38 Best Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina

This perennial favorite inside Belmond's Charleston Place hotel provides what many regard as the city's highest gastronomic experience, with a menu divided into three parts: Roots & Stems, Waves & Marsh, and Field & Pasture. Chef Michelle Weaver creates the groundbreaking New South cuisine, while sommelier Rick Rubel stocks 1,300 wines in his cellar, with many served by the glass. The dining room is a soothing backdrop, highlighted by pale wood floors, flowing drapes, and elegant Queen Anne chairs. A jazz ensemble adds a hip yet unobtrusive element.

The menu may be nearly illegible, the space minuscule, and locating the tucked-away location like finding Waldo, but the food is almost always sublime. Each night only two appetizers, two entrées (like snapper with a vin jaune [type of white wine] sauce or gnocchi with chanterelles), and two desserts are offered. Sharing multiple dishes is a good option. Chef Jill Mathias writes down her menu daily, and her lovely calligraphy is often hard to read, but the attentive staff is happy to explain all the offerings. If the dining room feels too snug, head to the outdoor patio, perfect for dinner or brunch.

Spend an evening at this trendsetter for fresh-off-the-farm ingredients cooked with unfussy, flavorful finesse—the Food Is Good kitchen has produced two James Beard Best Chef: Southeast winners. The menu changes frequently, but the family-style vegetables might be as simple as young beets in sherry vinegar served in a plain white bowl. Main dishes get more complex: there's the must-have chicken liver pâté, slow-baked red porgy with Carolina Gold grits, and perfectly executed pan-roasted golden tilefish. The waitstaff is as inspired and informed as the masterpieces they serve.

The cuisine at this atmospheric establishment—combined with a staggering array of excellent wines and professional, caring service—makes Grill 225 a popular special-occasion spot. Take the opportunity to dress up; the elegant wood floors, white linens, and red-velvet upholstery call for it. If you enjoy red meat, indulge in the wet-aged steaks; the filet with foie gras bathed in a fig demiglace is equally excellent. Expect hefty portions, but save room for the pastry chef's shining creations, which include a contemporized version of baked Alaska with a nutty crust, flambéed table-side.

With an abundance of accolades, Husk serves an ambitious menu steeped in the South, and the South alone—everything is sourced regionally, barring exceptions like chocolate and coffee. A large chalkboard lists the ever-changing artisanal dishes available, as the menu sometimes varies twice daily. Supper favorites include seafood such as snapper, catfish, and flounder, frequently paired with heirloom vegetables. Try the fried-chicken skins or skillet of smoky bacon cornbread—both are terrifically popular. The building itself, balcony intact, dates to the late 19th century, and the freestanding bar beside the restaurant is lined with 100-year-old exposed brick and several Kentucky bourbons and whiskeys. If you can't score a reservation, Husk Bar next door is arguably just as good for intimate drinks and a burger.

Casual, quirky, and a tad Wes Anderson-y, this oysters-and-fried-chicken joint sports a kitschy ambience and blues-heavy soundtrack. Fried catfish, oyster, and chicken sammies come towering, dressed in fresh slaw or "comeback sauce" and nestled on perfectly prepared rolls. The oysters are from near or far, depending on the season. Don't forget to ask for a soft-serve ice cream before you go; you can grab it at the window outside the former auto repair shop.

Affectionately known as S.N.O.B., this former warehouse with atmospheric brick-and-stucco walls has a chef's table that looks directly into the open kitchen. Many of the specialties, including wild game and other less common meats, are served as small plates that are perfect for sharing. The $14 daily lunch specials are often memorable, such as mussels with spinach, grape tomatoes, and smoked bacon, or a hearty chicken pot pie.

Operating as a one-stop butcher shop and deli counter, Ted's sells beef, game, seafood, and homemade sausages to complement its selection of artisanal cheeses, wine, and other specialty foods. Among the lunchtime favorites are the house-roasted Wagyu beef panini and the ever-changing bacon-of-the-month BLT. On Friday nights there are wine tastings and a bargain prix-fixe dinner.

Executive chef and owner Kevin Johnson's outstanding restaurant sits in impressive quarters near the corner of Cannon and King Streets. The menu suggests a humble, considerate approach, as the dishes represent local flavors: the wood-roasted carrots come with feta, raisins, and pistachio crumble, while the wood-roasted whole fish is delivered with salsa verde. The high wainscoting and tall shelving filled with jams and jellies, pickled vegetables, and vintage kitchenware add to the earthy, unassuming presence.

Once the local darling among the Indigo Road properties, which also includes Oak Steakhouse and O-Ku, the Macintosh lost some of its luster over the years, but a string of new executive chefs put the one-time trendsetter on a path back to relevance. The menu is still rife with house classics, including gnudi, strip steak, and the Mac's ever-popular truffle fries.

Award-winning chef Mike Lata delivers every possible type of underwater delight here, from local littleneck clams to wahoo carpaccio. The two-story dining room of this former bank building fills up fast, but you can always belly up to the stunning bar while you wait and enjoy a variety of clever cocktails. Perhaps the best seat is at the oyster bar, where the freshest of bivalves await. And if you're looking for optimum indulgence, ask for the seafood tower. The triple decker will set you back $125, but spilling over with fruits de mer, it is worth every penny.

