The June Hit List: The Shellmore, Barsa, Mex1, and More

This petite spot in one of Mount Pleasant’s most tony addresses changes its menu daily, then snaps a picture for Instagram. If you’re not following them on the social media (or forget to look) then visiting is still a no-brainer — with its mostly seafood-forward plates and wines by the glass.

Depending on the evening, there might be ceviche, a smoked fish dip, fresh flounder, and local shrimp, all prepared with a light hand by chef Eric Milley who allows that seafood to shine. Happy hour begins the fill-up for the patio and the bar, so if you want to make sure you have a spot, you know what to do.

The standing order for many locals at this Upper King spot, located besides the Post and Courier offices, is sangria and paella for the table. If that’s your preference too, then put in your paella order upon arrival, because it takes the kitchen a full 30 minutes to compose the Valencian-style rice and seafood (or vegetables or chicken) feast before it arrives at the table. While you wait, there are plenty of tapas to keep you satisfied, from dates with manchego, to calamari, to our “always order,” the hangar steak with sherry sauce, a tender and flavorful bite for the meat eaters in the group. 

We already mentioned that they have some of the most beautiful outdoor seating in the city, but don’t let their good looks keep you distracted from the excellent beverage and bites at one of Architectural Digest’s “most beautifully designed bars.”

There’s a wide variety of glass pours — orange wines to Rhône Valley syrah — along with cocktails and beer, and a rotating selection of charcuterie and cheese, including local options when available. Plus, if you’re ready to have some fun (and you’re at Vintage so it’s a good guess you are) go for the wine and cheese flight, or The Blind, a glass of wine that’s free if you can identify it.

Owned by the Ambrose family, this restaurant and market originally started as a way for the family to have a closer-to-Charleston presence in support of their farm on Wadmalaw Island. Since then, development has spread its fingers further from the city, and now the Tomato Shed doesn’t feel as “out there” as it used to. What has stayed the same, however, is the farm fresh vegetables, the family-friendly vibe, and the best tomato pie (Lowcountry style, not Jersey style) in the region. It’s tomato season, so it’s time for the Tomato Shed, and with the market you can get some to go, too. 

Named after a pooch that loved to hang out on the porch of this Victorian house turned restaurant, Poogan’s is one of the city’s oldest independent restaurants. At this point, its fried chicken and fluffy, housemade biscuits are woven into the city’s lore, along with a ghost story or two about the building.

The menu has been updated slowly over the years to include items such as Huevos Rancheros and BBQ Mahi Mahi, but it’s just fine to stick to the classics, which at Poogan’s means the aforementioned chicken and biscuits, with some mac and cheese and fried green tomatoes, all for Sunday brunch/lunch if possible, traditionally one of the best times of the week to visit.

Tucked into the Seaside Farms shopping complex, Opal feels anything but cookie-cutter, especially for its dedicated group of regulars, some who have had weekly reservations for years. They come for the excellent charcuterie boards, the tagliatelle Bolognese with lemon ricotta, and the wines by the glass, to be sure, but they stay because of the consistency of service and menu execution in this comfortably elegant space with its dark-wood accents and roomy bar. You can become a regular too, even if just for a beach week, since this is right over the Isle of Palm Connector. 

It’s hot, like Charleston hot, and that means margarita time. Mex1 makes around 15,000 a month, so it’s a good bet they know what they’re doing. In fact, there’s a whole margarita list, including a frozen one swirled with frozen sangria, which might elicit order envy if you miss it. After all that imbibing, food is in order, and they have plenty of it, from quesadillas and baja bowls, to their especially well-loved seafood tacos, including the Baja fish, which includes grilled Mahi, shredded cabbage and cilantro-onion relish. With locations inWest Ashley and Park West, as well as Sullivan’s Island, a frozen marg is never far away.

Beach days often go hand in hand with an increased appetite, and when that burger craving hits, Charlestonians often point the way to Poe’s. The burgers are half-pound, ground in-house beauties, and they come with all sorts of topping combos, from the Tell-Tale Heart, with fried egg, applewood bacon, and cheddar cheese, to the Black Cat, with chili and grilled onions.

In case you haven’t got those literary references yet, yes, they are references to that Poe. Edgar Allen spent time on Sullivan’s, and the restaurant pays homage to that, though, we are hopeful he would he would’ve loved the hand cut fries, too.

When the “new” Post House reopened, you could almost hear the Old Village clapping. Many of its residents have made this beautiful spot their regular hangout, so live like a local and belly up to the bar for the best Vesper in the Lowcountry. Stay for dinner and you’ll find a classic American menu, low on fuss and high on the South Carolina ingredients, from Anson Mills cornbread to fresh vegetables grown on Johns Island. There’s a little bit of pasta, pork, vegetarian options, and beef on the menu, but since you’re a mere walk to Shem Creek where they were caught, it only makes sense to start with a shrimp roll, with comeback sauce and Old Bay.

If you’re itching to visit the Terrace Theater again for a movie, then save some time before or after for dinner next door at Crust Wood Fired Pizza. You won’t be the only one with this idea, but the friendly staff can handle the pre-movie hussle and still provide you a great dinner without missing the previews.

Although its other selections are solid, the restaurant is bustling because of the ‘za, cooked lightning fast in the brick oven that dominates the open kitchen. You can go elegant with the Del Re (a selection of cheeses with garlic and rosemary), funky with Butternut, which includes squash, sun dried tomatoes, and caramelized onions, or go big and build one of your own. There’s even a gluten-free crust substitution for those who need it.