Now on Resy: California Dreaming, La Bonne Franquette, Mesu, and More Local Favorites
From a garden restaurant where you’ll want to spend all of your summer to a riveting tasting menu experience, these are just a few of the beloved Charleston spots that are now bookable on Resy. Right this way.
Note: This list will be updated regularly with new additions each month, so be sure to check back often. For Charleston’s newest restaurant openings, head here.
California Dreaming Charleston
Newly added!
That’s the Ashley River, not the Pacific Ocean, outside the door, but this 40-year-old Charleston classic evokes the Golden State with its breezy atmosphere and its profusion of sun-faded brick and wood. The menu, though, is proudly Southern, from shrimp and grits to Nashville hot wings to baby back ribs, and you’ll want it all.
La Bonne Franquette West Ashley
Newly added!
The name says it all: It’s an old French idiom meaning “honest,” “informal,” or “unfussy,” and those are the watchwords at this traditional bistro opened by Charleston’s favorite French-born chocolatier and pastry chef, Christophe Paume. Come for the escargots Basque and the steak frites, but definitely stay for the decadent desserts.
The Backyard Ansonborough
You won’t want to tear yourself away from this stylish indoor-outdoor summertime-all-year-long garden restaurant at the Ryder Hotel downtown, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner (plus all-day brunch on Sundays) with Spanish and Caribbean flavors. Essential dessert: the chocolate tamale with cherry chutney.
Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse French Quarter
Hungry diners know that few food experiences match a meal at an all-you-can-eat rodízio (or Brazilian steakhouse) and this one goes all out, with 17 cuts of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and seafood; an epic salad bar; and one of Charleston’s best side dishes — grilled white cheddar with spicy honey.
Cramer’s Kitchen Mount Pleasant
Chef Owen Bernstein made his mark as a private chef, so it’s not surprising that dining in his “kitchen” isn’t exactly going to be like dining at a restaurant. Think of it more like enjoying a mostly (but-not-entirely) vegetable- and seafood-focused meal in a friendly home environment, complete with specially crafted menus that can accommodate allergies and personal tastes.
Mesu Charleston
Because who wouldn’t dream about a vibrant spot where you can mix and match the best of Japanese and Mexican food and drink? (Yes, you can have both sushi and tacos, sake and Tequila!) Plus, Mesu is under the direction of “Southern Charm” star Leva Bonaparte and her husband, Lamar, whose Republic Garden & Lounge and Bourbon N’ Bubbles, among others, prove they know a thing or two about nightlife.
Fuji Sushi Bar and Grill – Belle Hall Mount Pleasant- Belle Hall
The sushi bar here is lively, but the deep brown leather booths and roomy tables are a good choice, too, for enjoying the wide-ranging menu of sushi, tempura, noodles, and hibachi specialties. Pro tip: Consider trying Fuji for lunch, when the menu offers bento boxes and rice or poke bowls, plus a chef’s roll of the day.
Fuji Sushi Bar and Grill – on 41 Mt Pleasant
Come here for the mouth-watering display of fresh seafood, the peaceful patio looking out on stands of trees, the impressive selection of sake, wine, and spirits, but most importantly, an encyclopedia of Japanese fare, from noodles (udon, soba, and ramen) and hibachi specialties to all your sushi favorites, plus a roster of specialty rolls that just won’t stop.
The Darling Oyster Bar Radcliffeborough
This bright, easy-going King Street spot in a vintage building, with its red brick walls, celadon booths, terrazzo flooring, hand-blown glass light fixtures, and of course, an actual 12-seat oyster bar, celebrates seafood in myriad forms. Don’t skip the shrimp and grits, too.
Pearlz Oyster Bar – Charleston French Quarter
Charleston has no shortage of seafood restaurants, but you won’t want to miss this French Quarter favorite from the Homegrown Hospitality group (Tbonz Gill & Grill, Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse, etc.), where oysters are just the beginning, and the lobster roll is pure New England.
TBonz – Charleston Downtown Charleston
You’ll want to eat your way through everything on the mouth-watering shrimp-to-rib eye menu at the downtown location of this popular meat and seafood restaurant from the group behind Pearlz Oyster Bar — and don’t miss the Tommy Texas cheese fries, enhanced with applewood-smoked bacon.
Élevé – Grand Bohemian Charleston Ansonborough
This stylish dining room at the Grand Bohemian Hotel lives up to its name (it’s French for “elevated”) with its shimmering chandeliers, gleaming hardwood tabletops, walls hung with sensuous paintings, and above all, its perfectly crafted France-meets-Charleston menu.
Matador Charleston
Already famous for its locations around the Pacific Northwest, Matador is now creating a buzz on Meeting Street with its wide-ranging Mexican menu based on all-natural ingredients (look for seasonal specials like hot honey fried chicken tacos) and its exemplary agave-rich cocktail program.
Grand Bohemian Wine Bar Ansonborough
This clubby-looking retreat in the Grand Bohemian Hotel is a wine-lover’s paradise, not just for its list of about 50 good wines, from Napa Valley Chardonnay to Argentinian Cabernet Franc, but for the fact that it offers small tasting portions of them all for a few bucks, so you can roam the wine world while sampling offerings from the small-plates menu.
Saveurs du Monde Cafe – Westedge Westside
Like its popular Seabrook Island sibling, the downtown location of this easy-going café is a must for casual breakfasts and lunches (think crêpes, quiches, baguette sandwiches), but nighttime brings out a seductive menu of French-inspired tapas and classics like coq au vin and beef bourguignon.
Ruby Sunshine Downtown Charleston Downtown Charleston
Brunch with a Southern accent (daily, from early morning to mid-afternoon) is the thing at this easy-to-wake-up-to suburban Downtown Charleston outpost of the popular South-wide Ruby chain. Breakfast tacos, shrimp & grits, eight different Benedicts, and more will keep brunch-lovers coming back.
Topsail Restaurant Mt Pleasant
The nautical decor helps set the scene at this jaunty seafood-forward Mount Pleasant establishment. Among the don’t-miss specialties: she crab soup and lobster and grits.
Grill 225 French Quarter
The room is elegant, with high coffered ceilings and rich white napery; the steaks are all USDA prime; the sides push the envelope (mashed sweet potatoes with Boursin cheese, anyone?); and to drink, an enophile’s dream of a wine list and the coolest (literally) cocktails in town: 16 different “nitrotinis,” chilled with liquid nitrogen.
Husk Charleston Historic Downtown Charleston
Groundbreaking modern Southern chef Sean Brock may have stepped away from Husk a few years back, but this Charleston original continues to flourish with Raymond England in the kitchen, translating the very best of local and seasonal ingredients into updated takes on the South’s great culinary repertoire.
Osaka Asian Bistro South Windermere
This sleek family-owned establishment has been feeding Charleston for more than 20 years with an array of something-for-everybody Japanese dishes (there’s a long, lively sushi bar), augmented by familiar Chinese fare and a touch here and there of Vietnamese and Thai cuisine.
