Charleston SC Restaurants

Charleston SC restaurants feature world-class cuisine from the Lowcountry and beyond. Top chefs, abundant choices, and a wide variety of culinary influences come together to make dining in Charleston a delicious experience.

Charleston has become a Mecca for chefs around the world. Every week it seems a new dining experience emerges to tempt the taste buds of visitors and locals alike. The City is the heart of Lowcountry dining, which includes such staples as pulled pork barbeque, shrimp and grits, collard greens, Hoppin' John (black-eyed peas, rice, onions, and bacon), okra, and she-crab soup. While Lowcountry dining is authentic to the area, many more cuisines have made their mark here as well.

Here are a few highlights among the excellent restaurants in Charleston SC:

• 39 Rue de Jean: This authentic French café is one of my personal favorites! The truffle potato soup is heavenly and if you like mussels, Rue de Jean offers several different preparations. (Save room for dessert because next door is Paolo's which has excellent gelato!)

• Basil Thai Restaurant: Upscale Thai cuisine.

• Blossom, Cypress or Magnolias: All three restaurants share the same owner and feature excellent upscale, Lowcountry cuisine.

• FIG: FIG, abbreviated for "Food Is Good," features local ingredients and sustainable foods. Note that FIG is only open for dinner.

• Fleet Landing: Housed in a retired Navy building, this restaurant sits right on the water where, during high tide, you can watch dolphins frolic from your table inside or outside. If it's seafood and its fried, you'll find it here. Very casual, but very authentic, fresh and delicious southern fare in a nautically-themed setting. I recommend the fried flounder basket!

• High Cotton: Upscale Lowcountry cuisine in an elegantly southern setting. My husband and I went here for a special occasion and it was wonderful!

• Hominy Grill: A Charleston landmark offering casual, authentic Lowcountry fare.

• Wasabi: If you're craving sushi, look no further! Fresh and delicious sushi in a crisp, clean setting. Be aware that Wasabi turns into a club at night.

With so many excellent Charleston SC restaurants, you'll find somewhere wonderful to eat around nearly every corner and new restaurants seem to pop onto the scene each week!

Return to the Charleston main page to discover where to stay and play while you enjoy these delicious Charleston SC restaurants.