What To Eat In Charleston In 24 Hours

My first taste of Charleston came over a decade ago, when I moved there to write about the local cuisine. I had never even been to the city before, and chronicling the turbulent restaurant scene of such a vibrant, historic place with no prior firsthand knowledge or hands-on tasting experience felt daunting. 

My inexperience with the city, however, ultimately proved to be a gift. Simply put, I ate like a tourist. I hit all the award-winners, I took my co-workers' recommendations, and when I made contacts within the food and restaurant community, I took their suggestions as well. I said "yes" to everything, and that strategy served as a crash course in Lowcountry food culture. In a year, I learned the ins and out, the overrated and the underrated, and the best and the worst of almost everything. I became a Charleston foodie, and I was paid to do it.

Before I moved there, all I knew of Charleston's food was "seafood," And for good reason: The seafood scene there is the best. In making these recommendations, though, I tried to offer an eclectic array of styles and cuisines. There's plenty of seafood (the ocean is literally right there!), but you'll also find less fishy options, from the refined (Wagyu Beef Tartare at a James Beard Award-winner) to the distinctly and intentionally unrefined (a Basket O' Corndogs at a Johns Island dive). There are also some of the best barbecue you'll ever eat and more hangover-worthy cocktails than you can imagine.

People flock to Charleston for shrimp and grits. It's the dish most associated with the city, and nobody does it better than Millers All Day. Millers accompanies its ultra-fresh shrimp and corn grits with Tasso ham, local mushrooms, and toasted bene seeds. It has two locations, one on King Street in the middle of everything and another out on James Island. There's also a roving food truck, but I recommend pulling up a chair at one of the brick and mortars and enjoying a little AC before heading out to explore the humid city.

If you're staying outside of Charleston proper, another good breakfast option is Page's Okra Grill in Summerville. It's known more for its omelets than its grits, with standouts like their Crab Cake Eggs Benedict and an extraordinary Meat Lover's Omelet.

If you're heading to the beach early, hoping to beat the crowds, have breakfast at the Lost Dog Cafe on Folly Beach. Its fare is a little lighter: Try the Original Breakfast Burrito, or just pick up one of its delightful fresh baked muffins. Just wait thirty minutes before hitting the waves.

Southern cuisine is all about comfortable classics, and lunch in Charleston is no different. There are plenty of mouth-watering options, but my pick is the spread at Fleet Landing Restaurant and Bar. You'll find it in the City Market, right in the middle of Charleston's historic downtown. You'll definitely need a reservation, so call ahead, but the raw bar at Fleet Landing is definitely worth a little phone anxiety. I like the fresher than fresh Chilled Blue Crab, but if you want more variety, go for the Seafood Tower and gorge yourself on oysters, lobster tail, and other bounties of the Atlantic all at the same time. 

If you're outside the city, you can stop by The Obstinate Daughter on Sullivan's Island. Its menu is packed with elevated comfort food, but you can't go wrong with the Peel n' Eat Shrimp. 

If you've had your fill of seafood, hit up one of the best barbecue joints in the south: Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ on King Street. Anthony Bourdain loved it, and it's easy to see why. Everything there is good, but for a true taste of South Carolina, order the Carolina Style Pork Sandwich. It's Rodney Scott at his best. 

If you need an afternoon pick-me-up, head to Queen Street Grocery. It's part corner store, part café, and completely delicious. Fortify yourself with one of its Hot Pressed Sammies (the Egypt 80 with turkey, goat cheese, and coconut curry sauce is a personal favorite), or go lighter with a delicious salad. If you're thirsty, and you will be, this grocery store has a wide selection of local craft beers.

Waflin on North Market Street is another great option, especially if you have a sweet tooth. It's primarily a chocolate shop, but the real attraction here is the ice cream. There are flavor combinations both staid and bold, and you can get it piled high in a cup, which is perfect for walking around.

Back on King Street, there's Weltons Tiny Bakeshop. A true neighborhood bakery, here you'll find all sorts of breads, cookies, cakes, and pies. There are also sandwich options, but I'd opt for one (or two) of the Lemon Cloud Cookies. They're locally famous, and they're big enough to hold you until dinner.

