Eat well in Charleston for under €15 a plate: the locals'-budget edition.
Eat well in Charleston for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Hannibal's Kitchen has fed the Eastside of Charleston soul food since 1985. At 16 Blake St. Reservations advised. A neighbourhood favourite.
Try: Crab rice, smothered pork chop, fried whiting, lima beans
Tip: Counter order, dining-room seat. Lunch beats dinner; the line peaks 12:30-13:30 weekdays.
Bertha's Kitchen in North Charleston has run soul food cafeteria-style since 1979, the Grant family at the steam table. Fried chicken, okra soup, red rice.
Try: Fried chicken, okra soup, red rice with two sides
Tip: Cash and card both fine. Lunch only, Mon-Sat; arrive before 13:00 or the chicken sells out.
Dave's Carry-Out runs a Charleston counter-only soul food and seafood window on Morris Street. At 42 Morris St # C. Booking recommended. Reservations advised.
Try: Fried fish sandwich, fried shrimp platter
Tip: Tue-Fri lunch and dinner only, closed Sat-Mon. Order ahead by phone if you want to skip the line.
Jack of Cups in Folly Beach runs a seasonally evolving Center Street menu of Asian and Indian inspired comfort food. Located in James Island.
Try: Globally inspired comfort food, Asian and Indian flavored plates
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. Vegetarian and vegan options run alongside the omnivore menu; sidewalk seats out front, courtyard in back.
Callie's Hot Little Biscuit on King Street fires miniature buttermilk and cheese biscuits to order from a walk-up window in Charleston. Located in Upper King.
Try: Buttermilk biscuit with cheese-and-bacon or country ham
Tip: Single biscuits start under $4. Open from 06:30 weekdays, latest 14:00 close; an upper King reliable before fresh espresso.
Brown Dog Deli on Calhoun Street is a quick-service Charleston sandwich shop that has fed MUSC students and downtown lunch crowds for years.
Try: Philly Collins cheesesteak, Folly Beach Crunch Wrap, sandwich plates
Tip: Order at the counter for grab-and-go or sit-down. Sidewinder Fries and the Buffalo Chicken Crunch are the most-ordered items.
Pearlz Oyster Bar on East Bay Street keeps Charleston's reliable happy-hour table: $1.25 oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp and crab dip, weekdays 16:00-19:00.
Try: Happy-hour oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp, crab dip
Tip: Walk-in only at the bar; happy-hour menu is bar-only. The West Ashley Magnolia Road location runs the same special.
Smash City Burgers on Cooper Street runs a stripped-back smashburger counter in the old Fair Deal Grocery on the Charleston Eastside. At 47 Cooper St.
Try: Classic Single cheeseburger with crinkle fries
Tip: Open Wed-Sun for dine-in, delivery to midnight. Cash or card; build-your-own option for catering orders.
Roti Rolls in Charleston runs the city's longest-running food truck (since 2010), wraps under $12. Creole mac with smoked pork, butter-poached shrimp.
Try: Roti flatbread wraps under $12
Tip: Check eatrotirolls.com for the green truck's daily location. The Mother Clucker is the budget standard.
John Lewis's central-Texas pit fires brisket and sausage every morning at the Nassau Street counter. Located in Upper Peninsula. At 464 N Nassau St.
Try: Brisket sandwich, sausage plate with two sides
Tip: Order at the counter, sit at the picnic tables. The brisket sandwich at lunch is the move when the full plate is too much.