The Resy Hit List: Where In Charleston You’ll Want to Eat in Oct. 2024
There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an honor to be the friend who everyone asks for restaurant advice, we also know it’s a complicated task. That’s where the Resy Hit List comes in.
We’ve designed it to be your essential resource for dining in and around Charleston: a monthly-updated (and expanded!) guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Four Things In Charleston Not to Miss This Month
- The Bestest: Last month, Bintü Atelier, the West African restaurant downtown, and King BBQ, the North Charleston Chinese barbecue spot from the folks behind Jackrabbit Filly, each earned one of 20 coveted spots among Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurants of 2024. Needless to say, now’s a good time to grab a table.
- Nous News: Cookbook author Renee Erickson stops in Charleston Oct. 16 to sign and pop up with friends at Chez Nous, with spots available now on Resy. As it so happens, her husband, Dan Crookston of Seattle’s Mean Sandwich, will also make an appearance the next day at Chez Nous’ sister restaurant, Malagon. Book here.
- Tequila Time: If you’ve been hankering for a chance to try Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila, grab a Resy now for Little Palm’s cocktail class, set for Oct. 8. The class includes bites from Little Palm chef Daniel Dalton and expert guidance on how to make three cocktails, including a classic marg. (Needless to say, those will work with any Tequila.) And check out more Resy Events here.
- Popping Up: October brings a knockout slate of one-night only and guest pop-ups to Charleston, including chef Shin Horiguchi’s return to the Thoroughbred Club for 10 days. In Elliottborough, Vern’s gets a one-night Oct. 16 visit from former Charleston chef Jeremiah Langhorne, who worked with Vern’s chef Dano Heinze at McCrady’s before spinning up the acclaimed Dabney in D.C. And at Costa, chef Christopher Morgan brings the flavors of his Michelin-starred Joon to Charleston on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16.
New to the Hit List (Oct. 2024)
Thoroughbred Club, Ciudad Bonita, The Ordinary, Post House, Sorelle.
1. FIG Ansonborough
In a city full of crowd-pleasing tourist fare, FIG remains an oasis. Celebrating 20 years in 2023, chef-owner Mike Lata’s first major restaurant still manages to lure locals downtown, either with a Resy in its modest, comforting dining room or to take a chance at the petite bar that’s always first come, first served. Diners return for seasonal offerings and well-executed specialties like chicken liver pâté and even the fresh catch (grilled triggerfish with mushrooms recently). For Lata, who also opened The Ordinary on King Street some 10 (!!) years ago, rock-solid preparations remain simple, but creative enough to leave an impression.
2. Thoroughbred Club Charleston
Whether you’re just passing through for a drink or meeting family or friends, Thoroughbred Club fits the bill. The luxe bar’s small size belies the selections landing on tables: cocktails, wines by the bottle, snacks, and more. This may well be your new favorite hotel lobby bar. For a change of pace, grab a Resy for afternoon tea, a high-tea-inspired experience with a Southern twist.
3. Sorelle Charleston
One of the hottest Charleston openings in recent years and new on Resy in fall 2024, this luxurious Broad Street space invites diners to dine first come, first served in the downstairs bar or to settle into the upstairs dining room with picturesque views of the historic “Four Corners of Law.” The menu is crafted in consultation with the Mina Group, and executed by chef Nick Dugan. Start with a cocktail like the mezcal-fueled Sorrento Sun, then move on to antipasti and snacks like burrata di bufala, followed by tender pastas like the “Pillows of Gold” ricotta tortelloni, creamy pasta sprinkled with prosciutto cotto and kissed with balsamic.
4. The Archer East Central
The Archer is the latest project from the team at neighborhood favorite Berkeley’s. Slightly more upscale than its North Central sibling, look for the new spot to scratch the same go-to hangout itch, but with things turned up a few notches. Think: beef stroganoff, duck confit salad, their take on a classic, minimalist burger and fries, and more. At the bar, look for specialty cocktails, including some on draft — Ambiguous Bird was a summer fave, with rum, coconut tea Campari, pineapple, and lime.
