Charleston Restaurant Week is here! The event has been extended through the 22nd of September so there’s still plenty of time to experience the deals throughout the Holy City.
Slightly North of Broad
Deal: 3 Courses for $45
Magnolias
Deal: 3 Courses for $40
Butcher and Bee
Deal: Seasonal Tasting Menu for $25
The Macintosh
Deal: 3 Courses for $35
Let us know which restaurant you’re most excited to try!
It’s easy to fall into the same routine of work, dinner, and Netflix, but Charleston is a city full of date night options. Whether you’re a new couple who is exploring the city together or a married couple of many years looking for a day of relaxation, we’ve got a date idea here for you. Here are four must-do “date nights”.
What better way to spend some quality time together than taking an adventurous weekend getaway to Edisto Beach State Park? Grab your tent, a sleeping bag, and enjoy a weekend “roughing it” at Edisto Beach. During the day you can bike, fish, swim, kayak, and roam the trails, and at night you can relax by the fire and watch the sunset together.
There’s no better place to go on a date and explore the culinary scene than in Charleston. Whether you want to enjoy some of the best food Charleston has to offer or learn some tips to take home, the Holy City has a ton of options. Our choice for best date night? Enjoy a steak from Halls Chophouse, grab some drinks from Hotel Bennett’s champagne bar, Camellias, then finish the night off with dessert from Kaminsky’s. If you’re looking for something more interactive, you and your bae can take a cooking class at Zero George Street and take your tips home to the kitchen.
We totally get it, binge-watching Netflix in bed is hard to beat but Charleston has plenty of date activities for those couples who want to relax but are looking to get out of the house. Head to the beach for a relaxing day and grab some drinks from a nearby restaurant like Taco Boy at Folly Beach or Mex1 at Sullivan’s. Or splurge a little and head to the spa at Hotel Bennett for ultimate relaxation.
Are you and your SO always looking to learn something new? These date night ideas mix romance, fun, and education. Learn how to make candles together for your next date night at Candlefish’s candle making workshop or pick a class to take at AR Workshop in Mount Pleasant and DIY, together.
Whatever you and your date choose to do, have a blast.
Featured Image: Charleston Tea Plantation
Charleston is known for both its natural beauty and its rich history. Combining beauty and history on one of Charleston’s most unspoiled islands – the historic Wadmalaw Island – is the Charleston Tea Plantation. Wadmalaw Island provides the perfect environment for propagating tea, allowing the Charleston Tea Plantation to grow and produce nine special flavors of tea, including American Classic Tea – the only brand of tea in the world made exclusively with 100% American-grown tea.
The history of the charming island dates back to the mid-17th-century when a British captain and the crew of Berkeley Bay landed on the shores of what is today known as Rockville, South Carolina. It was not until the late 1800s that tea growers were able to turn American-grown tea into a reality, just up the road in Summerville, SC. In 1963, after the passing of that first South Carolina tea farmer, the tea plants from Pinehurst Tea Plantation in Summerville were transplanted to the farm on Wadmalaw Island.
William Barclay Hall purchased the land in 1987 and converted the farm into a commercial tea plantation. The Charleston Tea Plantation was founded, leading to the development of Hall’s original “American Classic” tea, which was the first brand of tea to be made with 100% tea grown in America. This America-grown tea has been popular with tea lovers in the Carolinas for almost three decades and was made even more successful when Hall brought in the Bigelow Tea Company for a partnership.
Today, visitors from near and far visit the plantation every day, taking advantage of trolley tours of the 127 acres of tea bushes ($14/person, $6/child) and free factory tours of America’s only tea factory to learn all about how tea is made. For avid tea drinkers, expert tea master William Barclay (“Bill”) Hall offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour into the plantation and production of the famous Charleston Tea Plantation tea.
Visit the plantation – located along Maybank Highway and open 7 days a week – and be sure to check out the gift shop, where you can take home thousands of tea-related items, including a large selection of specialty teas grown on the property. If you can’t decide which tea to purchase, sample teas at the Tea Bar to find out what best fits your taste.
Featured Image: Gnome Cafe
Gnome exists to show you the power of plant-based food! For both breakfast and lunch, they use high-quality ingredients to serve up bold flavors to satisfy any craving.
A Charleston staple, Dellz Uptown has mastered the art of creating classic, feel-good foods like pizza and nachos that are also friendly to vegetarian and vegan eaters. Their Vegan Jazzy Pizza is a must-have. Be sure to try one of their smoothies for the ultimate experience.
