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New AmericanUpper King
Tres Jackson and Brooks Reitz's Sorghum & Salt in Charleston runs vegetable-forward small plates from a renovated St. Philip Street spot since 2017.
OrderWhatever the daily vegetable plate is; this kitchen makes plants taste like the centre of the plate.
TipBook on Resy. Vegetarians get the deepest menu in the city here.
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French BistroUpper King
Maison in Charleston runs French bistro plates from a King Street corner since 2023. Order the steak frites and a half-bottle of cotes du rhone.
OrderSteak frites and a half-bottle of Cotes du Rhone.
TipBook on Resy. Wednesday and Thursday seats are easiest; weekends fill 30 days out.
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Southern, LowcountryMount Pleasant
Page's Okra Grill in Mount Pleasant has run family-owned Southern cooking on Coleman Boulevard since 2008. Kitchen leans southern, lowcountry.
OrderAshleigh's shrimp and grits with andouille and tomato gravy.
TipNo reservations; arrive at 11:00 or wait. Walk-ins only; cash and card.
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Modern SouthernDowntown
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.
OrderThe skillet cornbread with bacon-fat butter, plus whatever the wood grill is running tonight.
TipBook on huskcharleston.com. The bar serves the full menu walk-up from 17:00 onward, no reservations needed.
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Lowcountry, SeasonalDowntown
Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope's FIG in Charleston has been the neighbourhood-scaled dining benchmark since 2003. Kitchen leans lowcountry, seasonal.
OrderThe fish stew with house-cut potatoes and aioli; rotates by season.
TipBook 30 days ahead on Resy. Bar seats are first-come Booking recommended for weekends.
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Seafood, Raw BarUpper King
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.
OrderThe crispy oyster sliders on Hawaiian rolls, plus the seafood tower for the table.
TipBook on Resy. Mezzanine bar takes walk-ins and serves the full menu.