The Charleston Restaurants We’re Loving Right Now

It remains my favorite restaurant in Charleston…

At Melfi’s, don’t sleep on the tuna carpaccio with pine nuts and Calabrian chile oil. My second favorite dish is the snapper tartare with orange segments and Castelvetrano olives, and just know that their spicy Caesar is the best in town — and big enough to share with the table.

— Caitlin Crowder, Tech Analyst

This visit confirmed…

… why The Ordinary’s been around since 2012: it’s a fantastic restaurant. My favorite dishes were the wreckfish schnitzel (served over creamed corn) and the crispy oyster slider — I also tried steak tartare for the very first time and thought it was excellent. On the cocktail front, the clear winner was the Daiquiri #19 (coconut chile crisp, charanda, passionfruit, and lime) — our table ordered two rounds of it.

— Brittany Williams, Senior Account Associate

Now that’s hospitality…

Before our meal at Honeysuckle Rose, the staff took the time to personally reach out to each party to go over food dislikes and preferences for wine or N/A beverage pairings, and ensure everyone’s set up for an enjoyable experience. All eight courses were beautifully explained by either the chef or sous chef. For me, the best two bites were the yellowtail crudo and the crusted golden tilefish — both perfectly balanced dishes that has us wishing for more.

— Kristin Sudol, Senior Implementation Specialist

Dinner never disappoints…

… at Coda del Pesce. It’s hard to when the ocean stretches out just beyond your table and is paired with a coastal Italian vibe indoors. We began with a vermillion snapper crudo, which was so fresh and light, it practically melted in our mouth. Scallops paired with porchetta were a rich, indulgent balance, and the housemade paccheri with duck sausage stole the show — the pasta was perfectly cooked and the silky sauce had layers of flavor in every bite. We also really enjoyed the “torcino-style” swordfish, which had a crispy crust that gave way to the meaty fish. And of course, the butterscotch budino ended our night on a light, silky, and sweet note.

— Emily Barron, Sales Development Representative

We had a fantastic brunch…

… at Halls. I had the chophouse omelet, which was (decadently) filled with prime steak, mushrooms, creamed spinach, onions, and white cheddar. The steak is always cooked to perfection and it just melts in your mouth. Don’t skip the pepper jack creamed corn, too.

— James Tyler Parrish, Sales Development Representative

RIP to an OG…

I had to go one last time to Charleston Grill before they permanently closed: it’s been an institution in Charleston for 36 years. (Plus, my first job out of college was at the Charleston Place Hotel, so it was even more nostalgic for me.) The cocktails were excellent, and while it was bittersweet, I’m so excited for what’s coming next in the space and the hotel.

— Ellen Barton, Implementation Specialist

More Charleston staff picks, right this way.

The views expressed in this article reflect personal experiences of American Express employees at the applicable restaurants — not American Express — and do not constitute professional business advice.