Charleston eats Lowcountry. The defining plate is shrimp and grits, the canonical version reworked by Frank Lee at Slightly North of Broad in the 1990s with stone-ground grits and house kielbasa. She-crab soup, Frogmore stew, Hoppin' John and benne wafers anchor the rest of the local canon, all rooted in the Gullah-Geechee cooking carried from West Africa through the Sea Islands. Chef BJ Dennis is the city's loudest voice for that heritage, hosting Gullah pop-ups and appearing in High on the Hog. The modern kitchen scene runs through Sean Brock's Husk on Queen Street, Mike Lata's FIG and The Ordinary, Jason Stanhope's Sullivan's Fish Camp out on Sullivan's Island, and Chez Nous on Payne Court. Lewis Barbecue and Rodney Scott's BBQ split the city's central-Texas and whole-hog pitmaster vote. Oysters arrive raw at 167 Raw on King and shovel-fed at Bowens Island near Folly Beach. Charleston Wine + Food in March and Spoleto in late May to early June frame the calendar.

Eat your way through Charleston

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Map of Charleston

Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Charleston, pinned. Click a pin for the page.

Where to eat in Charleston: editor-picked starting points

5 institutional venues to anchor a Charleston food trip

  • Husk (downtown) - Modern Southern, chef Sean Brock (founding); current team
  • FIG (downtown) - Lowcountry, Seasonal, chef Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope
  • Vern's (upper-king) - New American, chef Dano Heinze and Bethany Heinze
  • The Ordinary (upper-king) - Seafood, Raw Bar, chef Mike Lata
  • Chez Nous (upper-king) - European Bistro, chef Patrick Owens and Juan Cassalett

Must-try Charleston dishes

  • Shrimp and grits - Stone-ground white grits with sauteed Carolina shrimp, andouille, country ham or mushrooms
  • She-crab soup - A rich blue-crab bisque thickened with cream and finished with a splash of sherry, traditionally made with the orange roe of female crabs
  • Hoppin' John - Carolina Gold rice cooked with field peas (or black-eyed peas), bacon and onion
  • Frogmore stew - A one-pot boil of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn on the cob and new potatoes seasoned with Old Bay
  • Benne wafers - Thin, lacy sesame cookies the size of a coin

Best Charleston neighborhoods for food

  • Downtown and the French Quarter - The peninsula's southern half: Husk, FIG, 167 Raw and Charleston's most-walked dining blocks south of Calhoun Street
  • Upper King and Cannonborough - The peninsula's northern restaurant row: Leon's, Xiao Bao, Chez Nous on Payne Court, Sugar Bakeshop and Babas on Cannon
  • Wagener Terrace and the Upper Peninsula - North of the Crosstown: Renzo wood-fired pizza, Lewis Barbecue's smokehouse, Rodney Scott's BBQ and Sorghum & Salt
  • Mount Pleasant - Across the Ravenel Bridge: Page's Okra Grill, Vintage Coffee, Westbrook Brewing and the Shem Creek seafood shacks

Compare Charleston to other food cities

Must-try dishes in Charleston

The plates that define eating in Charleston.

Hoppin' John

Carolina Gold rice cooked with field peas (or black-eyed peas), bacon and onion. The New Year's Day dish for luck, eaten year-round in Charleston.

Where: Husk, Bertha's Kitchen, Hannibal's Kitchen, Slightly North of Broad

Where to eat Hoppin' John in Charleston →

Frogmore stew

A one-pot boil of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn on the cob and new potatoes seasoned with Old Bay. Poured onto newspaper, eaten with fingers.

Where: Bowens Island Restaurant, Hyman's Seafood, Page's Okra Grill, Hannibal's Kitchen

Where to eat Frogmore stew in Charleston →

All Charleston signature dishes →

Restaurants to know in Charleston

A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Charleston.

Husk

Modern Southern$$$$76 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401

Sean Brock's Husk in Charleston opened on Queen Street in 2010 and rebuilt Southern fine dining around heritage Anson Mills grains, Sea Island peas.

Signature: Cornbread in a cast-iron skillet, Wood-grilled local fish

More about Husk →

FIG

Lowcountry, Seasonal$$$$232 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401

Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope's FIG in Charleston has been the neighbourhood-scaled dining benchmark since 2003. Kitchen leans lowcountry, seasonal.

Signature: Fish stew, Ricotta gnocchi with pork ragu

More about FIG →

The Ordinary

Seafood, Raw Bar$$$$544 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Mike Lata's The Ordinary in Charleston turned a 1927 bank building on King Street into the city's most ambitious raw bar in 2013. Located in Upper King.

Signature: Crispy oyster sliders, Seafood tower

More about The Ordinary →

Chez Nous

European Bistro$$$6 Payne Ct, Charleston, SC 29403

Chez Nous in Charleston runs a two-protein, two-pasta, two-starter handwritten menu daily out of a cottage on Payne Court since 2014. Located in Upper King.

Signature: Daily handwritten menu, Pasta of the day

More about Chez Nous →

Vern's

New American$$$41 Bogard Street, Charleston, SC 29403

Dano Heinze and Bethany Heinze's Vern's in Charleston runs a 30-seat tasting room on Bogard Street since 2022, picked up a Michelin Guide nod in 2024.

Signature: House pasta, Wood-grilled mains

More about Vern's →

Slightly North of Broad

Lowcountry$$$192 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401

Slightly North of Broad in Charleston has run on East Bay Street since 1993. Brunch and lunch are easier seats than dinner. Bar seats are walk-in only.

Signature: Shrimp and grits, Maverick Grits with sausage

More about Slightly North of Broad →

See every restaurant in Charleston →

Where to eat by neighborhood

When to come hungry in Charleston

Peak food season: March through November for produce and seafood. Charleston Wine + Food kicks off the first full weekend in March, Lowcountry Oyster Festival lands Feb 1, Spoleto runs late May to early June. Avoid late August into early September, hurricane season and brutal humidity close patios.

Local dining hours: Lunch 11:30-14:00, dinner 17:30-22:00, last seating typically 21:30. Many King Street rooms open earlier for brunch on weekends. Sunday closures are common; oyster bars and BBQ counters run latest.

Tipping: Tip 18 to 22 percent on the pre-tax total at sit-down restaurants. Bars and counters get $1 to $2 per drink or 15 to 20 percent. A few hotel rooms add automatic service; check the bill before adding more.

Charleston food, FAQ

What food is Charleston known for?

Charleston's signature dishes include Shrimp and grits, She-crab soup, Hoppin' John, Frogmore stew, Benne wafers. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.

What are the best food neighborhoods in Charleston?

TableJourney editors map Charleston by district. Downtown and the French Quarter, Upper King and Cannonborough, Wagener Terrace and the Upper Peninsula, Mount Pleasant are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.

Where should I eat fine dining in Charleston?

Editor picks in Charleston include Vern's, Husk, FIG, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.

Are there food tours in Charleston?

TableJourney covers 5 editor-picked food tours in Charleston, with what each shows you and how much to budget.

Does Charleston have good vegetarian or vegan food?

TableJourney's Charleston dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.