The Charleston Restaurants We Loved in July

It certainly lives up to its “loud hot vibes” motto…

First off, Kwei Fei’s playlist is fabulous. The food is delicious and spicy, so if you’re not a fan of spicy, this isn’t your spot. We had the lamb dumplings, the chicken wings (the crispy garlic and their signature rub was amazing), some crispy pork noodles (made with crispy pork belly), and the Sichuan beef, a flank steak served in a fermented chile broth. All were delicious.

— Stephanie Franchetti, Senior Specialized Hospitality Coordinator

Whoever said vegetarian meals are boring…

… has obviously never been to Sorghum & Salt. My wife and I had a fun date night there and opted for the vegetarian and combo tasting menu, which included six courses plus a dessert. Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful, and the sauces were to die for — we had to hold ourselves back from licking the plates clean. We will be going back again soon.

— Alexander Byrd, Senior Account Associate

An entirely outdoor, live-fire cooking venue…

… Lost Isle is located on Johns Island just outside of Charleston. The experience never disappoints: the vibe is island chill, the food is amazing, and the staff is so fun. We had the whipped feta to start, made especially delicious by the charred tomatoes sitting on top; some smoked brussels sprouts; and the smoked tomahawk pork chop — all incredible.

— Stephanie Franchetti, Senior Specialized Hospitality Coordinator

Merci beaucoup…

… Merci. This spot has it all in terms of being comforting, welcoming, focused, engaging, and most importantly: its food being amazing. We especially loved the housemade focaccia topped with Benton’s country ham and pistachios, the tuna crudo with watermelon, and a crispy duck ballontine with sugar plum and chervil. If you have a small group or need a great date night spot, and want food that keeps you talking and wanting more, this place is for you.

— Ryan Wash, Partner Support Manager

It feels serendipitous…

… that Merci, a new French restaurant in an old Charleston house, is a block away from the house I used to live in during college. Our highlights were the focaccia with stracciatella, Benton’s country ham, and pistachio; along with the snapper crudo with cucumber gazpacho, kohlrabi, and pickled strawberry. The slow-cooked chicken with braised greens and moutarde violette was incredible, too.

— Klair Davis, Senior Account Associate

It doesn’t get better than…

… Slightly North of Broad, a sought-after dinner spot known for its modern Southern and Lowcountry cuisine. The vibe is elevated yet fun, and the restaurant sits on a vibrant street in the heart of downtown Charleston. The entire table nearly fought over the whipped ricotta with local honey. We also loved our cocktails, the steamed local clams, and their famous barbecue tuna, which absolutely lived up to the hype.

— Anthony DiBella, Director of Strategic Finance

Brunch here never disappoints…

From the fried green tomatoes to the filet mignon, there was nothing left on our plates at Halls. The steak was perfectly cooked as always. Just know that the pepper Jack grits will stick to your ribs, and that there’s no better way to spend a Sunday morning.

— James Tyler Parrish, Sales Development Representative

One of my favorite dog-friendly, outdoor dining spots…

… in all of Charleston is Rita’s Seaside Grille. The spicy chicken sandwich with hot honey or the halls chop salad are my go-to’s. Plus, they’ve got live music almost every single day, which always makes the patio environment welcoming and enjoyable.

— Meghan Emery, Senior Product Manager, Resy Experiential

A perfect meal at…

… The Obstinate Daughter goes like this: Start with different types of raw oysters from all over North Carolina and South Carolina — we had three varieties and their homemade hot sauce with the strawberry poblano mix was amazing, adding both heat and sweat to the natural salinity of the oysters. Next up, the grilled octopus, which was incredibly tender and came with braised scarlet runner beans. For mains, I can never get away from the short rib ragu ricotta gnocchi — they’re the perfect, most pillowy bites of pasta with a sauce that tastes like it’s been simmering for days. We also had the fusilli, which was the perfect offset to the rich gnocchi — the shrimp was perfectly cooked and the chiles provided a nice pop of spice.

— Matthew Beattie, Sales Development Representative Manager

A staple in the Charleston barbecue scene…

… Home Team BBQ is also the place to get a juicy burger with just the right amount of heat. Get the Fiery Ron burger, one of my favorites, which consists of two patties on a King’s Hawaiian bun, with bacon, house pickles, and harissa mayo.

— James Tyler Parrish, Sales Development Representative

For a birthday celebration…

… my friends and I really enjoyed Circa 1886, where we partook in the $135 tasting menu. The meal was delicious and the staff made our celebration a very special occasion.

— Meghan Emery, Senior Product Manager, Resy Experiential

As this was our first time…

… at Abbracci, we went heavy on the appetizers (everything looked amazing). To start, we had the octopus with a fennel salad (the octopus was so tender and had a delicious citrusy kick to it), the arancini (one of the lightest versions of arancini I’ve ever had), and the prosciutto and melon — it came with sweet corn alongside the melon (something I’ve never seen or tasted before), but that extra sweetness played really well with the saltiness of the prosciutto. As a main, I ordered the ricotta gnocchi alongside the burrata app. Both were delicious, and the guanciale and brown butter sauce were perfect for the rich gnocchi.

— Matthew Beattie, Sales Development Representative Manager

It simultaneously…

… epitomizes the place where you want to be a regular at, while also making you feel like a regular the moment you walk it. From the service to the sauces, Vern’s should be a must-visit any time you’re in the Lowcountry. Do not sleep on their sourdough bread (chef Dano Heinze knows a thing or two about dough from his days at Jon & Vinny’s), which is the ideal vessel for any of the remaining sauces on your plate. My go-to: Whatever local fish is on the menu.

— Grayden Kough, Partner Success Team Manager

We shared almost the entire menu…

… at Vern’s. The stars of the show were the Wagyu flatiron served with chimichurri and charred broccolini, the pappardelle with a nduja Bolognese and fresh ricotta, and as always, the escargots. Pro tip: Always order the allium bread with the escargots, to make sure you’re able to get every last bit of the buttery garlicky sauce they’re sitting in.

— Daniel Skala, Sales Development Representative

More Charleston staff picks, right this way.