5 Great Restaurants in Charleston, SC | Foodie Friday

During a short summer trip we ate at some of the best restaurants Charleston, SC has to offer. The list we compiled beforehand was extensive, but with just 5 days to explore the city, only a select few made the cut. From seafood to southern-style cooking we tried many different things while sampling the Charleston restaurants, everything was incredibly delicious. I can't wait to go back!

Hominy is Not Hype: Arguably the best shrimp and grits in the state, maybe even the east coast, can be found at Hominy Grill. I didn't have much to compare them to since it was my first time having this quintessential southern breakfast, but it was delicious! If you're feeling really brave you can try the super tasty Big Nasty biscuit w/ a fried chicken breast, cheddar cheese & smothered in sausage gravy. It was a scary beast, but it was awesome! (207 Rutledge Ave., 843.937.0930, hominygrill.com)

Happy Hour Hideaway: In the heart of Charleston's historic district is a great place to hideout for happy hour. Pearlz Oyster Bar offers a variety of oysters and other fresh and local seafood for those who have a penchant for shellfish. If slurping down sea creatures isn't your bag, you might like their corn fritters ($2.95). They weren't like other fritters I've had, theirs were more like hush puppies, but they were still yummy. (153 East Bay Street, 843.577.5755, http://www.pearlzoysterbar.com)

Where Seafood Reigns Supreme: This place is more of an institution than it is a restaurant with the history of this family-run business going back to 1890 when they operated a wholesale company. Over the years, that has changed and they now run Hyman's Seafood and Aaron's Deli from the same location. It is an extremely busy place, and rightly so, because it's been voted the Best Seafood in the Southeast by Southern Living Magazine for the past 9 years. The food was excellent, the prices were very reasonable and the portions were enormous. One of the owners came walking by at some point wielding a pan of the absolute BEST hush puppies I have ever tasted in my life. No joke! (215 Meeting Street, 843.723.6000, http://www.hymanseafood.com)

 
The Icing on the Cake: Due to a freak flood in downtown Charleston, we had to wade through knee deep water in order to get our slice of cake before saying farewell to the city. The dessert offerings change on a daily basis, but we tried the Brownie Sundae Cake, which was shamefully decadent. Kaminsky's is a tasty escape that has an entire display case of sweet treats that could keep you full for days! You don't want to miss it. (78 N. Market St., 843.853.8270, http://www.kaminskys.com)

 
Shiver me Timbers! One of the bars/restaurants we stopped at during our pub stroll, called the Buccaneer, houses one of the largest collections of authentic pirate memorabilia in the USA. Pirate tales were told during our tour of this tavern while we munched on a bowl of sweet potato chips ($5). I sipped on a Crazy Arnold ($7) made with cucumber infused lemonade and Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, their spin on this southern cocktail will totally knock your socks off. (5 Faber Street, 843.805.5065,  http://www.thebuccaneerrestaurant.com)

RELATED LINKS:

• 20 Reasons Why I Love Charleston, SC A collection of my favorites sights, eats, and experiences. 
• Going Coastal in Charleston, SC (Raw Footage) A montage of moving pictures! a.k.a. video
• Photo Essay: Underground Art in Charleston, SC
• A Casual Collection of Charleston Charm A photo montage 

 
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