The October Hit List: Malagón, Shiki, Bay Street Biergarten, and More

Both a taperia and a mercado, this intimate spot transports diners from the the streets of Charleston to Spain, both with the general vibe and the menu. Select tapas from a list that includes squid and chickpea salad, mixed olives, and cured tuna belly, then allow the expert servers to suggest appropriate wine pairings. The best seat in the house is the counter, but in actuality any of them are ideal since this place fills up fast in the evening. Save time for some after-dinner shopping, as there are market shelves of imported foodstuffs for recreating a dish or a taste or two at home.

Back open after a temporary shutdown due to staffing shortages, the live jazz music, expert wine pairings for Chef Michelle Weaver’s menu, and best crab cake in Charleston have returned. That’s right, we’re calling it (and we’re not alone), as this iconic dish has been perfected at the Grill, using almost all lump crab meat, pan-fried with spices for sweet seafood perfection. 

If you think this is just another Folly Bar, you’re wrong. It is a bar, of course, but through the years has morphed into a whole restaurant experience. Begun in 2014 by a husband-and-wife team, the kitchen has consistently cranked out Asian-inspired comfort food dishes that change with the seasons. It’s a haven for vegans and vegetarians, with menu items ranging from pumpkin coconut curry soup to curried black bean nachos, though omnivores have plenty to choose from as well. An expanded covered patio in the back maintains that laid-back Folly vibe. 

Grace & Grit is one of the spots Charlestonians point to when an out-of-towner says, “where can I get Southern food?” We know the grits sampler is the menu item they didn’t know they needed in their lives, serving grits four ways: pimento cheese, brussels pesto, blueberry, and carrot cake. It’s an appetizer for the table, though no one will deride you if you order it for an entree. They’ll be too busy focusing on the sweet tea-brined pork chop, the boiled peanut succotash, or the fried shrimp platter. 

Now that the nights are cooling off, a Bavarian beer garden might just be the best idea for alfresco socializing. Located in Wraggsborough in a building from the late 1800s, the menu of sandwiches, chicken fingers, and other bar food treats (who doesn’t love a warm pretzel?) are a perfect match to the restaurant’s 62 taps, including 12 located tableside. Beer lovers rejoice, and so do those who love a social event, since the spot hosts everything from team trivia to adopt-a-pet events. And if you’re still dreaming pretzels, may we suggest the Biergarten Brat in a pretzel bun? We’d get the sweet potato fries, too. 

Located on a hammock island all of its own, this James Beard America’s classic and family-owned restaurant is celebrating 75 years roasting oysters, frying shrimp, and wowing diners every night with hospitality and those Lowcountry sunsets. If it’s oysters you’re after, they do sell them these days by the half shell, but if you’re going classic, prepare to get your hands a little dirty. You’ll be escorted to the basement — lovingly referred to as the “dungeon” by staff — where steaming hot oysters will be delivered to your table for you to open with the provided oyster knife. Crack one open, squeeze a little lemon on it, and if preferred, slide it atop a saltine cracker, and you’ll be tasting a Lowcountry tradition. (Just so you know: Bowen’s is also teaming up next month with FIG‘s Mike Lata on one of Resy’s Classics Remix events.)

Family-owned Shiki is the oldest sushi restaurant in Charleston, but it is miles away from staid. With recently refreshed dining room and menu, this classic still is hopping on a weekend night. Sushi lovers come over and over for the Super Crunch roll, which anyone who has visited will quickly recommend. It combines Korean pear with creamy masago tempura flakes, layered poached shrimp on top, and a sweet soy glaze — you’ll soon be recommending it too. There are also plenty of other items to love, from seaweed salad to sashimi to White Fish Katsu served with sauced cabbage, vegetables, and white rice. Wonderful service complements the food, whether it’s your first time or your 50th. 

Originally called Annie’s Bistro when this restaurant was in Towne Centre, it changed monikers when it moved into a former Mexican restaurant space on Johnnie Dodds Boulevard close to Celadon. Parisian-born Carole Robert is still in the kitchen, though, working with local ingredients to share French flavors as the mood strikes her. The menu changes nightly, but the wine is always a-flowing with a generous pour as you anticipate seafood selections such as local stone crab claws, or hearty, classic entrees including roasted duck or Coq au Vin.  

Family-friendly with an unforgettable view, the Charleston Crab House has been serving up seafood specialties for years. They have three locations, but the one on Wappoo Cut will not only wow the kiddies with the hot-out-of-the-fryer hushpuppies with honey butter, but also with the view of the working drawbridge and boats as they sail by. There are steampots (the best of which is the Lowcountry boil with sausage, shrimp, potatoes, corn, and garlic butter) and crab cake sandwiches for the adults, along with plenty of fried seafood options and tropical cocktails to celebrate good times together. 

Available only as take-out or pick up, this independent pizza joint does what it wants with an eye towards pleasing its loyal customers, even down to doing “half and half” pies of two separate topping sets. There’s a pizza of the month, salads with creamy cucumber wasabi dressing, and the restaurant’s most famous pie, the McPark. Part of the Advanced Pizza menu, this legendary, decadent pizza is based off another famous burger (we think you can guess which one) and includes special sauce, ground beef, pickles, American cheese, and those little diced onions that bring it all together. Bring it to a party or have it delivered, and you’ll be a hero for the meat-eaters in the group.