SNEAK PEEK: Charleston City Paper: Dish Dining Guide, Winter 2025
You’ll find rotating seasonal dishes at cozy downtown lunch spot, Chez Nous
Brrr. Winter in Charleston has been unseasonably cold this year. While we dream of spring blossoms and patio weather, we find ways to cozy up with the kinds of dishes, and experiences that keep us warm.
Our quarterly issue of Dish leans into all things cozy with a focus on long lunches, family-style dining and, well, carbs. What more could you want?
Area restaurants are serving experiential mid-day meals featuring the kinds of menus and vibes that lend themselves to sticking around and staying awhile. Whether you’re tossing back martinis at SNOB (no shame in that, friend) or meeting pals at the buzzy Pakistani spot, Malika Canteen, we’ve got you covered on sweet lunch spots around town.
Writer Samantha Connors chatted with local restaurants that focus on family-style dining. Rather than hovering protectively over your own entree, have you ever thought about sharing bites with everyone at the table? These restaurants encourage you to do just that.
Helen Mitternight talks baking with not one but two local chefs, including WildFlour Pastry’s Lauren Mitterer and Wild Common’s Orlando Pagán. While Mitterer keeps things running smoothly in her always-busy bakery, Pagán is working with a pretty special ingredient over at his Spring Street restaurant — a decades-old sourdough starter.
Pastry chef Heather Hutton penned our back-page essay where she talks all about her sweet journey working for herself and her new project, Roxa Desserts.
As always, this issue includes our Top 50 list of restaurants. Be sure to keep an eye out for a new addition or two. And if you’re still dying to try the area’s newest and hottest spots, well, you can find those on the aptly titled Hotlist. Happy eating, y’all. —Connelly Hardaway
(p6)
Bread beginnings
(p10) Communal eating
Area restaurants are offering experiential mid-day meals inside
Sourdough is this chef’s lifetime companion
Restaurants embrace shareable family-style dining
(p14) A baker’s day Behind the scenes at WildFlour Pastry
(p16) The art of the leisurely lunch
BREAD BEGINNINGS
Sourdough is this chef’s lifetime companion
By Helen Mitternight
Sourdough bread fanatics have creative names for the starter that forms the foundation for their tangy pastries — Jane Doe, Bread Pitt, Leonardough da Vinci.
Orlando Pagán, executive chef at Wild Common, has never given his starter a name, but his starter has been his companion for longer than many marriages last. Pagán was born in Puerto Rico and spent several years cooking in “sourdough central,” San Francisco. While he was there — sometime around 2011 — a friend gave him a portion of her own starter, which she told him she had for decades.
When Pagán relocated to Charleston in 2017, he brought the starter with him.
Chef Orlando Pagán has carefully tended to his sourdough starter for over a decade
“I dehydrated it by spreading it very thin over parchment and leaving it at room temperature for a day or two,” Pagán said. “It became like a dry paper and then I stored it in a glass jar and I packed it. I have some right now in my freezer drawer just in case of an emergency.
“But the rest, once I got to Charleston, I hydrated it with water and flour. You feed it aggressively two or three times a day until it comes back to life. You just keep an eye on it. There are live organisms in there, so you just have to keep an eye on the bubbles and how happy or sad it is.”
Although Pagán worked with sourdough for years, it wasn’t until the pandemic years that he really began using it in earnest.
“It was the first time as a chef that I had so much time on my hands,” he said. “I made a lot of mistakes and learned from them. For instance, because San Francisco is cold all the time, it takes a little longer to proof the bread than it does here. It was a learning curve and I screwed up a lot. I wanted to develop a recipe that would be a Southern thing, so I developed this recipe that was a blue corn grits sourdough bread. I was so happy with it!”
Ashley Stanol
Sourdough from page 6
Pagán began to give the bread to his neighbors until his wife convinced him it was good enough to sell.
“I was baking six loaves a day and we sold 100-plus total to my neighborhood. It was pretty cool. My wife and kids would deliver and leave it on their porches,” he said.
A signature starter
With the end of isolation, Pagán returned to Wild Common, bringing his sourdough with him, seeking to make a new recipe that would become his signature. It took months before he was satisfied.
“We use Carolina Gold Rice. It has kind of a crispy crumb and the inside has a silky kind of mouth-feel because we’ve developed the gluten and the rice has released some of its starch,” Pagán said.
The starter sits in a deli container on the counter at the restaurant, and Pagán feeds it every day but Monday when the restaurant is closed and the starter gets tucked into the refrigerator. Pagán said he or his pastry chef bake four loaves a day, five days a week.
Coworkers or guests have been gifted with a portion of the starter through the years, and Pagán urges them to name their starter.
“It’s pretty funny, the names people come up with. I don’t name my starter — I’m not that crazy,” Pagán said with a laugh.
Pagán’s sourdough may last a lifetime.
“A sourdough starter can last as long as you want it to, as long as you keep it well-fed,” he said, mentioning a vault in Belgium that holds 105 starters from around the world, some rumored to be as old as 500 years in age.
Despite Pagán’s sourdough expertise, he doesn’t eat gluten.
“The last time I ate gluten was in 2012,” he said. “I have MS (multiple sclerosis) and read that the Paleo Diet might be good for me. I do like the smell of bread, though. It takes me back to being a kid in Puerto Rico and getting fresh bread from the bakery every morning.”
Pagán will taste the sourdough bread, but relies on others to critique.
“My biggest critic is my daughter, wife and son. If it’s not good, they’re going to tell me straight up. If they say it’s good, I believe them,” Pagán said.
You’ll find different iterations of sourdough at Wild Common, including a recent Charleston gold rice creation
Local restaurants are starting to turn away from the rigid menu structure of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Instead, diners are seeking more unique experiences through dishes designed to be shared. Often called family-style dining, this format has been embraced by an array of cuisines.
“These past couple years, it’s always been pushing towards more of a shareable setting,” said Xo Brasserie chef Michael Chanthavong. “A lot of menus say ‘small plates, big plates,’ and move away from appetizers, entrees.
“It’s definitely the direction a lot of restaurants are heading at the moment. I’m a big fan of that type of eating, so I’m just excited to see what the future holds.”
Xo Brasserie leans into family-style dining, serving Cantonese dishes intended for the table to share. Chanthavong designs his menu with this shareability in mind.
“One of the most important things I think about as I’m creating a dish is the approachability. I make sure everybody is able to share, and it’s not too fussy or complicated when sharing it.”
For example, the Hong Kong roast duck, available in a half or whole preparation, is deboned, sliced and served with steamed pancakes, herbs, Boston lettuce, five-pepper sauce and chili cucumbers making it easy to share and experiment with different flavors and toppings. Other menu items like the build-a-bao or youtiao burrata allow for a similar chance to mix and match sauces and toppings while interacting with the food and your companions.
