Best Restaurants in Charleston, SC

[greenoilcook]

Jacques Larson is one of the greatest I've seen in a kitchen.

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I worked beside him at P-Grill and "A.C. Parkside" can rock out. See Barfly August issue pages 8-9, and see Larson and staff naked with their pasta. Edited September 6, 2004 by greenoilcook (log)

[Anonymous-2936]

I worked beside him at P-Grill and "A.C. Parkside" can rock out.  See Barfly August issue pages 8-9, and see Larson and staff naked with their pasta.

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I'm the one holding the bread :), and the ad was my idea. (inspired by VitaPrep Ads)

[Anonymous-2936]

Union Hall Barfly ad, Charleston

For those curious

[Varmint]

I wouldn't try that in Greensboro, zchef2k!

[yourmyboyblue]

looks like toffers got a 12" saute pan

very good food there btw. awesome desserts too. nice work linsey

cakes

Edited September 18, 2004 by yourmyboyblue (log)

[liamdc]

I had one terrific and one very good meal in Charleston last month.

McCrady's--On a sleepy Sunday evening in mid November, just off an airplane, I ventured to McCrady's, hoping to check out its wine bar. The wine bar is closed on Sunday evenings, so I ended up eating at the bar in the main restaurant. The octopus salad ($12) was terrific, prepared with marinated mushrooms, fennel and a truffle vinagrette. I washed it down a glass of Steele Pinot Blanc 2002 ($10.75). I also had the Rack of Lamb ($34), herb marinated, with roast potatoes, cippolini onions, asparagus, and thyme jus. Lean, delicious, perfect. I enjoyed a glass of the Cotes du Rhone-Villages, Jaboulet 2001 ($9.50) with it. I was also offered a taste of the Judson Valley Foie Gras while there. Fantastic. The bartender also was nice enough to turn on the lights and let me see the wine bar side. She said that sometime this month they would be redecorating it.

Hank's--I had a good meal of shrimp & grits as part of a huge party of conference-goers. The staff was very accomodating of our large group, even offering to provide individual checks. Definitely a solid seafood-focused restaurant.

I had really wanted to try the Charleston Grill, the Peninsula Grill or SNOB (Slightly North of Broad), but I guess I'll have to save those places for a next visit.

[jm chen]

Bumping this up since there hasn't been much discussion of Charleston lately and I'm going there on Friday!

Peninsula Grill didn't have room for us so I reserved at Charleston Grill, the live jazz sounds lovely. That's Saturday night. We are flying in Friday afternoon so we don't have reservations for Friday night, figured we'd just wander and see what we can find. Of the lovely places recommended, can anyone suggest which are most likely to take us in off the street? We've done S.N.O.B., Anson, and Magnolia's on a previous visit, so something new might be fun. Any kind of food is good. Grits are optional.

And -- any suggestions for Sunday brunch in particular?

[Gifted Gourmet]

And -- any suggestions for Sunday brunch in particular?

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Sunday Brunches of note:

The Boathouse on East Bay

Grill 225

Blossom

Poogan's Porch

and a million more options! Enjoy!

[jm chen]

After visiting Charleston in May for the second year in a row, we've pretty much decided to make it an annual thing. It's always lovely... and the food is SO GOOD.

Friday dinner -- wandered in off the street, sat at the bar at Oak. Short version: delicious traditional steakhouse food, don't miss the tuna tartare. Long version: I already wrote it up for the Oak thread.

Saturday brunch -- Hominy Grill. Pretty far off the beaten path, but walkable from our B&B, so we gave it a shot. I got an immense plate of French toast, big diagonal slices of thick bread that covered an entire plate. I only made it about halfway through (had also ordered a side of housemade sausage and app of pumpkin bread, both of which were rich and tasty.) My companion had the lowcountry omelette, with shrimp and red rice. We were both very happy. Unlike most things in Charleston, this meal was cheap -- the French toast was $5.95, the omelette $6.95. A very good deal and a nice, homey spot. Apparently they have outdoor seating as well, and brunch both Saturdays and Sundays.

