Day-by-day eating plans for Charleston. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.
Day-by-day plans
Charleston weekend: Lowcountry classics, done right ★ 4.7
A peninsula weekend built around the dishes Charleston invented, the rooms that wrote the modern Lowcountry rulebook, and one Sullivan's Island seafood dinner.
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Day 1: Saturday: biscuits, oysters, Lewis Barbecue, Husk
- Morning
- Open at Callie's Hot Little Biscuit on King Street at 09:00, cheese-and-bacon biscuit, latte from across the street. Walk over to Charleston Farmers Market on Marion Square for the Sea Island pea and produce stalls.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Lewis Barbecue on Nassau Street, brisket sandwich and a sausage plate with two sides. Coffee back at Babas on Cannon and an hour wandering Cannonborough.
- Evening
- Dinner at Husk on Queen Street, 18:30. The skillet cornbread baked with Anson Mills cornmeal and Benton's bacon, whatever the wood grill is running, a pour from Husk's deep Southern bourbon list to start.
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Day 2: Sunday: brunch, the City Market, raw bar, Sullivan's dinner
- Morning
- Brunch at Poogan's Porch on Queen Street, 09:30. Buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy, the canonical she-crab soup, sweet tea.
- Afternoon
- Walk the Charleston City Market on Meeting Street for sweetgrass baskets and benne wafers. Late lunch at 167 Raw Oyster Bar on King Street, oysters and a tuna burger at the marble counter.
- Evening
- Drive across the Ravenel Bridge for dinner at The Obstinate Daughter on Sullivan's Island, 19:30. A wood-fired pizza, ricotta gnocchi with short-rib ragu, oysters from the raw bar.
Charleston on a budget: three days under $40 a meal ★ 4.4
Soul food counters, walk-up biscuits, food trucks and happy-hour oysters. Three full days of Charleston eating with no dinner over $40 a head.
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Day 1: Day one: counters, biscuits, BBQ lunch, late-night tots
- Morning
- Biscuit and coffee at Callie's Hot Little Biscuit on King Street, under $9 for a full breakfast.
- Afternoon
- Cross over to Hannibal's Kitchen on Blake Street for the Eastside soul food lunch: crab rice, smothered pork chop, lima beans, under $16 with iced tea.
- Evening
- Lewis Barbecue lunch-counter format for an early sausage plate, then Tater Tachos and a PBR at Recovery Room Tavern on upper King past midnight.
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Day 2: Day two: food trucks, soul food, $1 oysters
- Morning
- Find Roti Rolls' green truck on streetfoodfinder.com, a Thurman Merman wrap and a drink off the truck's $2 menu, under $13.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Bertha's Kitchen in North Charleston, fried chicken, okra soup and red rice from the steam table, under $16. Cash and card both fine.
- Evening
- Happy hour at Pearlz Oyster Bar on East Bay, 16:00 to 19:00: $1.25 oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp, crab dip. Dinner stays under $20 a head if you stick to the bar menu.
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Day 3: Day three: Folly Beach day trip and a King Street dive
- Morning
- Drive to Folly Beach, beach time before lunch.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Jack of Cups Saloon on Center Street, cheap Asian and Indian inspired plates off the seasonally evolving chalkboard menu.
- Evening
- Back on the peninsula, Smash City Burgers on Cooper Street for a Classic Single and crinkle fries, then a Death Burger at A.C.'s Bar & Grill on King past midnight.
Itineraries in Charleston, FAQ
When is the best time to eat in Charleston?
Peak food season in Charleston is year-round.
What time do people eat in Charleston?
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
How does tipping work in Charleston?
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
What is the one dish to try in Charleston?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Charleston rewards trust.