“It’s very fun, very interactive,” said Herman Ng, the restaurant’s owner. “You explain how to enjoy [these dishes] to people, and then you see them doing it, and they’re talking to each other, explaining how they’re eating it, what sauce they’re using. It’s different.”
and large plates
At Xo Brasserie, diners can choose from a variety of shareable small
To further encourage sharing, Lazy Susans decorate the middle of larger tables in Xo Brasserie, making it easier to pass around dishes. Family-style dining may be unfamiliar to some, but for Ng, this approach is embedded in his upbringing.
“It’s something that reminds me of my parent’s restaurant,” Ng said. “We had multiple large tables that had Lazy Susans. And I remember during Chinese New Year, during Christmas, my dad with the chefs would make all these dishes, and then we would all sit down around the tables, and everyone would keep spinning the Lazy Susan. It’s so fun and communal.”
Experiential dining
That communal experience of family-style dining is one root of the format’s popularity. Millennials and Gen Zers are known to value experiences over material possessions. As more members of these generations frequent restaurants, their drive for deeper societal experiences may spill into how they prefer to dine.
The shareability of family-style dining is about more than sharing food — it’s sharing time, space and conversation, an
opportunity to commune.
“It’s a culture shift,” said Anthony Marini, owner and chef of The Pass and The Italian Boy after dark. “The stuffiness of the app, entree, dessert format now has gone a little bit by the wayside. You’ve got more groups
The space fits 12 guests, enhancing the intimacy of the evening. Each dinner comprises five to seven courses, some plated, some served family-style, and lasts about two hours. Courses include an antipasti of meats, cheeses and accou-
“You don’t get to touch your phone while you’re eating...I think you get to enjoy more and experience the food and culture with your loved ones.” Nikko Cagalanan
going out, younger people are going out … and people want to share more.”
Marini’s latest concept, The Italian Boy after dark, transforms his daytime sandwich shop The Pass into an intimate, elevated dining experience. An ItalianAmerican from Philadelphia, Marini wanted to bring some of his heritage to Charleston. He describes The Italian Boy’s cuisine as “row home-inspired dining” that is “kind of like a dinner party in an Italian-American’s home.”
terments, a course of bread and dipping sauce, a crudo of either fish, meat or vegetable, two types of sandwiches, and a pasta dish.
The tight quarters and format of particular courses encourages sharing, and Marini offers complimentary amaro with dessert served from an amaro cart, giving guests the chance to sit and chat with each other and their host after a big meal, much like the experience of dining in an ItalianAmerican’s home.
Other restaurants are noting the trend towards shared plates and its popularity in elevated dining environments. Chef Zach Woody, who recently began a new permanent kitchen residency, Lark at Coterie, designed Coterie’s new menu as “a tasting menu broken down into an a la carte format,” he said.
Traditional tasting menus seamlessly transition each dish from one to the next with flavors intentionally playing off and pairing with each other. Woody uses his training in French cuisine and previous experience in fine dining to create a menu with the synchronicity of a tasting menu without the preplanned coursing.
“No matter what the guests choose, the flavors within each dish will pair perfectly with the next, creating a unique experience that the guest created without even realizing it,” he said.
Woody recommends ordering four to five dishes for two people and says the menu will change seasonally and incorporate local ingredients, which may mean some dishes only appear for a few weeks depending on seasonality.
continued on page 12
Make a Sunday night reservation at Kultura where you and a group of pals can enjoy a Kamayan feast
Photos by Ashley Stanol
“Family-style [dining] is better for trying new things and opens up the conversation at the table,” Woody said. “It creates a more harmonious experience with the people you’re dining with.”
A taste of cultural significance
Family-style eating may be fairly new to the world of fine dining, but for many cultures, communal dining is standard. Enjoying
Anthony Marini is recreating the communal feel of an Italian row home at his new concept, The Italian Boy after dark
a meal as it’s traditionally served can give diners a deeper understanding of the culture and its cuisine.
Cantonese and Italian cultures frequently share food when dining with friends and family, putting Xo Brasserie and The Italian Boy’s dishes into a greater cultural context.
Marini of The Italian Boy pays homage to his heritage in many dishes but particularly the bread-and-sauce course called “scarpetta.” It translates to “little shoe” but refers to a tradition of using bread to soak up remaining sauce on a plate or saucepan.
This expression has roots in Italian traditions, Marini said. He recounted a bygone era when, after a large meal shared among many family members, men often smoked cigars and played bocce outside while women gossiped in the kitchen over bread they sopped in sauce that remained in the cooking pots.
“That’s kind of how they did things back then,” he said. “A little dated, I understand that, but it’s still a very cool concept.” A cool concept, indeed. And one that demonstrates the social and cultural importance of sharing even something as simple as bread and leftover sauce.
Many Italian restaurants offer some
Communal from page 11
JOHNS ISLAND’S BEST BRUNCH VOTED
variation on family-style dining because of its place in the culture. Indaco on King Street has a “for the table” threecourse family-style meal to share multiple courses including pizza, pastas, appetizers and dessert.
But many other cultures embrace this dining format, too.
At downtown Filipino restaurant Kultura, owner and chef Nikko Cagalanan incorporates a Filipino variation of familystyle dining during the Kamayan Sunday Feast. “Kamayan” means “with your hands” in Filipino and describes a style of dining where food is placed on top of banana leaves that cover a large table. Large groups gather around the table and enjoy the array of dishes with their hands — no plates, no silverware.
phone while you’re eating. You’re just focused on eating the dish and talking to your party. I think you get to enjoy more and experience the food and culture with your loved ones.”
The feast is only available on Sundays, alongside the regular menu, and consists of four to five savory dishes, some vegetables and fruits and a dessert dish.
Cagalanan wanted to offer a unique, authentic experience, so the food is served on banana leaves on a tray instead of plates and utensils provided.
“People have embraced eating with their hands,” he said. “Like they’re intimidated at first, and then they try the food, and then they’re like, ‘Okay, this is fun.’”
Cagalanan switches out dishes as the regular menu changes, but some dishes he’s served during the Kamayan feasts include chicken adobo, spring rolls and longanisa, or breakfast sausage.
The Kamayan feast is an introduction to a different way of eating, he said, and it offers a unique alternative to a traditional dinner setup.
“It’s communal, and it revolves around our Filipino culture,” Cagalanan said. “So diners get to embrace what a Filipino gathering is like while eating with your bare hands. … You don’t get to touch your
As Charleston’s food scene continues to grow and diversify, chefs can experiment with more communal dining formats to offer a window into the culture of different cuisines and experiences.
Photos by Ashley Stanol
Larger format dishes like this whole local fish can easily be shared among friends at Xo Brasserie
Cagalanan
The Best Food Under the Sun!
WildFlour Pastry, behind the scenes
By Helen Mitternight
If heaven has a smell, the aromas might be something like the kitchen at WildFlour Pastry in West Ashley. Chocolate, buttery crust and cake batter waft out of ovens during the course of a single day.