5. Vern’s Elliotborough
Photo courtesy of Vern’s
The low-key digs of this Cannonborough-Elliottborough spot belie the menu that chef-owner Dano Heinze serves up nightly, stacked with offerings you didn’t even know you needed in your rotation. Dishes include snails, fresh crudo, a simple-but-rewarding steak, and handmade pastas like gnocchetti. This classic but inventive view extends to the wine list, curated by Dano’s wife and business partner, Bethany. The couple spent time in famed Charleston locales like the now-defunct McCrady’s before a California sojourn that wound them back east to Charleston. Their deep experience has earned Vern’s a well-deserved national profile.
Photo courtesy of Vern’s
6. Palmira Barbecue West Ashley
Those of us who’ve followed Hector Garate’s barbecue pop-ups rejoiced in February when he finally opened the doors to his West Ashley restaurant. Channeling the flavors of his native Puerto Rico, Garate dishes out variations on ubiquitous Southern ‘cue with a little more flair. We’re talking sofrito-infused pintos and all-star smoked beef cheeks so tender that you won’t even realize brisket is nowhere to be seen on the menu. And don’t miss Garate’s housemade sausage, whole-hog pork, and barbecue hash — an uber-savory traditional South Carolina side, made with chopped meat, pan drippings, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and more. Palmira may be a ways off-peninsula, but it’s worth the trip.
No reservations. More info here.
7. The Ordinary Cannonborough
Speaking of Mike Lata, his ode to fresh seafood, mostly pulled from Charleston waterways, continues to make this King Street hall one of the most welcoming spots in town. Sidle up to the marble bar or grab a Resy and take your pick from oysters farmed in the Carolinas or delicate preparations of fresh-caught bluefin tuna, snapper, triggerfish, and more. Can’t decide? Dial up a seafood tower, which is pretty much what it sounds like: multiple tiers of select seafood from the raw bar with all the fixings (that’d be lemon, cocktail sauce, and mignonette).
8. Lowland Lower King
Jason Stanhope departed FIG last summer after 16 years, during which the restaurant and his menu as executive chef piled up accolades. Now, Stanhope is hoping to recapture some of that magic at not one or two, but three concepts operated by The Pinch boutique hotel at the corner of King and George streets. Expect a comfortable, casual setting with a handful of craveable dishes that both frame Stanhope’s interpretation of New Southern cooking and that will warrant a return trip: lobster bucatini, a burger, grilled triggerfish, crudo, biscuits, deviled eggs, and more.
9. Off Track Ice Cream Harleston Village
Tucked a few worthwhile steps from King Street, if you know, you know, as they say. Flavors are divided evenly between traditional cream-based scoops and vegan concoctions, but don’t let that fool you. One taste of classic flavors like peppermint chip or fluffernutter blondie and 1) you wouldn’t guess both are vegan and 2) you’ll be back for a pint to take home. Perfect summer selections include a dead-simple strawberry and peach praline pecan. Even grab a cold brew to go, if you’ve indulged yourself enough. Keep an eye on the Off Track IG for the newest flavor updates.
10. Bintü Atelier East Side
Chef Bintou N’Daw planned to return to New York City after a year in the kitchen Chez Nous. But finding local menus lacked the flavors of her native Senegal, she decided to stay a while. Traditional Gullah cuisine carries traces of West African influence, but N’Daw’s dishes represent inspired adaptations that make her dishes unique. Yet, Charleston’s African ties proved formative for Bintü Atelier — a common thread. And Bintü found its way on to our top picks of 2023 for a reason, after all. Dishes like pepper soup come served with chicken, yucca, yams and crawfish in a spicy broth. Tucked off a Line Street sidewalk in Charleston’s East Side, which has its own rich cultural history as a historically Black neighborhood, Bintü is open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday.
11. Barnyard Chicken North Charleston
The brainchild of chef-owner Eric Hara, Barnyard sits near the Park Circle neighborhood, between Holy City Brewing and Firefly Distilling. As it says on the tin, chicken is the focus — brick chicken, specifically. Sticky wings, Korean-fried chicken nuggets, and a couple variations on chicken sandwiches also highlight the menu. Step inside (no reservations) or order online before other diners get word.
Find more info here.
