The Charleston Restaurants We Loved This Month

This might be the best meal I’ve ever had in Charleston…

Halls Chophouse is always a 10/10 time, but on this latest visit, the filet was cooked to perfection, the sides were incredible, and the hospitality was on a whole other level, making this experience unlike any other.

— Lauren Ducci, Sales Development Representative

It’s worth heading to…

… The Ordinary with a group just to experience the deluxe three-tiered seafood tower, a dramatic presentation of extremely fresh seafood like peel-and-eat shrimp, littleneck clams, Ora King salmon tartare, and the best of the Lowcountry’s oyster ecosystem. Definitely add the smoked swordfish pâté, which was a very welcome addition. The whole experience paired well with the house martini (gin, in my case) — if only every martini were garnished with pickled pineapple.

Pro tip: Sit at the back bar in front of the oyster counter to watch the master shuckers at work, and learn a bit about the oysters you’re throwing back.

— Kim VanderVoot, Communications Manager

Stopped by for a quick snack…

… at The Darling Oyster Bar, and it didn’t disappoint. I started with a variety of fresh East Coast oysters — bright, briny, and delicious — I love switching it up between their house mignonette and the cocktail sauce. The standout, though, was their Captain Bloody Mary, a true showstopper of a drink, which was fixed with a hushpuppy, a shrimp cocktail, a snow crab leg, a lobster claw, and a classic celery stalk. It was basically a meal in a glass. The seafood was fresh and sweet, and the Bloody Mary itself was well balanced with a perfect spicy kick to it.

It was a fun and flavorful way to kick off my trip to Charleston and fuel up for a day of good eats ahead.

— Alice Tran, Industry Trade & Restaurant Marketing Manager

I’d been hearing about this institution…

… ever since I joined Resy in 2018, so when I was finally able to visit Charleston for the first time ever, FIG was at the top of my eating list (needless to say, it lived up to all the hype). We started with perfect charbroiled oysters before delving into an incredible tomato tarte tatin and the blue crab ravioli, which were sauced in a rich shellfish pomodoro that sung of the sea. But it was probably the brioche-crusted flounder that surprised me the most: the brioche was pressed and seared to look as if it were the white fish’s crispy skin, which was served in a delightful artichoke dashi broth, brimming with peas.

Sadly, no dessert for us: this was the first of our two “bang bang” dinners — we took a digestive walk and joined the rest of Team Resy at Lowland right after.

— Noëmie Carrant, Senior Writer & Editor, Resy Editorial

While in town for FAB…

… a few of us from the Resy New York-based crew had a chance to eat at Lowland, an adorable restaurant right off the main hub. The ambience is warm, cozy, and inviting from the moment you walk in — it’s like stepping into someone’s beautiful home. It was hard to pick, so we ended up ordering 80% of the menu, including their coveted celery salad, the tuna rice bowl, tavern biscuits, and seafood ragu. I’m still dreaming about the tavern biscuit (they were so good, we ordered a second round) and could have eaten three more of the tuna rice bowl. If you make it to dessert, pour the pot de crème caramel across everything you order.

— Alex Widrick, Director of Strategic Partnerships

Echoing everything Alex said…

… (Lowland’s tavern biscuits were probably the best biscuits I’ve ever had), and adding that the shrimp cocktail was perfection, as was the properly thick tavern burger, which the kitchen graciously split in two for me and Kim (my FIG-to-Lowland bang bang dinner companion in arms) to share. Having forgone dessert at FIG, we were due for something sweet here. Our lovely server at FIG had raved about Lowland’s hand pies, so we heeded their advice and weren’t sorry — baked till crisp and filled with soft whipped cream and jammy berries, they held up beautifully the next day as a next-level airplane snack on my way back to New York.

— Noëmie Carrant, Senior Writer & Editor, Resy Editorial

It’s a wonderful, sexy little restaurant…

Malagón is the best place to share tapas and eat family style, and one excellent date night spot. The tuna carpaccio was perfection, as was the duck.

— Caitlin Anne Crowder, Tech Analyst

We had a standout meal…

… at Vern’s when some of the Resy team was attending the FAB conference in Charleston. We especially loved the yellowfin tuna, the bitter lettuces, and the campanelle with rabbit — the small plates really stole the show. The service was warm and attentive, and the atmosphere struck the perfect balance between relaxed and refined. Can’t wait to return on my next visit to Charleston.

— Julie Arditti, Restaurant Product Manager

If you’re looking for a lovely summer drink…

… Leon’s has you covered with frozen gin & tonics that are crisp and refreshing. For appetizers, three of us started off with the hushpuppies (dipped in honey butter) and charbroiled oysters, followed by the Siam salad (the most delicious salad in Charleston!), which boasts napa cabbage, red cabbage, avocado, mandarin oranges, peanuts, fried onions, cilantro, mint, and parsley. We then shared the two-piece chicken — perfectly crispy, just a touch spicy, and always perfect — accompanied by the cold black eye pea salad, the scalloped potatoes, and coleslaw. It’s certainly one of my favorite meals in Charleston.

— Whitney Mele, Senior Hospitality Coordinator

One of my favorite neighborhood restaurants…

… is Leon’s — they always have a great selection of oysters (including some local varieties). I get the Siam salad every single time, and if it’s there, you’re not going to want to sleep on the whole fish special.

— Caitlin Anne Crowder, Tech Analyst

It’s one of those neighborhood spots you hear about…

Renzo feels like a real hidden gem. It’s the kind of place that works just as well for a casual Tuesday dinner as it does for a Friday night on the town.

I did the latter and went with a big group, so naturally, we ordered family-style (the only way to do it). Highlights included the classic Caesar salad (which had a delicious crunch), the wood-fired empanadas, the ricotta gnudi (my goodness, this was good), and two standout pizzas: the Wrath of Kahan and the Porco Rosso. But the real star of the show was the house ranch dipping sauce. All restaurants should do this: a bowl of seasoned, creamy ranch to dip pizza in. Say no more. Take my money.

All in all, there are so many great restaurants in Charleston, and Renzo is absolutely one of them.

— Julia McAvoy, Senior Restaurant Marketing Manager

More Charleston staff picks, right this way.