Another great option for those with plant-based diets is The Harbinger. With a kitchen that features locally-sourced, seasonal dishes alongside a bakery with fresh pastries, including gluten-free options!
Creating food with your health in mind, Huriyali serves up some of the freshest plant-based food in Charleston. From fresh-pressed juice and nut milk to creative deli favorites, you can trust that your health is in good hands when eating at Huriyali!
Grounded in tradition and culture, Tu delivers delicious dinners from the Indian Subcontinent. Tu takes classic dishes and gives them a unique twist while still paying homage to their origins, a challenging task. The team at Tu works hard to develop relationships with local fishermen and farmers to ensure the quality of their entire menu.
Butcher and Bee started out as a small shop specializing in gourmet sandwiches but has quickly grown into a full menu with a new location serving up a mix of unique and exciting dishes, many of which are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. Using local and sustainable ingredients is a culture and mindset that Butcher and Bee makes a priority.
Featured Image: Eater
No one is surprised when they hear about the rise of Charleston’s food scene, and the expanse of barbecue restaurants is no exception. These five Charleston barbecue restaurants will give you plenty of southern food that you’ll be hungry to write home about.
Just two years ago, John Lewis changed the barbecue scene here in Charleston. Having established himself as a prized pitmaster in Austin, TX, he made his way to the Holy City to make his mark on Charleston with the opening of Lewis Barbecue. Welding the custom-designed smokers himself, Lewis wakes up at 4 a.m. to tend the fire that slow cooks meat for 18 hours.
Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ is deep-rooted in heritage and tradition. At a young age, Scott learned to cook whole hog barbecue watching his family do the same in the hog pits they built behind their convenience store in Hemingway, SC.
Word got out about how good the smoked meats the Scott’s were selling out of their convenience store was and people began traveling hours each week just to try it. With so much popularity, Rodney Scott decided to leave the family business and open up his own BBQ joint here in Charleston in 2016. In 2018, Rodney was named the James Beard Best Chef in the Southeast for his restaurant.
With several locations, now expanding as far as Aspen, CO, Home Team BBQ is a fresh and local-minded restaurant right down to their sauces. With experimentation always in mind, the Home Team crew is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to use smoked meats. With award-winning dishes, an expansive bar, and a fun, family-friendly environment, Home Team is the whole package!
In the heart of Charleston on upper King Street is Smoke BBQ. Smoke is one of the most diverse options of the Charleston BBQ scene. With plenty to choose from, including tacos and pastrami that is cooked 16 hours, Smoke stands out in the crowd. Check it out the next time you’re downtown and looking for some southern barbecue.
Swig & Swine features classic, all-wood smoked barbecue that delivers the juiciest smoked meats the Lowcountry has to offer. With four locations in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville and West Ashley, Swig & Swine restaurants are serving up to barbecue lovers all around.
An afternoon spent in historic downtown Charleston is an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re lucky enough to call the Lowcountry home or just stopping by for a visit, downtown Charleston provides the perfect setting for a summer afternoon. Just make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes while out exploring (we’re headed for cobblestone streets!) and get ready to enjoy the French Quarter.
Located on the southeastern corner of the peninsula (and with Broad, Meeting, East Bay, and South Market streets acting as its perimeters), the French Quarter gets its name from the French Huguenots that settled in the area seeking religious freedom. The historical significance of the area is apparent throughout the neighborhood, with well-known and well-loved churches peppering every street, including the French Huguenot and St. Philip’s Episcopal churches.
History isn’t the only thing this charming area has to offer. The French Quarter is filled with delicious spots to grab a bite to eat, so start your afternoon by heading to lunch at Minero on East Bay St., where you’ll find a variety of affordable, quality, and casual Mexican dishes. If you’re feeling up to the challenge, you can even try to tackle their biggest menu item, simply named The Burrito, that is packed with flavorful and fresh ingredients. Also in the area are a few timeless Charleston classics such as Brown Dog Deli on Broad St. or Poogan’s Smokehouse on East Bay St. Both places offer quick lunch options so that you can move on to enjoying the rest of your afternoon.
After lunch, stroll down the cobblestone streets, popping into the countless art galleries that you’ll find on every street within the French Quarter. Narrow streets like Church, Cumberland, Chalmers, and Queen are full of galleries as well as Gallery Row on Broad. (We know, we’re shocked they have art galleries there too.) Wherever you go, you’re guaranteed to find something unlike any other, as many places support a combination of both well-known and up-and-coming artists.
