The Resy Hit List: Where In Charleston You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

Chef Vinson Petrillo’s ode to coastal Italian fare opened in the Jasper complex last fall. Rich, satisfying panzanella, burrata, eggplant parmesan, and more land on the table in the bright, airy, all-new space — from the folks who brought you Wild Common, Cannon Green, and Petrillo’s other home kitchen, Zero Restaurant + Bar. Seafood may be on every corner in Charleston, but Costa sets itself apart with delicate preparations and attention to detail.

One of the most validating moments for chef-owner Nikko Cagalanan is when someone who grew up eating Filipino food takes a bite of his pancit noodle dish, and is instantly transported by flavor memories — familiar, vibrant flavors of their past. At Kultura, those memories of Cagalanan’s upbringing in the Philippines serve as the foundation for the permanent location of his Mansueta’s pop-up. The pancit is a must, alongside braised meats like duck, irresistible pork ribs (tocino), and any number of sturdy tropical cocktails. (Get the halo halo, made with sake, ube, pineapple, and coconut milk.)

It was obvious that chef Michael Toscano’s shaved pork sandwiches needed a permanent home when he started selling them as a pop-up lunch special in 2022. We’ve gotten our wish: Da Toscano Porchetta Shop is open on President Street. The chef-owner of Charleston’s Le Farfalle and New York City’s Da Toscano has pulled out all the stops; this is no minimalist corner sandwich shop. In addition to his porchetta — shaved pork with roasted fennel and salsa verde — you can pick from beef cheek, prime rib, eggplant, and more to be stacked between fresh focaccia. Plus, they’re open early for breakfast.

In a city full of crowd-pleasing tourist fare, FIG remains an oasis. Celebrating 20 years in 2023, chef-owner Mike Lata’s first major restaurant still manages to lure locals downtown, either with a Resy in its modest, comforting dining room or to take a chance at the petite bar that’s always first come, first served. Diners return for seasonal offerings and well-executed specialties like chicken liver pâté and even the fresh catch (grilled triggerfish with mushrooms recently). For Lata, who also opened The Ordinary on King Street some 10 (!!) years ago, rock-solid preparations remain simple, but creative enough to leave an impression.

This King Street hotspot is anchored by one of the best rooms on the block: a downstairs bar that does as good of a job of beckoning guests inside as the friendly staff does when you walk in the door. Then there are the steaks (wet-aged, dry-aged, exotic, and classic) and the chops (veal, lamb, and pork), with family-style sides begging for a spot on your table. Halls now has five locations across two states, but this is the original. And the look on our faces we get when we walk in — eyeing that corner bar seat like it has our name on it — is testament to how Halls always makes us feel at home.

This tiny joint has become a local favorite since opening on James Island in 2020, with enough offbeat menu items to allow regulars to mix it up on repeated visits. The Peruvian chicken, a Bar George signature, is rotisserie roasted to a deep brown while keeping the meat juicy. Hot dogs are another staple, and where the restaurant got its name — after chef-owner Alex Lira’s uncle, George Bacalis, who made a career selling hot dogs in Norfolk, Va. The Greek Dog carries Bacalis-style chili, shallot, and Dijon mustard. On the “Bar” side of things, classics get zhuzhed up, like the House Dirty Martini: start with your standard vodka martini, add yuzu and jalapeno. Pro tip: Stop by 5 to 6 p.m. to get tropical-themed cocktails for just $8.

The constant buzz at this North Central hot spot, is unlikely to abate too much even in winter; perhaps just enough to grab a last-minute table. And whether you’re feeling like one of the trademark chicken cutlet sandwiches, or the solidly craveable spicy shrimp app, they’re waiting for you. Chilled gamay and rosé are on offer year-round, because they know Charlestonians don’t play by the old wine rules, alongside a generous beer list that plays the hits.

The low-key neighborhood digs of this Cannonborough-Elliottborough spot belie the menu that chef-owner Dano Heinze serves up nightly, stacked with offerings you didn’t even know you needed in your rotation. Dishes include snails, fresh crudo, a simple-but-rewarding steak, and handmade pastas like gnocchetti. This classic but inventive world view extends to the wine list, curated by Dano’s wife and business partner, Bethany. The couple spent time in front and back of house in famed Charleston locales like the now-defunct McCrady’s before a California sojourn that wound them back east to Charleston. That expertise might explain Vern’s appearance on the New York Times’ annual Restaurant List in 2023.

Chef James London continues turning out fresh and creative plates to satisfy the masses that line up each night along Coming Street. 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.

No reservations. More info here.

Jason Stanhope departed FIG last summer after 16 years, during which the restaurant and his menu as executive chef piled up accolades. Now, Stanhope is hoping to recapture some of that magic at not one or two, but three concepts operated by The Pinch boutique hotel at the corner of King and George streets.  Expect a comfortable, casual setting with a handful of craveable dishes that both frame Stanhope’s interpretation of New Southern cooking and that will warrant a return trip: lobster bucatini, a burger, grilled triggerfish, crudo, biscuits, deviled eggs, and more.