Husk has always been, and always will be, my favorite restaurant in Charleston, with or without James Beard Award-winning chef Sean Brock. Executive Chef Ray Englund has done a more than admirable job keeping the standards high and the flavors classic. There are strict rules about the ingredients that go into the dishes, so you know going in that everything is going to be both fresh and local. Pick whatever you like from the expansive dinner menu, but be sure to get a side of collard greens. They're the epitome of traditional Southern cooking, plus they're the cheapest thing on the menu.

If you're looking to max out your credit card, check out Raw Lab by Empire Oyster. It's the most expensive restaurant in South Carolina, but it won't be for long: Its final service will happen on New Year's Eve this year. If you want to experience this four-hour, omakase-style raw bar experiment, you'll have to act fast. There are only twelve seats per serving, organized around a U-shaped "ice moat," where each guest is served ten courses of some of the world's freshest seafood, plus wine pairings. If that's your thing, you'll definitely get your money's worth.

I couldn't write about dinnertime in Charleston without mentioning FIG. The acronym stands for "Food is Good," and that's certainly the case here: The menu is full of elevated Lowcountry classics, like Bouillabaisse and Blue Crab Ravioli, but the real reason to visit is the wine selection, which was awarded the James Beard Award for Best Wine Program in 2018.

Charleston has plenty of great options for late-night cocktails, with bars ranging from dive-y to tourist-y to ultra chic. Prohibition, on King Street, the city's main drag, is somehow all of the above. There's typically live music, so it does get a little rowdy, but in a well-mannered, extremely Southern way. They have large collections of both bourbon and scotch, plus some fantastically strong Irish whiskey. The cocktails are expertly mixed, and lean toward fruity flavors: Try the Jackalope with Irish gin and grapefruit rose mist.

For a little more of a nightclub feel, make your way to the East Bay and drink the night away at The Peacock. They advertise "Three Levels of Dining, Entertainment, and Cocktails," and that's exactly what you get. I recommend grabbing a cocktail (I like The Gold Rush with Old Forrester Bourbon and hot honey), heading up to the rooftop deck, and taking in the lights of the city and the sounds of the bay.

Another great option is The Griffin, an unapologetic dive bar with the best beer list in Charleston. Try the "Lefty Loosey" from Charleston's own Revelry Brewing Co.

Time to soak up all of that alcohol with some late night grub. Luckily, there are plenty of great places that stay open into the wee hours. If you find yourself in need of a snack for the midnight munchies, head to the Tattooed Moose in Park Circle for some All-American drunk food. The menu is chocked full of craving crushers like garlic fries, jumbo wings, and big, messy subs. The Tattooed Moose also has a location on Johns Island, so if you make it on time, you can watch the sunrise on the beach with an order of its delicious Duck Fat Fries.

Also of note is The Rarebit, back on King Street. It's a laid back little eatery with Charleston classics like pork chops and chicken and waffles. It's only open until 1 a.m. on the weekends, so you might have to cut your partying a little short if you want to make it there before closing time.

Container Bar is less a standalone bar and more a collection of food trucks circled around one. It's constructed from a weird architectural amalgam of shipping containers, an old body shop, and a parking lot. There's usually at least five different food trucks on the premises, so there's always lots to choose from. It's not exactly traditional, but it is distinctly Charleston.

If you like cocktails for brunch, have I got the place for you. Finish off your 24 hours in Charleston with a brunch you'll be craving until your next trip to the Lowcountry. Aesthetically, Poogan's Porch is about as Charleston as it gets, with its traditional Holy City architecture painted up in an inviting bright yellow. The drinks are traditional as well (mimosas and Bloody Marys), and the food on the menu doesn't stray from the norm, either. But that's okay, because it's all good. Feast on Southern essentials like fried green tomatoes and hushpuppies, and be sure to try the out of this world red velvet pancakes.

If you want your final meal in Charleston to be a little more adventurous, head to Meeting Street and have brunch by the pool at Little Palm. The cuisine there is a little more refined: You'll find shrimp tostadas and beet and strawberry endive cups, but the classics are on the menu, too. And make sure to try one of the signature spritzes.

If you're in a hurry to get out of town, pick up something quick, easy, and tasty at The Junction Kitchen in Park Circle. The menu is straightforward, with doughnuts, biscuits and gravy, and the ubiquitous shrimp and grits, but the food is uniformly good. In fact, its Buzzed Doughnut, with coffee-rubbed bacon, is so good you'll want to cancel your flight and stay a little while longer. In Charleston, you're always welcome.