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Top 10 Places to Dine in South Carolina

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Top 10 Places to Dine in South Carolina

Direct Answer

The Best Overall place to dine in South Carolina is FIG in downtown Charleston, the James Beard Award–winning farm-to-table restaurant where the late Mike Lata's philosophy of pristine local ingredients still produces some of the most consistent, soulful cooking in the South — from the famous tomato tarte tatin to whatever just came off the boat.

The Best Value pick is Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ, where the James Beard–winning pitmaster's wood-smoked pulled pork delivers world-class barbecue for a fraction of fine-dining prices. This list is built for visitors and locals who want the real South Carolina dining map — heavily Charleston-centric, where the state's best kitchens cluster, with a standout in Greenville for the Upstate.

Every pick below is a real, well-known, currently-operating South Carolina establishment, with realistic detail on town, signature dishes, price tier, and reputation.

How We Ranked the Top 10

We weighed each restaurant against what diners and visitors actually prioritize when deciding where to eat in South Carolina, drawing on The Infatuation, Eater Charleston, Garden & Gun, Charleston City Paper, OpenTable, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and James Beard Foundation records. The weighting:

A restaurant that nails one dish but stumbles on service or value drops fast. The winners balance all six and reward the drive across the Lowcountry — or up to the Upstate.

1. FIG 🏆 BEST OVERALL

Cuisine: New American / Lowcountry farm-to-table | Price: $$$$ | Best for: The definitive Charleston fine-dining meal

Set on Meeting Street in downtown Charleston, FIG — "Food Is Good" — is the restaurant that anchored the city's modern dining reputation. The kitchen, built on chef Mike Lata's James Beard–winning farm-to-table ethos, changes its menu daily around what local farms and boats deliver.

Order the iconic tomato tarte tatin, the fish stew with chorizo and rouille, and any handmade pasta on the board. The room is warm and unpretentious, the service knowledgeable and gracious, and dinner runs roughly $70–$110 per person. Reservations open weeks ahead and go quickly — this is the table Charleston visitors plan around.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: FIG remains the most consistent and soulful fine-dining experience in South Carolina — the table to book first.

2. Husk

Cuisine: Southern / Lowcountry | Price: $$$$ | Best for: A Southern-ingredient manifesto in a historic mansion

Inside a stately Queen Street mansion in Charleston, Husk built its name on a single rule: if it isn't from the South, it isn't coming through the door. The menu changes daily and celebrates heritage ingredients — expect the famous Husk cheeseburger at the bar, wood-fired vegetables, shrimp and grits, and whatever Southern produce and proteins are at their peak.

The historic setting and the lively downstairs bar make it one of the most atmospheric meals in the city. Dinner runs about $65–$100 per person. It's a love letter to Southern food cooked at a high level.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: A high-level celebration of Southern ingredients in a gorgeous historic setting — book the bar for the burger.

3. The Ordinary

Cuisine: Seafood / oyster hall | Price: $$$$ | Best for: Pristine oysters and Lowcountry seafood

Housed in a soaring former bank building on upper King Street, The Ordinary is chef Mike Lata and Adam Nemirow's grand seafood hall and one of Charleston's most exciting rooms. The raw bar is the star: local oysters, chilled shellfish towers, and beautifully composed crudo.

The hot menu shines too, with the lobster roll and the fried oyster sliders as benchmarks. High ceilings and a buzzing bar make it feel like an occasion. Plan on $70–$110 per person.

For Lowcountry seafood done with fine-dining precision, this is the destination.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: Charleston's best seafood room — come for the oyster towers and stay for the lobster roll.

4. Chez Nous

Cuisine: European (French / Italian / Spanish) | Price: $$$ | Best for: An intimate, romantic hidden-gem dinner

Tucked into a tiny carriage house on a side street in Charleston, Chez Nous writes a handwritten menu of just two appetizers, two entrées, and two desserts that changes every single day, drawn from French, Italian, and Spanish home cooking. The food is rustic, ingredient-driven, and unfailingly excellent, and the candlelit two-floor cottage is among the most romantic rooms in the city.

