Best Restaurants in Charleston: My Picks for Brunch, Music, and More

Charleston packs a lot of great eating into a walkable downtown, and this is my personal list of the best restaurants in Charleston, SC. These are the spots I go back to, from jazz brunch to a dockside counter for frozen cocktails to a French lounge for a night out. This guide covers what I order at each. My favorite comes last, where I go for the best cocktails in the city. Book ahead on weekends.

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Best Jazz Brunch in Charleston: Prohibition

Prohibition is on Upper King Street, and it’s where I go for jazz brunch on the weekend. Catch the live music on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The cocktails start early, and the room is loud like a good brunch should be. The food is Southern and locally sourced, and the cocktail list has plenty of classics. It’s a bar and restaurant, so it works for a night out as much as a late morning.

• What to Order: A classic cocktail and a Southern brunch plate at the weekend jazz brunch.
• Best If: You want food, live music, and a real bar scene together on a Saturday or Sunday.
• Skip If: You want a quiet meal. The music and the crowd are the biggest draw here.

Best Historic Restaurant in Charleston: Henry’s on the Market

Henry’s on the Market has been open since 1932 and is the oldest restaurant in the city. It’s a few floors across from the City Market, with a main dining room, a rooftop deck, a speakeasy bar, and live music every night. I come for the rooftop, which gets the much needed breeze off the water and makes a good perch for a drink. The menu is Lowcountry, with she-crab soup and shrimp and grits among the classics.

• What to Order: She-crab soup and a cocktail up on the rooftop, with the live music going downstairs.
• Best If: You want history, a rooftop, and nightly live music without booking anything formal.
• Skip If: You’re after the most refined plate in town. The setting is lively and casual.

Best Waterfront Spot in Charleston: Island Cabana Bar

Island Cabana offers counter-service with bar food and beverages at the Seabreeze Marina, at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge. You order at the counter and take it out to the dock to enjoy with a view. I stopped here for frozen cocktails before a sunset boat cruise, and the bar food was better than I expected. It’s part tackle-and-supply shop, part waterfront hangout, and you can come by land or by boat.

• What to Order: A frozen cocktail and fish tacos to enjoy out on the dock, timed for late afternoon.
• Best If: You want a low-key waterfront stop, or a bite to eat at the marina before heading out on the water.
• Skip If: You want a sit-down dinner. This is a casual counter-service spot with picnic tables and benches, and it depends on good weather.

Best Lowcountry Classics in Charleston: Oyster House

Oyster House is on Market Street in the historic district, with a patio over the City Market. I go for the oysters on the half shell, but what keeps it high on my list is that you can pair them with she-crab soup and shrimp and grits in one sitting. It’s central and walkable, so it’s an easy way to hit a few Lowcountry classics without crossing the city, and the patio is a good spot for a slow lunch.

• What to Order: Oysters on the half shell, then she-crab soup and shrimp and grits to cover the classics in one meal.
• Best If: You want to try several Lowcountry dishes at once in a central, walkable spot.
• Skip If: You want the single best version of one dish. This is for sampling.

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Best Cocktails in Charleston: La Cave

La Cave is on Upper King Street is a small French lounge from the team behind Félix next door. The ambiance is perfect: low light, an all-French wine list, Provençal small plates, and fantastic cocktails.

🏆 My Personal Pick

You might think a French cocktail lounge is a strange pick for a favorite restaurant in Charleston, but I love a swanky cocktail lounge with refined cuisine. And you’ll get some creative spins on classics like lowcountry cups and local fish Crudo.

• What to Order: Whatever cocktail the bartender points you to, with a few small plates to share.
• Best If: You want a low-lit spot for the best cocktails in town with elevated small plates and great ambiance.
• Skip If: You want a full dinner or a cheap round of drinks. They do serve main courses, but I go for the refined cocktails and small plates.

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Charleston Restaurants: What to Know Before You Go

A few things make sampling cuisine through the city go smoothly:

• Book Prohibition jazz brunch in advance for the Saturday or Sunday brunch.
• Time Island Cabana for good weather, since you’ll want to enjoy the dock.
• Staying central is easy on foot, since Prohibition, Henry’s, Oyster House, and La Cave are all a walkable downtown.
• Go early or late on weekends to skip the rush at the popular spots, and make reservations where you can.

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Best Restaurants in Charleston: FAQs

What is the best restaurant in Charleston?

It depends on your mood. For jazz brunch, Prohibition. For history and a rooftop, Henry’s on the Market. For Lowcountry classics in one sitting, Oyster House. My personal favorite is La Cave, a small French lounge on Upper King with the best cocktails in the city, though it’s more of a drinks-and-small-plates spot than a place for a full dinner.

What food is Charleston known for?

Charleston is known for Lowcountry cooking: she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, oysters, Lowcountry boil, and Gullah Geechee dishes like red rice and Hoppin’ John. Most of the classic downtown spots build their menus around local seafood and Carolina rice.

Do you need reservations for Charleston restaurants?

On weekends, yes, especially for brunch and dinner in season. Book ahead where you can. Casual spots like Island Cabana are first-come, so those you can just show up for.

What are the best casual restaurants in Charleston?

Island Cabana is counter-service with dock seating and good bar food at the marina, and Oyster House is an easy, central spot for Lowcountry classics. Prohibition and Henry’s both work for a relaxed meal with live music rather than a formal dinner.

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Where to Stay in Charleston: My Top Picks

Mid-Range

• Hyatt House Charleston/Historic District is central and an easy base for getting around downtown on foot. It isn’t a special-occasion hotel, but with prices being so high in downtown Charleston it gives you an affordable, walkable option. It’s even better on a Hyatt free-night reward.

Comfortable

• The Vendue is Charleston’s art hotel, and the rotating artwork gives it more character than a standard boutique. It’s near the waterfront and the historic district, within walking distance of most of the spots on this list. Just beware that it’s totally haunted, which adds to the Charleston charm.

Luxury

• Wentworth Mansion is a Gilded Age mansion turned five-star hotel, with 21 rooms, personal service, and a wine-and-appetizer hour. It’s a little removed from the busiest streets, which is part of the appeal for a splurge.

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🍪 Final Bite

These are my top picks for the best restaurants in Charleston, matched to the night you’re planning:

• Head to Prohibition for weekend jazz brunch and cocktails with live music.
• Go to Henry’s on the Market for the rooftop, nightly music, and the oldest room in town.
• Grab frozen cocktails and bar food on the dock at Island Cabana before a sunset cruise.
• Book Oyster House on Market Street to hit several Lowcountry classics at one table.
• Settle in at La Cave for the best cocktails in the city and my favorite night out in Charleston.

Been to Charleston and found a spot I’d love? Tell me in the comments, I’m always adding to the list before the next trip.

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