The Ultimate Guide to Hilton Head, Summer 2024 Edition

Come for the views, stay for the food. One of the newest restaurants on the HHI scene, Quarterdeck sits at the cornerstone of Harbour Town and is one of the best places to enjoy the sunset over the water. Located next to the iconic lighthouse, the restaurant features a bar and dining area on the first floor and a rooftop oyster bar with 270-degree views of Harbour Town and Calibogue Sound. Pop in for an apéritif like Kissed by a Rose with prosecco and rose syrup, paired with a snack like Cajun fried gator bites or Daufuskie crab dip. Or stick around for the decadent entrées like the South Carolina grouper Rockefeller or the filet mignon and lobster.

At One Hot Mama’s, plates are out and trays are in. Filled with smoked and grilled goodness, One Hot Mama’s piles the barbecue high. Cozy up to the bar and watch sports or sit out on the patio with your crew. Although there’s everything from smoked fried chicken to pulled pork, fill that tray with baby back ribs, wings, and the stellar sides, from cornbread and collard greens to a creamy mac ‘n’ cheese. This restaurant is on the official SC BBQ Trail, so make those reservations to make sure you score some ribs.

Pro tip: Call ahead or order online for takeaway if you’re feeding a crowd, as they do a great to-go on the days when you want to soak in the sun longer, but the hunger pangs strike.

This waterfront restaurant is legacy Hilton Head, and its popular outdoor bar and tables are a favorite with locals as well as the tourists that flock to the island. They come for the fresh shrimp — Hudson’s works with shrimp boats to bring them right out of the water to its back door — but also oysters, whole fish specials, and plenty of beach drinks in the ocean breezes.

No reservations. Find more info here.

Decorated in the blues of the Adriatic coast, this Italian restaurant has an extensive menu of fresh classics and one of the best wine cellars on the island. From fusilli served with roasted wild boar and the Patruno family’s own meatballs with San Marzano tomato sauce to plenty of seafood and salads, you’ll feel like you stepped out of the Lowcountry and into Italy.

Pro tip: From 4:30-5:15 p.m., Nunzio’s offers a three-course tasting menu, plus $9 glasses of house wine. So get off the beach early and enjoy a salad, entrée, and dessert for $35 per person.

We’re not exaggerating when we say that sitting at Fishcamp on a clear, temperate day as the sun slips below the horizon might be one of the best sunset experiences in the Southeast. Tidal creeks wind through the marsh just beyond the outdoor patio, and iconic live oaks provide shade as the Spanish moss sways in the breeze. Celebrate this nightly event with a beer and Frogmore stew, a traditional island seafood boil with shrimp, potatoes, corn, and sausage, or choose from plenty of other seafood selections.

There’s everyday breakfast, and then there’s a Nectar Farm Kitchen breakfast. Although the restaurant is open all day, we think that breakfast is the thing here, with sweet potato pancakes, pulled and roasted duck hash, and one seriously Southern biscuit basket with local honey and house-whipped butter. Add to that the signature Bloody Mary served with a salted rim and pickled tomato, and Nectar might turn into a nap later under a beach umbrella.

Find more info here. Call 843-682-2337 for reservations.

Reilley’s serves up the best OG happy hour in town with discounted drinks and appetizers starting at 4 p.m. daily, so sliding on to one of the stools at the open-air bar is a great way to begin the evening. Keep it going with plenty of pub favorites, from cheese sticks to fish and chips, or go for the gusto with the prime rib, served every Friday and Saturday as a special with a baked potato and vegetables. It’s a popular offering, so starting during happy hour will assure you have a seat for the beefy main course.

You can’t get much closer to oceanfront dining than at Coast. Belly up to the bar or sit on the expansive patio, listening to acoustic live music, and then take a stroll over the boardwalk straight onto the beach. A fine but fun dining experience offers sharable seaside favorites like hushpuppies and crab dip, freshly-caught seafood dishes, steaks, specialty drinks, and frozen cocktails. Upstairs, adults 21 and up can enjoy the Ocean Lounge where they can unwind while enjoying craft cocktails overlooking the water.

With two locations — in Shelter Cove and South Island — Hilton Head Social Bakery features authentic, all-natural French baked goods made daily from scratch. This popular breakfast and lunch spot has an exceptional selection of savory pastries, like brioche, warm flaky croissants, cookies, cakes, and breads in addition to savory lunch sandwiches, salads, and quiche. Chef Philippe Feret is the former executive chef of New York’s iconic Windows On The World and Tavern On The Green restaurants. Feret grew up in his father’s bakery in Normandy, France, and it’s that neighborhood sensibility that he brings to this popular breakfast and lunch spot.

Find more info here.

Even when you’re on an island paradise, sometimes you just need a burger. Marley’s Shrimp & Burger Shack has you, with griddled patties piled high with cheese, onions, and all the fixings. This is a “bring the family, walk-up to order” type of spot with picnic tables outside to catch the breeze. If the other members of the party aren’t burger bound, there are New England-style seafood rolls, fried seafood baskets, a solid Cuban sandwich, and the island-famous Tito’s frozen lemonade for those wanting next-level refreshment.

The Old Oyster Factory was built on the site of an original oyster cannery. From 1925 until the 1990s, 1,700 acres of nearby creeks and wetlands were harvested, and their yield brought to a one-story concrete building located directly under the restaurant. The Old Oyster Factory, overlooking Broad Creek and set out into the marsh, is a family-friendly restaurant serving freshly-caught seafood, a wide range of steaks, and more. Enjoy the iconic South Carolina marshland from all sides at this 30-year-old iconic establishment.