The July Hit List: Laura, Chasing Sage, Maya del Sol, and More

Our top summer pick, honestly: Already a neighborhood favorite in a part of town with plenty of star restaurants, Chasing Sage flexes its muscles as the summer harvest flows into the kitchen. A recent seasonal tart saw foraged and farmed goodies — green strawberries, peas, green beans, fiddleheads — arranged delicately on a pastry shell lined with goat cheese. Even a modest-sounding recent dish of radishes impresses, served three ways over avocado and topped with puffed grains and trout roe. Crisp veg touches also accent proteins on the menu, with green garlic, peppers, avocado, and green beans alongside the yellowfin crudo. And creative cocktails are ready for you — even on the dessert menu, where a locally foraged loquat sour has had a run.

Chef Nico Romo opened his third Charleston-area restaurant in June, bringing the Italian flavors of his Italian grandmother, Laura, to Summerville’s quaint downtown. One of Charleston’s more prolific chef-owners, Romo is already known for his takes on fresh seafood at Nico in Mount Pleasant and approachable French fare at Bistronomy downtown. Traditional dishes like shrimp scampi and octopus lead the antipasti offerings, along with Neapolitan pizzas. The restaurant’s namesake especially inspires Romo’s Bolognese, which features braised beef, pork belly, and Italian sausage. Cocktails include Italian standbys like Negronis and Aperol spritzes, or a riff on the Sgroppino, a Venetian palate cleanser with limoncello, elderflower, and prosecco, swirled with a dollop of lemon sorbet.

Walk, ride, or float up to this throwback to the early days of 1970s Isle of Palms, with one of the area’s best waterfront views on the quiet backside of the beach town island. Head inside and sit down to plates of fresh seafood and crowd favorites like burgers, crab cakes, and crispy-fried shrimp, fish, oysters, and chicken. Outside, the party kicks into high gear at the Boat Ramp Bar with more than a dozen specialty “boat drinks” and frozen cocktails. Hungry outside? No worries, hot crab dip, ceviche, and fries topped with creamy she-crab soup await.

Visit Islander 71’s website for menu details.

“Hot spot” has a double meaning at Rancho Lewis, with heat and spice in just about every corner of the menu and the King Street Extension joint still commanding a walk-in wait since opening in May, as word gets around. That’s no surprise, since these are the flavors of pitmaster-owner John Lewis’ native borderlands outside El Paso, Texas. If you’ve stopped at Lewis Barbecue, just a short ride south, you’ve gotten a taste. But be prepared to be jolted by everything from Lewis’ chiles rellenos to the San Albino michelada. For a treat, check out the nachos especiales, individually prepared housemade nacho chips with beans, cheese, jalapeño, and your choice of meat — beef is the obvious choice here. During lunch hours, find a selection of smaller-portion dishes, including lunch break fajitas. And don’t be too worried about that wait: The outside walk-up bar serves up margs, ranch water, and more.

Rancho Lewis is currently walk-in only.

Fair warning: Be ready to be floored by the creative flavors listed on the wall. 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 cold-brew honeycomb or fluffernutter blondie and 1) you wouldn’t guess it’s vegan and 2) you’ll be back for a pint to take home. Perfect summer selections include a dead-simple strawberry and a vegan lemon icebox cake creation. Even grab a cold-brew to go, if you’ve indulged yourself enough.

This longtime downtown favorite made its reappearance on Johns Island in May. Originally the brainchild of superstar chef Sean Brock, it earned a following with chargrilled wings, a powerhouse veggie burrito, housemade tortillas, and as one of the first local bars stocking mezcal. After its first home on East Bay Street sold, its owners, Neighborhood Dining Group, dispatched Minero to the sea islands, where chef Shamil Velazquez (also of Delaney Oyster House) runs the new-look offshoot. Tacos, burritos, and wings still stand out on the menu, along with seafood creations and a show-stopper bone-in pork chop that showcases Puerto Rican native Velazquez’s versatility with Caribbean and Mexican flavors. Don’t worry: The mezcal and Tequila also made it. Oh, and margaritas — frozen and on the rocks.

Sullivan’s Fish Camp is an exciting reimagining of the long-running Sullivan’s Seafood Restaurant that stood on the island’s Middle Street strip for more than 30 years. Now, local restaurant operators Ben and Kate Towill, who also run Basic Kitchen and Post House, are charting a course with traditional favorites and fresh dishes that showcase the bounty of Charleston’s waterways in a variety of interpretations. Crudo features the day’s fresh catch in buttermilk leche de tigre — a citrusy marinade — classic fried catfish comes served on a sesame milk bun slathered with harissa aioli, and even the Hawaiian rolls for the table get a decadent twist with smoked oyster butter and trout roe. At the bar, order up a Sullivan’s Crab Claw, an exclusive local brew with Westbrook Brewing Co. (Can’t hook a table? Tap that Notify button.)

Looking to get your evening started with a luxurious bang? The gastronomic firepower of Zero Restaurant + Bar has something special dialed up for you. For $65 per person, you get a half-ounce of Regiis Ova caviar and the chance to enjoy a leisurely tasting experience on the restaurant’s piazza (that’s Charleston for “porch”) overlooking the boutique hotel Zero George’s gardens below. With two prepaid seatings a night, up to eight guests have the option to also order from the wine list and or choose caviar-focused dishes a la carte, from deviled eggs and oysters to wagyu beef sandwiches. Looking for more from Zero chef Vinson Petrillo? His full tasting menu experience, one of Charleston’s best, is on Resy too.

The crew at babas on meeting pulls off some of Charleston’s best cocktails and snacks so effortlessly, we dare you to try to stay for just one round. This sister spot to babas on cannon opened last year in partnership with the co-owners of the chic space at goat.sheep.cow. The Euro-inspired all-day cafe has become the go-to spot for North Central residents, commuters, and anyone who needs a fix of babas’ shaken cold-brew over ice with a warm, perfectly flaky pastry. Or, later in the day, stop back for a snack, a focused wine list, bottled cocktails, and pitch-perfect twists on classic favorites like the banana old pal or the espresso martini — made with amaro, fresh espresso, and clarified chocolate milk.

Distinctive Spanish flavors and local harvest flourishes unite at Estadio, with snacks that might even summon memories of a Spanish getaway. Pinxtos, traditional Spanish small bites, arrive in the form of anchovy, olive, and pepper skewers, or deviled eggs with caviar. Naturally, there’s also Iberico ham and other cured meats ready to be paired with Spanish cheese. Salads and vegetables feature peak-season ingredients, like grilled South Carolina peaches with watermelon, ham, basil, and almonds. Behind the bar, choose from red, white, orange, or sparkling wines, including a slew of Spanish selections. An array of hand-selected gin, sherry, and other spirits fuel unique cocktails, too — the Huskwell Negroni uses cascara gin, made with discarded husks of coffee berries, a new product by friends at neighborhood coffee shop Sightsee.

Regulars have a hard time naming a favorite dish that has come from chef Raul Sanchez’s kitchens over the years. Maybe it’s the tacos, al pastor and chicken are among the top choices. Others will point to Sunday brunch, when the steak and eggs chilaquiles will have you back at the Reynolds Avenue restaurant ASAP. Lunch and brunch are for walk-ins, but call ahead for a five-course chef’s table experience at dinnertime. Sanchez’s menus change weekly, so check Instagram for the latest update. Pro tip: When tamales make an appearance, you better hurry.

Get more info at Maya del Sol Kitchen’s website here.