Hank’s Seafood Restaurant
Open since 1999, and rated as one of the best seafood restaurants for 20 years, of course we had to try this gem located in the heart of historic downtown Charleston.
We ventured out and tried Bouillabaisse for the first time, a French dish, and it was amazing and surprisingly filling. It has every type of seafood imaginable in a tomato broth and includes fish, oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp & scallops. The flavors of the fennel, leek, and garlic all came together so seamlessly.
Page’s Okra Grill
We stumbled upon this spot for lunch in Mt. Pleasant, where we saw a line and folks waiting outdoors for tables in the middle of the day. We placed our name on the list immediately at Page’s Okra Grill, and it wasn’t long before we were blessed with some of their best brunch dishes they had to offer (yes, lucky us they were still serving brunch during lunch-time).
Our recommendations here include their Shrimp and Grits as well as the Chicken and Waffles – can’t go wrong with either dish. If I had to pick, then the Shrimp and Grits would definitely win.
Grace & Grit
Oh man, I have a lot to say about this AMAZING breakfast spot called Grace & Grit. I am not a grits kind of person whatsoever, but they truly put me on to some of the best grits in town.
You can pretty much get any flavor of grits you are craving, but the best was the sampler which included flavors like blueberry, pimento cheese, pesto, and peaches & cream. These gourmet grits will have you coming back for more.
Not only are the grits delightful, but their cocktails as well as other breakfast dishes were just as delicious. Highly recommend the Chicken and Waffles, and you also can’t go wrong with Egg Benedict.
Charleston Harbor Fish House
We dined at the Charleston Harbor Fish House in Mt. Pleasant for dinner one night – a great spot for seafood lovers!
The raw oysters were fresh, and my favorite main dish was the swordfish. The views in the evening across the river were beautiful.
We also had a chance to taste some of their drinks and lunch menu items when lounging by the pool at Charleston Harbor and Marina Resort during the day. The fish tacos are served with kettle chips and make a perfect poolside snack.
Vicious Biscuit
Before heading home one weekend, we stopped by Vicious Biscuit in Mt. Pleasant for a quick breakfast – a very popular spot.
We highly recommend The Ranchero – a cheddar & jalapeno biscuit with black bean spread, panko-crusted avocado, pico de gallo, spicy remoulade, sunny side egg, and cilantro. Their fresh squeezed orange juice went along great with the spiciness of the biscuit – refreshing!
The CODfather, Proper Fish & Chips
If you are looking for some of the best fish and chips Charleston has to offer, look no further than The CODfather.
Located in North Charleston, The CODfather was a quick drive for lunch and well worth every bite. It is the most amazing fried cod you will ever taste in your life, and our eyes were bigger than our stomachs as their portions are quite filling.
Snapper Jacks
Folly Beach is one of my favorite beaches in South Carolina, a short drive from downtown Charleston. You can lay on the beach for a while or walk around, and then head over to a few laid back restaurants for drinks and lunch on the main street, Center Street.
Snapper Jacks is a spot that offers great rooftop views, where you can grab a cocktail and munch on their delicious crab dip as an appetizer.
Folly Beach Crab Shack
Another great spot in Folly Beach, also located on Center Street, is the Folly Beach Crab Shack.
They serve up some delicious steamed seafood. We love us a bucket of snow crab legs, lemon, and some butter for dipping.
Belgian Gelato
While walking in downtown Charleston, you may get a craving for a small snack to hold you over until dinner. We recommend the mini dutch pancakes at Belgian Gelato, they make them to order and are a tasty treat for kids and adults alike.
They also serve gelato, which can come in handy on those extremely hot days in Charleston.
Basil Thai Restaurant
Last but not least, there was one night that we spent in downtown Charleston where we did not have any planned reservations for dinner – and this is how we came across Basil Thai.
Luckily, Basil Thai proved to be some of the best Thai we ever had. We highly recommend their Pad See Eww dish with chicken and shrimp (THAI HOT).
These restaurants only begin to scratch the surface of the foodie scene in Charleston. We put a few new spots on our lists each time we visit, as the city has so many culinary experiences to offer visitors.
Hope you are able to bookmark and savor some of our favorite recommendations for a future visit to this lovely city in South Carolina. We will be planning our next visit soon!