Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Charleston, SC BBQ joints

jsmeeker

By jsmeeker
in Southeast: Dining

 Share

Recommended Posts

jsmeeker

jsmeeker

Posted
Posted

Tell me about BBQ in Charleston. I'm from Texas. We do cow. I know that up in the Carolinas, they it's all about the pig. Where should I go to get some good BBQ that best represents Carolina style BBQ? Does South Carolina and/or Charleston have a "signature" style? A friend has tossed out Bessinger's and Melvin's to me as possibilities.

Jeff Meeker, aka "jsmeeker"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
maf

maf

Posted
Posted

I'm sure someone who lives there can give more info, but I'd say South Carolina (at least eastern South Carolina) very much has its signature style, which is pork (usually pulled) with a bright yellow, somewhat sweet sauce I've not encountered elsewhere. It's also known for hash (tomato enhanced, pureed leftover pieces) over white rice. Both are quite good, especially when the pork is moist and the sauce not too cloying.

I've had Melvin's & Bessinger's. Both are worth eating, and I can't recommend a better place in Charleston proper.

I would, however, strongly urge a trip to Holly Hill, SC, for Sweatman's BBQ. My personal opinion (and such opinions are taken quite personally around here) is it's the best in South Carolina. Holly Hill is less than an hour drive from Charleston, but if you're driving in or out, it's relatively near the intersection of Interstates 95 and 26. It's on Hwy 453 between Holly Hill (small town) and Eutawville (smaller town). NOTE: it's open Friday and Saturday only.

The buffet is a good deal, but unless policies have changed you only get one trip through the line, so pile it on like you mean it.

"Eat at Joe's."

- Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Holly Moore

Holly Moore

Posted
Posted

I'd recommend Bessinger's more for burgers than barbecue. I've always been surprised at the lack of barbecue in the low-country. My last visit was three years ago, so perhaps things have changed.

I would also suggest that a BBQ-aware Texan not squander his Charleston eating time on mediocre barbecue. Too many other good things to eat. For SC barbecue head to either the aforementioned Sweatman's or the politically controversial Maurice's in Columbia.

Holly Moore

"I eat, therefore I am."

HollyEats.Com

Twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dscott

dscott

Posted
Posted

I strongly 3rd the Sweatman's opinion, if time permit's.

I usually swear by Holly's recommendations but I thought Maurice's was mediocre, at best. Maybe I caught it on a bad day.

Like he said, there's plenty of other really good food in Charleston.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Reignking

Reignking

Posted
Posted

Well, that's it -- I'll have to detour to Sweatman's on my next trip to Charleston (which seems to happen about every 2 months). And if you do drive up from Charleston to there, take Rt 61, at least through Summerville. It may be a bit longer, but the drive is great as you pass some plantations (such as Middleton Place and Magnolia Plantation).

Food for the Southern Soul / Blackjack BBQ doesn't have a restaurant, but I used them for my rehearsal dinner; you never know where he might be (perhaps at a market?).

FYI, not sure when you are going, but the Charleston Food & Wine Festival takes place in early March.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DTBarton

DTBarton

Posted
Posted

Having been there many times and lived there briefly, I would say that Charleston is definitely more of a seafood town than a BBQ town. Sweatman's is worth the effort, do it if you can.

Given that they're in season now, go for the local oysters. Bull's Bay oysters are my favorite and they're pretty impossible to get outside the SC low-country. Folly river oysters are great too. Go back in the summer for the local shrimp.

Got me to thinking, I can't come up with any coastal town that excels at barbecue. Memphis, I guess, but that's riverfront, not coastal. Perhaps proximity to inland pig farms drives that.

We tried Maurice's in Columbia a couple years ago, the food was very good. There was some info in the window addressing the controversy, but the customers covered all shapes, sizes and colors so I guess at least some of the locals aren't too worried about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jsmeeker

jsmeeker

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

thanks for all of the replies and suggestions, even the non BBQ ones. It may turn out that I won't even do BBQ. The seafood stuff sounds good. What's local and in season in early March? Will the oysters sill be then?

Jeff Meeker, aka "jsmeeker"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Holly Moore

Holly Moore

Posted
Posted
thanks for all of the replies and suggestions, even the non BBQ ones.  It may turn out that I won't even do BBQ. The seafood stuff sounds good.  What's local and in season in early March?  Will the oysters sill be then?

MaRch

Yes

Holly Moore

"I eat, therefore I am."

HollyEats.Com

Twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jsmeeker

jsmeeker

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
thanks for all of the replies and suggestions, even the non BBQ ones.  It may turn out that I won't even do BBQ. The seafood stuff sounds good.  What's local and in season in early March?  Will the oysters sill be then?

The Charleston Food & Wine Festival

Saw that! Making plans to attend the Grand Tasting on Saturday.

What are some good seafood restaurants?

Jeff Meeker, aka "jsmeeker"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fat Guy

Fat Guy

Posted
Posted

Bowen's Island is the Charleston oyster experience. The fantasy you have about eating barbecue in South Carolina? Bowen's Island is the oyster realization of that fantasy. There is no actual barbecue realization of that fantasy in Charleston proper.

http://www.bowensislandrestaurant.com/

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Holly Moore

Holly Moore

Posted
Posted

What Fat Guy said.

Come hungry, wear old cloths, bring some band aids, and tip the oyster roaster well. He's your best friend for the next couple of hours.

The oysters are marsh oysters - 5 or six to a clump. The oyster guy, who gathered the oysters that afternoon, empties a burlap bag full on the grill, lets them cook a bit, scoops the oysters up with a shovel, and dumps a shovel-full on the center of your table. The shovel fulls keep coming. You will run out of capacity well before they do oysters.

Oyster knives, garbage cans, sauce makings are provided. The beer is cold. Eating doesn't get any better.

Bowen's Island

While you're on the road to Folley Beach, also hunt down Backman's Seafood. It is directly across an inlet from Bowen's but takes some hunting down.

Holly Moore

"I eat, therefore I am."

HollyEats.Com

Twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Reignking

Reignking

Posted
Posted

There is a BBQ event at the CF&W festival, though. I think if you want to try SCarolina BBQ, you at least need to try some mustard-based sauce, somehow. You can always pick up a jar or two at the grocery store.

And no one has mentioned Sticky Fingers? ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
cupbaker

cupbaker

Posted
Posted

I lived in Charleston for 6 years and Kelly's BBq is the best hands down. They are a sweet quaint family run establishment that has a BUFFET, yes I know but it is Extremely clean and it is only open for a couple of hours. The BBQ sauce rocks and the fried chicken...all the fixins

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...