5 cutting-edge restaurants to visit now in Charleston

by OpenTable team

Updated 21 December 2022

When chef Louis Osteen, a Southern food champion, first served shrimp and grits at Charleston Grill in 1989, it was a game changer for elevating humble, home-cooked plates. Though it’s been a few decades since that iconic culinary moment, the spirit of innovation is alive and well in the Holy City.

An enterprising chef and animal rights activist dishes up an all-vegan, Asian-inspired menu downtown. A glamorous hotel bar, named one of South Carolina’s most photogenic spots, pushes back on the casual trend and harkens back to more elegant times. A seafood destination blazes new trails for introducing a first-of-its-kind tipping program to boost wages and attract new employees.

These five spots are serving food and experiences on their own terms in Charleston. Read on for a collection of the city’s most unique restaurants to book right now.

Indaco

4.8

4.8 (3806)

$30 and under

Italian

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

Indigo Road Restaurant Group, the hospitality force behind Indaco, boasts a slew of cutting-edge initiatives aimed at taking care of both diners and employees. At Indaco, a rustic Italian spot serving wood-fired pizza, cured sausages, and hand-crafted pasta, employees receive more than classic benefits such as insurance and a 401K. They also get home-buying assistance, free mental health counseling, and—the latest perk—winter and summer breaks. The company builds a culture that encourages professional and creative growth for its employees, hoping the newest dishwasher will take the opportunity to build a long-term career with Indigo Road. In an industry known for harsh working conditions and a lack of benefits, a forward-thinking restaurant group that prides itself on taking care of its people is a unicorn indeed—but one that inspires others to follow suit.

Top review

NinaVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Shockingly good pizza, Caesar salad also phenomenal.

Discover more

Popular dish

Sausage

Camellias

4.6

4.6 (291)

$31 to $50

Afternoon Tea

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

With its pink marble bar and glittering crystal chandelier, Camellias, in the Hotel Bennett, bucks the casual dining trend to embrace vintage glamor. Everything about Camellias, which has earned accolades from the Food Network (for being South Carolina’s most Instagrammable bar) and USA Today, runs counter to current trends, making it an old-fashioned spot that’s blazing an elegant path. The offerings skew decadent with an extensive list of bubbles, plus extravagant caviar service. A formal afternoon tea menu features flutes of rosé, finger sandwiches, and delicate pastries. Though jackets aren’t required, they are recommended to match the elegant surroundings. At Camellias, it’s cool to be formal again.

Top review

Deborah

Dined on 13 Dec 2024

Yea with Santa was a wonderful experience! The room itself is absolutely stunning, the food was beautifully plated and presented! The servers were particularly effective with my 5 year old Grandaughter, and Santa was terrific! The only downside was that it was advertised as tea with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and Mrs. Claud was not in attendance. Very high prices for the food that we enjoyed…perhaps a glass of complimentary champagne is in order at these prices?

Well Hung Vineyard and Restaurant

4.4

4.4 (737)

$30 and under

American

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

As its name suggests, nothing is taken too seriously at this quirky, one-of-a-kind hangout. Owner Anthony Herring, who opened the restaurant’s first two locations in Virginia, sources wine from some of the best vineyards in California, Washington, and Oregon, offering bottles with irreverent names such as Pop Your Cork and Happy Ending. Diners can explore different varietals by ordering sample flights, purchasing bottles to take home, or joining a wine club that sends quarterly shipments. An eclectic menu, filled with comforting plates such as shrimp and grits, salads, and pizza, changes every three months. Herring’s lighthearted approach to vino stands out in Charleston, and it’s won many fans since opening in February of 2022.

Top review

Kim

Dined 4 days ago

If you’re looking for cozy and comfortable, friendly and fun this is the place! All ages, 68/70 here, parents with a 6 yo, couples. Wide range of wine flights, great Old Fashioneds, wonderful desserts and dessert wines. Nice menu…not 5 Star dining but good choices. Not “bar food”! Chef is great for accommodating specific dietary needs. Thanks Brandon for your great service! We always put Well Hung on our list when we visit Charleston.

Discover more

Popular dish

Well Hung Waffle Burger

Tempest

4.7

4.7 (2365)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

During the challenging days of reopening after pandemic-induced closures, Tempest and its sibling restaurants in the 5th Street Group (including New American spot Church & Union ) launched a groundbreaking program called Tip the Kitchen. In an attempt to increase restaurant wages and attract new employees, the hospitality group got creative, adding a line item on receipts that let diners send voluntary tips to the kitchen, which the restaurant matches up to $500 a day. Not only did Tip the Kitchen result in an employment application uptick, but the program raised $2 million for kitchen workers—and increased their average pay. The pandemic forced many restaurants to pivot, and the 5th Street Group’s efforts show how stretching the imagination uplifted a hard-hit industry.

Top review

JanetKVIP

Dined 3 days ago

We arrived late into town due to an hour long traffic hazard delay and we’re worried about getting a reservation to a great restaurant. We were able to dine at Tempest and it was incredible! We had the tuna crude which was very good but the showstopper was the Swordfish Schnitzel with warm tartar sauce with trout roe. I/we are known as foodies-originally from California Bay Area! My husband said this was by far the best swordfish he had ever eaten! I agreed but was trying to identify the ingredients to prepare at home. We shared a bottle of wine and had the Some-More for dessert. Fabulous! Our server Dalton and his shadowing trainee, Megan were amazing as well! Truly a beautiful restaurant and amazing experience!, Do not miss it when in Charleston!

Discover more

4.6

4.6 (399)

$30 and under

Vegan

Downtown Charleston

About the restaurant

When an experienced restaurateur becomes an animal rights activist, the result is a dining room that serves avant-garde vegan fare. Neon Tiger owner John Adamson teamed up with activist chef Doug McNish to develop a vegan menu that works magic. One of the most dazzling items on the menu is a riff on calamari using king trumpet mushrooms (it’s also gluten-free). Other standout dishes include a whole-roasted blackened cauliflower platter and a variety of pizzas topped with pea protein products. Since its opening in 2020, Neon Tiger has won over vegan and non-vegan Charlestonians, proving that it’s possible to eat well without animal products. For Adamson, Neon Tiger is just the beginning of a larger plan that involves franchising the concept. His ultimate goal is to establish it as a B Corp (a business that meets high social and environmental standards) so it can support nonprofit organizations that raise awareness about the effects of animal agriculture on the planet.

Top review

AndiCVIP

Dined on 29 Mar 2024

Amazingly creative and flavorful vegan food. Always such a vibe at Neon Tiger. Very sad to see it go. 💛 Thanks for everything.

Discover more