The August Hit List: Kultura, The James, Sullivan’s Fish Camp, and More

Philippines-born chef Nikko Cagalanan is finally settling into a permanent spot on Spring Street after grinding on the city’s pop-up circuit for four years. Serving up Filipino dishes inspired by Cagalanan’s upbringing, this ever-shifting menu delivers flavors not found in many other downtown Charleston kitchens, in dishes like adobo, pancit, and sisig. Local ingredients spiked with Filipino flavors like Cagalanan’s curry — a whole curry-topped snapper with sticky rice — also make appearances. Pair it all with a cocktail like the eye-catching Halo Halo — ube coconut milk, pineapple, lime juice, rosé, and coconut.

Chef Bintou Ndaw opened her East Side restaurant after being unable to find the flavors of her native Senegal on menus in Charleston. Having spent a year crafting the French dishes coming out of the kitchen at Chez Nous, Bintou opted to stay put in the Holy City rather than returning home to New York as intended. While Gullah Geechie cuisine has roots in west Africa, Ndaw is the only chef on the peninsula turning out traditional dishes like thiéboudieun (joloff rice) and supa kanje (okra soup).

See the menu and get more details at the restaurant’s website.

Reliable is what the latest addition to the Neighborhood Dining Group portfolio is promising James Island residents with this new Maybank Highway “get away” spot. Comforting go-tos like burgers, crab cakes, steak, ribs, and more. Cocktails are divided into “iconic” and “innovative” camps, with a variety of NA concoctions available, like the passion fruit mojito. Stop by during happy hour for $4 Stella and Modelo or $8 martinis.

Born from chefs Hannah and Zachary Welton’s late pandemic roving pop-up and catering operation, the Tiny Bakeshop draws hordes of fans on weekend mornings (just look for the line) eager for a taste of housemade croissant, pasteis de nata, kolache, and much more. Check the Weltons’ IG for special house-fired pizza pop-ups in their side driveway. Want to beat the weekend crowd? Stop by on Thursday morning.

Get more details here.

This tapas spot has everything you need if you’re looking for something new downtown. Tucked into a court a few blocks from King Street, Spanish-inspired specialties flow from the kitchen, like flavor-packed local shrimp, crudo, an Iberian twist on pigs in a blanket, and gildas, a perfectly composed skewer of anchovy, olive, and picked pepper — we challenge you not to order another round. Behind the bar, Spanish vermouth and sherry tempt curious patrons, whether poured into a citrusy spritz, or served neat. 

It’s a pretty simple formula: quality coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, grab-and-go options, salads, specialty groceries … And Park Circle residents in North Charleston can’t seem to get enough. Worth a stop if you’re in the area, check out the carnitas pork torta, chicken salad served on focaccia or as a wrap, and even the fresh-daily sushi rolls in the cooler. Tack on a cold brew made with locally roasted Second State coffee, and you’re good to go.

Get more details at Odd Duck’s website.

Score a Resy at this Sullivan’s Island hotspot and you just snagged a surefire lunch or dinner by the beach. (Pro tip: Global Dining Access can help!) The menu of fresh, crispy local seafood, like parm fried shrimp, will cue nostalgic summer memories and create a few new ones with additions like swordfish al pastor tacos. Order up a batch of “Big Gulp,” a citrusy rum cocktail, or a Sullivan’s One Claw, specially brewed by Mount Pleasant’s Westbrook Brewing Co.

The local spot with a following for a reason, this small chain has delighted Charlestonians since Jack Hurley opened his original Mount Pleasant location in the late 1990s. Hurley was inspired by nostalgic roadside hot dog stands, and the whimsical interior decor matches those ambitions. The Classic Cosmic Dog comes topped with blue cheese slaw and the housemade sweet potato mustard.

See the menu and get more details at Jack’s Cosmic Dogs‘ website.

Count on a steady local crowd at lunch and dinner at this family-run bistro just minutes from downtown. Order classic rolls from the sushi bar, or level up with the Charleston Roll with tempura salmon, ahi tuna, avocado, cucumber, and spicy mayo. Hibachi standards and Chinese dishes are also on offer, along with a variety of hot and cold sake.

It’s summertime, so we are obliged to plug FIG’s legend-status tomato tarte tatin. Local tomatoes that land in the peak of summer are the star, topped with garlic confit and paired with whipped goat cheese fromage blanc and a bit of black olive puree. It’s hardly the only menu highlight at this hot spot. And yes, we know a Resy may be hard to come by (it’s atop many visitors’ lists) so plan ahead … or try your luck at the small, full-service bar. While you’re there, peep that summer cocktail list for the Sicilian Pimm’s Cup, the British classic tweaked with flavors of Averna and Italian soda.