The Menu: Charleston
While Jen and Mike just returned from basking in the postnuptial glow of their honeymoon in Playa Del Carmen, I thought I’d tell you about all the food I ate in Charleston, because it is FALL HERE BITCHES and we’re not wearing bathing suits anymore! We are wearing eating pants HYGGE STYLE.
Charleston earned its way onto my travel wish list almost entirely because of its restaurant scene. Following in the steps of Sean Brock (whom I’ve watched on damn near every food TV show there is to stream), the city has stepped up its game, taking Southern food WAY beyond Paula Deen.
My only regret was that we weren’t in Charleston longer. Not because we didn’t hit all the sights but because we didn’t eat everything I wanted to. My list of restaurants to visit was far longer than the number of meals we could consume. Believe me, there was anxiety over this.
There were AMPLE recommendations from friends, a full Charleston guide by Anthony Bourdain, who RIP, has yet to steer us wrong, and a solid list by my beloved Lonely Planet as well. Here is where we were able to visit and what we ate:
Breakfast: Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit
Scott and I arrived a day before our friends Lyndsey and Nick, and since Scott was gone for most of the summer, his dad generously offered to drive up from Northern Florida and pick us up from the airport. We arrived around lunchtime, and he suggested we check out the Charleston City Market for food. This was perfect because one of the spots on my list, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit is located in the market.
What’s not to love about a really solid buttermilk biscuit? Dense, buttery, flaky — these are the stuff of dreams. Callie’s offers breakfast sandwiches and different flavors of both savory and sweet mini biscuits. Of course we got both sandwiches and minis, and I knew in one bite that Charleston was not going to disappoint my taste buds (but that it might very well challenge the waist lines of my pants…YOLO). Callie’s was so good we later revisited with Lyndsey and Nick for a pre-Sunday brunch snack (listen, we did a walking tour prior to brunch, so don’t judge).
Drinks & Charcuterie: Vintage Lounge
Before our first dinner, we got drinks and charcuterie at Vintage Lounge. I was smitten with this place the instant we entered. This 20s-ish style wine bar was subtle and stunning, and if the interior hadn’t won me over, the charcuterie definitely would have. I honestly think this beautiful charcuterie board is one of the best photos I’ve ever taken and not because I’m a genius photographer. It just looked THAT good and tasted even better with serrano ham, duck rilletes, and cheeses ranging from buttery to funky. My mezcal and watermelon cocktail was on point too.
Oysters: The Darling Oyster Bar
Since our charcuterie filled us more than we anticipated, we had a lighter dinner at The Darling Oyster Bar — just drinks and…well, oysters. I have to tell you…I got a bad oyster. But lest you blame the restaurant, know that a bad oyster cannot be identified on sight. In fact, sometimes it can’t even be identified by taste. This one…definitely was identifiably bad by taste though, and I am thankful for that because I was able to spit it out and I mercifully did not spend the rest of my vacation vomiting. The wait staff was super gracious too, considering they accepted my spit-out oyster in napkin and gave us some free ones (though my appetite was a bit shot at that point).
Still, The Darling Oyster Bar is a great spot and we did return later during the weekend for drinks.
Pastries: La Pâtisserie
The next morning, Scott agreed to go on a run with me, though I withered quickly in the oppressive humidity. Naturally, the night before I had scoped out coffee/pastry spots to undo the effects of my half-assed run. We are nothing if not pastry aficionados in this blog family. Across the park outside of our hotel was La Pâtisserie, a perfect French pâtisserie where we sipped on coffee, tea, and pastries at a sidewalk table.
Coffee: Kudu Coffee & Craft Beer
I…wanted another coffee though afterward, so a few blocks away, we hit up Kudu. This is the type of place where, if it existed in Baltimore, I’d want to post up and work out of on a regular basis. It also had a great outdoor space which we had mostly to ourselves.
Lunch: Basic Kitchen
We had hoped Lyndsey and Nick would be in mid-morning, but their flight was delayed multiple times, so after visiting Fort Sumter and walking around town, we had lunch at Basic Kitchen, which emphasizes healthy clean food. Ordinarily, I might be like ehhhh I dunno, I don’t need health food on vacation, but Basic Kitchen also made its way onto Anthony Bourdain’s list, and we all know he was never one to turn his nose up at the unhealthiest of delights, so I figured it must be GOOD healthy good.
And it was. Scott got fish tacos and I had an amazing avocado toast. I was also pleased by the mocktail selection and Scott’s delicious house-brewed kombucha. Of course, it is also needless to say, like damn near every other spot in Charleston, the interior was perfection.
