Foodie Friday: Where to Chow in Charleston

by  Anne Roderique-Jones | Mar 8, 2013
Charleston
Charleston / Sean Pavone/iStock

Charleston is not all about fancy plantation homes and spooky ghost tours, y'all. This city is serious when it comes to food and has earned cult status as a culinary destination for foodies. It would take weeks to chow your way though this charming destination, but here are three must-stops to get you started.

The Macintosh
Everyone is going to tell you to make a reservation at celeb chef, Sean Brock's Husk. I will tell you that Brock is a genius, but to save your pennies for The Macintosh. This newer kid on the food block landed a spot on Bon Appetite's "50 Best New Restaurants List" and has a Southern-focused farm-to-table menu that so many Charleston restaurants get down with. The menu is meat-heavy, and the bone marrow bread pudding is a real winner. But what really seals the deal for me? The bacon happy hour with bar specials and a weekly finger-lickin' bacon dish. Oh yeah, and the bar upstairs serves up some of the best cocktails in the city – need I say more?

Two Boroughs Larder
The Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood downtown is where you'll find Charleston's food-lovers and the coolest kids in town. Two Boroughs Larder's menu is displayed on a chalkboard, and features what's fresh and local for the day. If you're lucky, it will be Charleston clams. The coolest part (aside from the food) about this joint is the positively quaint store inside providing shelves of local farm eggs, imported pastas, candles, and aprons. It's perfect for perusing while you wait for your dinner.

Martha Lou's Kitchen
This teeny, tiny, pink chicken shack is about as good as it gets when it comes to soul food in Charleston. Most folks come here for the fried chicken and the southern hospitality. Three generations have kept the place running, and you're likely to receive a hug after your gut-busting supper. The half-chicken comes with two sides and the lima beans (bathed in butter and smoked pork) are as famous as the collard greens. This will set you back just under ten dollars unless you choose to get dessert, which you probably will because samples are often pranced around the room and it's impossible to pass up the bread pudding here. Two words of advice: Stretch pants.

What are your favorite Charleston restaurants?

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