The team behind Jackrabbit Filly has been grinding away at their newest project, King BBQ, but co-owners Corrie and Shuai Wang, along with an all-star staff, continue to deliver nontraditional Chinese-American that are just as craveable as their Day 1 in the Park Circle neighborhood. Real JF fans know the fried rice is the sleeper in addition (of course) to their crunchy karaage, dumplings, and more. And don’t forget to check the drink specials, where frozies and inventive twists on tropical concoctions abound.

This might be Charleston’s longest-running restaurant, in operation by the Barber family since 1945. For generations, Bowen’s has lured Charleston-area residents for family dinners, weddings, parties, community and political events, or just to watch some of the best sunsets around. Enter by the stairs and walk past the oyster room, where steamed bivalves are available by the half tray, full tray, and all-you-can-eat. (Oysters, harvested right off the marsh during “R” months, when they’re in season, are the main event here.) Upstairs in the dining room, seafood platters, Frogmore stew, shrimp and grits and more await.

Find more info here.

This eagerly awaited opening in 2023 was a long time coming. Ma’am Saab is the brainchild of chef-owner Miriyam Ghaznavi, a former teacher, who first tried her hand at the restaurant game at the now-closed Workshop food hall, then opened various locations of her Pakistani street food spot, Malika. Now, Ghaznavi’s husband and business partner Raheel Gauba has crafted a cozy, pulsing, big-city vibe inside the venerable space once home to Jestine’s Kitchen. On the menu, look for Ghaznavi’s must-have butter chicken, fresh chaat and other unique bites you won’t find anywhere else in Charleston.

Find more info here.

For years, the faithful have started queuing outside on King Street well before opening at 11 a.m. Leon’s has carved out a niche among locals and tourists alike, who flock for hot oysters or super solid fried chicken and a vibe so lived-in that you’d never guess it’s just shy of 10 years old. Can’t show up early? Find your five closest friends and grab a Resy. And don’t be fooled by the rustic environs, there’s plenty to enjoy on the drinks list, from “cheapish wine” on draft to local beers and frozen cocktails.

Chef-owner Sean Mendes’ Folly Road restaurant is such a tribute to the memory and cooking of his grandmother — the restaurant’s namesake — that there’s a whole wall dedicated to portraits of customers’ grandmothers. With his memories of Gullah-Geechee cooking at the foundation, it’s flat-out some of the best seafood in Charleston. We’re talking shrimp and grits, purloo, fried shrimp, fried chicken and more. Anyone who heads to Folly Beach will pass Mendes’ door — but this is a local’s spot. As he told K.J. Kearney of Black Food Friday in his new PBS digital series, “You set roots where you are and you water everything around you, and that just bears fruit.”

Find more info here.

This downtown tapas spot has everything you need if you’re looking for something new downtown. Tucked into a court a few blocks from King Street, Spanish-inspired specialties flow from the kitchen, like flavor-packed local shrimp, crudo, an Iberian twist on pigs in a blanket and gildas, a perfectly composed skewer of anchovy, olive, and picked pepper — we challenge you not to order another round. Securing a Resy is a surefire way to a good time, but the lively courtyard provides the ideal space to enjoy a bev and await your spot. Behind the bar, Spanish vermouth and sherry tempt curious patrons, whether poured into a citrusy spritz or served neat.

The crew at Babas pulls off some of Charleston’s best cocktails and snacks so effortlessly, we dare you to try to stay for just one round. Both the downtown location and a northern counterpart in partnership with the co-owners of the chic space at goat.sheep.cow present as Euro-inspired neighborhood cafes, and go-to spots for pretty much anyone who needs a fix of Babas’ shaken cold brew over ice with a warm, perfectly flaky pastry. 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.

The perfect refuge on Johns Island for rich and crave-worthy Italian food, chef-owner Jacques Larson has one of the most dialed-in dining rooms in the area. That makes sense, since Larson’s been at it on Johns Island since 2009 — the leading edge of Charleston’s farm-to-table renaissance. Comfy enough for a casual weeknight out, with dishes special enough for celebrations, highlights include fresh pasta and rich main dishes like scallops, rib eye steak, elk and fish. And don’t ever forget to at least glance at the desserts, where seasonal sweets land in pies, pastries, and cakes, in addition to traditional Italian favorites like tiramisu or cannoli.

Chef Bintou N’Daw planned to return to New York City after a year in the kitchen Chez Nous. But finding local menus lacked the flavors of her native Senegal, she decided to stay a while. Traditional Gullah cuisine carries traces of West African influence, but N’Daw’s dishes represent inspired adaptations that make her dishes unique. Yet, Charleston’s African ties proved formative for Bintü Atelier — a common thread. And Bintü found its way on to our top picks of 2023 for a reason, after all. Dishes like pepper soup come served with chicken, yucca, yams and crawfish in a spicy broth. Tucked off a Line Street sidewalk in Charleston’s East Side, which has its own rich cultural history as a historically Black neighborhood, Bintü is open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday.