Charleston FYI

Menu
  • What’s Trending
  • Featured
  • Eat & Drink
  • News
  • Summerville
  • Guest Columns

crave

Eat & Drink

Break Your New Year's Resolution

The Best Places In Charleston To Break Your New Year’s Resolution Diet

Featured Image Credit: Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe

We all start the New Year with the best of intentions. We resolve to eat better, exercise, clean out our closets, and spend more time doing what matters to us. The diet resolution might be the toughest one to keep, especially in a town like Charleston where there is so much good food that’s not always good for you. So, now that the first month of the year has passed and February is flying by, you might be ready to throw those good intentions out the window. If you decide to cave and indulge in something calorific, we won’t judge you. We’ve even picked out our favorite spots in Charleston that are ideal for breaking your New Year’s resolution diet.

Ye Ole Fashioned Cafe & Ice Cream

Break Your New Year's Resolution Diet

Featured Image Credit: Ye Ole Fashioned Cafe & Ice Cream Facebook

Ye Ole Fashioned on Savannah Highway is the perfect joint to break your New Year’s Resolution diet. Of course, they have ice cream in multiple satisfying flavors, but don’t count out their sinful entrees and sides. They have a famous BLT piled so high with bacon that you might have a hard time fitting it in your mouth. Add some classic French fries and you have a mouthwatering meal not approved by Dr. Atkins.

Carmella’s

Break Your New Year's Resolution

Image Credit: Carmella’s Cafe and Dessert Bar

Carmella’s no doubt has some awesome desserts. Different flavors of mousse, gelato, Italian ice, the famous Peanut Butter Passion, and more will all satisfy your sweet tooth. But if you want something for lunch or dinner, Carmella has you covered. Salami and cheese boards complement the wine selection and there are sandwiches, paninis, baguettes, and even Stromboli will fill you up.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Break Your New Year's Resolution

Image Credit: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (King Street) Facebook

Splendid is in the name of this spot, and it’s not false advertising. With freshly made ice creams in a myriad of delectable flavors, you can’t go wrong at Jeni’s on King Street. Whether you choose one flavor in a waffle cone or multiple flavors in a dish, you’ll be thinking about this ice cream long after you’ve finished it.

Jestine’s Kitchen

Break Your New Year's Resolution

Image Credit: Keisha P. on Yelp

Jestine’s is a Charleston institution and it’s well worth breaking your New Year’s resolution diet to enjoy what they have. It’s homestyle southern fare that will make you glad you live in the Lowcountry. Fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, fried okra, fried oysters, fried shrimp, and of course fried chicken all feature on the menu. Don’t forget to save room for the famous Cola Cake.

Saffron Restaurant & Bakery

Break Your New Year's Resolution

Image Credit: Saffron Restaurant & Bakery

Saffron is one of the best bakeries in the area. Decadent baked goods like tiramisu, red velvet cake, cheesecake, brownies, tarts, scones, muffins, croissants, danishes and more await you at this Charleston gem. If you want something to eat before dessert, they have a Middle Eastern inspired menu that’s on the healthy side and a selection of sandwiches that aren’t on the Weight Watchers diet.

Recovery Room

Break Your New Year's Resolution

Image Credit: AH on Yelp

Nobody expects bar food to be healthy. Recovery Room is great for late nights all week and hangovers on Sundays. Their Tater Tachos are legendary and they have the goods when it comes to fried delicacies such as onion rings and mozzarella sticks. Burgers and sandwiches are available for those looking for a meal and for brunch you can chow down on fried French toast, waffles, and their Famous Egg Sandwich. And you can wash it all down with a can of PBR. Gwyneth Paltrow would be disgusted, but you’ll be delighted.

Kaminsky’s

Break Your New Year's Resolution

Featured Image Credit: Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe Facebook

If you’re downtown in the French Quarter and you’re craving something sweet then make a beeline for Kaminsky’s. Their dessert case is beyond impressive. A multitude of cakes (including the classic southern red velvet), pies, and brownies are all available. Plus, they have some boozy beverages that will also satisfy that sweet tooth. Dessert martinis anyone?

Crave

Break Your New Year's Resolution

Image Credit: Crave Kitchen & Cocktails

Crave in Mount Pleasant is a primo spot to break that New Year’s resolution diet. With some of the best mac and cheese in the Lowcountry, maybe the country you can be confident they know what they’re doing. The famous melty masterpiece can be topped with: scallops, short ribs, sautéed shrimp, broccoli, grilled chicken, pulled pork, or bacon. If you’re not into the mac (what’s wrong with you?) then you can indulge in a sandwich like their 3/4 pound burger, fried chicken BLT, or spinach & tomato grilled cheese.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Eat & Drink

Get Cheesy! The Best Mac And Cheese In Charleston

Featured Image Credit: Crave Kitchen & Cocktails/ Facebook

There’s nothing quite like a good mac and cheese. It’s practically an essential food here in the south, perfect alongside fried chicken, barbecue, or even all by itself. Everyone loves a box of Kraft every now and then, but here in Charleston, we can do better than that. Much better. Check out the five restaurants below for the best mac and cheese in Charleston.

Image Credit: Cru Cafe Facebook

Cru Cafe

Cru Cafe has some of the best mac and cheese in Charleston. It’s down to the orichette pasta they use along with the blend of four hand-grated cheese (pepper jack, aged cheddar, mozzarella, and fontina) in the sauce. Topped with more cheese and baked to perfection, this is some mac and cheese to write home about.

Image Credit: Crave Kitchen & Cocktails Facebook

Crave

The mac and cheese at Crave is legendary.  It consistently wins the Charleston Mac Off and has even been recognized by Esquire.  The spiral noodles they use are covered in a delectable creamy sauce that you’ll be talking about for days after you’ve tried it. The sauce is complemented by melted cheese on top, making for an ooey gooey masterpiece.

Image Credit: The Rarebit Facebook

The Rarebit

The Rarebit’s mac and cheese is not as creamy as some others, it’s more of a classic baked macaroni that your grandmother may have made you. But it’s still some of the best mac and cheese in Charleston. Pair it with one of their delectable entrees and you’re in business.

Image Credit: Swig & Swine Facebook

Swig & Swine

Any barbecue restaurant worth its salt has decent mac and cheese. Swig & Swine’s mac and cheese isn’t just decent, it’s noteworthy. The peppery and cheesy dish pairs perfectly with pork or brisket and the assortment of sauces. A side may not be enough, but try not to lick the paper dish it’s served on.

Image Credit: Poogan’s Porch Facebook

Poogan’s Porch

Poogan’s Porch is one of the oldest restaurants in Charleston and one of the most well known. And that is for good reason. The restaurant routinely turns out delicious southern meals like fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, pork chops and more. And the smoked gouda mac and cheese is something you don’t want to miss out on when having your dinner there. Order it as a side for their famous fried chicken and find food heaven.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

© 2023 Charleston FYI. All Rights Reserved.

  • Home
  • What’s Trending
  • Featured
  • Eat & Drink
  • News
  • Summerville
  • Guest Columns