At the table

How Charleston became one of the country’s top dining destinations.

Lowcountry residents have likely received a version of this message at some point in the last year, “I’m coming to Charleston. Can you send me restaurant recommendations?”

Though the Charleston area counts fewer than 1 million residents, the Holy City has become one of the country’s top dining destinations. For evidence, look at how the hospitality sector has impacted the city’s economy: the region’s hospitality industry generated a record $14 billion economic impact in 2024.

So, how did we get here? It didn’t happen overnight.

The Lowcountry reeled from the Civil War for the better part of the first half of the 20th century. By the 1960s, there were only a handful of high-profile Charleston restaurants — notably Perdita’s — in operation.

The tide began to turn two decades later. In 1984, the prestigious culinary institution, Johnson & Wales, took up residence in the old Cigar Factory, helping train the next generation of chefs. “If there was a moment in time that shifted the compass of dining in Charleston, it was with Johnson & Wales coming to the community,” former Post and Courier food critic Deidre Schipani said. “It allowed the restaurants to take risks.”

Around the same time, ground was being broken on a new development in the block bordered by Market, King, Hasell, and Meeting streets. Charleston Place rose from a huge sandy lot and became the commercial heart of the city and energized the redevelopment of surrounding blocks. Restaurants like Louis’ Charleston Grill, Magnolias, Hominy Grill, and Slightly North of Broad opened. Serving locally grown food became the standard and helping establish the concepts at local-first eateries such as FIG, which debuted in 2003. Meanwhile, community staples like Bertha’s Kitchen and Martha Lou’s Kitchen connected Charleston’s food scene to its Gullah roots.

When the Charleston Wine + Food Festival launched in 2005, the city garnered more nationwide attention. A year later, a New York Times story called Charleston one of the important culinary capitals in the South. Chef Mike Lata of FIG agreed. He told the Post & Courier in February of 2009, “In my opinion, this was the birth of Charleston’s culinary reputation on a national scale.”

And something else was happening. Development had begun to stretch farther north along Upper King Street, creating a new dining corridor. Many of the city’s most consequential restaurants would open here and nearby, from McCrady’s and Husk to local favorites like The Grocery, Leon’s Oyster Shop, Xiao Bao Biscuit, and Chez Nous.

But where should you eat in Charleston today?

Charleston’s food scene stretches from the peninsula in every direction. While exciting options have debuted from Summerville to Mount Pleasant, most visitors want to know where to dine downtown. My short-list starts with two East Side eateries: Bintü Atelier for the West African flavors that are deeply rooted in the Lowcountry and Hannibal’s Kitchen for crab rice, fried whiting, okra soup, and other Gullah dishes.

From there, I recommend globally inspired restaurants that have opened in recent years. Try Filipino food at Kultura, Indian at Rivayat, and Cantonese at Beautiful South or XO Brasserie. And then there’s the places national news outlets and magazines are raving about, for good reason. Visit Vern’s for an ever-changing modern menu with the wine list to match; Chubby Fish for arguably the best local seafood selection in Charleston; Malagón for a culinary celebration of Spain; and Wild Common for a tasting menu that showcases South Carolina ingredients through a global lens and with plenty of personality.

There’s no question Charleston’s culinary landscape has shifted. Restaurants serving strictly Southern staples are now outnumbered by ones leaning into a contemporary approach. These destinations, coupled with the classics Charlestonians know and adore, are why optimism swirls around the area’s dining scene.

Parker Milner is the Food Editor of The Post and Courier. He writes extensively about the food and beverage scene in Charleston, South Carolina.