The Resy Hit List: Where In Charleston You’ll Want to Eat in May 2025

There’s no place quite like this in Charleston. Chef-owner Thai Phi has captured 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, lemongrass syrup, and tonic. Phi pulls from his Vietnamese heritage and Bay Area upbringing in dishes like his signature garlic noodles topped with pork, pickled red onions, sriracha, parmesan, and oyster mushrooms, and steaming hot bowls of pho during his Wednesday night Pho King pop-ups. Phi’s creations have evolved significantly from humble beginnings as a food trailer at the nearby College of Charleston, into the city’s “ultimate fun restaurant,” per Resy writer Stephanie Burt.

There’s not a much better place to take advantage of milder temps than this spot, tucked into a historic building on the former Navy base in North Charleston’s Riverfront Park. Breezes off the Cooper River, just steps away, make for a good accompaniment to raw oysters, espresso martinis, and steak frites. Need a little more? Splurge on a seafood tower inside or on the patio. Bunch makes Riverfront Park an ideal meeting place to start a Sunday Funday, with plenty else to do in the nearby Park Circle neighborhood.

Slightly North of Broad (or S.N.O.B. for the cheeky ones) has been a Charleston mainstay for more than 30 years. With industry pro favorite chef Frank Lee in the kitchen until 2016, it became known for bulletproof reliability for cherished traditional Lowcountry fare like shrimp and grits and barbecued tuna. Lee was a farm-to-table champion long before it became a trend; it was just the right way to cook. Now owned by the Hall family, executive chef Russ Moore is carrying the torch, and the standards remain high. Charlestonians know S.N.O.B. is also a go-to during the day, where a three-course lunch lets diners a chance to experience Moore’s stewardship of this Southern kitchen, where delicate preparations of proteins and vegetables compete for top billing.

Charleston’s O.G. craft brewery paved the way for good local beer a decade ago, and Coast’s new-ish taproom, opened in 2023, serves up one of the best burgers in town, as well as tomatillo-spiked chorizo tacos — pair either with crowd-favorite Coast 32/50 Kolsch. In the kitchen, chef Greg Marks cycles through under-the-radar creations such as a fried bologna sandwich just like you remember; zingy chicken wings (lemon pep and Buff); and snappy hot dogs served Chicago-style (topped with all the house-made pickled stuff) or with kraut and beer mustard. And yes, that is a proper carpaccio you see on the menu. Yes, you should order it. And yes, you should sit out on the wraparound porch before the temps become unbearable. 

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By day, frozen drinks spin behind the outdoor Bower bar, begging you to grab a patio table with friends, maybe a few house-brewed beers (Something Cold is an old reliable), and definitely some of chef Bob Cook’s unconventional bites. There are no skips on the menu, with options ranging from shrimp toast to the EO burger, other sandwiches, and even fried chicken. At night, the long wooden bar and generous dining room tables inside where to stop with a date or bring the whole crew. Cook’s flavors lean toward the unexpected, like the piquant papaya salad, the Korean meatball, or the housemade kettle chips sprinkled with vinegar and fish sauce — the stuff of salt-and-vinegar fans’ dreams.

Chef Jason Stanhope, the former Beard Award-winning chef who previously led kitchens at FIG and Lowland, will soon make his mark on Sullivan’s Island, taking over Sullivan’s Seafood and Bar. With new owners, including Stanhope as a partner, the goal is to fine-tune things at a destination already popular with tourists and locals alike.  Stanhope pledges to return the Middle Street space to the earlier “Sullivan’s Fish Camp” brand, which it took on after an extensive 2022 overhaul that evokes the requisite down-home, fish camp, 1970s-esque dining room. On the menu, that means perfectly fried shrimp, hush puppies, and other fresh-catch offerings. Stop by Mondays for half-off bottles of wine under $60.

This neighborhood bistro in a recently updated (and designer-appointed) Charleston single house in Harleston Village has been eagerly awaited by neighbors and the throngs of folks who have lined up for Merci’s various pop-ups leading up to the opening. Chef Michael Zettner’s seasonal menu includes snapper crudo in ajo vierge, focaccia  stracciatella, slow-cooked chicken, and beef Wellington for two. Grab a Resy starting seven days in advance.

Order some of the freshest seafood and shellfish in Charleston, or check the menu for quick sit-down or take-away options. Centrally located on James Island (conveniently on the way to or from Folly Beach), owners Shaun Brian and Chris John source the best stuff that’s sustainable and available from local waterways and purveyors — many times that means whole fish — butcher it, and put it up for sale so you’re getting the freshest offerings possible. You’ll also find prepared food to take home (or to the beach), including some of the best crudo and ceviche in town, fried fresh seafood, and an array of raw bar items. 

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Chef Ken Vedrinski made his return downtown official in March, opening on Rutledge Avenue near the hospital district, aiming to capture the spirit of small-scale Italian cooking. Vedrinski hooked a loyal following with Lucca on Bogard Street before decamping for a couple projects on Isle of Palms, including Coda del Pesce. The menu at Volpe will shift through Italian American favorites, including small plates, seafood and other proteins, Vedrinski’s popular pasta, and more. (Maybe even the gnudi that earned Vedrinski a victory on “Beat Bobby Flay.”)

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.

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The owners behind Pasta Beach (a beloved pasta restaurant all over New England) partnered with a Roman chef (Andrea Congiusta, who previously helmed Rome’s Il Pagliaccio), and the result is this King Street beauty. A number of different spaces await: will it be the downstairs dining room, upstairs lounge, the central bar, or perhaps the cozy, captivating patio? The menu shows Italian fingerprints in dishes like housemade pasta and lamb with artichokes, alongside beef Wellington and lobster tartin on focaccia. At the bar, try drinks like the Charleston Water, made with rye and sweet peach tea, or peruse the wine list, which features Italian and other Old World offerings as well as quite a few domestic pulls.

This classic French bistro set up in the Charleston suburbs opened in 2023 and has 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 rosé 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. 

Tucked steps away from the picturesque Kiawah River, the flagship restaurant of the new Dunlin hotel was one of the splashier openings of 2024, despite being a short drive from downtown. Chef Michael Deccio, most recently from Thomas Keller’s Michelin-starred Surf Club Restaurant in Florida, has created an impressive, yet comforting, menu stretching from raw bar to duck confit. Expect nods to Southern standards (Cheerwine has appeared as an ingredient, after all), with luxe beach club touches, including a sunny dining room with a comfy bar.

The guys at Graft Wine Bar have teamed up with chef Anthony Guerra of Raleigh’s Oakwood Pizza Box to create an instant neighborhood-favorite, conveniently opening next to the wine bar on upper King Street. Set apart with its distinctive square pizzas, Tutti allows guests to get creative, with additions like sesame seed crust, shallots, Calabrian chiles, pepperoni cups, and more piled on 18-inch pies.

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This downtown tapas spot has everything you need if you’re looking for something new. Just a few blocks from King Street, Spanish-inspired specialties flow from the kitchen with Lowcountry flair, like local shrimp, crudo, an Iberian twist on pigs in a blanket, and all the gildas — like a perfectly composed skewer of anchovy, olive, and pickled 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.