Two of the bakers have been here since the early morning hours, and at 8 a.m., owner Lauren Mitterer gets her baking day started. A few customers have beaten her in, ordering coffee and a pastry to go. Mitterer, a three-time James Beard Award semi-finalist, opened the West Ashley bakery in 2016.
“My role has changed here as we grow,” she said on a recent day when a reporter spent the day observing the behind-thescenes at WildFlour. “Now, I’m more like a conductor in an orchestra.”
If the cakes are the flamboyant brass section of the orchestra, the flaky pastries are the quiet string section, binding the whole baked goods operation together. From pies like maple pumpkin or caramelized apple, to turnovers, Danish and croissants, the pastries are assembled by a small team of ever-moving bakers under Mitterer’s watchful eye.
Ashlyn Shinnick pours water into an industrial-sized mixer, hauling out the resulting pile of pie dough, the size of a toaster oven.
Bits of the pile are pinched off by gloved bakers for hand pies, tarts and quiches. The dough is portioned onto a large baking sheet, labeled and dated before being chilled. Dough already chilled is formed into small
Pastry chef Lauren Mitterer said that she thrives on a little bit of chaos in her West Ashley bakery
quiches filled with spinach and feta or red pepper and sausage, the creamy custard poured over the fillings from a large pitcher.
Shinnick is wearing black yoga pants with floury white handprints on her hips where she’s rested her hands.
“All my clothes are covered in flour, every day,” she said with a laugh. “You just get used to it.”
At another station, Jenna Monico, her purple-tinged black hair pinned up, has poured a potful of blueberries, putting the pot onto a portable burner that will move between stations throughout the day.
“Siri, set timer for seven minutes,” Monico said.
Neither Shinnick nor Monico had extensive baking experience when they joined WildFlour. They credit Mitterer with patiently teaching them the craft.
Mitterer said the team was the “secret sauce” behind the bakery’s success: “I can teach them to make pastry, but I can not teach someone to care. They have to care to work here.”
Thriving on a little chaos
By 9:30 a.m., the pace has picked up, bakers darting past each other in a choreography polished with daily practice. Oven doors open, fragrant pans slide out while others slide in.
“A large percentage of chefs thrive on a little bit of chaos,” Mitterer said, observing the bakery dance with satisfaction and answering questions on the fly as her staff follows her schedule to keep the baked goods fresh and to meet demand.
“Hand me that loaf of banana bread,” Mitterer tells Monico.
“The whole loaf?”
The whole loaf. The customer who asked for a slice of the bread was told it had just come out of the oven and was still too hot to slice. After seeing the steaming loaf, he decided to just take the whole thing.
Before the West Ashley location opened, the bakery had a 700-square-foot location downtown on Spring Street, but that closed in 2019. Part of the move was a desire to stay closer to her children, Keira, 8, and Henry, 3. Although her hours at the bakery fit in around school pickups, Sundays are long days dedicated to WildFlour’s popular sticky buns.
“Our menu has some seasonal things as well as standards, but we will always have those sticky buns,” Mitterer said.
WildFlour Pastry puts out a wide variety of treats, from savory quiches to sweet breads to cakes. The spot is perhaps best known, though, for its Sunday sticky buns
intern the boot-sized plastic containers of thick cake batter, scooping the batter into cake pans and smoothing them.
Finally, the intern is tasked with frosting a Confetti Cake. The cake is put on a turntable and frosting is heaped onto the cake, then smoothed with an offset spatula. A metal scraper with saw-like teeth is dragged around the cake’s sides to smooth the frosting texture. Mitterer demonstrates using a small blowtorch to heat the spatula and run it along the cake top to remove frosting bubbles. Finally, the intern sees how to take handfuls of sprinkles and press them into the cake sides.
Mitterer moves along, leaving the intern to finish the job, and checks lists to make sure the baking is on schedule. She returns a bit later to gently critique the intern’s final product.
Shinnick, meanwhile, has moved on from pie dough to beating butter, then shaping the butter into briefcasesized slabs. A strip of pre-chilled dough is draped onto a laminating machine (laminating is the process of folding butter between layers of dough to create the airy creations of puff pastry). The butter is massaged onto one section of the dough and then the dough is folded into thirds over the butter and run through the machine to flatten it, much like a laundry press. The process is repeated several times with new butter slabs until the resulting dough is ready to be made into croissants.
On the savory side of WildFlour, Mitterer’s husband and business partner, Kevin Hutchison, is turning out breakfast sandwiches and savory hand pies.
“Kevin does everything from the savory work to cabinetry,” Mitterer said. “He did these shelves here. I can’t imagine not having a partner who can do so much!”
They married in 2015 and she said having him as a partner “gives a predictable rhythm to everything.”
Despite being surrounded by heavenly smells all day — or maybe because of it — Mitterer said she doesn’t really have a sweet tooth at home.
“I’d kill if someone would make me a good steak,” she said.
“I get to know them and they become friends,” she said. “I know their names and their stories. I’m like a daytime bartender.
This is a community.”
On this day, Mitterer is mentoring a stu-
The sticky buns are just one reason that Mitterer said that a good portion of her customers are repeat buyers.
dent from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), from which Mitterer graduated in 2004. The intern is on the second day of a multiple-week internship, and Mitterer hands her off to Shinnick to learn how to pipe frosting onto row after row of chocolate cupcakes. Later, Mitterer shows the
BY THE NUMBERS: In a week, WildFlour Pastry goes through …
As the afternoon edges toward lunch, customers form a short line, deliberating in front of the glass display case before placing an order. No one looks sad or stressed.
That doesn’t surprise Mitterer.
“If you’re not happy in here, then I don’t know what to say…we put joy in people’s souls!”
(Not including the 36 pounds of European butter used weekly in laminated doughs.)
Photos by Ashley Stanol
Area restaurants are offering experiential mid-day meals
By Connelly Hardaway
You’ve heard of the three-martini lunch. The ladies’ lunch. The work meeting lunch (or, perhaps, that is the three-martini lunch after all).
Needless to say, there are a number of ways to have a leisurely lunch. Leisure, to us, means taking your time with your meal and your company — ordering appetizers and entrees and engaging in lengthy conversations. Leisure does not always equate to long amounts of time, although it certainly can.
Leisure, whether you’re dining solo, with a group, with a plan or with all the time in the world, can be achieved when a lunch spot offers not just great food, but a great ambiance, too. For an hour (or more!), you may find yourself transported to a more luxurious way of life, one where you can actually sip, not slurp, your she-crab soup.
Photo by John Gaulden
Slightly North of Broad is a longstanding, East Bay Street lunch destination for locals and visitors alike
We chatted with some area restaurants that offer lunch — a feat in and of itself — and learned what it is these proprietors love about the mid-day meal.