Dinner runs roughly $55–$85 per person. It's the quiet, locals-love-it counterpoint to Charleston's marquee dining rooms — book early, because there are barely any tables.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: The most romantic small room in Charleston — book ahead and trust the daily handwritten menu.

5. Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ 💎 BEST VALUE

Cuisine: Barbecue | Price: $$ | Best for: World-class whole-hog barbecue at a fair price

On a no-frills corner of upper King Street, Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ is where a James Beard Award–winning pitmaster serves some of the best barbecue in America for the price of a casual lunch. The wood-smoked whole-hog pulled pork — dressed in Rodney's tangy, peppery vinegar sauce — is the must-order, alongside smoked turkey, ribs, and Southern sides like collards, mac and cheese, and hush puppies.

A full, satisfying plate runs around $15–$25 per person. Order at the counter, grab a tray, and taste why this is a national barbecue destination.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: The best food-per-dollar in the state — award-winning whole-hog barbecue at casual-lunch prices.

6. Le Farfalle

Cuisine: Italian | Price: $$$ | Best for: Handmade pasta and a lively Charleston dinner

Chef Michael Toscano's Le Farfalle brings serious, contemporary Italian cooking to a buzzy Coming Street space in Charleston. The kitchen makes its pasta by hand daily — the namesake farfalle, the cacio e pepe, and rotating specials are reliably excellent — alongside wood-grilled meats and fish and a thoughtful Italian wine list.

The room is warm, energetic, and great for a date or a group. Dinner runs about $50–$80 per person. It's the city's standout for modern Italian, balancing technique with genuine comfort.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: Charleston's best modern Italian — go for the handmade pasta and the energetic room.

7. 167 Raw

Cuisine: Seafood / oyster bar | Price: $$$ | Best for: A casual, top-tier seafood lunch

167 Raw started as a tiny oyster bar and grew into one of Charleston's most beloved seafood spots, thanks to seafood flown in from its own New England sourcing operation. The counter-forward space serves a legendary lobster roll, tuna burger, fresh oysters, and a daily-changing ceviche, all impeccably fresh.

It's casual, fast-moving, and consistently excellent, with most meals landing around $30–$55 per person. Expect a wait at peak times — locals and visitors alike line up for the freshest seafood in town without the white-tablecloth markup.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: The best casual seafood in Charleston — line up for the lobster roll and the freshest oysters in town.

8. Halls Chophouse

Cuisine: Steakhouse | Price: $$$$ | Best for: A celebratory steak dinner with legendary hospitality

Halls Chophouse on upper King Street is Charleston's premier steakhouse and a local institution famous for warmth as much as for beef. The USDA Prime steaks, the she-crab soup, and the popular Sunday gospel brunch draw a steady crowd of celebrators, and the Hall family's hands-on hospitality is genuinely memorable.

The clubby room and live music make it feel like an event. Dinner runs $80–$130 per person. When the occasion calls for a great steak and a sense of occasion, this is Charleston's answer.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: Charleston's go-to celebration steakhouse — worth it for the beef and the famous hospitality.

9. Poogan's Porch

Cuisine: Lowcountry Southern | Price: $$$ | Best for: Classic Lowcountry comfort in a historic Victorian

Set in a restored Victorian house on Queen Street, Poogan's Porch is one of Charleston's oldest independent restaurants and a reliable home for Lowcountry classics. The fried chicken with biscuits, the shrimp and grits, and the she-crab soup are benchmark versions of Southern staples, served on a charming wraparound porch.

It's a favorite for both first-time visitors and locals, with most dinners running $40–$70 per person. Come for an approachable, deeply Southern meal in a setting full of Charleston history and character.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: The reliable Lowcountry-comfort pick — classic Southern cooking in a historic Charleston setting.

