Where to Eat in April: Raw Lab, Coterie, Palace Hotel, and More

Everyone in Charleston knows about Halls. But if you haven’t stopped in lately, maybe it’s time. Steak is the name of the game, but you can expect a side of the restaurant’s hallmark hospitality as well. Cuts range from familiar filets and strips to something you may not have tried yet, like Japanese Wagyu and American bison. Order some creamed corn and asparagus with hollandaise to round out the meal, but don’t forget an original cocktail like their hot pepper martini. Pro tip: Hall’s does 500+ tables a night at its downtown flagship. Get the inside scoop on how to score a table with our latest installment of The One Who Keeps the Book.

Chef James London continues turning out fresh and creative plates to satisfy the masses that line up each night along Coming Street before dinner service. With only a handful of seats and no reservations, be sure to plan your appearance accordingly, especially if you have a larger group. The menu changes daily based on availability, but look for fresh bivalves year-round, served grilled or cold and with all the fixins, along with plates like poached tilefish, or soft-shell crab if you get lucky and stop by when they’re in season. And yes, this is a seafood joint, but the lamb ribs are a crowd favorite — you’ve been advised. And plus: The dynamic wine list is designed to pair perfectly with the seafood on your plate that day.

Check your assumptions at the door when you enter this totally unique dining experience tucked off Market Street next to Port of Call. Prepare for 10+ courses of creatively prepared seafood with drink pairings, all designed to showcase the flavors and virtues of sustainable seafood — think oysters, caviar, lobster, crab, and more, all minimally prepared by chef Kevin Joseph. Aiming to “empower” diners to know and understand seafood and what goes into getting it onto your plate, dishes have included salmon tartare, local shrimp ceviche, crab gazpacho, and other delicate dishes.

Get ready to rock at this metal-themed bar recently popped into a little spot that just opened  off upper King Street. On the TVs,’80s horror films set the tone, and on the menu, the drinks lean tiki. Yes, there’s cheap whiskey and tallboys. But you can also order up house concoctions like the Pantang Painkiller, with two different kinds of rum and Thai iced tea simple syrup. In the near future, look out for guest cooks to come in and sling their goods, much like the set-up at Cutty’s nearby — which, not coincidentally, is also owned by Nick and Ben D’Allessandro. (The guys also have a killer pizza shop at the corner of St. Philip and Bogard streets.)

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Tucked off Warren Street, you would never know this powerhouse modern Indian restaurant is just steps from the hustle of King Street. One local food writer described the flavors inside as Lowcountry tastes finding their way into chef-owner Viraj Borkar’s decidedly Indian dishes. Okra, prominent in both cuisines, arrive seared and tossed with caramelized onions and finished with cooling yogurt. Stick with riffs on traditional offerings, like aaloo gobi (cauliflower) and palak paneer, or check out the masala-spiced duck or the country captain tikka — a decidedly fusion dish with flavors familiar to the Lowcountry. Behind the bar, co-owner Jeremy Buck mixes interesting takes on classic cocktails for curious diners, like the Okroni, made with dry vermouth and, you guessed it, housemade okra amaro.

This classic French bistro set up in the Charleston suburbs opened in February and has already garnered a stable of followers for its affordable, authentic menu. We’re talking French classics like beef tartare, vichyssoise, cassoulet, and steak frites just how you want them. And you can even drink that glass (or bottle) of rose on the comfortable outdoor patio. Don’t forget dessert — after all, this is the team that has also run local-favorite Christophe Artisan Chocolatier for years.

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A great location downtown, central to other bars and restaurants, this may be the ideal gathering spot for your next night out or fun-day afternoon. Order one of a handful of pizzas from the wood-fired oven, like the chicken and bacon, or branch out with the Crustacean, a white pizza topped with shrimp, prosciutto, pesto, and more. Not feeling pizza? Opt for a sandwich or pasta dish instead. But don’t forget the crowd-favorite arancini for the table. 

James Island residents know Edison well, but don’t let them keep it all for themselves! This friendly, neighborhood spot is just the right balance of comfortable and upscale. Seafood and fresh pasta highlight the dinner offerings, with burgers and sandwiches always on standby. Edison’s sweet corn and crab gnocchi features fresh pasta, smoked bacon, lump crab in a corn-parmesan broth. Choose from local beers from Coast Brewing Co. and Munkle or pick a wine by the bottle or glass from the curated wine list. 

The team that recently opened Southbound downtown has been doing its thing in Mount Pleasant’s Belle Hall Shopping Center since 2020. Come by on the weekends for Saturday and Sunday brunch on the patio or make it a night out — ample seating and parking make it easy. With flavors imparted from a wood-fired oven, you’re guaranteed bold flavors in your roasted cauliflower and baked jumbo rigatoni. You’ll find something you love from behind the bar too, with pineapple margaritas, classic greyhounds, and everything in between on the menu.

Yes, the hot dogs are back. This quirky Eastside dive, displaced years ago by a fire at its original location on Hanover Street, is now back in business in a former motorcycle clubhouse on upper Meeting Street. Score a High Life pony or a cocktail to pair with the house specialty, fancy hot dogs, or maybe some onion rings? Maybe a burger? Maybe all of the above? Stick around long enough and you may very well spot PH’s biggest fan, Southern Charm’s Shep Rose. Also keep your eyes peeled for lunch service, starting soon.

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