Slightly North of Broad
Chelsea Christian, the chef de cuisine at Slightly North of Broad (SNOB), has seen it all during the lunch service at the popular East Bay Street restaurant.
From regulars to revelers (who are sometimes, of course, one in the same), SNOB diners have been frequenting the restaurant for over three decades now. Christian said diners are particularly fond of the restaurant’s “lunch fixe” menu, which includes three courses for $35 and changes frequently.
“[It’s great] having that place that you can always go to and rely on every day,” she said, adding that the restaurant has had regulars who have come in daily — yes, daily — for years.
“It’s crazy to me — the fact that you could trust a restaurant that much.”
Thirty years in, though, SNOB has become a trusted lunch destination in Charleston.
“I haven’t seen a lunch lately [where] we have been slow,” Christian said.
Part of the luxury of a leisure restaurant like SNOB is how service, no matter how long you plan on staying at the restaurant, is quick and efficient.
“For people who are actually in a rush, we try to accommodate that as well as we can,” Christian said.
But when you’re stopping by SNOB, you may want to make a little bit of extra time to spare so you can order the dishes Christian herself would sit down to enjoy.
“I always have to start with the carpaccio,” she said. The thinly sliced, grass fed beef carpaccio is served with red wine dijon, parmesan cheese, capers and a grilled baguette. Christian said she’s also partial to the Reuben, calling it “one of the best sandwiches in the city.”
Malika Canteen
What started as a residency in the now defunct food hall, The Workshop, Malika Canteen and its sister restaurant, Ma’am Saab, quickly gained a cult following of foodies eager for the tastes of Pakistani food.
Co-owner and creative director Raheel Gauba said that he knew the city needed more Pakistani flavors.
The process of introducing lunch at Malika has been a work in progress, said Gauba. From the beginning, diners, while loving the flavors of Pakistani food, were not huge fans of large lunch portions.
“The feedback that we received was: ‘It’s too much food’ or ‘It’s
continued on page 18
Photos provided
Malika Canteen’s vibrant, flavorful dishes will brighten up any lunch experience
too heavy,’ ” Gauba said. So, Malika pivoted and added naan pizzas, street burgers and rolls (similar to sandwich wraps).
Gauba said that growing up in Pakistan, lunch was never traditionally considered a leisurely meal.
“It was pretty fast-paced,” he said. “It was just the elites who would be going out to restaurants and even then, the men were at work, so they weren’t really [going out].”
Things have changed, though.
“Now we are seeing a completely different culture in Pakistan where all these nice restaurants have popped up and many of them are catering to the lunch experience because it was something that was missing,” Gauba said.
Malika is bright colors, upbeat music and powerful flavors — a far cry from the sad desk lunches you may be used to. Located in Mount Pleasant’s sprawling Towne Centre, the restaurant is easily accessible.
Malagón Mercado y Tapería and Chez Nous
Sister restaurants Malagón and Chez Nous, owned and operated by partners Jill Mathias and Juan Cassalett, offer European-inspired lunch experiences steeped in leisure, wine and a little bit of luxury. (In fact, the couple just opened a small wine bar, La bonbonnette bar à vin, in Paris.)
Cassalett, who is the executive chef of Malagón, said the tiny restaurant celebrates big, long lunches, ones that Spaniards are used to having. Diners can spend several hours at Malagón, choosing from a tapas style menu that features sections like “para picar” (snacks), “del mar” (from the sea) and an extensive charcuterie and cheese selection.
“Lunch is a big thing,” Cassalett said. “We want it to be lively and more approachable [with] a lot of options.”
He noted Charleston diners have become more educated in recent years and are more open to different kinds of experiences, including Euro-style long lunches. He also said he and Mathias are long lunch folks themselves. “We’re the type of people who come in at 3 o’clock [and have lunch] be the main meal of the day,” he said.
There’s something to be said for visiting a buzzy restaurant during lunch, rather than dinner service. “At lunch you get these really incredible meals where people are firing on all cylinders,” Cassalett said.
Mathias is the head chef at Chez Nous, a super-popular dinner destination (book your reservation ahead of time!), and said she sees a lot more walk-ins for lunch service.
“In most other cultures, lunch is the main meal of the day,” Mathias said. She noted one of her favorite ways to get a feel for a new city is to grab lunch. “Just take note of what’s going on around you, people watching … exploring a menu or talking over ideas … it’s a really great thing to be able to do.”
Chez Nous sees a number of regulars for lunch and dinner, with folks coming back for the restaurant’s signature brand new daily menu. Recent dishes have included gnocchetti with pine nuts, fish with brown butter cabbage, roasted squash with goat cheese and leeks with mustard vinaigrette.
And in true leisurely lunch fashion, Mathias said that the majority of diners will have at least one glass of wine.
Mathias, who said her tastes lean Mediterranean, would be ordering any fish dish or “big, crunchy salad” that Chez Nous is putting out.
While it can be difficult to find Charleston restaurants open for lunch service — staffing can be an issue, as well as the host of unknowns that come with operating during an off dining hour — Mathias said that Chez Nous thrives off of its back-to-back services.
“It’s super hard but at the same time, it can make your whole day,” she said. “If you have a really good lunch and then you go into dinner service it’s like, ‘Oh, we’ve already started the day.’”
Obstinate Daughter
We chatted with Jacques Larson, owner and head chef at beloved Sullivan’s Island restaurant Obstinate Daughter (OD) in December, before the restaurant suffered a kitchen
continued on page 20
Lunch from page 17
Photo by Andrew Cebulka
Kick back and relax at Malagón, enjoying a variety of small plates like the arros con cangrejo (crab rice with squid ink and paprika)
Lunch from page 18
fire in the beginning of January. As of press time, the restaurant was still closed for repairs.
“When we opened up this place we knew we were going to do lunch and dinner,” Larson said. “You’re at the beach — I didn’t want to shut down in between breaks. No one wants to think about, ‘Oh we have to be there by 2,’ or whatever the case may be.”
Larson, who is the owner and head chef at OD and Johns Island’s Wild Olive, worked in a number of Charleston restaurants before opening his own places. “For so many years, cooking downtown, lunch was literally a four letter word,” he said.
On the beach, though, Larson said the lunch business has always done just fine.
“Not a lot of [restaurants] opt to do lunch and you don’t necessarily want to go out and have a white tablecloth, ultra fine dining experience, but sometimes you want something a little more elevated,” he said.
OD offers just that, with dishes like the swordfish Siciliana, served with green olives, capers, blistered tomato, raisin and currant and the ricotta gnocchi, served with short rib ragu, horseradish and pine nut gremolata.
You can stick with simpler fare, too, of course, like the restaurant’s daily selection of raw oysters, a local lettuce salad or a meatball sandwich.
“We don’t have the biggest menu in the world,” Larson said. “I think it’s a pretty well-rounded menu. There should be a little bit of something for everyone.”
