I love the fact that there are so many fun and foodie-friendly cities within easy driving distance of us in NC.
From the beach to the mountains, we’ve got plenty to choose from. And, oh the Southern food and seafood that abounds. One place that encapsulates all of that is Charleston, SC.
Get my $10 Google Map of Charleston spots at the end of the post!
My husband and I have traveled together and with my family to this spot once a year, and we just can’t get enough! From the sites and eats and architecture, we love exploring this city. We’ve stayed in some great beach homes in Isle of Palms and this amazing airbnb in Mount Pleasant.
Here’s what else we enjoy in Charleston:
Edmund’s Oast
This was a perfect first spot when we arrived in Charleston. Edmund’s Oast had a vast selection of beers on tap (and even some tasty ones from their own brewery).
We enjoyed our “chef’s table” seats right near all of the action in the kitchen. It was really fun watching all of the dishes being fired and seeing the chefs work together.
We enjoyed the cornbread and honey butter to start followed by the Carolina Gold Chicken and Rice Porridge with blue crab (and the littleneck clams for Jason). Everything was homey and delicious, starting our weekend off with some tasty Southern food.
Boone Hall Plantation
To get a little better feel of the history of the area, we headed out to Boone Hall Plantation, located about 20 minutes outside of the city in Mount Pleasant. These beautiful grounds have been featured in The Notebook, and I even hear that some famous people have had weddings there.
The 300-year-old oak trees are just breathtaking, and there’s plenty to explore in the home’s gardens and other parts of the plantation. I loved all of the greens that were planted across the land, from rainbow chard to purple kale.
Gaulart & Maliclet (Fast & French)
One of Jason’s coworkers recommended this spot in downtown Charleston to us, and I’m so glad we went. Every day (other than Sunday when they’re closed), “Fast & French” has a lunch special that is an insane deal. For less than $10 you get the lunch special, fruit, French cheese, baguette slices and a glass of wine! We loved the European-influenced close quarters of the restaurant, along with the delectable French fare.
King Street
If you’re in downtown Charleston, you’re bound to end up walking on King Street at some point. It’s a busy street with plenty of shops to explore. I enjoyed stopping in at Madewell, the Savannah Bee Company and other local stores.
The architecture across the downtown area is stunning with a mix of beach-influenced looks with more traditional colonial homes, so it makes it a treat to walk or drive through and sightsee.
Husk
After making our reservations two or three months in advance at Husk, it’s safe to say that we were really excited to eat at Sean Brock’s classic Charleston spot. Husk definitely lived up to the hype. Set in an old house downtown on Queen Street, Husk offers a refined but true-to-its-roots take on Southern food.
We enjoyed some cocktails (the Pimm’s Cup with house-made ginger beer was my fave), along with pimento cheese on benne seed crackers to start. Then, I ordered the catfish with cream corn and pan-fried cabbage and peppers.
We finished our meal with an incredible slice of peanut butter pie on a coffee crust drizzled with rich chocolate sauce.
We’ve been back since for lunch, and the country fried steak is so good!
Minero
On our last day, we decided to continue our tour of Sean Brock restaurants at his new Mexican place, Minero. It is also downtown and a wonderful new addition to the city’s food scene.
Here they make their corn tortillas every morning, and you can really taste the authentic flavor.
We enjoyed chips and guacamole, tamarind agua fresca, tacos (these are the stars), Carolina gold arroz roja and chilaquiles. Everything was reasonably priced and prepared with a close attention to ingredients and flavors.
And, bonus, Sean Brock came out of the kitchen while we were there, and I got to have a star-struck chef moment!
FIG Charleston
On our last trip to Charleston this past summer, we went out with my sisters and brother-in-laws to FIG. It’s a cute little, high-end restaurant with great gnocchi, fresh seafood and more! Although eating here was a splurge, it was a fun adventure.
Obstinate Daughter
If you’re on the outskirts of the city or willing to take a little drive, you have got to go to Obstinate Daughter. It is one of the most beautiful restaurants with seaside influences and lots of natural light. Their brunch is fabulous, and I hope to go back for dinner sometime. Oh, and there is an amazing gelato shop called Beardcat’s underneath the restaurant.
Code del Pesce
We just went to this spot for the first tie with my parents, and we were wowed by the Italian seafood dishes. The starters (grilled octopus, burrata and melons, and Pink Lady oysters) were fresh and flavorful, and then I enjoyed the swordfish, Japanese eggplant parmesan and red sauce for my main. Oh and the desserts were also a sweet and creative treat!
Westbrook Brewing
There are plenty of good breweries in Charleston and the surrounding area, but we always go back to Westbrook in Mount Pleasant. You might know them from their Key Lime Gose or White Thai or One Claw. Their taproom offers a nice amount of indoor and outdoor seating, and they always have something interesting on tap (like Pecan Cinnamon Cookie Stout or Pina Colada Gose).
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