Chubby Fish opened in 2018, and since then, it’s become one of Charleston’s best restaurants and stayed one of the most exciting. The seasonal menu, listed on a chalkboard right above the kitchen, focuses on locally-caught seafood with things like whole b-liner snapper, yellowfin tuna crudo, and several varieties of oysters including capers blades from South Carolina. This restaurant is a great date-night spot, and a must if sharing caviar sandwiches is your true love language.

Fig was one of the restaurants that made people take Charleston's food scene seriously, as the city started to become a culinary destination in the South over a decade ago. Like many Charleston classics, this neighborhood bistro uses seasonal and local ingredients in a menu that always changes. The chicken liver pate is a Fig staple that you should always start with, along with the ricotta gnocchi alla bolognese. Make sure that at least one of the fish dishes is on your table.

Merci is bound to become a Charleston classic. The sceney spot on Montague Street feels like a European neighborhood cafe with the energy of a New York hotspot, and reservations go fast. The focaccia is a must—layered with stracciatella, hot honey, and smoked Benton’s ham for a sweet, savory, fluffy combo. Crudos are always interesting—we had one with watermelon and tuna that tasted like summer—and the tableside beef Wellington with sauce perigourdine and duchess potatoes is a main event.

Marbled & Fin is a new steakhouse giving the classics real competition. The expansive dining room and bar draw an after-work crowd sipping Catamaran Tans (their take on a G&T) and sharing wedge salads with Benton’s bacon and blue cheese. Broiled oysters and bone marrow with chimichurri make a standout starter. Steaks—from aged filets to Australian wagyu—are flawless, and the Marbled & Fin special (a 28-oz porterhouse with broiled lobster) is date-night perfection.

Chez Nous might just be the quintessential date spot in Charleston. This restaurant is situated inside a charming single-style house that’s tucked away from the bustle of Downtown. The handwritten, six-item menu of French-leaning food changes daily, but you can always expect a memorable fish dish, like a grilled branzino with creamy leeks, and you should honestly just order everything.

In Downtown Charleston, you won’t find much African food, let alone anything that comes close to the quality of Bintü Atelier. This is one of the newer restaurants on the East Side, and they cook classics you’d find throughout Africa, including Senegal’s national dish of fish over rice thiéboudieun. The menu constantly rotates, but you can’t go wrong with anything involving grains, whether that’s a side of jollof rice or a heaping plate of peanutty chicken mafe stew over broken rice.

The Charleston BBQ scene continues to expand. The latest promising newcomer is Palmira, which began as a pop-up and quickly gained a following for its combo of Texas and Carolina styles with seasonings and sauces inspired by the pitmaster’s home of Puerto Rico. The buttery beef cheeks are a must, always juicy with crunchy bark on the outside. If you’re planning on going during the weekend, get there earlier in the day since some dishes often sell out.

Charleston’s known for seafood, so a coastal Italian restaurant like Costa fits right in. There’s great hamachi crudo with the unexpected but welcome addition of blueberries and a plate of shrimp (caught by a purveyor down the road) with sungold tomatoes and calabrian chili. But there are other things worth ordering, too, like beef cheek tortellini that’s fortified with braised octopus, burrata caprese with peaches, and a shareable eggplant parmigiana that’s perfect red sauce comfort.

Tucked in Cannonborough-Elliotborough is Vern’s, a restaurant that might look like an unassuming corner store, but is actually a quiet and cute neighborhood American bistro with a great wine list. Start with the charred sourdough, which is almost always on the menu, and then explore the pastas, fish dishes, and a roast spring chicken with a brown butter jus that might just be the best roast chicken in all of South Carolina.

The Archer is a buzzy neighborhood tavern in East Central that’s great for happy hour, dinner, and even late night (the kitchen’s open until 11pm). Highlights include crispy fried eggplant with whipped buttermilk, the Archer salad with crunchy chickpeas, and a burger topped with parmesan cream and shoestring fries. Sitting at the bar with a Freezer Door martini, chatting with neighbors and watching the open kitchen, is the move. This spot’s on its way to becoming a Downtown staple.

Every corner of America has its own take on barbecue—brisket in Texas, ribs in Missouri—but in South Carolina, it’s all about whole hog and no place does it better than Rodney Scott’s. This North-Central spot smokes entire pigs 24/7, and while there’s always a line, their pulled pork and ribs are worth the wait. Add on some mac and cheese and a few beers and you have yourself the perfect weekend lunch, with a necessary nap scheduled for dessert.

You are missing out if the only barbecue you’re eating in Charleston is smoked brisket, whole hog, or pulled pork though. This spot behind Jackrabbit Filly does Chinese barbecue with a Carolina influence in North Charleston, and it’s a fun group lunch, dinner, or Happy Hour move. Get some smoked meats by the pound, like five-spice duck or chopped smoked pork that melts in your mouth, along with the BBQ meats on rice plate with crispy pork belly or cha shao spare ribs.