Saturday dinner -- 7pm reservation at Charleston Grill, in the Charleston Place hotel. Quite fancy and very French. The chef, Bob Waggoner, has gotten all sorts of awards, and has cooked at the James Beard Award dinner, which we actually didn't find out until after (all the reviews are hanging next to the bathrooms.) After a slow start (we were left alone, ready to order, for at least 10 minutes after our wine was delivered) the service picked up and was very attentive and polite. The goat cheese and beet tart was sublime -- very rich and creamy, and then with a bite of roasted grape and sliced kumquat, a whole different experience. My main course was described on the menu as veal breast and veal tenderloin, although the tenderloin preparation was much like an osso buoco, falling apart in thick shreds of meat, rich sauce. My companion had the seafood tasting, which included lobster tail, a squash blossom stuffed with shrimp mousse, and several other things I can't recall. We had a side of fennel gratin topped with fried oysters. Everything was delicious. I took about half of mine home. We attempted dessert, since the pastry chef is also an award-winning kind of guy, and enjoyed the peach tart tatin with raspberry Campari sorbet. The dessert platings are very... flourish-y. Very big, lots of spun sugar drizzle. After ordering a bottle of water, we were alarmed to see that the waitstaff was pouring from our bottle at another table, but over time it became clear that they were not keeping track of which bottle went to which table, and we were only charged for one bottle at meal's end. We sat next to each other in a booth facing the outdoor courtyard, which was lovely, and probably in response to my Open Table note asking for a "quiet romantic table." Last thing -- there were four little extras delivered throughout the evening. First a warm gouchere (?) of cheese before the app, cold flounder on grilled cucumber before the entree, a small cup of almond panna cotta before the dessert, and then a little tray of six mini-desserts after the regular dessert. So much food!

Wow, I didn't mean to write nearly that much.

Sunday breakfast -- just wanted something quick, so we got bagels in the coffee shop, Pike City or Park City or something. Great iced coffee.

Sunday lunch -- at breakfast I'd read a positive City Paper review of Fleet Landing, so we tried it. Very light and airy place right on the water, good for families. Companion thought crab cakes and poached eggs were just OK; we both agreed my Fried Green Tomato BLT (with gouda on focaccia) was far superior.

Sunday dinner -- 5:30 reservation (made earlier that day) at McCrady's. I was SO glad we managed to fit this in. The food was just as good as it was at Charleston Grill, so I wouldn't be able to recommend one over the other, they're just very different in style. CG is very French, reserved, fancy. McCrady's was much more comfortable and warm. The decor is sort of ... shipping-house, wood beams, simplicity. Our waiter was a hoot: so enthusiastic, so warm, and he sounded so geniunely excited about everything he recommended, it was contagious. We didn't have time or stomach room for the tasting menu (8-ish courses for $65) but picked some wonderful stuff off the regular menu: incredible light shrimp rolls, soft rich gnocchi, perfectly moist miso-marinated black sea bass, and the special "Deckel" ribeye. Everything sounds so incredible when the waiter described it, and he was right every time. The sea bass came on a bed of lots of vegetables, and every bite I kept picking out a different note -- scallion, almost-raw green bean, roasted carrot. He was also very good at giving us several options for light reds among the half-bottles, and we were very, very happy with the Merry Edwards Pinot Noir. None of the desserts sounded irresistible but again, we asked for a recommendation and Andrew explained that the Strawberry Shortcake had berries soaked in x-year-old balsamic, and the housemade frozen yogurt was so delicious, and... well, we had to do it.

Wonderful meals in a wonderful place.

Jael

[Burt1961]

Will be visiting Charleston in bout 3 weeks. Anybody care to update the thread. Am looking for the two restaurants you would most want to have a meal in and why.

Thanks

[Gifted Gourmet]

Am looking for the two restaurants you would most want to have a meal in and why.

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1.McCrady's-Chef Kramer has more style and quality than any chef in town.

2 Charleston Grill-Classic consistency and the best service I've ever enjoyed in a restaurant.

3 Peninsula Grill-Good regional cuisine, great service.

this is from the thread .. scroll upward and you'll see more reasons ... and there are other threads in the SE region .. one on Peninsula, my very number one choice!