Larson noted that a lot of out-of-town lunch diners head to OD as part of their tour of Charleston restaurants, grateful that they can mark off a hotspot because it serves lunch. He sees a lot of fellow food and bev workers, too, who often have weekday lunches off of work. “It reaffirms that we’re not just a tourist-driven business,” he said.
Photo by John Gaulden
Chez Nous’ menu changes daily, highlighting seasonal ingredients and attention to detail
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INTRODUCING THE
CP Hotlist
Here’s where to go if you’re looking for something new By City Paper staff
This issue’s CP Hotlist shines a spotlight on notable, relatively new hot restaurants that impress 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. Now on the CP Hotlist (in alphabetical order):
Abbracci (2024), Mount Pleasant. Local restaurateurs Don and Joanne Migliori know a thing or two about the local restaurant community. They opened the popular North Mount Pleasant pizza joint Migliori’s Pizzeria in 2020. They are also investors in Charleston’s newest downtown Italian restaurant, Legami. “We wanted to have a downtown [quality] restaurant in North Mount Pleasant,” Joanne Migliori said of their new upscale Italian restaurant, Abbracci. “If you want to have a nice date night or a small private dinner, you don’t have to go downtown to have a really beautiful, inviting space,” she said. Abbracci Italian Cuisine & Cocktails features Executive Chef Devin Sansone’s take on Italian dishes like arancini,
ricotta gnocchi, pollo al mattone and fresh, housemade pasta. At Abbracci, the Miglioris want to embrace family, friends and good food. Moderate. abbraccichs. com. Dinner, Wednesday through Sunday.
The Archer (2024), Downtown. Marc and Liz Hudacsko, the couple behind popular downtown spot Berkeley’s, opened a buzzier, “more grown up” sister restaurant, The Archer, over the summer. Featuring what’s described as “elevated fare” (think ovenroasted wreckfish, duck confit salad), The Archer is located at 601 Meeting St., near the base of the Ravenel bridge. The bar program is curated by Jimmy Chmielewski, previously of Proof and Estadio. Drinks include cocktails like the Ambiguous Bird, made with rum, coconut oolong Campari, pineapple and lime, and a nitro espresso martini on draft. “We’re really all about our neighborhood, really about the people that work for us and the people that come to dine with us — we think it’s important to take care of them,” Marc said. “We wanted to be able to do that with our next restaurant [and] to do something that was the more grown up version.” Moderate. thearchercharleston.com. Dinner, Wednesday through Monday.
La Cave (2024), Downtown.
La Cave, an elevated sipping lounge and salon privé inspired by the south of France, opened on King Street last fall, just down the block from its sister restaurant, Félix Cocktails et Cuisine. La Cave is the Parisian-inspired cafe’s softer sister, with natural wood finishes and exposed stone walls designed by Landrum’s wife, Leslie. “What I tried to do is create different nooks of cozy where people could come,” Landrum said. “They could have conversations, they could hang out, they could sip their drinks, they could snack, they could wait to go next door or [not] … This is the destination.” Diners can look forward
to small plates like a petit crab roll with lump crab cake topped with jalapeñoleek aïoli and pickled red onions that is served on a sized-down sesame bun; raw bar offerings ranging from oysters to crudo to caviar service; and roasted prawns with coriander, piquillo pepper butter and grilled lemon. The cocktail menu won’t be as extensive as Félix’s (which has more than 20 choices), but it will still focus on detailed, craft creations. Order the Martini de Luxe, made with fromage washed vodka, saline and Lillet Blanc — and get a caviar crisp on the side. Moderate. lacavechs.com. Dinner, Tuesday through Saturday.
Marbled & Fin (2024), Downtown. If you’ve been in the market for a new modern steakhouse — one that serves delicate, flavorful hamachi crudo alongside a big, bold bone-in tomahawk, look no further.The attention to detail at Neighborhood Dining Group’s latest begins the moment you step into Marbled & Fin — the vaulted ceilings and chic interior belie the building’s history as a dry cleaners. Reservations are recommended for the dining room at this buzzy new spot, but guests are always welcome to belly up to the 25-seat bar, first-come, first-served. The details continue to impress throughout the meal, from welcome cocktails to an evening-ending sweet bite. Be sure to try the broiled oysters and bone marrow appetizer. Made with herb bread crumbs, charred lemon and chimichurri, it’s the perfect mix of land and sea. Very expensive. Marbledandfin.com. Dinner nightly.
The Select (2024), Downtown.
The Select, a new American cuisine bar and restaurant, opened in The Guild on
Meeting Street over the summer. The restaurant, which has another location in Atlanta, is inspired by Paris’ Le Select, a 1920s brasserie known for expat clientele like Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Chagall and Picasso. Drinks are the star of the show at The Select, with a cocktail menu that features stalwarts (hello, espresso martini) and inventive offerings, such as the rum cocktail Goldfinch, which pays homage to the history of Charleston’s rum imports. The restaurant’s food menu spans the globe with traditional French fare like French onion soup and steak frites, Peruvian ceviche, Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish garlic shrimp), miso golden tilefish and plenty of classic American flavors, from glazed salmon to a cheeseburger. Expensive. theselectcharleston.com. Dinner nightly, weekend brunch.
XO Brasserie (2024), Downtown. Xo Brasserie serves updated Cantonese and Sichuan-influenced cuisine at 1090 Morrison Drive. Owner Herman Ng partnered with executive chef Michael Chanthavong to create a modern Chinese American menu, with dishes like vegetarian Ma Po Tofu, salt and pepper shrimp and crab rangoon. In addition to curating the menu’s flavors, Ng and his team carefully created a buzzy space inside the new, multi-use building on Morrison Drive. Brasserie’s interior features clean lines, moody lighting, leafy plants and special touches, like a large custom wine rack. Some of the larger tables feature big lazySusans that play into Ng’s goal of familystyle dining. “It’s how I grew up,” he said. “You order a bunch of different dishes, and you all get to try a bunch of stuff.” Expensive. xobchs.com. Dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
Andrew Cebulka
La Cave’s menu includes dishes like the hearty boeuf en croûte
Courtesy Abbracci
Find elevated Italian dishes at the new North Mount Pleasant restaurant, Abbracci
The Caviar Sammich’ at Chubby Fish
Eating well
In an attempt to make it easier for you to find great restaurants in Charleston when searching for “food” results in a sea of suggestions, we offer The Dish Top 50 restaurants. From incredible, internationally inspired dining experiences like Bintu Atelier or Kultura to more casual dining joints like Berkeley’s and Bowens Island Restaurant, there’s no shortage of fantastic dining experiences in town.
What sets these 50 establishments apart isn’t price or location. It’s the dedication each establishment puts into providing dining memories. This is the list to give family or friends visiting the city. It’s the list to scan through when you’re undecided. It’s a list with options for every budget. And it’s the list that, like Charleston and the seasons, is ever-changing.
Organized in alphabetical order.
