It’s time for another update of Eater 18 in Charleston—your answer and ours to any question that begins with, “Can you recommend a restaurant?” This group of restaurants is part of the city’s intrinsic cultural tapestry — the places that have impacted or represent Charleston’s constantly evolving culinary canon. Ultimately, the list showcases the restaurants that make dining in the Lowcountry memorable during this unique moment.
18 Best Restaurants in Charleston
Where to eat roasted bone marrow with oysters, fried Lowcountry shrimp, and smoky whole-hog barbecue
Erin Perkins is a former editor of Eater’s South region, covering Atlanta, Nashville, Miami, New Orleans, and the Carolinas. She has been writing about the food scene in the Carolinas and Savannah for 12 years. Erin has resided in Charleston, South Carolina, for the past 20 years.
In this latest refresh, we’ve revamped our write-ups to include even more relevant info for diners, including a rough range of pricing for each destination, ranging from $ for quick, inexpensive meals with dishes largely under $10, to $$$$ for places where entrees exceed $30
Removal from the Eater 18 does not mean a restaurant isn’t still great and won’t return in the future; it allows for new additions, keeping the 18 fresh, inclusive, and geographically representative.
New to this map is sandwich stop Da Toscano Porchetta Shop and luxury steakhouse Marbled & Fin. Restaurants are listed geographically from north to south.
To find the newest restaurants in Charleston, check out the Heatmap.
18 Best Restaurants in Charleston
Where to eat roasted bone marrow with oysters, fried Lowcountry shrimp, and smoky whole-hog barbecue
Erin Perkins is a former editor of Eater’s South region, covering Atlanta, Nashville, Miami, New Orleans, and the Carolinas. She has been writing about the food scene in the Carolinas and Savannah for 12 years. Erin has resided in Charleston, South Carolina, for the past 20 years.
It’s time for another update of Eater 18 in Charleston—your answer and ours to any question that begins with, “Can you recommend a restaurant?” This group of restaurants is part of the city’s intrinsic cultural tapestry — the places that have impacted or represent Charleston’s constantly evolving culinary canon. Ultimately, the list showcases the restaurants that make dining in the Lowcountry memorable during this unique moment.
In this latest refresh, we’ve revamped our write-ups to include even more relevant info for diners, including a rough range of pricing for each destination, ranging from $ for quick, inexpensive meals with dishes largely under $10, to $$$$ for places where entrees exceed $30
Removal from the Eater 18 does not mean a restaurant isn’t still great and won’t return in the future; it allows for new additions, keeping the 18 fresh, inclusive, and geographically representative.
New to this map is sandwich stop Da Toscano Porchetta Shop and luxury steakhouse Marbled & Fin. Restaurants are listed geographically from north to south.
To find the newest restaurants in Charleston, check out the Heatmap.
King BBQ
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $$
Restaurateurs Shuai and Corrie Wang have a way of taking a well-worn idea and introducing a fresh touch. With King BBQ, the Wangs reimagined the status quo of smoked meats in the Lowcountry. King BBQ marries traditional barbecue techniques and flavors from China and the American South. Customers will find five-spice duck and char sao ribs next to smoky chopped pork. Don’t skip the deep-fried shrimp toast sliders or the crunchy salad to start.
Best for: A break from the typical Southern barbecue joint.
Bertha's Restaurant
Open for: Lunch
Price range: $
Established in 1979, iconic soul food stop Bertha’s Kitchen is known for its fried chicken, fish, and sides, like slow-simmered lima beans. Tourists and locals in search of Southern comfort make the trek to the big turquoise house in North Charleston to enjoy dishes created by the late founder, Albertha Grant, such as smothered pork chops and oxtails. Bertha’s has even drawn its fair share of critical acclaim. In 2017, the restaurant took home the James Beard Award for America’s Classic.
Best for: Bringing out-of-town visitors for a true taste of Southern classics.
Renzo
Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$
Restaurateurs Erik Hutson and Nayda Friere (of hip bar Faculty Lounge) opened North Central spot Renzo to feel like a party every night — the best kind of party, a pizza party. The gold-embellished bar takes up half the room, with views of the kitchen and Friere’s extensive collection of natural wines. The booths are usually full of groups sharing the creative wood-fired pizzas, like the Cheli with lamb sausage, feta, honey, and za’atar. For non-pie items, the crispy (and gluten-free) Korean fried chicken is a standout choice.