12. Gaulart & Maliclet Fast and French Downtown
This Broad Street institution is celebrating 40 years. And in a stroke of persistence and/or as a testament to its staying power, the cafe everyone knows just as “Fast and French” has stuck to its formula with sensible offerings, three meals a day, at a good price. The daily lunch special includes a sandwich, soup, and fruit with tea, coffee, or house wine for — get this — $15. Get more adventurous for dinner, with warm fondue, chicken and seafood options, and of course, a bottle of something decent. If you’re in doubt, just follow the lead of a local: Ask what the soup of the day is and include it with your lunch special.
13. Bowen’s Island Restaurant Folly Beach
This might be Charleston’s longest-running restaurant, in operation by the Barber family since 1945. For generations, Bowen’s has lured Charleston-area residents for family dinners, weddings, parties, community and political events, or just to watch some of the best sunsets around. Enter by the stairs and walk past the oyster room, where steamed bivalves are available by the half tray, full tray, and all-you-can-eat. (Oysters, harvested right off the marsh during “R” months, when they’re in season, are the main event here.) Upstairs in the dining room, seafood platters, Frogmore stew, shrimp and grits and more await.
Find more info here.
14. Linnette’s Kiawah River
Open three meals a day at The Dunlin, Charleston area’s newest resort, you’ll find Carolina crab Benedict in the a.m., burgers and egg salad around lunchtime, and cornmeal catfish for dinner. A short drive from downtown on Johns Island, Linette’s overlooks the picturesque Kiawah River, an idyllic setting for rum swizzle or the house old fashioned, made with local High Wire Distilling’s Jimmy Red whiskey.
15. Sushi-Wa Wagener Terrace
Walk into Sushi-Wa and you’re in the hands of its generous chef-owners, Kazu Murakami and Chris Schoedler, who offer a sushi experience unlike anywhere else in Charleston. Five nights a week, Sushi-Wa serves some of the best sushi in town, omakase style — a traditional Japanese chef’s choice format. Murakami and Schoedler make the tough decisions for you, though enticing (and frankly, worth it) upgrades will be up for grabs, like A5 wagyu nigiri. Bar offerings focus on sake, with large and small-format bottles.
16. Taco Boy Downtown North-Central
17. Post House Old Village
Mount Pleasant’s Old Village is one of Charleston’s early suburbs east of the Cooper River, and the Post House’s classic feel indeed evokes a slower time in a neighborhood that’s a fixture in glossy national architecture and design magazines. With a tavern and restaurant nestled on the ground floor of the updated Post House Inn, a comforting house cheeseburger hits the spot, along with crudo, clams, and more. And notice is being taken: In September, the Inn was honored with a Michelin Key for its exemplary hospitality.
18. Ciudad Bonita North Charleston
This new Park Circle spot’s cocktails are worth the trip to North Charleston. The Lulo combines the traditional South American fruit that gives the drink its name, lime juice, agave, and Colombian-style rum. The Wake Up Colombia features aguardiente, a Colombian liqueur, with Tequila cream, coffee, and agave. On the menu, a handful of traditional bites like plantains and empanadas take the lead, with a slew of exotic burgers on offer.
Find more info here.
19. King BBQ North Charleston
The food coming out of the Chinese-Southern kitchen from chef-owner Shuai Wang (Jackrabbit Filly) already had a faithful following, and that only expanded when Shuai and co-owner and wife Corrie debuted this ode to barbecue of multiple traditions. Meats smoked on-site anchor the menu, with a mustard-tinged pulled pork paying tribute to a South Carolina standard, and crispy smoked duck providing a little something extra that you won’t find anywhere else in Charleston. Stop by on Saturday and the duck comes served with all steamed bao — “duck service.”
Find more info here.
20. Leon’s Oyster Shop Downtown
For years, the faithful have started queuing outside on King Street well before opening at 11 a.m. Leon’s has carved out a niche among locals and tourists alike, who flock for hot oysters or super solid fried chicken and a vibe so lived-in that you’d never guess it’s just shy of 10 years old. Can’t show up early? Find your five closest friends and grab a Resy. And don’t be fooled by the rustic environs, there’s plenty to enjoy on the drinks list, from “cheapish wine” on draft to local beers and frozen cocktails.