10. Soby's

Cuisine: New Southern | Price: $$$ | Best for: The best of Upstate dining in downtown Greenville

Representing the Upstate, Soby's on Main Street in Greenville is the cornerstone of one of the South's most celebrated downtowns. A New Southern menu anchors the city's dining scene with crowd-pleasers like shrimp and grits, bourbon-glazed pork, and the famous white cheddar pimento cheese fritters, plus a beloved Sunday brunch.

The handsome brick room and walkable Main Street setting make it a natural Greenville destination. Dinner runs about $45–$75 per person. For travelers exploring the Upstate, this is the meal to plan around.

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: The best of Upstate dining — the reason to plan a meal around downtown Greenville.

Where Should You Eat?

flowchart TD A[Start: Where are you and what's the occasion?] --- B{Charleston or Upstate?} B -- Upstate / Greenville --- C[Soby's] B -- Charleston --- D{Splurge or casual?} D -- Splurge --- E{Tasting, steak, or seafood?} E -- Farm-to-table --- F[FIG or Husk] E -- Steak --- G[Halls Chophouse] E -- Seafood --- H[The Ordinary] D -- Casual or value --- I{Barbecue or seafood?} I -- Barbecue --- J[Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ] I -- Casual seafood --- K[167 Raw] A --- L{Want romance or Southern comfort?} L -- Romantic --- M[Chez Nous] L -- Lowcountry comfort --- N[Poogan's Porch or Le Farfalle]

What to Look For When Choosing a Restaurant in South Carolina

What matters less than marketing implies: harborfront tourist traps, generic chain steakhouses, and influencer hype. South Carolina's best kitchens win on local sourcing, consistency, and genuine Southern hospitality — not on a view or a viral post.

FAQ

What is the best restaurant in South Carolina? FIG in downtown Charleston is our top pick — a James Beard–winning farm-to-table restaurant whose daily-changing menu, famous tomato tarte tatin, and gracious service make it the most consistent fine-dining experience in the state.

Which South Carolina restaurant is the best value? Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ offers the best food-per-dollar: a James Beard–winning pitmaster's wood-smoked whole-hog pork with sides for around $15–$25. For casual seafood, 167 Raw is another excellent value.

Where should I eat in Charleston for a special occasion? FIG, Husk, The Ordinary, and Halls Chophouse all deliver memorable special-occasion meals. Book weeks ahead in spring and fall, when Charleston is busiest.

What food is South Carolina famous for? The Lowcountry is known for shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, fresh local oysters, and whole-hog barbecue dressed in tangy vinegar sauce — try Rodney Scott's for the barbecue and FIG or Husk for refined Lowcountry cooking.

Do I need reservations to eat well in South Carolina? For top Charleston tables like FIG, Husk, and Chez Nous, yes — book early in peak season. Casual spots like Rodney Scott's, 167 Raw, and Reading-style counters take walk-ins, though waits are common.

Where should I eat outside of Charleston? Greenville in the Upstate has one of the South's best downtowns, anchored by Soby's and its famous pimento cheese fritters and New Southern menu — the meal to plan around if you're traveling beyond the Lowcountry.

Bottom Line

For dining in South Carolina, FIG is our Best Overall — a James Beard–winning, farm-to-table Charleston destination that delivers the state's most consistent and soulful fine-dining experience. Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ is our Best Value, turning award-winning whole-hog barbecue into a casual plate anyone can afford.

If your trip calls for grand seafood, a celebratory steak, a romantic hidden gem, or the best of the Upstate, use the decision tree above to route yourself to The Ordinary, Halls Chophouse, Chez Nous, or Soby's instead. Book the marquee tables early, lean on the casual legends when you can't, and you'll eat exceptionally well across South Carolina.

Sources

*best restaurants in South Carolina review — where to eat in South Carolina, top dining, ratings, and a review of the best places to eat.*

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