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All of the city’s hottest restaurants, available in one place. All you have to do is decide which one to book.
Explore Icons across Charleston
From award-winning restaurants to the trendiest new hotspots, your table is waiting at over 7 top spots across the city.
Indaco
Italian•Downtown CharlestonWithin the prolific Indigo Road Hospitality Group, Indaco is the rustic Italian institution. Restaurateur Steve Palmer, a James Beard semifinalist, opened the original in Charleston in 2013, and it’s grown to four locations across the South. The secret to success? Woodfired margherita pizza, fresh tagliatelle with an egg yolk nestled on top, and house negronis on tap, all served in a rugged space with butcher block tables and white washed brick.
View full availabilityOak Steakhouse - Charleston
Steakhouse•Downtown CharlestonIn a historic bank building from 1848, Oak Steakhouse rises up three storeys of leather booths, exposed brick, and cosy fireplaces. This is the place for seafood towers, Angus steaks, and bold Cabernets. It’s the heart of the Indigo Road group, helmed by James Beard semifinalist restaurateur Steve Palmer. There are now seven locations across southern USA, but none beat the original – Condé Nast Traveler calls it one of the best restaurants in Charleston, while others rank it among the best steakhouses in the country.
View full availabilityMa'am Saab
Pakistani•Downtown CharlestonMa’am Saab translates to ‘boss lady’ in Urdu, and that’s the correct way to describe chef Maryam Ghaznavi, who kicked off with a pop-up in 2020 before opening this restaurant in 2023. She’s all about upscale Pakistani cuisine with a shot of Southern charm, which means a tasting menu of flavourful butter chicken and biryanis, plus happy hour smash burgers and craft cocktails. Exposed brick, floral wallpaper, and ultraviolet lighting help set the party scene.
View full availabilityO-Ku
Japanese•Downtown CharlestonJames Beard semifinalist Steve Palmer of the Indigo Road group opened the first O-Ku in Charleston in 2010. The modern Japanese restaurant deals sushi in every form – sashimi, nigiri, rolls, hand rolls, and cones – in a sleek black space filled with twisted tree branches. Esquire called it one of the hottest openings of 2010, Travel + Leisure ranked it one of the best sushi restaurants in the country in 2013, and today it counts eight locations across southern USA.
View full availabilityJackrabbit Filly
Chinese•North CharlestonWife-and-husband team Corrie and Shuai Wang careened into the local dining scene with a popular food truck in 2014 and a permanent spot in 2019, capturing the attention of Bon Appétit and Eater, plus a rising star chef nom from James Beard. Locals can't get enough of the dim sum carts that deliver the Wangs' irreverent riffs on Chinese American dumplings, noodles, and fried chicken.
View full availabilityBearcat
Contemporary American•West AshleyChef George Kovach is an alum of MICHELIN-Starred restaurants like Ever, and that fine-dining pedigree shines at this approachable New American spot in Avondale. Grab a seat at the intimate chef’s counter, where Kovach whips up innovative dishes that could include strawberry-topped duck liver toast and crab dumplings with smoked trout roe. Bonus points for a charming, greenery-strew patio.
View full availabilityMaison
French•Downtown CharlestonCharleston's favourite escape to Paris is via this bustling bistro with a romantic blue patio. Feast on updated classics like steak tartare with a shiitake vinaigrette or escargots with ramp butter, alongside a wine list that zips through the Loire Valley and other famed regions and cocktails favouring Chartreuse and St-Germain. Eater, Thrillist, Condé Nast Traveler, and lots of local outlets can't stop heaping praise on this place.
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