Drinks: The Rooftop at the Vendue
Finally, Lyndsey and Nick arrived and we headed over to the Rooftop at the Vendue. This bar, while all part of the rooftop, had several levels and great views. It also had one of those 80s things where you can make a mold of your hand on pins (I have no idea what these things are called). But this one was human-sized which of course thoroughly entertained the child in me.
Dinner: Husk
The MAIN. FREAKING. EVENT. I was so excited to go to Husk and was pleasantly surprised when the host handed me a gift certificate from my parents. Almost everything at Husk is locally sourced and the dishes are what I have to imagine represent all the best aspects of Southern cooking. The interior WASN’T super modern and hyper-designed like all of the other spots in Charleston; rather, it felt like we were visiting someone’s home and eating in their dining room which was a lovely change. The food represented that same level of welcoming and comfort too, from the white fish crudo to the Asian-inspired ribs to the bucatini with clams to the duck. And the freshly baked rolls…those freaking rolls. With pork-infused butter…*drool*
Dessert: Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar
Even though we STUFFED our faces at Husk, we decided to walk it off to make a little bit of room for dessert at Carmella’s which is a dessert cafe, a bar, AND a coffee shop. Honestly, how have I not come across such a combination until now? How are there not more spots like Carmella’s in this world? OMG should I quit my job and open one?!
This place was packed, so Lyndsey and I staked out a spot at one of the long communal tables while Nick and Scott got in the long line. While I perused the menu hanging over the bar, Lyndsey noticed cakes in the display case that were meant to be single-serve but were juuuuust a little too big for one person. Or at least for this one person, and that’s saying something.
While the boys waited in line, Lyndsey and I started chatting with the woman next to us, who was from a neighboring island and was celebrating her anniversary with her husband, who was also waiting in line. She told us they were getting the chocolate cookie crunch, and when Lyndsey and I saw this monstrosity, we told Nick and Scott this is what we wanted…for the four of us. It consisted of two Belgian waffles (brilliant dessert idea), chocolate gelato, Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup. I am usually one for simpler desserts (like *just* the chocolate gelato), but I will forever dream of this dessert. It was so good in all it's gluttonous glory.
Lunch: Leon’s Oyster Shop
The one flaw in the culinary landscape that is Charleston is that verrrry few places offer breakfast or brunch on Saturdays. A real missed opportunity, if you ask me (breakfast all day err day!). We had brunch reservations for Sunday, but not for Saturday since we wanted some flexibility. We rented a car Saturday, and when we drove to two of the places that did have Saturday brunch, the lines were around the corner. Since it was almost time for lunch anyway, we opted for Leon’s Oyster Shop instead. this super chill spot had awesome seafood, and Scott said the fried chicken he had there was his favorite meal in Charleston.
Dinner: The Ordinary
And speaking of favorite meals, as good as Husk was, The Ordinary gave us hit after hit in the form of small plates, leaning heavily toward seafood, a happy circumstance given that our table was made up of Marylanders and New Englanders. FIG (“food is good”) topped almost every recommendation list, but it was hard to find a reservation at a good time. And since its sister restaurant, The Ordinary, followed not far behind on each list, I made reservations for The Ordinary, and we were not disappointed (although if The Ordinary is THIS good, I cannot imagine how good FIG must be).
As much as I looked forward to dinner at Husk and loved every minute of it, nearly every dish at The Ordinary was better than the one before it. They were all dishes I may have had in some form before, but each one with a twist. Freshly baked house Hawaiian rolls, crispy shrimp sliders, crab fried rice, yellowfin toast with avocado and chili, blue crab cocktail with avocado and grapefruit.
Saying each one was better than the next actually does it no justice.
Sunday Brunch: Magnolias
My parents visited Charleston and raved about Magnolias. They had dinner there, but as you may have guessed, we were running out of dinners! I did, however, see multiple lists mention Sunday brunch at Magnolias, so after we finished our walking tour, we had our final meal in Charleston. Since Magnolias touts its “upscale Southern cuisine,” this seemed like a great way to finish out our culinary tourism.
As you might have guessed from the photos, Magnolias delivered with blue crab bisque, low country Benedict, grilled buttermilk cornbread, and the spicy shrimp and sausage grits that multiple people raved about prior to our brunch (including our local walking tour guide). We finished our meal off with pecan pie and strawberry shortcake — a sweet end to our trip and, sadly, the summer.
Have you been to Charleston? Where did you eat? Which restaurants do I need to schedule a trip back to visit?
-Staci
