Summary: Here are some restaurants that I frequent when I visit Charleston, South Carolina. Next time you visit, you should give them a try.
As I was thinking of restaurants for Charleston I realized two things: 1) there SO MANY amazing restaurants in this city and 2) a LOT has changed since I left. So if you ever visit, here are a couple of my suggestions, but definitely ask around! I decided to just pick one casual place and one nice place because once I started listing them off in my head I probably could have listed at least 30 that you just HAVE to try. Ah! I just thought of another. OK, now I’m pulling it together.
Charleston:
Five Loaves Cafe
The Five Loaves Cafe was one of my friends’ and my favorite places to grab lunch together. It’s small, has a very local feel (probably because it’s nowhere near the “fancy” part of downtown) and is perfect for a casual lunch. There’s even a big communal table in the back, which really gives it a homey feel. Everything here was to die for, but our favorite thing to do was get a “soup sampler” with either half a salad or sandwich. Every day they changed their soup selection, and for the sampler you got to try three little cups of whichever ones you wanted. Heaven.
82 Queen
I went to 82 Queen after my college graduation with my family as well as for a bridal luncheon two years ago at my best friend’s wedding. Both times it was beyond amazing. It is a restaurant in an old house, with some of the tables out back on the patio, some downstairs and some upstairs. Both times I sat upstairs and I even loved the restroom. The house is adorable and the staff was always amazing. The food? I can’t even articulate how good it was. For my friend’s bridal shower I had the shrimp and grits, which practically melted in your mouth and were full of flavor. This is the place to go if you want historic Charleston charm with some of its amazing Southern cuisine.
Tomato Shed
Okay, okay, I lied. I just HAD to add this one on here because it’s so off the beaten path. If you really want to get local, then head on over to John’s Island.Off a small two-lane road you’ll see the Tomato Shed. It’s actually a market and lunch-only restaurant where you can buy all sorts of things and enjoy a good meal. This is REAL local South Carolina cooking and it’s the first and only place I’ve tried tomato pie! I used to beg my friend Meredith to stop by here as we drove out and back to her horse’s barn. So worth it.