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BarbecueUpper King
Home Team BBQ in Charleston runs pulled pork, wings and brisket from a Williman Street smokehouse since 2006. Located in Upper King. Priced at $$.
OrderThe pulled pork plate with two sides, plus a half-pound of smoked wings.
TipOpen until midnight; full menu late. Live music nights draw a crowd.
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Texas BarbecueUpper Peninsula
John Lewis's Lewis Barbecue in Charleston runs central-Texas-style brisket and hot-guts sausage from a Nassau Street smokehouse since 2016. Priced at $$.
OrderA quarter-pound of fatty brisket and a hot-guts link, plus the green chile corn pudding side.
TipOrder at the counter. Brisket runs out by 19:00 most nights; arrive earlier for the full menu.
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American BBQWest Ashley
Palmira Barbecue in Charleston runs wood-fired Texas-Carolina barbecue with Puerto Rican accents from a West Ashley strip-mall counter since 2023.
OrderThe beef cheek barbacoa, a guava burnt-end side.
TipCounter ordering, no reservations. Meats sell out by 19:00 on weekends; arrive by 17:00 for the full menu.
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Italian, PizzaUpper King
Melfi's in Charleston runs upper-King-Street red-sauce Italian and Roman-thin-crust pizza out of a clubby tin-ceiling room since 2018. Priced at $$$.
OrderThe Cacio e Pepe pizza and a glass of Chianti Classico.
TipBook on Resy. Walk-up bar seats serve the full menu.
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Seafood, OystersJames Island
Bowens Island Restaurant near Folly Beach has shovel-fed steamed Lowcountry oysters since 1946. James Beard America's Classics winner in 2006.
OrderA bushel of steamed oysters opened table-side and a bowl of Frogmore stew.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. Cash and card; no reservations. Tide-line tables fill at sunset.
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ItalianJohns Island
Wild Olive on Johns Island has run handmade pasta and Italian-Lowcountry plates from a converted barn on Maybank Highway since 2009. Priced at $$$.
OrderWhatever house pasta the kitchen is running tonight.
TipReservations required almost every night.