167 Raw Oyster Bar
SEAFOOD
Expensive
Downtown. 193 King St. (843) 579-4997 167raw.com
Serving Lunch, Dinner (Mon.-Sat.)
Surrounded by high-end boutiques, swanky inns, antique stores and art galleries, 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 lobster rolls that were muchlauded 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-so-charming 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. BK’s lunch menu is divided into small plates, bowls, salads, sandwiches and sweets. For dinner selections, it offers big plates like market fish with peach salsa, cilantro, avocado and lime or chicken or cauliflower schnitzel.
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. One satisfied diner said, “The spicy shrimp polenta appetizer has been on my mind for weeks since I first tried it. It’s filling, flavorful and definitely more than enough to share. Pair it with the smoked salmon dip if you want to start your meal with a decadent seafood spread.”
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 twostory 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 inexpensive, 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 smorgasbord of meat and threes, such as fried pork chops, fish specials, yams, stewed greens, home-style mac-and-cheese, limas
continued on page 26
All you can eat / $21 per person
Full lunch and brunch menu available
Waterfront dining on beautiful Shem Creek!
Thursdays: PRIME RIB $36
Serving FRESH, LOCAL Seafood
Build your own BLOODY MARY BAR!
We’re bringing back our most requested menu items!
They may not be here for long, so enjoy these Vickery’s customer favorites today.
Pesto Penne Pasta with Shrimp & Scallops $5 drink specials in January
specialsLunch(M-F) 3 course Valentine’sDinner day & sewe Sunday Brunch at 11am
Top 50
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.
Bintu Atelier
AFRICAN
Moderate
Downtown. 8 Line St. (347) 249-6594
Serving Lunch, Dinner (Thurs-Sunday)
This small restaurant in Charleston’s Eastside serves delicious African cuisine to excited guests who are eager to dive into familiar favorites like jollof rice, a fluffy rice dish with a connection to Charleston’s own red rice. Diners can also dig into dishes like goat egusi, a ground melon seed stew with pumpkin, spinach and a red pepper sauce, served with a side of starchy fufu. Chef N’Daw Young has cooked and traveled around the world, from her homelands of Senegal and France, to various countries in Africa, Europe and the U.S., landing in New York before moving to Charleston. Vegetarian options offered.
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 co-owners Nico Romo and Dominique Chantepie opened the French bistro after revamping the space previously occupied 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 elbowout 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.
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. Chef de cuisine Suzy Castelloe’s dishes can be decadently lush, like her beef tenderloin with a red wine gastrique or seared foie gras, spiked with a strawberry jam and balsamic vinegar. The dishes are balanced, ingredient-centric creations, while contem-
porary 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 the menu and sit back to enjoy the house jazz band tucked in the corner.
Most mornings before lunch, the Chez Nous Instagram feed (@cheznouscharleston) 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 setting is charmingly old and the cuisine Europeaninspired, but it’s hardly a throwback to an older mode of dining. Chez Nous stands alone just as it is, an eccentric outlier. With
Chubby Fish
SEAFOOD
Expensive
Downtown. 252 Coming St. (843) 222-3949 chubbyfishcharleston.com
Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)
Celebrated 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.
such a dynamic menu, any review of Chez Nous is by necessity a fleeting snapshot.
R ū ta Smith file photo
Tuck into hearty, seasonal fare at Herd Provisions, like the braised pork shank pasta
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 mainstay Trattoria Lucca headed out to Isle of Palms to create a beachside Italian seafood restaurant. The beautiful second-story 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 signature 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 portion of shrimp to $20 for shrimp, fish, scallops and deviled crab. If you want a true 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
Expensive
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 Will Fincher’s inventive small plates are stylish and intensely flavored. The menu has featured rich poached lobster tossed with mayo and lemon and scallops served with butternut squash farrotto, brown butter and sunflower seeds . 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.
Edison James Island
James Island. 1014 Fort Johnson Road (843) 872-5500
Edisonjamesisland.com
Serving Dinner (Wed.-Sun.)
Be prepared for a loud experience at this place where you can taste the world with Lowcountry ingredients. Co-owner and chef Joel Lucas puts his culinary skills to work in the kitchen with creative takes on international cuisine by using a rotating seasonal menu that highlights local produce and seafood available in the area. Start dinner
off with the Vietnamese pho taco made with hoisin pork, glass noodles, cilantro, sprouts, ginger aioli and sriracha or the chef’s selection of charcuterie and cheeses, full-bodied sandwiches, soups and salads. Examples: the poached salmon burger, Thai chicken noodle soup and bistro steak salad. There also are hearty entrees like green curry meatballs, blackstrap braised beef short ribs with smoked gouda grits, pan-seared local swordfish with chimichurri, green peppercorns, asparagus and purple sweet potatoes.
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 executive chef Alex Eaton’s impressive menu is unique to Charleston. The pintxos and tapas — grilled shrimp on skewers, deviled eggs and caviar and matriano hash browns with black and white anchovies — 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.
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 devotees year after year. Although snagging 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 awardwinner for Outstanding Wine Program.
Gabrielle
MODERN AMERICAN
Very expensive
Downtown. 404 King St. (843) 203-0922 hotelbennett.com
Serving Lunch, dinner
If you’re looking for the perfect internationally inspired dinner, this is the place for you. It’s lush, quiet and feels serious without being stuffy. An attentive bar staff pours cocktails as inventors must have imagined. Chef Edgar Kano’s menu choices, influenced by Japanese and Latin flavors, makes dining fun, as we wrote in 2023: “Kano’s cooking philosophy is to keep it simple — he said he can’t live without salt and butter — and let the ingredients of each dish shine. He said overwhelming flavors can lead to ‘confusion, not fusion’ and that ‘less is always more.’ ” Ask about specials and enjoy fresh seafood, flavorful steaks and outstanding produce intentionally sourced from local purveyors.
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
Inexpensive Downtown. 16 Blake St. (843) 722-2256
Hannibalkitchen.com
Serving Lunch, Dinner (Sun.-Sat.)
Hannibal’s Kitchen is a no-frills soul joint on the East Side of downtown Charleston that, according to owner L.J. Huger, 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 institution 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.
Herd Provisions
INNOVATIVE AMERICAN
Moderate to expensive
Upper Charleston. 106 Grove St. (843) 637-4145
Serving Lunch (Mon.-Thursday) and Dinner (all week)
This minimalist, farm-to-table restaurant has a high-end butchery that offers proteins to a kitchen that transforms them into mouth-watering, satisfying dishes like seared steaks, roasted chicken, pan-seared local fish and luscious pork chops. Herd, also known for burgers, offers delightful vegetable-forward dishes, too. Examples: a perfect Caesar salad and portobello mushrooms stuffed with artichokes and capers. You also might want to try the restaurant’s spicy and savory dry-rubbed chicken wings, which are moist and pull right off the bone. Pro tip: Enjoy a relaxing outside happy hour under string lights and greenery with tables, couches and a large fire pit. Happy hour menu every day.
