i try not to judge but i am currently looking askance at a guy who is check into this hotel here in charleston, sc and asking the guy at the desk if there is any good italian food nearby. wrong city to ask that question my dude!
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Except for Hyman's you'll be happy with anything downtown. Search around meeting street for something in your budget and taste. Whole area is walkable and touristy safe.
If you aren't staying downtown it's worth it to take an Uber to avoid having to deal with parking and narrow streets.
Poogie's Porch was good, had shrimp & grits. Ya need a reservation. It was packed. I can't remember all the other restaurants, I was there 4 days & had only 1 meh meal, at the super popular Bowen's Island. https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-restaurants-in-charleston
The site you suggested for food recs, thinks a place called "Costa" has great Italian food. Never been near Charleston, so I have no opinion, but your goto appears to disagree with you on the absence of good Italian food in Charleston.
So much good food in Charleston. And lots of great food in Greenville, where I've been a transplant for 15 years. Everything from soul food to high-end farm-to-table. Not as many ethnic places as London or NYC (most cuisines, but less choice)
The Anchorage, Fork and Plough, Mr. Crisp, Saffron, O-Ku.
There's a local conglomerate of very different restaurants under the umbrella Table 301 (Soby's, Lazy Goat, Jianna's, Passer Elle, Nose Dive) and another set under the banner of Rick Erwin's.
I'm not seeking anything (visits are rare now), however, I'm originally from the area and its curious to see how others interpret it and what things change.
Greenville has certainly changed a lot, especially anywhere near downtown.
To my earlier list I'll add the Gather GVL (an outdoor food hall) and The Commons (indoors but adjacent to Unity Park with outdoor tables available). Both very busy on a nice day.
Really great fresh seafood, one restaurant brought us a huge platter of steamed crabmeat with melted butter. It was so good we ate it all and couldn't eat the dinner served after
There is, without question, a place one can get exceptional country-fried steak with gravy, rice (with the same gravy), fried or steamed squash, and a small side of slaw. Cornbread muffins of course. And since calories are clearly an afterthought, a large and very pre-sweetened glass of ice tea.
Yeah this is one of those maybe 40 years ago moments but Charleston had a few decent Iti spots the entire time I lived there. Now as to why you'd opt for Iti food as a tourist visiting Charleston...but as a resident, a few places to scratch that itch.
Also holy f this place is downtown and does Italian style sandwiches and I can't recommend highly enough (new since I moved away but went there last time I visited) https://www.dtporchetta.shop/
There's actually a couple good local Italian places. Especially since they will have fresh fish/shrimp.
But it's not what the cities food scene is known for. It'd be like going to Paris and ordering Chinese food... I mean If that's what you're craving you do you...
The only excuse I am ready to cave in to is if you're short of cash. I've also eaten Döner kebab in Germany and Poland, but surely, if you go to Charleston, you'd want to try the local food? Maybe they don't know there is such a thing as A WONDERFUL LOCAL/REGIONAL CUISINE? Which is sad...
Hear me out. There's a Japanese takeout in North Charleston called seasons of Japan that does
Bacon. Fried. Rice. with their teriyaki bowl.
If you want something you can take back to your room or just need something quick you won't regret it. (Ironically it's across the street from Olive Garden
I've been searching for another place that does it since I moved to LA so that and a hole in the wall bar that sells fried cheese curds will be my first stop next time I visit.
So my partner and I are going to Charleston for the first time in January, and we are vegetarian (well I eat fish sometimes, he’s legit vegetarian). Do you have any recommendations on places to eat?
Last time I was in town I went to Malika (Pakistani) which has tons of veg options, Three Girls (fully vegan Italian deli style place), and I've heard really good things about Kwei Fei. Gaulart & Maliclet (Fast and French) usually has options and is great
Whenever I'm in a new town (or back for the first time in years) - I ask about the best local (non-chain) pizza. Preferably delivered, if I've been on the road/air for a few hours. So I can't judge either.
If you're in Charleston, just find something with lowcountry in the name that doesn't look like it was started by a guy who owned a Lexus dealership and you'll be happier than you will with any Italian dish you're going to find. Such amazing food, especially Gullah.
One thing I'll say on this: Charleston has a lot of southern tourists who very likely can't get better Italian food in whatever small southern town they're visiting from. There's legit solid iti food there.
I grew up in Charleston in the sixties and seventies. My neighbors and classmates were named Soferra, Sottile, Codespoti, Portaro, Patillo...you get the point. They came over in the same waves of immigration as my German and Irish grandparents and great grands. Never noticed a lack of self respect.
Someone from California on r/ParisTravelGuide last night was asking why he couldn't get good Indian food in Paris, and my guy, why have you traveled all the way from California to France for Indian Food?