[BetsyinKY]

Let me preface this post by saying I've been to Charleston 3 times in the last 6 months and I've eaten at a lot of places, including Slightly North of Broad, Magnolia, Blossom, Poogan's Porch, 82 Queen, Sticky Fingers, G&M Fast and French, 39 Rue de Jean, Hank's, Peninsula Grill, Hominy Grill, and in Mt. Pleasant/Sullivan's Island, the Boulevard Diner and Poe's Tavern. Of all those restaurants, I would gladly return to most of them, with the exception of 82 Queen. Sticky Fingers and Poogan's Porch I would go back to if the person I was traveling with wanted to eat there, but they wouldn't be my first choice. However, you asked for the two places we would most want to eat, so here are mine:

Choice #1: Peninsula Grill-We ate there on our anniversary in June of this year. It more than met the hype on this board. Our food was delicious, the service was perfect, and the atmosphere was posh, but not pretentious. It was expensive, but well worth it. If you go, try the lobster corn chowder and don't miss the coconut cake for dessert. I'm still having dreams about both items!

Choice #2: Hominy Grill-I absolutely adore this small restaurant and have eaten there on every trip to Charleston. This is the restaurant that made me fall in love with grits. The food is very fresh and well-prepared, nothing super fancy, just a slight twist on good southern cooking. The atmosphere reminds me of my grandmother's kitchen, with it's white walls, bright pictures, and mismatched chairs. I have yet to make it here for dinner, but I can vouch for both breakfast and lunch. Their shrimp and grits is my favorite version of the dish.

[Gifted Gourmet]

However, you  asked for the two places we would most want to eat, so here are mine:

Choice #1:  Peninsula Grill-We ate there on our anniversary in June of this year.  It more than met the hype  on this board.  Our food was delicious, the service was perfect, and the atmosphere was posh,

Choice #2:  Hominy Grill-I absolutely adore this small restaurant and have eaten there on every trip to Charleston.  This is the restaurant that made me fall in love with grits. The food is very fresh and well-prepared, nothing super fancy, just a slight twist on good southern cooking. 

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We are most certainly on the same wavelength, BetsyinKY, on both of these places! I would have no compunctions about recommending them to anyone ... ever! Slam dunk and so glad that you enjoyed both.

[cevapcici]

Has anyone been to Carolina's lately?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Has anyone been to Carolina's lately?

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Haven't been there in about two years but it was quite good at that time in terms of both food and service. The creativity was not terribly apparent in what we both ate but then creativity is in the eye of the beholder.

more reviews

[bilrus]

I've got my reservations at McCrady's and Peninsula Grill for my two dinners for my trip next week.

How about casual lunches while sightseeing and generally being a tourist. You know, shorts and t-shirts and tennis shoes. A little cheaper, more casual. Barbecue, cheap seafood, that sort of thing.

[Holly Moore]

I've got my reservations at McCrady's and Peninsula Grill for my two dinners for my trip next week. 

How about casual lunches while sightseeing and generally being a tourist.  You know, shorts and t-shirts and tennis shoes.  A little cheaper, more casual.  Barbecue, cheap seafood, that sort of thing.

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I mentioned Your Place earlier in the thread, but it's perfect for your criteria. Some of the best hamburgers in the land served up in a dimly lit shack between the Market and the Cruise Ship landing. Fortunately it looks sufficiently seedy that most tourists avoid the place, but the burgers are greasy good and the staff are three very nice gals who know their way around a grill.

[JayBassin]

Has anyone been to Carolina's lately?

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Carolina's burned down more than a year ago (a fire in the little shopping complex gutted Carolina's). No evidence of any plans to reopen. No evidence of any repairs on the gutted buildings, either.

[Rosie]

Will be in Charleston for 3 nights. In addition to what has been recommended are there any small restaurants worth visiting that only the locals know about? They can be expensive or cheap. Are any restaurants BYO or do they charge a corkage fee?

[stefb]

Some updates about Charleston, from a local. Your Place lost its lease in the little shack at the end of the Market. Locals poured in at the end of 2004 for what they thought was their very last burger, but they found a new location at the last minute and relocated. They're now in the "Rainbow Market" just a few steps away from their old location. Still good, even if it's lost some of the old character.

