Charleston, South Carolina—A World-Class Dining Scene

I live just a few hours up the coast from Charleston and never miss an opportunity for a meal (and HHonors® bonus points) during my frequent visits. Quite simply, I believe Charleston restaurant dining is better per capita than anywhere in the world and that it’s truly one of our nation’s top dining destinations of any size.

 It all starts with the ingredients—and Charleston’s Lowcountry region is truly blessed with tasty possibilities. Heirloom grains, vegetables, meats, and more come from a wide variety of local farmers (who are also overnighting their offerings to high-quality restaurants throughout the nation), while nearby waters provide the bounty of the sea for creative local chefs to do their magic.

When friends ask me where to head to eat in Charleston, I always quiz them about their dining preferences. Charleston has it all: lowcountry cooking specialists (think shrimp and grits and much more), seafood dives, sushi bars, upscale steakhouses (see Hall's Chophouse below, but I also love Oak Steakhouse), and an array of international offerings ranging from Italian to French (including a place I adore called Gaulart & Maliclet that locals refer to as “Fast & French”).

There are many tasty possibilities on that participate in the Rewards Network family of dining programs, including (but not limited to): Hall's Chophouse (premium steaks and more from executive chef Matthew Niessner); North Charleston’s Cork Neighborhood Bistro; Home Team BBQ out on Ashley River Road; Atlanticville Restaurant and Café on Sullivan’s Island; and two tasty Yo Burrito locations (one downtown and one up in Mt. Pleasant).

While the entire list can keep locals and visitors alike eating for days, there are many restaurants and restaurant groups I can highly recommend that I’m really hoping will become part of the Rewards Network dining programs soon—meaning many more points (and meals) for me! My long-winded wish list includes: Maverick Southern Kitchens (see below); Neighborhood Dining Group (including renowned McCrady’s and chef Sean Brock, the tasty pirate-themed Buccaneer, and Queen Anne’s Revenge up on Daniel Island); Hospitality Management Group (Cypress, Magnolias, and Blossom); Fish (Lyon native chef Nico Romo recently earned Master Chef of France status); FIG (James Beard winner Mike Lata says “Food Is Good” and delivers the goods); Trattoria Lucca (especially Chef Ken Vedrinski’s ‘family dinner’ on Sundays); Circa 1886 (adjacent to Charming Inns’ lovely Wentworth Mansion, one of many favorite Charleston inns); and Peninsula Grill (featuring Robert Carter’s legendary cooking and the adjacent Planters Inn). Those earning points for HHonors and Priority Club will also appreciate the varied accommodations options (and points) in and around Charleston (this HHonors member loves earning even more points while there)!

Foodies won’t be in Charleston long before hearing about the offerings from Maverick Southern Kitchens. The beloved restaurant group started with East Bay’s Slightly North of Broad (SNOB) and now they also offer High Cotton (great steaks and much more) across the street and Old Village Post House up in nearby Mt. Pleasant. There’s also High Hammock Maverick Seaside Kitchen up the coast in Pawleys Island and another High Cotton in the tasty upstate South Carolina city of Greenville. SNOB’s Lowcountry chef extraordinaire and Maverick partner is Frank Lee, who takes pride in the creative use of local ingredients and he‘s simply one of our favorite foodie people in Charleston and beyond. And, finally (whew), Charleston Cooks! (also on East Bay) is a great culinary store for foodies, as well as a cooking school beloved by locals and visitors alike.

If I seem biased about Charleston dining, I am and for good reason. Oh, and that may also be why I’ve earned more points here than anywhere else in the nation!

Long-time Hilton HHonors® Dining member Lynn Seldon (www.lynnseldon.com) is based in coastal North Carolina. He’s long-time freelance journalist who often covers culinary travel (including visits to many tasty Rewards Network restaurants).