When it comes to sushi in Charleston, it’s hard to beat the omakase menu at this NoMo spot. You’ll get 14 courses of nigiri like bluefin tuna from Baja, snow crab with miso butter, and North Carolina crab topped with caviar. The space and experience are pretty intimate, with only 14 seats and 10 seatings per week. But it's the kind of place where you’ll talk with the chefs extensively about the sea bream that got flown here practically first-class from Japan.

You’re never too far from a raw bar in Charleston and for good reason: the ocean is super close and the fresh seafood here is always high-quality. But when you want to turn a casual meal of oysters and shrimp into an event, head to The Ordinary on King Street. This 1920s bank-turned-restaurant serves a wide range of seafood dishes, but the main reason to come here is for the shellfish towers, which you can get in one, two, or three layers.

If you’re in the mood for great smoked meats, Lewis Barbecue is one of several barbecue spots in Charleston worth checking out. They serve Texas’ greatest hits, like smoked sausage and turkey, but the brisket is the real reason to come here. Split a giant tray of different meats and sides, (don’t miss the green chile corn pudding) along with a pitcher of margaritas, and find a spot in their side yard to hang out for the next few hours.

Charleston is a very relaxed city, but even so, it’s nice to get out of town and see some of the surrounding wildlife if you get a chance. When that’s the case, we make the 20-minute trip to Sullivan’s Island, which is home to a lot of pretty nature and The Obstinate Daughter. This restaurant is only five minutes from the beach and serves everything from pizza and pasta to Lowcountry classics, along with a huge variety of wine and cocktails.

Jackrabbit Filly is the highlight of Park Circle in North Charleston, which is less than 15 minutes from the peninsula. The focus here is on Chinese-American dishes, with recipes inspired by the chef's family and the dinners they would have together when he was younger. The OG chirashi rice bowls at lunch are a nod to their original food truck, Short Grain. And for dinner, dumplings are always a great way to start, followed by the karaage and fried rice.

This Pakistani restaurant started out as a pop-up on Upper King Street in 2020, and finally got their own space this spring—there's an exposed brick interior with deep purple lighting and a large projection screen showing footage from street life in Pakistan. When it comes to food, the butter chicken is an absolute must, and you should add on the lollipop chicken and qeema samosas filled with freshly ground lamb. If it’s on the menu, end your meal with the cardamom and rice kheer.

Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop is there for you when you’re craving a croissant in the morning or a slice of cake at any random hour. The bakery is indeed tiny, and usually has a line out the door. The line does move fast, especially when you’re chatting with locals and visitors about what you’re going to order when you make it inside. Highlights include the cadamom kouignn-amman and the seasonal kolaches. For lunch, both the croissant and muffuletta sandwiches are worth the visit alone.

If you’re staying in Cannonborough-Elliotborough and need a morning coffee or an afternoon bite, come to Babas on Cannon. Sit on one of their street-side tables for a slice of banana bread, some avocado toast, or a peanut mocha made with a combo of espresso, housemade peanut milk, and chocolate. Babas also starts serving cocktails around noon, so it’s a great place to stop by for an Aperol spritz during the day or an excellent espresso martini before your dinner reservation.

Pink Bellies began in 2014 as a small food truck near the College of Charleston, serving Vietnamese comfort food to students and locals. After growing and moving to a food hall, Pink Bellies is now at home in their new space on King Street, which is impossible to miss with its neon illuminated interior. The garlic noodles are a staple: a savory egg noodle dish with pulled pork, pickled onions, parmesan, and sriracha. An order of lamb dumplings is also necessary.

Located next to popular music venue the Pour House, Kwei Fei is a Sichuan spot that doesn’t shy away from big flavors or heat. The menu is arranged with “Loud” snacks like the pork crescent dumplings, “Hot” noodles and broths (the dan dan mian and Sichuan beef should both be on your table), and the “Vibes″ of vegetable and rice dishes like the marinated cucumbers with hot bean paste and garlic. And once you’re done with dinner, head next door to watch some live music.

Located in the West Side of Downtown Charleston, this casual all-day breakfast spot serves all the favorites but with a unique approach. Pancakes and sweets inspired by cereal favorites are highlights, including the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Sticky Bun and Co-Co Puff Pancakes topped with seasonal fruit compote. For a heartier start to the day, the breakfast club sandwich with coffee-rubbed turkey and bacon whipped cheese is a must, along with the hash.

There’s a lot happening on James Island. In addition to the retro movie theater and live music venue Pour House, there’s Bar George in the Riverland Terrace neighborhood. Like much of the surrounding area, it’s got a fun vibe: you can relax and play some pinball or stare at their vintage TV-turned-aquarium in the lounge area. The food doesn’t take itself too seriously, with a mix of things like daily crudos and oysters alongside hot dogs and Peruvian roast chicken.

While the food scene in Charleston has evolved a lot over the past decade, soul food remains at the core of this city. Many places have closed during that time, but Hannibal’s Kitchen has continued to be a Charleston staple since first opening in 1985. This Black- and family-owned establishment serves both soul food classics like fried chicken and seafood dishes, including the excellent crab rice.