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 dishes: House pasta, Wood-grilled mains
Must 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.
Address: 41 Bogard Street, Charleston, SC 29403
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.
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.
Jacques Larson's The Obstinate Daughter on Sullivan's Island opened in 2014. Italian-Lowcountry crossover with wood-fired pizzas and seafood pastas, named for a Revolutionary War cartoon.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Geechee Girl pasta
Order: The Old Danger pizza with house-pulled mozzarella and the Geechee Girl pasta.
Tip: Book on Resy. Lunch is the easier seat; dinner books out 30 days ahead.
Jason Stanhope and partners reopened Sullivan's Fish Camp on Middle Street in Sullivan's Island in 2022. James Beard winner Stanhope brings FIG-level cooking to a casual fish-camp setting.
Signature: Raw bar selections, Wood-grilled whole fish
Order: A half-dozen oysters from the daily list, then the wood-grilled whole fish.
Tip: Book on Resy. The bar serves the full menu and turns faster than the dining room.
Wild Olive on Johns Island has run handmade pasta and Italian-Lowcountry plates from a converted barn on Maybank Highway since 2009. Chef Jacques Larson's first restaurant.
Signature: House-made pasta, Wood-fired meats
Order: Whatever house pasta the kitchen is running tonight; rotates with the season.
Tip: Reservations required almost every night. Book at wildolive.com.
Brannon Florie's The Royal Tern on Johns Island opened in 2019 as a fancy neighbourhood eatery on Maybank Highway. Local seafood, raw bar and a wood grill anchor the menu.
Signature: Whole fish, Local raw bar
Order: Whatever whole fish is on the wood grill, plus oysters from the daily list.
Tip: Book on the website. Dinner only, closed Sundays.