After stopping into a few galleries, be sure to take a stroll over to Charleston Waterfront Park on Vendue Range for a great view of the Charleston Harbor and the Cooper River. Stop for a quick picture, enjoy the swings by the sea, and be sure to keep your eye out for some playful dolphins in the water below!
Finish off your afternoon with happy hour at one of the many bars throughout the French Quarter. The Blind Tiger Pub on Broad St. has $10 mimosa carafes (who says they’re just for brunch?!), but also plenty of cocktails and beers to choose from. For a sky-high view of the Holy City, check out the rooftop bar at The Vendue, which has been named the best rooftop bar every year since 2007 by the Charleston City Paper. For something off the beaten path, The Griffon Pub is your spot. The first thing visitors might be surprised by are the walls covered in dollar bills and the unique feel of the pub, providing an atmosphere that is both comfortable and special to Charleston.
While Charleston is full of beautiful neighborhoods, it’s hard to beat an afternoon spent in the French Quarter.
Featured Image: Manny’s Restaurant
Greek food is not only wildly popular but also known to be extremely healthy. Luckily, Charleston has plenty of options for a top-class Mediterranean dining experience. Check out our top 5 here:find
This colorful food truck can be found conveniently parked right downtown on Spring Street. With incredible Greek classics, this restaurant on wheels has become a local favorite. Offering up all of the traditional meals from pita wraps to souvlaki, they’ve mastered their own twist on authentic Greek food making this an easy start to the list. Stop by for a fast and delicious bite.
This counter-service Greek restaurant has locations in both West Ashley and Mount Pleasant, making it easier for you to get your Greek fix wherever you are in Charleston. With tons of options for salads and protein bowls, you can’t go wrong with this build-your-own-meal. Kairos is classic, customizable and, of course, tasty.
3. PaPa ZuZu’s
PaPa ZuZu’s is a local favorite, sitting in the heart of Mount Pleasant. Featuring authentic appetizers, salads, gyros and pita wraps, there is no shortage of variety at PaPa ZuZu’s! This restaurant will serve you some of the freshest food in the Holy City. It’s no surprise why Papa ZuZu’s is one of the best greek restaurants in Charleston.
2. Stella’s
Greek comfort food has been mastered at the downtown restaurant Stella’s. They feature options for meze (the Greek equivalent of tapas,) salads, and main entrees. With authentic Greek-style meats, including a fish of the day, Stella’s is one of Charleston’s finest for sure.
1. Manny’s Mediterranean Grille
Located in West Ashley, Manny’s has been a Charleston mainstay for over 25 years. With great food and a fun atmosphere, Manny’s offers every authentic Greek dish you could want. Using original family recipes, you simply can’t go wrong with a stop by Manny’s, putting it at the top of our list for the top Greek restaurants in Charleston!
Featured Image: Simply Recipes
A fresh seafood staple and this soulful Southern side have historically come together to create the perfect dish that we call shrimp and grits. We all know of it as one of the South’s most delicious staple meals – but how did shrimp and grits gain its popularity in the Lowcountry?
The answer is easy. The history of shrimp and grits started right here in the Lowcountry. The fancier, more sophisticated versions of the meal that we see today were not the beginning of shrimp and grits. The meal started as an easy dish for laborers on the coast to make. Fishermen would bring the ground corn to make grits and combine them in a single pot with what they caught that day, which was often shrimp, and boil it all with some salty seawater.
With two ingredients so available to those here in Charleston, the dish easily became a cultural icon. What was originally called “breakfast shrimp” or “shrimp and hominy” in some old cookbooks, became more widely known as shrimp and grits and was adopted into esteemed, local restaurants.
Today this dish has taken many variations from the original two ingredients. World class chefs in the Holy City have made this dish their own and brought a lot of attention from national and international news outlets. The Wall Street Journal even recognized these local restaurants as must-go-tos for shrimp and grits: Husk, Early Bird Diner, Red Drum, Nana’s Seafood & Soul and The Swamp Fox.
As The Charleston Insider says “all shrimp and grits are not created equal.” Some grits are cooked in milk, some in the traditional salt water. Some dishes have bacon, some have ham. Some have cheese, some have papers. Regardless of what type of shrimp and grits you’re eating, if you’re in Charleston, it’s safe to say that it will be one of your favorite meals of all time.