There's a long essay to write about how colonization by European powers impacted the food that you can still get in various major European cities today, and if you're going to Europe for Indian food, go to London, not Paris.
When you’re in a colonizing country, seek out the food of its former colonies. I’ve had some of the best Vietnamese and Moroccan food outside of those countries in France.
to be fair the indian diaspora extends everywhere. the real question is why didn't this guy do the homework to find highly recommended indian places before he left. this kind of california food snob just likes to loudly complain to make them seem worldly to anyone within earshot
So….I thoroughly do not endorse this, but I know a vegan who likes France. I can’t imagine trying to travel outside Paris just as a vegetarian (I have a lot of vegetarian relatives and I’m used to accommodating them), so I do not judge the vegan for bringing her peanut butter.
This is a fraught subject for me, too.
If DT doesn't wreck the world immediately, I'm hoping for a spring trip to Paris. Here's the problem: I can't drink (genes)so no wine. I loathe too-sweet pastries,so forget macarons.Get migraines from chocolate. Hate most meat/seafood so no croque monsieur
Etc. So I plan to get falafel in the Marais, and I love good, plain bread so baguettes and perhaps croissants, and
frites??? Maybe soup? (Not Fr Onion, though, major headache trigger.) Pizza??
I'm sorry, I just have a terrible system 😵💫😥
Can do crepes, just not jambon. And digging my own grave with gourmands, I prefer hard cheese.
I am going to Paris for the art work, cathedrals and street scenes. Please advise.
Years and years ago, I had some decent pasta in Charleston, but of course, I do not remember the name of the restaurant. (It's also been long enough that it could have closed.)
But yeah, you go there for some good BBQ or great lowcountry cooking, not Italian.
I left Charleston in 2008, but FIG was one of my favorite restaurants. Have you tried it? Same guys have a 2nd, seafood-focused place now as well, The Ordinary.
KC’s most underrated food category: seafood. Not a joke. The knowledge that you *must* fly it in promotes fresh products from across all coasts. Better seafood options than many coastal cities.
I don’t know it’s still any good but 15 yrs ago The Wreck in Mt Pleasant was the best place to get no nonsense low country seafood with an amazing view.
I feel need to clarify & give context - Eater Charleston was turned into Eater Carolinas a number of years back. And any good food coverage on Eater is due to the incredible efforts of Erin Perkins, who shepherded the site from Charleston to Carolinas for a decade before Vox canned her this month.
We went there all the time as kids and I never quite enjoyed it. Then I went in my 30s and was all “oh wow such great old homes and history and seafood restaurants and oh I see why children don’t enjoy this so much”
One odd thing: I recall oysters there are significantly different from nearly every oyster I’ve ever eaten. Much smaller, of a slightly less briny flavor
My honeymoon was in Charleston (Market Pavilion Hotel 💝 ). It's probably my favorite place in the world. We went back for our anniversary twice. I love everything about it!
My wife’s family lives there, and we visit regularly. Solid list. Other notable places worth visiting not on the list: 82 Queen, Taco Boy, The Royal Tern, The Tattooed Moose, Pearlz, Kaminsky’s, and Nirlep (when it reopens).
I grew up in the Lowcountry, my dad is from Italy. At least as of 10 years ago, Charleston had hardly any Asian food beyond Chinese and Japanese, maybe one Indian restaurant in the whole area, but plenty of good to excellent Italian food. Mercato on Market Street probably has good Bolognese.
Maybe they have dietary restrictions and know that Italian can offer them safe options. Or maybe they just like Italian and don’t want to venture outside their comfort zone after a long day of traveling.
unless it's a gullah spin on the bolognese using a chunky, reduced tomato-based fish head stew over anderson gold rice flour pappardelle, then you're probably good
I kinda talked myself into making this soon as I was typing it out, ngl. I could use a sean brock recipe as a base for the stew and I have the rice on hand to make flour, so it's all doable!
All raw fish in the US is legally required to have been frozen prior to being served to kill off any potential parasites, so there is no reason that sushi can’t be good anywhere; it’s no fresher on the coasts. Now if they were asking for good fresh cooked fish, that’s a different story.
Like I said, we have good sushi, because you can have good sushi anywhere. You can’t have stacked enchiladas with Chimayo red chile, or proper green chile stew, or piping hot sopapillas with desert honey, or biscochitos, or any of the other stuff you should eat in Santa Fe. So order that!
