The Best Restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is a city steeped in culture, history, and–of course–delicious culinary institutions. 

As one of the oldest naval ports in the country, Charleston has truly earned its moniker of the Holy City, if only for its rich array of seafood shacks, BBQ joints, and high-volume restaurants that boast traditional Southern fare.

While most people visit Charleston for its gorgeous weather, fascinating historical sites, and adventurous nightlife, it’s worth underscoring how many fantastic restaurants await inside South Carolina’s premiere seaside community.

From high-end raw bars to mouthwatering BBQ venues, these eateries have established Charleston as one of the foremost dining capitals of the Southern U.S.

Magnolias

A unique twist on the conventional Southern restaurant, Magnolias comes equipped with a more refined dining experience than your typical Charleston locale. Opening its doors in 1990, Magnolias quickly became a heavily frequented hotspot for tourists and residents alike, maintaining the same high standard for in-person dining for just over 30 years.

Retaining the signature dishes associated with Lowcountry cooking, Magnolias has an impressive lineup of meals inspired by traditional Southern cuisine, from fried green tomatoes to seafood-smothered grits. Not only that, but Magnolias also manages to incorporate a more upscale spin on certain menu items, whether in the form of a mouth-watering Waldorf salad or a peppercorn-crusted NY strip steak.

Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar

What do you get when you add a delicious array of fresh-caught seafood with a scenic overview of the Cooper River? Simply put, you get one of the best restaurants in all of Charleston in the form of Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar.

As one might expect from any restaurant with the word “fleet” in its name, Fleet Landing specializes in locally sourced seafood dishes, including their signature yellowfin tuna, seared scallops, and Atlantic salmon. More often than not, the restaurant and bar tend to get extremely busy during the lunch and dinner rush, so we highly recommend securing a reservation ahead of time. (Trust us, with a restaurant as good as Fleet Landing, you’d rather be safe than sorry.)

Church and Union Charleston

Whether you love seafood, steak, or eloquent pasta dishes, everyone will find something to enjoy at Church and Union. One of the three Church and Union locations alongside Nashville and Charlotte, Church and Union’s Charleston branch gives its sister locations a run for its money in terms of its cozier atmosphere and breathtaking meals.

Maintaining a unique design that evokes the down-to-earth presentation of an actual church, Church and Union balances its religious facade with a diverse lineup of menu options. In particular, the restaurant’s premium steaks are some of the finest in Charleston, whether you opt for the 8 oz. Butcher’s Slate or the 24 oz. Prime Cowboy Ribeye for two.

Poogan’s Porch

A restaurant with a rich sense of history behind it, Poogan’s Porch has been a cornerstone of Charleston since 1976. Housed within a former apartment building dating back to 1891, Poogan’s Porch gained its name from a local neighborhood dog that frequently lazed around on the restaurant’s front porch in the early years of Poogan’s operations.

While the restaurant’s comfortable environment is worthy of praise, it’s worth mentioning how downright exquisite each dish at Poogan’s Porch is. Whether you’re stopping in for a quick drink at the bar or shoveling down heaping spoonfuls of she-crab bisque, there’s no shortage of worthwhile meals and beverages guests can order at this fan-favorite Charleston staple.

Hyman’s Seafood

Clocking in at the #6 slot for TasteAtlas’s list of the 150 Most Legendary Restaurants in the World and Their Iconic Dishes, Hyman’s Seafood is without a doubt the most iconic restaurant in all of Charleston (perhaps in the entire South). First opening in 1890, Hyman’s has been a pillar of Charleston’s culinary scene for just over 130 years.

At first glance, Hyman’s Seafood might look like your average, run-of-the-mill seafood market, yet we assure you it’s anything but. From Hyman’s Signature Moonshine Margarita to the massive shrimp dinner samplers, Hyman’s Seafood is an absolute must for anyone new to the Holy City. Of course, it also goes without saying that anyone unfamiliar with Hyman’s simply has to try their shrimp and grits–the specialty dish Hyman’s remains most known for.

Lewis Barbecue

Debates continue to arise over which state has the best BBQ, from the sauce-smothered ribs of East Texas to the wood-fired meats of Alabama. Thankfully, patrons get the best of both worlds at Lewis Barbecue, allowing them to taste the gooey BBQ delights of Texas without ever having to leave the Palmetto State.

Transposing Texas-style regional BBQ to South Carolina, Lewis Barbecue boasts an eclectic menu of regional Texan favorites, including the restaurant’s conscious-altering specialty item: sliced beef brisket. With side dishes like creamy potato salad, vinegar-soaked collard greens, and cheesy corn pudding rounding out the menu, Lewis Barbecue is your next best option for a home-cooked meal.

Rodney Scott’s BBQ

There’s Texas-style barbecue, then there’s Rodney Scott’s style, as featured at Scott’s first-rate Charleston restaurant. Evoking the same Lowcountry cooking as most other South Carolinian barbecue venues, Rodney Scott’s BBQ is guaranteed to leave you smacking your lips with its tangy sauces, fall-off-the-bone meats, and aggressively delicious desserts.

A great place for folks interested in sharing dishes or dining alone, Rodney Scott’s BBQ has anything and everything diners could hope for in a conventional BBQ joint, from tender spare rib platters to loaded baked potatoes stuffed with cheese, crumbled bacon, and a generous pinch of scallions.

Henry’s on the Market

Conveniently located in the heart of Charleston, Henry’s on the Market is–you guessed it–right on the heavily frequented Charleston roadway known as Market Street. A haven of independently-owned shops, restaurants, and other specialty stores, patrons can spend hours wandering down Market Street and still find new things to see and enjoy.

Case in point with Henry’s, a marvelous restaurant that boasts a mixture of Southern fare and fresh-caught seafood dishes. With local musicians performing regularly, we can assure you there’s nothing quite like listening to live jazz while gorging on fried catfish, peel-and-eat shrimp, Cajun jambalaya, or a tart slice of key lime pie.

Charleston Crab House

No trip down south is complete without a meal of fresh-caught crabs. Luckily, given that Charleston’s a mere stone’s throw away from the Chesapeake, you better believe the city has dozens upon dozens of worthwhile crab shacks and other seafood restaurants, including the always terrific Charleston Crab House.

Divided into three locations in and around Charleston, every branch of the Charleston Crab House remains well worth visiting, be it the location on Market Street, Shem Creek, or overlooking scenic James Island. Regardless of the branch you choose, Charleston Crab House greets its patrons with an assortment of delectable seafood dishes, including chunky she-crab soup, overstuffed steam pots, and Lowcountry crab cakes with remoulade, mashed potatoes, and seasonal veggies.

167 Raw Oyster Bar

With its immense crowds and prestigious reputation, getting into 167 Raw Oyster Bar isn’t exactly easy. It takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and preparation to actually get a table (not to mention a reservation booked well ahead of time). Yet, at the end of the day, the pomp and circumstance of the actual restaurant are well worth the extra legwork.

Though not the cheapest dining experience in Charleston, guests can blindly point to any item on 167 Raw Oyster Bar’s menu and find themselves head over heels in love with the random dish they chose. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant’s raw bar is worth everyone’s attention, with other standout favorites found in 167 Raw’s pastrami’d swordfish sandwich, crispy oysters, and a jumbo lobster roll platter big enough to feed a whale.