The February Hit List: Husk, Pink Bellies, Huriyali, and More

There’s no place quite like this in Charleston. Chef-owner Thai Phi has managed to capture a big-city feel — bright pink and blue lights accent the dark, moody dining room — with sophisticated cocktails to match, like the Yuzu Disco with dark rum, calamansi (a lime-like citrus common in Filipino cooking), lemongrass syrup, and tonic. Phi spent months searching for the egg noodles that serve as the base for his signature garlic noodles, topped with pork, pickled red onions, sriracha, parm, and oyster mushrooms.

This second location of this neighborhood cafe + grab-and-go market is convenient to the short-term rental district in the Cannonborough-Elliottborough neighborhood, and just a block off upper King Street. Set up inside a newly renovated Charleston single house, you’ll find bright and airy spaces to grab a coffee on the go or order breakfast — think avo toast or egg sandwich. A little later in the morning? Stick around and grab a chicken salad or Italian sammie for lunch.

Find more info here. 

The Grill reopens in early February after a winter update, with chef de cuisine Suzy Castelloe now in the kitchen, putting her own touches on one of the city’s most reliable, longstanding menus riffing on everything from steaks to Charleston classics. With live music nightly and newly refined decor, the Grill — and Castelloe’s menu — is entering into a new season. But even with change, the Grill’s new-look dining room and the see-and-be-seen bar up front will remain fixtures along King Street.

Everyone’s got a buddy behind the bar at Graft … At least that’s how you feel when you roll into this low-key wine bar tucked off upper King Street. Co-owners Femi Oyediran and Miles White have been trying to get interesting, unique bottles into the hands of discerning drinkers and wine newcomers since opening in 2018. Bottle selections are always changing, but every Sunday a rotating cast of friends stop by for weekly Good Neighbors parking lot pop-ups that have become a community gathering event. Be on the lookout for the likes of Dough Boyz Pizza, King BBQ, Co-Hog, and others.

Find more info here.

Every trip to Park Circle is a bit of a surprise with a peek at chef Shuai Wang’s menu to see what your new favorite JF dish will be. Each week, Wang experiments alongside favorites like karaage, Japanese fried chicken, and fish tartare, topped with fresh fish, masago, pickles, and shiso for a super-savory, crunchy, craveable starter. JF adds ramen to its lunch menu every day in February, and behind the bar Amy Kallicragas is prepping her new creamy hibiscus baijiu cocktail just for you.

PS- Be on the lookout for pop-ups from JF’s next project, King BBQ, around Charleston through February!

Already a go-to spot downtown for years, the ‘Yali crew is now slinging acai bowls, fresh juices, smoothies, coffee and more in James Island’s Riverland Terrace neighborhood. Relax on the deck outside and enjoy an All-Day Burrito, a riff on the California original that leans lighter with potatoes, eggs, turkey bacon, guac, and more (also available with other proteins or full vegan). But don’t feel limited to full-meal options: The coffees, juices, and smoothies are purpose built to get you going — to the office, back home, or just getting the ol’ wheels turning again. Need a recharge? The A.M. Cleanse will give you a jolt with apple cider vinegar, lemon, cinnamon, pepper, turmeric, cloves, honey, water, and more.

Find more info here.

Husk also reopened in mid-January after its own glow-up. A new kitchen, wood-fired oven, dining room tables, and a refreshed bar now await at what’s now firmly one of Charleston’s go-to spots for Southern food steeped in tradition. Initially pioneered by chef Sean Brock before he decamped for Nashville, executive chef Ray England is nearing the one-year mark on Queen Street. The menu remains stocked with farm-to-table specialties like grilled pork toro lettuce wraps and crispy fried catfish — always changing with seasonal availability and fresh catches. 

Husk may be a new addition to Resy in Charleston, but tables will go before you know it. Can’t grab a Resy? Next door, The Bar at Husk serves the full restaurant menu to walk-ins in a more casual renovated historic building and patio. Inside or outside, you can’t go wrong with the Husk Old Fashioned, made with Chattanooga 91 Bourbon and Virgil Kaine rye.

It may only be February, but you know we’ll have some late winter days that touch 80 degrees, so get ready to head to Isle of Palms to get your spot on the patio overlooking Morgan Creek. Grab a bar menu to choose from satisfying Buffalo shrimp, tangy tuna poke, or she crab fries. Yes, those are French fries covered in family-recipe she crab soup — think Lowcountry poutine. Step things up inside with a proper bowl of that she crab soup, a variety of market-fresh plates, and you know there’ll be all the crispy fried seafood perfect after an early 2023 day on the beach or by the water. Boat drinks also await, like the 7-Mile Mai Tai, made with Blue Chair pineapple rum.

Those displaced Northeasterners jonesing for good bagels were bound to be heard at some point. This new Coleman Boulevard spot is boiling and baking bagels “New York-style,” with a slew of your favorites like plain, salt, and everything. A few less-traditional renditions include bloody mary, pumpernickel everything, and egg everything, but don’t forget to check for special and seasonal offerings. And of course they can all be made into one of a dozen bagel sandwiches. Not feeling a bagel? Lucky for you, they might just have your new fav avocado toast.

Find more info here.

Charleston chef and restaurateur Nico Romo has developed a knack for nailing down unique ways to showcase his French bona fides with a comfortable, localized twist. With NICO in Mount Pleasant, Romo is out to deliver the freshest raw shellfish and seafood he’s able to source — he’s got a head start, being just a few steps from the docks at Shem Creek. One of the best testaments to that fresh catch is with one of two “seafood plateaux,” packed with everything from oysters and clams to caviar and lobster. For something warmer, look no farther than Romo’s bouillabaisse. NICO’s generous wine and drinks list also leave plenty to explore, like housemade sangria or a classic gimlet.

Keep Reading: How Nico Romo Has Mastered the Charleston Vibe