I know it doesn't totally apply, but they've got some killer little hole-in-the-wall pizza places tucked away. You just have to know where to look. Start at the Market Square.
there’s actually an INSANELY good italian restaurant on isle of palms (about 15/20 min from downtown) called coda del pesce. i’d be hard-pressed to find a more pleasant dining experience in chs than sitting at the bar with michael takin care of you.
This reminds me of being a college student in Richmond, VA. My parents came to visit and my stepfather asked the hotel concierge to recommend a good Italian restaurant.
We were sent to a place that served RAISIN BREAD to the table!
If you want fabulous Italian food, go to Boston and walk through the North End. Let the aromas wafting out of the restaurant doorways guide you. Ohhh myyy doggg!
An old friend of mine moved from New Haven—hidden pizza capital—to Raleigh, in the early 1990s. Trying to order a white pie went badly, and included the quote “we don’t have… ‘olive’ oil.”
Hyman's is the most mid tourist food. If you want fish, check out Coast or Hank's. Or book a spot at FIG from right now, best restaurant in the city imo, rotating menu though and might not be for everyone.
If you're a seafood guy, I recommend Acme Lowcountry Kitchen on the IOP. Also if you're willing to drive a ways, Seewee Restaurant in Awendaw is pretty solid too!
No, mass prepackaged, frozen foods vs fresh daily-gonna disagree, but it’s a matter taste or no taste 😀. whether in Charleston or China, the local cuisine is always a good bet
i mean the guy wants italian. he should definitely ask, no? seems strange a place wouldn’t have a few good red sauce spots a man in need could taxi to.
I will judge that 24/7. Never heard of shrimp & grits until I visited that town. Even if that dish doesn't appeal, we all want to experience unique aspects of particular places, right?
Generic "Italian" is the most overrated food on this planet. Great, you have some pasta and a mediocre red sauce, so does the aisle of my grocery store.
I will never understand people that go to a place renowned for one thing in particular, but then want the exact opposite. It just makes no logical sense to me.
While the concept is completely alien to me, a lot of people don't go on vacation for the food, are pretty indifferent to it in general, and just want something familiar.
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Barsa - https://barsacharleston.com/
Malagon - awesome - https://www.malagonchs.com/
Estadio - https://www.estadio-chs.com/
Laurel - portuguese - https://www.laurelcharleston.com/
If you aren't staying downtown it's worth it to take an Uber to avoid having to deal with parking and narrow streets.
https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-restaurants-in-charleston
The site you suggested for food recs, thinks a place called "Costa" has great Italian food. Never been near Charleston, so I have no opinion, but your goto appears to disagree with you on the absence of good Italian food in Charleston.
There's a local conglomerate of very different restaurants under the umbrella Table 301 (Soby's, Lazy Goat, Jianna's, Passer Elle, Nose Dive) and another set under the banner of Rick Erwin's.
Many other choices depending what you seek.
To my earlier list I'll add the Gather GVL (an outdoor food hall) and The Commons (indoors but adjacent to Unity Park with outdoor tables available). Both very busy on a nice day.
I... um.... I'll just show myself out.
https://www.dtporchetta.shop/
But it's not what the cities food scene is known for. It'd be like going to Paris and ordering Chinese food... I mean If that's what you're craving you do you...
🤣🤣🤣
Bacon. Fried. Rice. with their teriyaki bowl.
If you want something you can take back to your room or just need something quick you won't regret it. (Ironically it's across the street from Olive Garden
.... he should be asking who has the best shrimp and grits.
Ordered chicken francese with spaghetti.
It came out as chicken francese dumped on spaghetti with red sauce.
If DT doesn't wreck the world immediately, I'm hoping for a spring trip to Paris. Here's the problem: I can't drink (genes)so no wine. I loathe too-sweet pastries,so forget macarons.Get migraines from chocolate. Hate most meat/seafood so no croque monsieur
frites??? Maybe soup? (Not Fr Onion, though, major headache trigger.) Pizza??
I'm sorry, I just have a terrible system 😵💫😥
I am going to Paris for the art work, cathedrals and street scenes. Please advise.
But yeah, you go there for some good BBQ or great lowcountry cooking, not Italian.
I’d nominate Kansas City for pizza in this category. To its credit: there is no such thing as a Kansas City-style pizza.
https://youtu.be/yWTv5Exiktw?si=pFbrTS_wuLAMdf8I
'Hymans'
That just cracks me up.
We were sent to a place that served RAISIN BREAD to the table!
Side note: I had the best oysters of my life in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
https://www.indacorestaurant.com/
Looks kinda suspicious. Food is not.
I live in a flyover state and can even get Hawaiian food because a native Hawaiian guy and his family moved here and opened a restaurant in the city.
But as a native Charlestonian, I agree that Italian isn’t the strong suit of the city.
Like I do
Just saying