The Resy Hit List: Where In Charleston You’ll Want to Eat in Feb. 2026

Chef-owner Nikko Cagalanan has captivated Charleston diners (and James Beard Foundation judges) over the last half-dozen years as a pop-up, then at his first restaurant location on Spring Street, and now in Kultura’s newly outfitted home at 267 Rutledge Ave. Many of chef’s signature Filipino dishes remain — pancit, sisig, lumpia, and more. The new home will expand Kultura’s cocktail program and give the kitchen more latitude to try new things, like Valenciana, Filipino-style paella with pork, shrimp, and peppers. New cocktails include a Tequila-based sour riff on the old fav Yellow Card, as well as the Get Lucky rum daiquiri, with pandan syrup and lime. Can’t get enough? Be on the lookout for Bareo, the next evolution of 73 Spring Street from Nikko with his wife and co-owner Paula Kramer. 

Alive and buzzy without being too fancy, this sushi spot tucked into a retail strip in the heart of downtown remains a local favorite for a reason. For lunch and dinner, some of the best sushi flows from the quick sushi bar, alongside a few more involved offerings like housemade katsu and tempura plates. And while you might be there for the nigiri or rolls, the bite-sized shrimp shumai dumplings are some of the best in town. The spot took on a new life since a full renovation five years ago during COVID by its multigenerational family owners and regularly fills up, so grab a Resy now.

Even with its national profile, the low-key digs of this Cannonborough-Elliottborough spot don’t immediately telegraph how epic chef-owner Dano Heinze’s menu can be — serving up offerings you didn’t even know you needed in your rotation. Dishes include snails, fresh crudo, a simple-but-rewarding steak, and handmade pastas like gnocchetti. And that classic but inventive approach extends to the wine list, curated by Dano’s wife and business partner, Bethany. What gives? The couple spent time in famed Charleston locales like the now-defunct McCrady’s before a California sojourn that wound them back east to Charleston. That bicoastal experience has helped shape Vern’s well-deserved reputation, and made it a local gem.

Charleston’s newest local haunt, opened in December on upper King Street in the North Central neighborhood, brings together a supergroup of restaurant partners and cocktail/culinary creatives. The brainchild of co-owner Megan Hill, bar director Joey Goetz (Bar George, Last Saint); and chefs Mason Morton and James Ostop (Bar George, pop-up Lupara), and Hank Weed, this fits the bill for after-work bites or an evening out. Opening menu highlights include arugula potato chip salad, “ikea meatballs,” and riffs on rustic red sauce favorites. That means mafaldine Stroganoff, spicy pork “spaghettoni,” chicken Milanese, and more. Behind the bar, dirty martinis are finished with Calabrian chile; you’ll also find a yuzu marg and cherry Negronis. 

Tucked into a circa-1820s building in the heart of Harleston Village, this 26-seat dining room offers nightly menus like a crowd-favorite steak tartare, pitch-perfect charred cabbage Caesar, squash gratin with crab, and crispy duck ballotine. But the beef Wellington for two is the dish you’ve probably already heard about: a generous tenderloin wrapped in mushroom duxelle and draped in golden-brown pastry, embellished to underscore the craftsmanship of the medium rare beef that reveals itself after a tableside presentation.

Chef Ken Vedrinski’s newest Charleston project opened in spring 2025 and has managed to stay under the radar despite being hailed as one of the five best new restaurants of the year by The Post and Courier. A longtime Holy City chef, Vedrinski has a fervent local following who trust his fresh pastas and traditional Italian offerings that are often minimal-but-hearty preparations of pork, chicken, or seafood. (And it’s not just Charlestonians who know it, Vedrinski’s gnudi was enough to beat chef Bobby Flay on his Food Network show in 2017.) At Volpe’s, the format is family style, which means you’ll have four courses hitting the table throughout your night, making choosing your dinner even easier, since you can’t go wrong.

Chef Jason Stanhope became captain of Sullivan’s Fish Camp just before summer 2025, taking over the popular island spot that nods to workaday seafood outposts tucked along creeks and rivers throughout the Carolinas during the pre-war era. But this is Sullivan’s Island, so things will be stepped up a notch. We’re talking snappy starters like beet carpaccio and clam and fish chowder, perfectly crispy shrimp, or a knockout fish sandwich. Of note, Stanhope earned a James Beard nod for FIG in 2015 and opened Lowland in 2023. Those bona fides add a few flourishes to throwback fish camp. For example, South Carolina-ground corn meal forms the crust of pillowy hushpuppies, fried fish, and shrimp.

The New York Times really just confirmed what Charlestonians have known for some time when it named Chubby Fish among its 50 best American restaurants. No reservations at this Elliottborough hot spot at the corner of Coming and Bogard streets; visitors instead queue up to enter starting at 5 p.m., choosing to hang nearby or step next door to Seahorse, the team’s newest addition, a teeny cocktail and seafood bar. Inside the main event, diners choose from staples like slider-sized caviar sandwiches, seasonal local seafood delivered daily, and even housemade pastas. This is all to say: You really can’t go wrong with anything plucked from chef-owner James London and chef Carlos Paredes’ menus. Drinks? They’ll bring them to you on the sidewalk while you wait or gladly replenish your A+ chilled selection at the table. 

