What is in season in Charleston. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

  • South Carolina strawberries: South Carolina strawberries open the spring market in April and run through May; you-pick farms in Mt Pleasant and Awendaw feed the Charleston Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
  • Vidalia onions and spring alliums: Vidalia onions from neighbouring Georgia (April through early September) and South Carolina spring onions hit Charleston Farmers Market and FIG's pantry in April.
  • Asparagus and spring greens: Lowcountry asparagus and spring greens run March through May; Husk and Chez Nous use them on the daily-changing menu through the season.
  • Soft-shell crab: Lowcountry soft-shell crab season opens late April and runs through early summer; Hank's Seafood and 167 Raw run them as nightly specials.

Summer

  • Wild South Carolina shrimp: South Carolina shrimp season runs May through August for browns and September through December for whites; ask for wild Carolina shrimp at the Charleston Farmers Market dockside stalls.
  • South Carolina peaches: South Carolina is the second-largest US peach producer; peaches run June through August at Charleston Farmers Market, with July the peak month for Cherokee and McLeod orchard fruit.
  • Heirloom tomatoes: Lowcountry tomato season runs June through August, peaking in July. Cherokee Purple and German Johnson dominate Charleston Farmers Market and Husk's tomato sandwich week.
  • Sweet corn and okra: South Carolina sweet corn and okra peak July through September; FIG, Husk and Lewis Barbecue work them into the summer menu in succotash, slaws and stews.
  • Watermelon and Carolina Gold rice: Watermelon peaks July and August across the Lowcountry; Carolina Gold rice, the state heritage grain, is harvested late summer through October.

Autumn

  • Lowcountry oysters: South Carolina wild oyster season opens October 1 and runs through April; the tradition is to eat oysters only in months with an R. Bowens Island and 167 Raw run weekly oyster roasts.
  • Sweet potatoes: South Carolina sweet potatoes ripen September through November; the Beauregard and Jewel varieties anchor fall menus at Husk, FIG and Edmund's Oast.
  • Apples and muscadine grapes: Upstate South Carolina apples and Lowcountry muscadines arrive September through November; Charleston Farmers Market stocks cider, jellies and fresh fruit through autumn.
  • Collards and turnips: Cool-weather collards, turnip greens and mustard greens come back to Charleston Farmers Market in October and run through winter; the Hominy Grill tradition lives on at Husk and Bertha's.

Winter

  • Oyster roasts: Lowcountry oyster roast season peaks December through February; Bowens Island and the South Carolina Aquarium hold communal-table roasts most weekends, the classic Charleston winter outdoor meal.
  • Citrus from Florida and south Georgia: Satsuma mandarins and Meyer lemons appear at Charleston Farmers Market from December; brought up from south Georgia and Florida, they anchor the city's winter pastry counters.
  • Hoppin' John and Sea Island red peas: Hoppin' John, the Sea Island red pea and Carolina Gold rice combination, is the canonical New Year's Day Lowcountry plate; Anson Mills and Marsh Hen Mill supply the heritage ingredients.
  • Winter root vegetables: Carrots, beets and rutabagas dominate Charleston Farmers Market November through February; Husk and Chez Nous run them into roasted vegetable sides and braises through the cold months.

Seasonal: tours, tastings and classes in Charleston

Charleston: Downtown Culinary Walking Tour★ 4.9 (132)

Guided tour · 2.5 hours

Charleston: Downtown Culinary Walking Tour

Explore Charleston's City Market in the historic downtown district on a guided foodie walking tour. Learn about the city's history while enjoying tastings of Lowcountr...

from$110 Check dates

See all 166 bookable experiences in Charleston

← Back to Charleston food guide