Not only do the restaurants in Charleston have fantastic cuisine but they also have some unique and historic details about them. These are some of my favorite restaurants in Charleston. In no way is this list complete. I still have many more to sample so keep checking back for the latest.
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Only place where you get to eat in a garden and one of my favorite spots for “She Crab Soup”.
Originally “She Crab Soup” was based on a Scottish seafood bisque brought here in the early 18th
century. Of course in the early 1900’s that was not good enough for a famous guest of our Charleston
Mayor Rhett. President Taft was a frequent guest at the Mayor’s home and the Mayor was concerned that
the crab soup was too pale for the President. William Deas, who was his butler, was given the task of
livening up the soup. His creation is what we eat today: meat of the small female blue crab was added to
bisque and then it was decorated with their orange hued eggs to add color and flavor. Tradition has it
that President Taft loved the soup so much that he added it to the White House menu. Not only was the
President eating it but lots of congressmen were too. Mendel Rivers a congressman in the 1940’s would
arrange for thermoses of Deas’ “She Crab Soup” to be flown to DC and serviced at his committee meetings.
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The place to go for seafood.
Today the restaurant is located on the corner of East Bay and Cumberland St. Before the street was
called Cumberland, it was known as Amen St. It was said that the street got its name because you could
hear the “Amens” being chanted by the church members of St. Philips and the Methodist Meeting House. In
the 1870’s this building was the store of the William Bird Company; hardware and paint. They were known
for their sign: a large golden whale.
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Brasserie la Banque: Delicious French cuisine in 1700s building which was a bank. Don’t miss the below street level Bar Vaute.
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Named one of America’s Most Romantic Restaurants by Travel and Leisure Magazine, 2011. It’s a delight!
Is located in the original carriage house for the Wentworth Mansion. This magnetic home was built by
Francis Silas Rodgers who was a cotton merchant. His home was very self sufficient for that time period.
It had its own water supply which included a windmill and a small gas plant that provided the house with
an independent light system. 21 panes of Tiffany stain glass were installed on the main floor of the
home. The stain glass buckled but did not break during the Great Earthquake of 1886. One of the other
captivating features of the home is its cupola. Rodgers would spend hours gazing over the city looking
for signs of smoke which might suggest a fire. He is credited with organizing the city’s first paid
professional fire department. In my opinion, this is the one of the best skyline views in Charleston
especially during a full moon.
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One of the best outdoor seating areas, great place to grab a drink & enjoy some Caribbean food.
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A great place to grab a drink and some food before heading to the beach or Fort Moultrie. Poe’s Tavern, which is located on Sullivan’s Island, derives its name from Edgar Allen Poe who was stationed at Fort Moultrie for 13 months beginning in November of 1827. Poe enlisted in the army under the name of Edgar Allan Perry to avoid a large debt that he had accrued. His time at Fort Moultrie inspired him to write the Golden Bug.
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Sit back and enjoy watching the dolphins in Shem Creek play as you eat appetizers and drink some cold ones.
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