The July Hit List: Palmetto Cafe, Hank’s Seafood, Monza, and More

With 18 windows looking out onto a stunning Isle of Palms view, Coda del Pesce could skirt by on the scenery, but it doesn’t. Multiple James Beard-nominated chef Ken Vedrinksi is a Lowcountry veteran who has hit it out of the park at the Woodlands, Sienna, and Lucca, and he’s now enjoying his next success — this one with a beach breeze, but still firmly rooted in his Italian cooking. For years, he’s wowed diners at Coda with perfectly-cooked shrimp in tomato sauce, gnudi with housemade duck sausage, and any local, fresh fish that catches his fancy. Gussy up and get out there for a meal. 

The Harbinger Cafe is a neighborhood spot, sure, but it can be yours, too, even if you don’t live in the neighborhood. With its welcoming vibe, breakfast-all-day options, and killer coffee, it’s a great place to meet a friend for lunch or schedule an in-person meeting over a salad plate instead of Zoom. The lunch specials rotate, as well as many of the baked goods, but there’s always the Best Friend — a classic chocolate chip cookie with three types of chocolate and Bulls Bay sea salt — if you’re rolling solo and need a friend. In fact, it’s one of the friendliest desserts in town.

Lowcountry legend Frank Lee retired a few years ago. But Russ Moore quietly worked at chef Lee’s side here for more than a decade, learning with every stir of the spoon. What resulted was a steady hand that kept SNOB’s ship right on course, delivering on the classics, from the creamiest of shrimp and grits and the sweetest watermelon salad, to well-cooked bone-in pork chops and steaks. There’s nothing new and flashy about SNOB, unless you count the daily flow of local, in-season ingredients through the back door. That’s the meaning of classic, which this restaurant aptly defines.

A while back, this restaurant had the bad luck to be right in a construction zone, but now all is clear. If you didn’t know that, you’d be missing out on beef tartare, some seriously gourmet burgers, and ‘nduja-and-beef meatballs. If you’re sensing a theme, you’re right — the cow’s the thing. Herd is connected to an 800-acre cattle farm out of state through owner Alec Bradford, which means that you don’t need to settle for a lunchtime cheesesteak that’s just “ok.” Here, it’s a sandwich you’ll be recommending for months. 

Home Team has various locations in the Lowcountry (and beyond) but each one is slightly different, and although anytime is a good time for the Sullivan’s Home Team, this time of year is the sweet spot. Here’s our recommendation: Spend some time at the beach and get tired and relaxed, then put on your coverup or a tee and make a visit. There’s a place to rinse your feet, plenty of outdoor seating, and something called a Gamechanger. Once your game has changed with the combo of rum, pineapple, and frozen goodness, order some wings, perhaps a barbecue burrito, some barbecue nachos (you read that right), and a ride home. 

The kitchen is back open at this gourmet wine and cheese shop, but please be advised that it’s no afterthought. Here you’ll find the best French onion soup in the city, a rotating selection of sandwiches that will make you the returning-to-the-office ruler, and a GSC mac ‘n’ cheese to-go that we’ve already tried to pass off as our own. We weren’t successful, of course, but everyone was so happy they didn’t care. You will be too when you realize that this spot will help you feign entertaining ease post 2020.

Lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. Now that we have your attention, its loyal regulars already know that Graze is located in the Whole Foods shopping center just over the bridge, but you should know too, if you’re ever planning to obtain regular status. What awaits you is friendly staff who remember your name, a varied menu from tacos to chicken and waffles, and you know, the mac ‘n’ cheese of your dreams. The restaurant industry has seen a lot of closures the past couple of years, but Graze is still going strong. There’s a reason for that. 

Speaking of regulars, this downtown seafood stop has had a plethora for years, both those who live a short walk away and those who visit for a short weekend now and again. The fried shrimp is plump and juicy, there is a friendly bar staff, and the broiled flounder is served with lump crab asparagus salad. Chef Tim Richardson is a South Carolina native who has worked in this kitchen for years, so he knows how to cook to keep the folks coming in for dinner. And while Hank’s might be a classic Charleston stop at this point, posing for an Instagram photo in front of the sign is a more recent phenomenon. 

Tucked inside the Belmond Charleston Place is an elegant solarium spot made for lingering over lunch. A lovely fountain gurgles in the background, and the tropical flora basks in the light from big bright windows, all a rather refined respite in the middle of a bustling hotel. The menu plays the hits, from salad selections to she-crab soup, but if you really want to live well, the Pink Hummingbird might be in order. The combo of sparkling rosé, St. Germain, and Campari is decidedly festive, and that’s even before you get to the molten chocolate lava cake with hazelnut ice cream, which proves that a meal here feels like a holiday. 

Chic, sleek, and filled with the delectable scent of pizza crust toasting in a wood-fired oven, Monza had a recent facelift, and she’s never looked so good. Whether you choose from the pizza selections or make your own combination, at least one pizza is in order for the table, no matter the time of day. The lunch crowd seems to love the salads — especially the chopped salad topped with either tuna conserva or chicken — but carafes of wine, sleek red barstools, and an antipasti plate prove that Monza can hang with the dinner crowd too, and can accommodate yours with plenty of space if you call ahead.