Top 50
Husk Restaurant
NEW SOUTHERN
Expensive
Downtown. 76 Queen St. (843) 577-2500 huskrestaurant.com
Serving Dinner (daily), Sat.-Sun. Brunch
Husk has outposts in Nashville, Greenville and Savannah, but this location — housed in a white mansion on Queen Street — is the original. Here, the kitchen creates musttry 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 offerings 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.
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 Vietnamese 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 seasonal 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. 1083 East Montague 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
Kultura’s chef, Nikko Cagalanan, was one of five 2024 nominees for Best Emerging Chef by the James Beard Foundation.
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 same-ish, 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 veggie-based 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 soy-based, 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.
La Bonne Franquette
Moderate
West Ashley. 652 Saint Andrews Blvd. (843) 709-7962
labonnefranquettechs.com
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Friday. Brunch, Saturday and Sunday. Dinner, Saturday.
their popular Short Grain food truck — takes quintessential Asian fare, and adds some vamp. The pork and cabbage 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 disclaimer: “The karaage is a small structure made of chicken. It is delicious, and you are not ready for it.”
Kultura
Moderate
Downtown. 73 Spring St. kulturacharleston.com
Serving Dinner (Thurs.-Mon) and Karaoke Brunch (Sat., Sun.)
An homage to a Filipino grandmother’s home cooking, Kultura ties the fresh tastes of the Lowcountry to the Philippines with a focus on using as many local ingredients as possible. A must-try dish is the restaurant’s pancit made with rice noodles, local blue crab and vegetables in a calamansi sauce. Make sure you try the Halo Halo cocktail – an enticing blend of purple yam (ube), pineapple, sake and oat milk. Also of note: You know you’ll get good food because
This sunny and sometimes loud bistro is a great all-day addition to West Ashley. Stop off for a quick coffee and croissant during the week. Or a bistro lunch of quiche and a dressed mixed salad or a simple-but-satisfying French sandwich on crusty bread. At dinner, enjoy outstanding charcuterie and cheese before diving into scallops with butternut squash puree, French petit pots and cranberry gastrique or the classic Steak and Frites. Not on a solid diet? Check out the bar with its tasty libations and good wine list.
R ū ta Smith file photo
The ever-changing menu at Jack of Cups Saloon offers diners exciting new dishes to try, like this tofu banh mi
ISLAND CANDLES
@islandCandlesCHS islandcandleschs@yahoo.com
Top 50
Lewis Barbecue
BARBECUE
Expensive
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.
Ma’am Saab
PAKISTANI
Moderate
Charleston. 251 Meeting St. (843) 259-2660
MaamSaab.com
Dinner (Tues.-Sat.)
If you’re looking for “flavorland,” you should check out this elegant but nonwhite-tablecloth Pakistani restaurant that offers modern takes on time-tested dishes. Owners Maryam Ghaznavi and Raheel Gauba took Charleston by storm with their authentic Pakistani comfort food, first as a pop-up in 2019. The couple introduced a new cuisine to the market, bringing to the table dishes like lamb biryani or aloo gobi. You’ll also enjoy the rich, savory and spicy flavors of chicken tikka and butter chicken. And the fresh naan? It’s to die for. Don’t forget the restaurant’s Mount Pleasant roadhouse called Malika Pakistani Chai Canteen in Towne Center where you can get Pakistani street food such as samosa chaats, aloo tikki, dhamaka burger and more.
Maya del Sol Kitchen
MEXICAN
Moderate
North Charleston. 1813 Suite B Reynolds Ave. (843) 225-2390
Raulsmayadelsol.com
Serving Lunch (Wed.-Fri.), Sunday Brunch. Maya del Sol Kitchen is a good passion project for chef and owner Raul Sanchez, and it clearly shows. When the kitchen first opened in 2021, Sanchez started by offering his five-course chef’s table. He now serves lunch and brunch where you can find Mexican standards like pozole,
tamales or tacos al pastor. But if you’re looking for something a little heartier, try items on the rotating menu, such as the beef guisado (stewed beef) or puerco asado (roasted pork). Sanchez currently has some exciting changes underway for the kitchen, which he has remained quiet about. Pro-tip: Check Instagram or Facebook for the menu updates.
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, regardless 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.
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. Editor’s note: Obstinate Daughter suffered a kitchen fire in the beginning of January. As of press time, the restaurant was still closed for repairs.
Top 50 from page 32
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 vinegar-filled preserve jar and spiked with slices of crisp pickled celery, the six oysters 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 fanciedup saltines (brushed with butter and Old Bay), rich, cold creme fraiche and vibrant hot sauce, the combination 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 luxurious 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 & 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
Post House offers a variety of dishes for pescatarians, vegetarians and meat eaters
Projects. Post House is a reincarnation 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, vintage 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 massaman 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 connected to the restaurant.
R Kitchen
EXPENSIVE
Downtown, 212 Rutledge Ave.
West Ashley, 1337 Ashley River Road. (843) 789-0725 rutledgekitchen.com
Serving Dinner (Tues.-Sun.)
R Kitchen brings diners an exciting new experience every night. At both locations,
enjoy intimate dining settings while getting up-close and personal with a rotating line up of chefs creating that night’s five-course meal. R Kitchen is quick to remind guests that it’s a kitchen, not a restaurant. The menu is always a surprise — to both diners and chefs, who create the dishes each morning based on what ingredients the kitchen received that day. On a recent trip to the West Ashley location, a loaded potato soup, short rib dish and French toast with bacon made an appearance on the menu. Be sure to make a reservation in advance as these kitchens fill quickly.
Rancho Lewis
TEX-MEX
Moderate Charleston Neck, 1503 King St. (843) 996-4500
Rancholewischs.com
Serving Lunch and Dinner (Mon.-Sun.)
Barbecue chef extraordinaire John Lewis adds Tex-Mex to his culinary 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. Don’t forget in-house classics like the Christmas burrito or fabulous enchiladas. If you’re looking for Mexican fresh, this is the place to visit. One diner raved: “Don’t leave
without eating the steak fajitas. Period.”
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, after two decades of cooking hogs at his family’s acclaimed operation in Hemingway, he
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R ū ta Smith file photo
Southbound
Expensive
Downtown, 72 Cannon St. (843) 823-0212 Southboundchs.com
Serving dinner, (Mon.-Sun)
Live-fire cooking takes center stage at this new Cannon Street restaurant from the same folks behind Mount Pleasant’s Community Table and BarPizza, formerly Kiki & Rye. The elegant two-story dining room is located inside a historic home, which features a large wood-fire grill on the first floor. The menu, which changes daily and is posted to Facebook and Instagram each day by 3 p.m., makes great use of the grill with items such as dry-aged steak tartare with smoked egg, grilled toast and miso butter, coal-roasted Spanish octopus and grilled bone marrow with fried oysters. Examples of heartier entrees include an Australian lamb chop, crispy Orvia duck and housemade cavatelli with braised rabbit sugo.