Best for: A killer wine selection and fun pizza toppings.
Maison
Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$$
If $8 martinis at happy hour isn’t enough to pull you into French eatery Maison, then chef Vandy Vanderwarker’s menu of classic Parisian dishes should convince you. Choose between an expertly dressed salad of local lettuces, buttery escargot, steak frites, rabbit en croute, and a field pea gratin. The room is relaxed with black-and-white bistro touches reminiscent of old-school cafes in the City of Lights.
Best for: A fancy date night off the beaten path.
Hannibal's Kitchen
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $
Tucked away in the East Side neighborhood, this Lowcountry legend has served classic Charleston dishes since 1985. Far off the tourist path on Blake Street, try Gullah Geechee cuisine staples like crab rice, lima beans with smoked turkey neck bones, okra soup, and local shark. Open for lunch and dinner, this casual spot meets the need for Lowcountry flavors in a relaxed atmosphere.
Best for: A quick stop to get a taste of Gullah Geechee fare.
Bill Addison/Eater
Bintü Atelier
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $$$
Chef Bintou N’Daw couldn’t find the food of her homeland, Senegal, in the Lowcountry, so she created African restaurant Bintü Atelier. The petite spot on Line Street offers shito crab rice, beef suya, crispy prawns, and supa kanja, an okra stew with red shrimp. N’Daw keeps a few staples on the menu but rotates the dishes to highlight the different African countries. The plant-covered patio is a cozy place to dine when the weather is nice. Bintü is BYOB, but most customers are happy to order a fresh soursop juice or sorrel tea.
Best for: A table with friends to share plates from the only African restaurant in Charleston.
Mike Ledford
Chubby Fish
Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$$
If you’re driving down Coming Street around 5 p.m., you’ll likely notice a long queue of eager diners hoping to get into neighborhood restaurant Chubby Fish (it’s first come, first served). The sailing-inspired dining room is always packed with customers looking to discover what chef James London has created with the day’s fresh local catch. The caviar sandwich is a must, but also try the chile garlic shrimp, blue crab tagliatelle, and roast oysters with crab-fat curry.
Best for: A luscious dinner full of the ocean’s abundance in a buzzy room.
Chubby Fish
Vern's
Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$$
Many people say they want to create a neighborhood restaurant, but husband-and-wife team Daniel “Dano” and Bethany Heinze nailed it on their first attempt with Vern’s. Nestled in the mostly residential area of Cannonbourough/Elliotborough, the American bistro pulls from the couple’s strengths, with Bethany on the adventurous wine list and Dano in the kitchen. The menu draws from Dano’s work with hyper-local produce at the former McCrady’s, ingredient-based cooking in California, and travels through Europe with Bethany. Dishes include perfectly roasted chicken in a brown butter jus, fresh campanelle with rabbit, and bouncy charred sourdough with allium butter.
Best for: Ending a neighborhood walk with a killer meal in a cozy, inviting environment with great wine.
The Ordinary
Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$$$
Mike Lata and Adam Nemirow created an homage to all things from the ocean with their fancy fish house the Ordinary. Housed in a 1920s bank on Upper King, the dining room retains much of the charm of the era with vintage sea decorations, bistro tables, white marble, and a sparkling mezzanine overlooking the space. As one of the best raw bars around, customers dining at the Ordinary can go big with a triple tower full of fresh shellfish and perfectly executed mignonettes or go bold with the rock shrimp larb served with chili crisp and lettuce cups.
Best for: A reliable source for expertly shucked oysters and very cold martinis.
The Ordinary
Chez Nous
Open for: Dinner and weekend brunch
Price range: $$$$
At this rustic, romantic French destination, chef Jill Mathias serves a concise selection of two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts. The staff posts the menu daily on Instagram, but it’s usually a safe bet to grab a table without knowing what plates will delight the dining room that day. Recent offerings included sauteed shrimp with peppers, coulotte steak with chanterelle sauce, and whipped mascarpone with figs to round out the meal.