Against a backdrop of classic French-bistro style—think gleaming wood, cozy booths, and white-papered tables—Charleston's night owls feast on such favorites here as steamed mussels in a half dozen preparations. Order them with pommes frites, as the French do. Each night of the week there's a special, such as the popular bouillabaisse on Sunday. If you're seeking quiet, ask for a table in the dining room on the right. It's noisy—but so much fun—at the bar.

This landmark mainstay continues to thrive as an atmospheric, fine-dining establishment. As always, the food has strong Southern leanings, with seafood highlights, including Charleston bouillabaisse; don't miss the creamy grits (perfection) or authentic fried green tomatoes. Indoor and garden dining make this a great place to linger, perhaps under a gazebo or in an elegant, art-rich (and air-conditioned) room inside the historic residence. Also notable is the genuinely caring service and extensive wine list featuring new varietal blends (no house wine here), which has earned it high and consistent praise.

Cuisine at this fine-dining mainstay where nearly a dozen windows afford picturesque views of the passing horse-drawn carriages is traditional Lowcountry, including shrimp and grits and fried chicken. The softly lit, gilt-trimmed dining room is ideal for romantic occasions, though some locals prefer the more casual scene downstairs.

Located on-site at the Wentworth Mansion, this former residential home is full of hand-carved marble fireplaces and stained-glass windows. The locally sourced menu is designed as a journey through South Carolina history, with dishes like heart of palm soup and venison loin that highlight ingredients used by presettlement Native Americans along with ones that celebrate the Lowcountry's Gullah-Geechee culture, like shrimp and rice grits. For those looking for an intimate, romantic meal, the low lighting and quiet comfort of Circa 1886 is hard to top.

Off a little alley in a restored indigo warehouse, Coast Bar & Grill has a stripped-down look with exposed brick walls and wood columns. Wood-fired seafood and heavy sauces are staples, but lighter dishes like fish tacos and ceviche make it a standout. Highlights include braised grouper served with tasty herbs, shiitake mushrooms, and decadent bacon-and-cheese grits, as well as the lobster and crab gratin, which comes complete with Parmesan mashed potatoes. The place can be noisy, but it's always fun. (It transforms into a boisterous bar in the later hours.) You can watch the cooks in the heat of the open kitchen in the front room or go in the back dining room where it is cooler. There are usually half-price wine specials, and there's live music on Sunday evening.

The sunny wraparound porch in an 18th-century house lures people to this eatery from lauded local chef John Zucker, but it's the inventive menu that keeps them coming back. Fried chicken breasts are topped with poblano peppers and mozzarella, and duck confit is served with caramelized pecans, goat cheese, and fried shoestring onions. Meat dishes are laced with sauces featuring green peppercorns, port wine, pear sherry, chipotle peppers, and horseradish cream.

Three words: maple bacon doughnuts. If that's not enough to get you in the door, any number of other creative options—think raspberry nutella or berries and mascarpone—should do the trick. Allison Smith and Mark Remi opened their sweetheart of a store because they suspected there was an untapped enthusiasm for artisanal doughnuts. The verdict? Unqualified success. There are 7 to 10 varieties daily, filled with homemade jam and other fillings. Just name your flavor.

Thanks to its impressive 28-day-aged USDA steaks, Halls Chophouse is regarded as one of the top steak houses in town. The 28-ounce Tomahawk rib eye, the New York strip, and the slow-roasted prime rib are especially recommended. The bustling bar is a good place to rub shoulders with a variety of well-to-do locals. A heads-up: the service borders on excessive (or is it obsessive?); the staff takes uncommon heed of its guests, though the lavishly prepared steaks offer the restaurant's greatest source of hospitality.

This upscale fish house serves such Southern adaptations as Lowcountry bouillabaisse and seafood platters that come with sweet-potato fries and coleslaw. With a community table flanked by paper-topped private tables, the lively spot hearkens back to an earlier time in Charleston's culinary history. The atmosphere retains an authentic vibe, with waiters in long white aprons buzzing about.

This Charleston classic remains unchanged by time: lazily spinning paddle fans, lush palm trees, and exposed brick walls. The kitchen serves up regional classics like a Lowcountry boil and bacon-wrapped stuffed rabbit loin. If you want a traditional dinner, there are thick cuts of steaks and chops with your choice of sauce and side dishes like fried Brussels sprouts and creamy white corn grits. For dessert, the pecan pie baked with bourbon brown sugar caramel and the high-rising peanut butter pie are like rich Southern blessings.

For sophisticated Italian fare in a vibrant (and sometimes boisterous) setting, this hip spot on Upper King is the place. A modern aesthetic of exposed wood and an open kitchen may drive the design, but the food isn't putting on airs. Start with the burrata cheese served with crisp flatbread, then dive into one of the many unique salads—the spring vegetable salad, with a cornucopia of seasonal veggies, is recommended. Don't miss the black-pepper tagliatelle crowned with a soft-boiled egg yolk.

The fragrance of beef, lamb, and chicken shawarma wafts from the glass front doors of this Lebanese restaurant, bringing the authentic flavors of the Middle East to Charleston. Adventurous eaters can find beef tongue and frogs' legs on the huge menu, or skip straight to sweet treats with meghli rice flour pudding bedecked in cloves, coconut, and cinnamon. Generous portions make up for slightly high prices, and the service is friendly and informative.

The theme at this extremely popular—and worthy—tourist destination is evident in the vivid paintings of white magnolia blossoms that adorn the walls. The menu pays homage to classic dishes like fried green tomatoes with white cheddar grits, caramelized onions, and country ham. Lunch is a more affordable way to sample the best of Lowcountry cuisine.