The fastest, cheapest, frequently best food on Charleston's streets.
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in Charleston.
Roti Rolls in Charleston rolled out in 2010 as the city's first food truck. Flatbread wraps stuffed with creole mac, smoked pork, kimchi, butter-poached shrimp.
Try: Roti flatbread wraps with Southern and Caribbean fillings
Tip: Check eatrotirolls.com or the Street Food Finder app for the green truck's daily location before driving anywhere.
Smash City Burgers in Charleston took over the old Fair Deal Grocery on Cooper Street in July 2024. The food truck still works the city; the storefront does the same burger sit-down.
Try: Smash burger on a potato bun
Tip: Walk-in only, no reservations. The Classic Single with American cheese and crinkle fries is the move.
Dave's Carry-Out in Charleston runs a counter-only soul food and seafood window on Morris Street. Fried fish sandwich, shrimp platters, devil crab, all to go.
Try: Fried fish sandwich, fried shrimp platter
Tip: No dine-in seating, just a couple of benches inside to wait. Card or cash both fine; order the fish sandwich.
Cachita's Kitchen in Mount Pleasant parks on Chuck Dawley Blvd from a colorful Mexican-Cuban truck. Al pastor, chicharron tacos, shrimp Cachitaco, churros to finish.
Try: Al pastor tacos, Shrimp Cachitaco, Cuban sandwich
Tip: The truck has parking-lot tables and umbrellas. A second location runs at 6 N Market St downtown for the same menu indoors.
&Lobster in Charleston runs a roving New England lobster roll truck. Maine lobster on a buttered top-split bun, chilled or hot. The cleanest lobster roll the city has.
Try: New England-style lobster roll on a butter-toasted bun
Tip: Pre-order on andlobster.com to skip the line. Available for private catering Tuesday to Sunday.
Street Bird Westside in Charleston runs a Southern-Mexican gluten-free fried chicken sandwich window from a President Street lot. Classic, Southern, and Mexican-style sandwiches with pimento cheese.
Try: Gluten-free fried chicken sandwich
Tip: All chicken sandwiches are gluten-free by default. Outdoor seating only, weather-dependent.
Maine Line Seafood in Johns Island parks at Rosebank Farms with lobster flown in weekly by the owners' Harpswell, Maine fishing family. Lobster rolls, fish sandwiches.
Try: Maine lobster roll, fish sandwich
Tip: Card and cash both fine. Pair the roll with whatever's coming off Rosebank's produce stand that morning.
Mi Lindo Oaxaca Taqueria in Mount Pleasant runs a colorful truck out of Wando Crossing serving chef Enmanuel Aragon Cortes's mother's Oaxacan recipes. Enmoladas, al pastor.
Try: Enmoladas, al pastor tacos, mole
Tip: A brick-and-mortar followup opened at 2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd in the Citadel Mall food court for the same menu indoors.
Hannibal's Kitchen on the Charleston Eastside has been feeding soul food since 1985. Shark steak with grits, fried whiting, lima beans with smoked turkey, in a Blake Street counter room.
Try: Shark steak, sauteed crab and shrimp over grits, fried whiting
Tip: Order at the counter, find a seat in the simple dining room. Crab rice is the move if shark isn't running.
167 Raw on King Street runs a counter raw bar with New England DNA. Lobster roll, tuna burger, oysters from Canada to the Lowcountry, served on a marble bar in a narrow room.
Try: Lobster roll, oysters on the half shell, tuna burger
Tip: First come, first serve. Wait list opens around 17:00 nightly. Lunch is the easier sit.
Peak food season in Charleston is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Charleston rewards trust.