Carolina's did not burn down. I ate there just recently. They've updated their dining room and their menu, and Mama Rose Durden is still whipping up awesome fusion cuisine.

The best "locals only" spot, hands down, is Al di La, a fantastic Italian trattoria in West Ashley (off the peninsula), but worth the trouble to find. Chef John Marshall is so awesome.

A couple new restaurants in Mt. Pleasant (across the big new bridge) have opened that everyone's buzzing about — Red Drum Gastropub, run by Ben Berryhill, formerly of Cafe Annie in Houston. He's brought real Southwestern cuisine to a town that's woefully lacking much diversity (I'm going Saturday night for my first time). Central has also opened, it's near Isle of Palms. Big, diverse menu. Cool dining room. Haven't eaten there yet, but they've gotten a good review from my food critic (Charleston City Paper) and the daily newspaper's critic.

Tristan changed hands recently and reopened with a brand new menu, that's getting kudos. Chef Ciaran Duffy has a really diverse menu with game selections.

We've got a couple new upscale steakhouses downtown — Oak and Mo Sussman's. I've eaten at both and didn't feel like they were worth the extravagant costs. Personally, if I'm gonna spend that much coin I'd rather go to Peninsula Grill.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Thank you for this update! I am presuming that you are located near this, my favorite city, Charleston, SC, and I am pleased to see you posting here in the Southeast Forum! The news about Carolina's makes me feel much better because I had some nice meals there some time back. And I agree about Peninsula Grill as you can read upthread ...

Welcome again!

[Rosie]

Thank you stefb and welcome to eGullet.

[foodiehall]

.....

Carolina's did not burn down. I ate there just recently. They've updated their dining room and their menu, and Mama Rose Durden is still whipping up awesome fusion cuisine.

.......

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I'm glad you've confirmed this. We were in Charleston in late May for Spoleto and although we didn't eat at Carolina's this trip, I rode by there on my (rented) bicycle....but when I read the earlier post that it had burned a year ago, I thought Gee, maybe I'm losing my mind and I'm thinking about a couple years ago

[Gifted Gourmet]

Carolina's Restaurant in Charleston

see what everyone is raving about ...

my favorite on their menu is Sautéed Shrimp and Jumbo Lump Crab Meat with Shiitake Mushrooms and a Sherry Cream Sauce, served in an Acorn Squash with Grilled Asparagus ... delicious!

[bilrus]

I just returned from my too short trip to Charleston and had some awfully good food, with one strange element. We started with reservations at Peninsula Grill and McCrady's but ended up swapping McCrady's for Magnolia's, after deciding that Peninsula and McCrady's together might be a little too "haute".

The food and room at Peninsula were great - it's been a few days and my memory is failing me, but everything we had was as excellent as I had expected. And the food at Magnolias - luscious shellfish and grits, one of the best fried chicken dinners I've ever had - is everything I fantasized that low-country cooking would be about.

But aside from the food, a memory that lingers from both is the fact that we were in and out in 90 minutes at both places. And we had appetizers, entrees and desserts at both with an extra course thrown in at Magnolia's. I was hoping that in a city like this, whose reputation is based on the fantasy (or reality) of slow Southern life, and one where most customers are tourists would have a more liesurely, or at least not hurried, pace of service. At both Peninsula, where the waiters were doing their best not to run through the dining room, and Magnolia's where the waiter with our entrees was standing behind the person clearing our appetizer plates we felt rushed, like they were trying to turn tables for restaurant week.

I don't want this to sound like a rant, because it isn't. The food was everything we'd hoped it would be. But we tourists come for leisure and at places like this, our dinner is often our entertainment for the night. We don't come to Charleston for New York pre-theater service.

Beyond that - we did go to Jestine's for a properly leisurely lunch. The Mac and Cheese is out of this world.

And the surprise of the trip was our dinner at the Ocean Room at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island. Dinner was oart of our package and I was dreading it a little, with its jacket-required formality and expecting played-out country club cooking. But the cooking was more forward thinking than I had expected and, as this was the last night of our trip, the service and pacing was perfect. Although, after two days at the resort that was to be expected. This place did everything right from the second you pull up to the portico to the second you leave. Beautiful, luxurious, thoughtful.