taste buds on a journey to Thailand!

1975 Magwood Drive, Charleston (843) 501-7167 • thailicious.com

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ICE CREAM & COCKTAILS

WEEZY’S ICE CREAM & COCKTAILS

MAYA DEL SOL KITCHEN

Five course chef table dinner experience by reservation only. Thu-Sat

1813 Reynolds Ave., Suite B North Charleston (843) 225-2390 raulsmayadelsol.com

POKE BROS

Signature bowls like “The Duke” or the “Johnny Utah”, or build your own bowl. Mochi ice cream. GF options. 5070 International Blvd., North Charleston 644-H1 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant • (843) 800-5600

TRIANGLE CHAR & BAR

Brown butter bourbon truffle ice cream, summer of 77’ cocktail, adult margarita milkshake, pig n’ fig panini, PGA tour flatbread 3293 Maybank Hwy., suite 205, Johns Island • (843) 718-3136 weezysicecreambar.com

NIRLEP INDIAN RESTAURANT

Chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, lamb/ goat curry, samosas, lunch buffet 908 Savannah Hwy., West Ashley (843) 763-9923 nirlepindianrestaurant.com

eatpokebros.com RED’S ICE HOUSE

Bubba shrimp platter, smokehouse platter, palmetto burger, Old Bay shrimp salad, wild buffalo chicken wrap 98 Church St., Mount Pleasant (843) 388-0003 • redsicehouse.com

Triangle Char + Bar’s menu features killer burgers, a sweet selection of tacos, eclectic entrees and an array of tasty bar snacks – all available for takeout! 828 Savannah Hwy., Charleston (843) 377-1300 • trianglecharandbar.com

WILD COMMON

Wild Common’s culinary experiences feature Executive Chef Orlando Pagán’s custom tasting menu in one of Charles ton’s most inspired spaces. 103 Spring St., Charleston (843) 817-7311 wildcommoncharleston.com

PADDOCK & WHISKY

Paddock old fashion, race day, tequila Fresca, tartare, fries with Bernaise 1074 E Montague Ave., Park Circle (843) 203-4238

1962 Maybank Hwy, James Island (843) 225-5877 • paddockandwhisky.com

RUBY SUNSHINE

Cochon benedict, bananas foster pain perdu, chicken st. Charles benedict, white chocolate bread pudding pancakes. 171 E. Bay St., Charleston (843) 253-8188 • rubysunshine.com

UNCORK CHARLESTON

Stuffed portobello mushrooms, smoked bourbon brisket sandwich, three cheese baked tortellini, chicken marsala, she crab soup

476 King St., Charelston (843) 222-3939 • Uncorkchs.com

PEACE PIE

Salted caramel brownie, key lime pie, pecan pie, strawberry shortcake, molten chocolate 223 Meeting St, Charleston 843-764-9611 • Peacepieworld.com

SALTWATER COWBOYS

Local Seafood & BBQ, Brunch & cocktails 130 Mill Streeet, Mount Pleasant (843) 856-0700 saltwater-cowboys.com

PRIME TIME

By Daniel Heinze

My wife Bethany and I have always had an obsession with prime rib. Ever since we met, we have been searching for a restaurant with the perfect prime rib with au jus. One of our favorite places to eat is Bobby’s Restaurant and Lounge in Vero Beach, Florida, where I grew up. From the thick-cut prime rib plate with au jus to the fat, thinly-shaved french dip au jus sandwich with a chopped Caesar — Bobby’s is timeless. Bobby’s is the epitome of an American restaurant and major inspiration for Vern’s: comfortable, not fussy, taken seriously, but fun.

We both were raised in meat and potatoes families. Bethany grew up in Dublin, Ohio, where the weather is usually overcast and chilly, and I grew up in Vero Beach, Florida, where there is sun all year round. The closest we came to prime rib in my family was pot roast cooked for several hours in beef stock with carrots and served with twice baked potatoes, so the first time I had true prime rib at Bobby’s, I was hooked.

At Vern’s, we’re always looking to source the best products as close to home as possible. Recently, we were introduced to Black Hawk Farms, which produces Kentucky-raised Wagyu Beef. The marbling in the meat is unreal. This beef is the best we have sourced in the Southeast, and we’re excited to explore other cuts with them.

When we prepare prime rib, we cook it to medium rare, so when cutting into the beef, it is pink from top to bottom. In order to achieve this, we discovered cooking the beef as slowly as possible is key. We season and temper the meat one to two hours before hitting the oven; this allows the meat to cook evenly. We crust our prime rib with dijon mustard and Montreal steak

seasoning, creating a salty crust that helps to season the center of the cut. Au jus is key for extra depth and seasoning. We use a high-quality bone broth and add caramelized onions, garlic, trim from the prime rib and fresh thyme, and infuse the broth by simmering the stock until reduced by half. Finish with salt, black pepper, tamari and Worcestershire.

Once that first break in humidity hits Charleston, and the air feels slightly crisp, the prime rib craving kicks in. Bethany is a fan of drinking seasonally. For

fall in Charleston, lighter reds with a hint of warm spice and plush fruit are perfect with a little chill. Prime rib and Gamay is a match made in heaven. She recommends finding a natural style like the La Souteronne from Herve Souhaut or anything from Jules Metras or Jean-Louis Dutraive. If you want to keep it Americana, I highly recommend anything from Mendocino producer Martha Stoumen. Her Nero d’Avola is spicy, soft, layered — a truly excep tional wine.

Rūta Smith

Daniel ‘Dano’ and Bethany Heinze of Vern’s delight in prime rib and red wine for an autumn meal