It is very much the Charleston thing to eat well. But be prepared to make reservations in advance and just know that there is no rushing through a meal.
Breakfast/Lunch
Millers All Day: Located on King Street, this one-time pharmacy has something on the menu for everyone. It’s so good, but they don’t take reservations. So if you can plan your day in such a way that you can arrive early or pop in and put your name on a list, you’ll be happy you did so.
Bodega: I’m still dreaming about my granola bowl from this eatery that was just a block or two away from the Hotel Bennett. The food was fresh and served quickly. They have an amazing coffee bar, too, and their iced matcha latte was one of my favorites in Charleston.
Island Provisions: I wish we had stayed longer in Charleston so that we could have gone to Island Provisions again. When we visited, I had their iced matcha (yum!) and their peach toast (pictured above). Their peach toast was made with peach jam, burrata, rum-infused syrup, crispy prosciutto, basil, and sour dough. I also loved that it was located not far from the College of Charleston and it had that student vibe. I will go back on my next visit!
Another Broken Egg Cafe: If you’re a local to the midwest, this restaurant reminded me of Egg Harbor Cafe. It was a great place for quick bite, again…very close to the French Quarter Inn.
Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts: Of course I made my family go here! Glazed rotates their homemade donut flavors daily, so you could visit every day and get something different (not that I did, but the thought was tempting).
Vicious Biscuit: We knew we were in for a treat when we had to wait in line for 45 minutes just to get in the door. They have every kind of biscuit concoction you could dream up and we all agreed that these were the best biscuits we had on vacation. I have made it my personal quest to taste test biscuits and gravy across the country and their recipe was the very best I’ve ever had. They use maple sausage in their gravy and that is everything!
The Obstinate Daughter:This may have been my favorite restaurant of all those we ate in Charleston. Located on Sullivan’s Island, its beachy vibe and delicious food makes any meal feel like a vacation. An absolute must for your trip!
Dinner
Pelato: This may have been our favorite dinner in Charleston. It was New York-Italian and the food was served family style. Pelato also appeared to be the go-to place for bachelorette parties, which was a definite plus for my boys.
The Peacock: Another lovely place for dinner and drinks. We were there mid-week when the restaurant wasn’t busy and they were short on servers–I think there was one waiter taking care of the entire dining room. But we weren’t in a hurry and our server made our dinner so much fun, offering on-point recommendations.
The Matador: Our crew was in the mood for Mexican and The Matador was a terrific choice. Really good Mexican food in a fun atmosphere.
Frannie & Fox: A very fun and festive atmosphere located in the beautiful Emeline Hotel. You’ll likely run into a bachelorette party or two (we saw three the night we were there!), but the food and service will make everything else fade into the background.
Vincent Chiccos: We ate our favorite dinner in Charleston here. The food and service were just a step above everyone else. A must!
Little Jack’s Tavern: This little old-time tavern is a little outside the city center, but if you’re in the mood for an amazing burger, this is the place.
Le Farfalle: This upscale Italian eatery came highly recommended and didn’t disappoint.
I heard the most amazing things about Chubby Fish but we never made it there. If you can go, please do and let me know how it is!
Coffee Shops
Some of our kids would get up in the morning and work out on vacation, but my daughter and I would walk for coffee. We could have stayed another week and still not hit all of the spots, but it would have been fun to try. Here were some of our favorites.
Babas on Cannon: This was hands-down, Annie and my favorite place for coffee. They had an iced honey oat milk latte that was to die for. On another visit we had their homemade peanut milk that was blended into their iced mocha. It was like drinking a peanut butter cup! It’s such a local neighborhood place, and it was fun to sit outside and see who got their coffee there. There is another location on Meeting Street, but it was too far from where we were to see if that location was just as good. A to-do for our next visit!
Harken Cafe: We had to go to this cafe twice…darling space and amazing baked goods made on the premises!
Bitty & Beau’s: Wonderful coffee and the cafe employees people with disabilities–so much good!
Roof Top Bars
We tried to squeeze couple of these in while we were in Charleston. I don’t drink any more and am happy to report that Charleston’s “mocktail” game is the real deal. Nearly every rooftop bar we visited had a handful of mocktail recipes at the ready. Most rooftops have age restrictions after 10 p.m. (you need to be 21 to get in), so we visited these before dinner.
The Vendue: The kids loved this one. Very casual and fun atmosphere, great appetizers.
Fiat Lux: Classic, old-world Charleston–very elegant. My personal favorite rooftop on top of the Hotel Bennet.
Dessert
Off Track Ice Cream: So good, we went back twice! Their chocolate fudgy brownie may have been the best ice cream I’ve ever had. All ice cream is made in-house and their menu of vegan ice cream (which was a hit with my daughter Grace) is even more extensive than their traditional flavors.
Jeni’s: Recently opened on King Street and already appears to be a local favorite.
Carmellas: We have yet to make it to Carmellas for dessert, but it is famous for its offerings! Our waiter at The Peacock told us they have the best carrot cake and chocolate martini he has ever tried! Next time.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Happy travel planning!
xo,