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Chef Alex Eaton leans on experience and local purveyors as the culinary director for La Cave and its sister restaurant, Felix Cocktails et Cuisine. With comfortable dishes that offer a chance to settle in, La Cave serves up classics and inventive treats, from boeuf en croute to caviar profiteroles. Try new tastes like Provençal Tarvin shrimp, bouillabaisse, or raclette atop short rib burger patties (a Felix import). Or pick a creative riff on a go-to like duck confit gnocchi, filet mignon tartine, or poulet rouge. You know the wine list is lengthy (with plenty of bubbles), and being tied to Félix, the cocktails will be on point — like the Jean de Florette, with vodka, Lillet rose, fig syrup, passion fruit, and lime over crushed ice.

Chef Anthony Marini’s “panino and provisions” opened across the Cooper River in late 2025, answering the call from his downtown outpost, where he also operates The Italian Boy after dark. Marini promises “unapologetically interesting sandwiches,” like the “TACONY-6931,” with prosciutto, hot coppa, roasted garlic whipped ricotta, marinated tomatoes, and pistachio pesto, all on focaccia. “Such a Nice Italian Boy” is the closest to your classic Italian, piled with mortadella, hot and sweet soppressata, burrata (!!), veg, and sharp provolone on ciabatta.

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It’s safe to say Sorelle has settled in on Broad Street, becoming one of its buzziest spots since opening in early 2023. Downstairs, visitors are welcomed into the first-come, first-served bar area; or grab a Resy for your spot in the plush upstairs dining room, with picturesque views of the historic “Four Corners of Law.” The menu is currently executed by chef Nick Dugan. Start with a cocktail like the Sorrento Sun, with mezcal and Luxardo bianco, then move on to antipasti and snacks like burrata di bufala, followed by memorable pasta creations like the “Pillows of Gold” ricotta tortelloni, creamy pasta sprinkled with prosciutto cotto and kissed with balsamic.

The vibe inside may match the playful mural that greets visitors on North Charleston’s Reynolds Avenue, but don’t be fooled: Inside, you’ll find seriously good ramen, karaage, cocktails, and more. Proprietor Weems Pennington began experimenting with making fresh noodles and grew Weems Ramen from a sought-after pop-up into its first brick-and-mortar restaurant, opening in late 2025. On the menu, the shoyu ramen is most traditional, while the miso bowl offers a richer, heartier broth. Sides offer additional simple, but worth-it, flavors to round out the table, like the pickled wood ear mushrooms. But be sure to peep the karaage (fried chicken), which is offered dusted with “snow cheese,” aka, frozen cheese powder, adding a little sensory experience to the already-satisfying hard-fried chicken thigh.

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Chef Daniel Humm kicked off his one-year residency in October, with the famed Eleven Madison Park leader promising to blend high-level creations drawing on Lowcountry foodways. The four-course prix-fixe menu ($135) with a flaky, laminated bread course, includes dessert — a fun baked Alaska with apple ice cream and caramel on a mid-October visit. Diners select courses from offerings that highlight delicate preparations like silky ricotta gnudi, miso cod, and celery root schnitzel (not surprising, given Humm’s sustainability focus in recent years). Excellent wine pairings are available ($95), but don’t miss the cocktail menu for creative options, both boozy and NA.

This may be your last chance to stop by North Charleston’s traditional chippy, as owner Adam Randall has teased that he’s close to winding down the business that has served traditional fish and chips in the area for more than 10 years. Loyalists line up for the main attraction, accompanied by housemade tartar sauce, and available with seriously addictive curry sauce and gravy on the side. Anglophiles know the mushy peas may be a sleeper on the menu, and you can also get your fish on a roll if you’re more of a handheld type. Randall created the Codfather from scratch, doing much of the construction and tinkering himself over the years, and his personal connection has brought in droves of fans in that time. Join them in the queue now, before it’s too late.

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Get a taste of warmer seasons to come at one of Mex1’s locations (the second is on Sullivan’s Island), each filled with fun, beachy vibes. You’ve got your Resy: Now, grab a seat, some fresh guac, and a marg, and you’re on your way. Tacos served as a platter or a la carte make the job of choosing easier, which is helpful because how can you commit with options like crispy Baja fish, bangin shrimp, or carnitas options? Mix it up with a Mexi-Cali burrito stuffed with steak, guac, and fries, or the lightly fried bangin shrimp quesadilla. Once you’ve sampled the classic margarita, check out the pineapple-habanero or mezcal marg for a change of pace.

This downtown tapas spot has everything you need if you’re looking for something new. Just a few blocks from King Street, Spanish-inspired specialties flow from the kitchen with Lowcountry flair, like local shrimp, crudo, an Iberian twist on pigs in a blanket, and all the gildas — like a perfectly composed skewer of anchovy, olive, and pickled pepper — we challenge you not to order another round. Securing a Resy is a surefire way to a good time, but the lively courtyard provides the ideal space to enjoy a bev and await your spot. Behind the bar, Spanish vermouth and Sherry tempt curious patrons, whether poured into a citrusy spritz, or served neat.