The December Hit List: Berkeley’s, Middleton Place, The Longboard, and More

What’s so great about Berkeley’s is that they refuse to pander to the Lowcountry tourist crowd who seem to want shrimp and grits or pimento cheese at every location. Instead, Berkeley’s stays true to its cheesesteak-loving heart, and in the process has won ours. This restaurant is made for gathering and mingling: the patio is dog friendly, the bar is indoor/outdoor, and there are salads, calamari, a chicken cutlet sandwich, and that aforementioned cheesesteak, with shaved rib eye, Duke’s mayo, and topped with housemade whiz. Bring a friend and stay a while to make a few more.

A sparkling gem of coastal style on Center Street, The Longboard is the second location of a restaurant that was born on St. John, USVI. Here on Sullivan’s Island, there’s plenty to share for an evening get-together, from cold Atlantic oysters to smoky, creamy fish dip, to an outstandingly organized and inventive wine list created for pairing with seafood. There’s plenty of seating around the bar, and also in big, u-shaped booths inside the restaurant, but many diners, even when the evenings are cool, enjoy the patio, tucked in under heaters but also under a starry sky and brisk sea breezes.

Burritos, nachos, tacos, check. There are also bowls and salads (and an ice cream taco dessert), but what really sets this place apart is its fun-loving staff and regulars and downright affordable prices. Most cocktails average $8, there’s plenty of protein and vegetarian choices and appetizers to share, so get the gang together and head for North Charleston. Don’t forget to order the fish fry taco with lemon pepper sauce. It’s served, like so many at this restaurant that started as a food truck, on fresh Savannah-made Mitla corn tortillas.

An office holiday happy hour is easy at Fuji. With multiple locations around the Lowcountry that always have weekly specials and happy hours, the menu includes sushi platters, an extensive selection of cocktails and sake, and bomb shrimp, which are lightly fried shrimp topped with spicy sauce and seaweed seasoning. There’s hibachi choices, dumplings, and plenty more that are easy to share. Once everyone is satiated, the Upper King location is convenient for those who would like to keep the night going with another stop.

Open both for lunch and dinner, this dining spot is deep off Highway 61 on the historic grounds of Middleton Place, a National Historic Landmark and attraction open for visitors. This elegant restaurant was once helmed by famed chef and author Edna Lewis, and the classic menu is still inspired by her today, from shrimp and grits to fried chicken with pork-braised collards. Although the plantation house no longer remains, the restaurant’s view looks out onto manicured gardens, and for dinner, no admission fee is required to visit the museum portion of the grounds.

This cozy corner bistro has many of the comfort food classics for when the weather cools and the nights call for red wine and good friends. Rotisserie chicken, duck legs confit, pomme frites, and grilled fish are all menu standbys at this neighborhood favorite. The restaurant was closed for an extended period, but is now back open Tuesdays through Saturdays 5 to 9 p.m., the perfect time for an early dinner on a cold night.

This restaurant originally was named the Reggae Grill when it opened on Rivers Avenue in 2011, and although it has changed its name, the restaurant’s food remains as solid as ever. Oxtail is fall-off-the-bone tender, jerk chicken has great spicy seasoning throughout, and the fried plantains are sweet, soft, and just a little crispy around the edges. There are a few tables for dining in, but most customers carry out, and they also do a brisk catering business, delivering curried goat, chicken, and more, which can add an island flavor to your holiday gathering.

Sometimes the gang’s just up for a burger and a brew and a laid-back good time, so keeping it casual at Blind Tiger could be the way to go. Hang at the inside bar or party outside in the beloved courtyard once the sun has set. There are pork cracklins and pimento cheese to share and a grilled chicken Caesar salad, but most folks head to this historic Broad Street location for a pub burger, a double patty topped with white American cheese and bacon jam and served with fries. It’s a stop for Santa that is way better than cookies and milk.

A little irreverent (their motto is “horrifying vegetarians since 2013”) and a lot delicious, this restaurant has been pumping its barbecue-tinged smoke onto Savannah Highway for years. There’s enough space to accommodate a gathering of friends — and enough bourbon behind the bar to keep all whiskey fans in attendance happy — but the trays of food are the thing. You don’t have to decide barbecue styles, so beef brisket, smoked turkey, Brunswick stew, and even homemade sausage can be your order, but don’t sleep on the beans with brisket. We’re not saying you should try to pass them off as your contribution for the holiday potluck, but we’re also sure that if you did, we wouldn’t tell your secret.

This comfortable, casual restaurant located near Whole Foods in Mount Pleasant might just be the perfect spot for a friend gift exchange, because even if you get that candle that sounds like a crackling fire and scares your cat, you’ll still have lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. Yes, our gift to you is sharing that this strip mall gem has that decadent dish, as well as chicken and waffles, house-made pirogies, and three sparkling wines by the glass to “cheers” your friends. There are vegetarian and gluten-free menu items too, so it’s a great place when dietary restrictions vary but everybody is ready to celebrate.