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, hyper-local produce.
Signature dishes: Cornbread in a cast-iron skillet, Wood-grilled local fish
Must order: The skillet cornbread with bacon-fat butter, plus whatever the wood grill is running tonight.
Tip: Book on huskcharleston.com. The bar serves the full menu walk-up from 17:00 onward, no reservations needed.
Address: 76 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401
Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope's FIG in Charleston has been the neighbourhood-scaled dining benchmark since 2003. James Beard Best Chef Southeast for Lata in 2009, Stanhope in 2015.
Signature: Fish stew, Ricotta gnocchi with pork ragu
Order: The fish stew with house-cut potatoes and aioli; rotates by season.
Tip: Book 30 days ahead on Resy. Bar seats are first-come.
Slightly North of Broad in Charleston has run on East Bay Street since 1993. Frank Lee's reworked shrimp and grits became the canonical restaurant version of the Lowcountry plate.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Maverick Grits with sausage
Order: The shrimp and grits with stone-ground grits and house kielbasa, on the menu since the 90s.
Tip: Brunch and lunch are easier seats than dinner. Bar seats are walk-in only.
Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope's FIG in Charleston has been the neighbourhood-scaled dining benchmark since 2003. James Beard Best Chef Southeast for Lata in 2009, Stanhope in 2015.
Signature: Fish stew, Ricotta gnocchi with pork ragu
Order: The fish stew with house-cut potatoes and aioli; rotates by season.
Tip: Book 30 days ahead on Resy. Bar seats are first-come.
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. Marble counters, tile floors, mezzanine bar.
Signature: Crispy oyster sliders, Seafood tower
Order: The crispy oyster sliders on Hawaiian rolls, plus the seafood tower for the table.
Tip: Book on Resy. Mezzanine bar takes walk-ins and serves the full menu.
Chez Nous in Charleston runs a two-protein, two-pasta, two-starter handwritten menu daily out of a cottage on Payne Court since 2014. Six tables, no menu repeats.
Signature: Daily handwritten menu, Pasta of the day
Order: Whatever pasta is on the day's chalkboard; it's always the strongest plate.
Tip: Book on Resy weeks ahead. The room is tiny and tables turn slowly.
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 with personal service.
Signature: House pasta, Wood-grilled mains
Order: Whatever the day's pasta is, then the protein from the wood grill.
Tip: Resy bookings open 28 days ahead and go in minutes. Walk-in bar seats sometimes free up at 17:00.
Slightly North of Broad in Charleston has run on East Bay Street since 1993. Frank Lee's reworked shrimp and grits became the canonical restaurant version of the Lowcountry plate.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Maverick Grits with sausage
Order: The shrimp and grits with stone-ground grits and house kielbasa, on the menu since the 90s.
Tip: Brunch and lunch are easier seats than dinner. Bar seats are walk-in only.
Halls Chophouse in Charleston has run the city's premier steakhouse on King Street since 2009. The Hall family's hospitality plus prime ribeyes built a national reputation.
Signature: Tomahawk ribeye, She-crab soup
Order: The 38oz tomahawk for the table, plus a starter of she-crab soup.
Tip: Live jazz nightly downstairs. Reservations on OpenTable; book the bar for walk-up.