Best for: A table for two and ordering everything on the menu.
Erin Perkins/Eater Charleston
Marbled & Fin
Open for: Dinner and brunch
Price range: $$$$
Marbled & Fin flips the idea that a steakhouse needs to be all tufted leather and wood paneling — with floor-to-ceiling windows and salmon-colored banquettes, this is a more modern, softer version. The menu remains classic however, with seafood towers, wagyu beef, martinis, and plenty of caviar. The ultimate surf-and-turf dish is the bone marrow and broiled oyster appetizer — chimmichurri and a charred lemon help temper the fat in the dish, but layering the elements on a slice of toast leads to one of the most decadent bites in the restaurant.
Best for: Impressing a date, clients, or pretty much anyone.
Andrew Cebulka
Dave's Carry-Out
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $
The little corner fish shack is a laid-back stop off the hectic hustle of King Street; as its name implies, the kitchen is very adept at the carryout game. For years, this corner shop has consistently served up big plates of crisp, golden-fried fresh catch and fixin’s. Those in the know pair the buttery flounder with a side of creamy lima beans and rice.
Best for: Getting away from King Street for classic Charleston fare.
Mike Ledford
Shiki
Open for: Lunch and dinner,
Price range: $$
Shiki is a tucked-away space on East Bay Street, beloved by locals since 2001. The long-standing sushi eatery is an intimate space to catch up with friends and family. The dining room underwent a refresh during the pandemic, with numerous nods to Japanese design. The seafood is incredibly fresh, the service is reliable, and the sake is reasonably priced. Many Charlestonians also rely on this restaurant for takeout when the night calls for nigiri on the couch.
Best for: A chill evening with an abundance of sushi rolls without the crowds
Shiki
Da Toscano Porchetta Shop
Open for: Breakfast, lunch, and happy hour
Price range: $$
Chef Michael Toscano longed for the porchetta and bollito sandwiches he found in Florence, Italy, so he created his own in Charleston with Da Toscano Porchetta Shop. Customers order at the counter and can watch the rotisserie turn with cuts of meat dripping with fatty goodness. All the sandwiches come on housemade focaccia. In the morning, you can order a B.E.C or a chorizo and egg sandwich. In the afternoon, opt for the namesake porchetta with cracklings, provolone, and salsa verde. There aren’t any seats in the restaurants, so get your goods to go or stand at one of the counters and indulge in sandwich with one of the many Italian beers in the case.
Best for: Giant, filling sandwiches — you’ll probably have leftovers.
Walker Creative Inc.
167 Raw Oyster Bar
Open for: Lunch and dinner
Price range: $$$
Perpetually packed seafood restaurant 167 Raw showcases the best that the ocean has to offer. The dining room feels like a party with a full room of friends and families enjoying plenty of cold frosé, oysters on the half shell, baked crab dip, and rich lobster rolls. 167 Raw doesn’t take reservations, so sign up for the queue and take a walk around Charleston while waiting for the restaurant to text.
Best for: Treating yourself to a dozen oysters and a lobster roll.
Kwei Fei
Open for: Dinner
Price range: $$
Charleston was severely lacking in Sichuan options before chef David Schuttenberg came to town via multiple venerated kitchens in New York. His restaurant Kwei Fei brings the heat on James Island to adoring fans looking for lamb dumplings, spicy noodles, and mapo tofu. Order several dishes, like dan dan noodles and lamb dumplings, because leftovers are just as good the next day.
Best for: Setting your mouth on fire with la zi ji (crispy chicken thighs) and washing it down with a vast selection of baijiu.
Andrew Cebulka
The Obstinate Daughter
Open for: Lunch, dinner, brunch
Price range: $$$
Visitors to Sullivan’s Island can dine on wood-fired pizza, filling pasta, and fresh seafood by the ocean in a stylish, nautical-themed dining room. The Obstinate Daughter offers a bright space to spend the lunch, brunch, or dinner hour. Customers can order a signature cocktail using local liquors, a few oysters on the half shell, and the sumptuous ricotta gnocchi with short rib ragu.
Best for: Pretending you’re on vacation while you eat pizza and oysters by the beach.
The Obstinate Daughter