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 ultimate 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.
Sushi-Wa
SUSHI
Expensive
Downtown. 1503 King St. Extension. (843) 735-8633
Sushiwacharleston.com
Serving dinner (Wed.-Sun.)
If you’re looking for an intimate date night with your significant other and a rare experience in the Southeast, head to Sushi Wa. This restaurant brings the traditional Japanese omakase dining experience to the Lowcountry, with chefs and owners Kazu Murakami and Chris Schoedler taking your taste buds on a culinary journey. The chefs curate what you eat during a special
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Andrew Cebulka
Top 50
multi-course meal with decisions based on something pre-determined by the chef. Book a night out on Resy, or if you’re lucky by following on Instagram, you might be able to snag a last-minute spot.
The James American Grill
AMERICAN FARE
Moderate to expensive
James Island. 1939A Maybank Hwy. (843) 278-1066
Thejameschs.com
Serving Lunch (Wed.-Sun.) and Dinner (all week)
A relatively new location for fine dining on James Island, The James American Grill blends the feel of a neighborhood joint with comfortable elegance. It offers lots of nice touches – sumptuous Parker House rolls, tasty lump crab cakes with flair and fresh fish that soothes and nourishes. If you want an extra special treat, start with the creamy, rich mushroom soup with a hint of sherry that is topped by flaky pastry. Also enjoy the cozy bar and its satisfying drinks, including a rockin’ martini.
Vern’s
NEW AMERICAN
Expensive
Downtown. 41 Bogard St. vernschs.com
Serving dinner (Thurs.-Mon.), weekend brunch
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 family-style 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. If you get the chance to stop by for weekend brunch, don’t miss the sesame seed pancakes that embrace slices of local fruit and whipped ricotta for a delicate balance of sweet, creamy and nutty flavors. This, however, is a dish you might not want to share.
Wild Common
MODERN AMERICAN
Expensive
Downtown. 103 Spring St. WildCommonCharleston.com
Serving dinner (Wed.-Sun.)
The experience at Wild Common is different every time. Executive Chef Orlando Pagán changes the menu weekly for a one-of-a-kind dinner. Some items on the menu may start with crab rice with kimchi or a baked oyster for some funk. And if you’re feeling fancy AND funky, throw in a caviar course to liven up the night. Other
past menu items include the delightfully pink Unicorn grits from Marsh Hen Mill with yeasted cultured butter or a robust duck breast with mushroom quiche. For dessert, expect something playful like the chef’s elevated take on a Fig Newton or the chocolate and blood orange terrine with a citrus marmalade, hazelnut and dark chocolate. No two experiences are ever the same. How cool.
Wild Olive
ITALIAN
Expensive
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 decadent) 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.
The Restaurant at Zero George
MODERN AMERICAN
Very 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, The Restaurant at Zero George’s romantic dining room is set in a former carriage house built in 1804. Here, chef Vinson Petrillo whips up an innovative tasting menu , 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.
ESSAY
A SWEET JOURNEY
Why authenticity matters in personal, professional life
By Heather Hutton
Imagine sitting down with your restaurant staff and throwing the script you’ve used for years out the window. Covid-19 was a change for everyone and has affected us all in many ways, both positive and negative. My experience at The Restaurant at Edmund’s Oast in 2020 introduced me to a new way of seeing my career and the choices I have made in the process.
In the early days of the pandemic, Scott Shor, the owner of Edmund’s, challenged us to rewrite the script and create a restaurant that could survive its hardest test. Though it was a scary time, I never knew I would enjoy my different role as much as I did. I embraced the challenge wholeheartedly and was determined to do my part.
Almost immediately, I began selling whatever desserts I could — from cookie boxes to strawberry pies, and eventually to-go boxes featuring desserts I would have served in the restaurant. I wanted every treat to feel like it had been made with love and care. Within days, regular customers reached out with emails and messages expressing support and gratitude. These connections were fulfilling in a way I’d never experienced before. It was a reminder of the comfort and thoughtfulness desserts can bring, a sentiment I felt the community needed during such a challenging time.
My former pastry chef, Amanee Neirouz, and I had often joked about pastry chefs in Charleston being replaced by soft-serve machines, a trend that was once painfully accurate. But in that pandemic moment, there was a real demand for desserts with substance, flavor and a personal touch — desserts made with intention. Slowly, I began questioning the traditional dessert menu format. Why only offer three desserts? Why not two or, in my case, eight? Why limit ourselves to plated desserts? These questions opened the door to creativity and reinvention, marking my first taste of entrepreneurship — and I loved it.
My career had always been detail-oriented. Crafting a single dessert often became an exercise in patience, rigorously testing recipes to achieve the perfect balance of sweet, salty, bitter and acidic notes. While I thrived on this minutiae, I rarely looked at the bigger picture. I moved from pastry cook to pastry chef to executive pastry chef, eventually creating dessert programs for multiple concepts. My love of learning, baking science and recipe development served me well in these roles, but the pandemic taught me something different. I could share my desserts and my vision more authentically, connecting with guests in meaningful and real ways. Authenticity — in both my personal and professional life — has become one of my greatest values.
As I leaned into collaboration and pop-up events, I curated projects that were inspiring and challenging. Along the way, I met Chef Nikko
Cagalanan, an unconventional chef with freedom, ambition and originality that I deeply admire. Nikko wasn’t focused on climbing the traditional culinary ladder, and his approach to the industry felt refreshing. In Charleston’s tight-knit culinary world, collaborators like Nikko became friends and colleagues, inspiring me to take a leap of my own. After leaving Edmund’s, I focused on refining my craft and gaining experience with multiple concepts. But I missed the connections — the ability to create and fill exciting new worlds. It was time. Along with my business partner, Paula Kramer, I launched ROXA, a petite dessert pop-up. Paula, now married to Chef Nikko, shares a similar ethos.
At ROXA, we currently operate a residency at 218 President St., offering themed six-course dessert tastings. Together, we get to build new culinary worlds. It’s been exhilarating and terrifying, but sometimes, your gut knows exactly what you need. This leap has been the best one yet.
I’m not suggesting that everyone should quit their job and start over. For many, that’s simply not feasible. But I am encouraging you to look out, not just up. Sometimes, the ladder you’re climbing might not lead to where you truly want to be. Question how you do what you do. My best advice? Find the things you love and make sure you’re doing them as much as you can. Life is too sweet not to.
John Gaulden
A Season to Savor
At Gabrielle, every dish is a celebration of both the familiar and the extraordinary.
Overlooking the iconic Marion Square, we blend the bold flavors of the world with the rich traditions of the Lowcountry, creating a dining experience that feels both timeless and fresh. Join us for a meal where every bite is truly a moment to savor.
