Charleston is a super cute and colorful city. There are so many restaurants, cute boutiques and shops, and I wish I was able to stay longer to fully see the city! We spent most of the day looking for a bunch of different food spots and decided to visit the places listed below. If your days in Charleston are limited, these are my opinions of the places that I tried while visiting. I visited back in February before the lock-down, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, dine-in and menu options may have changed. Be sure to look up any new changes online before you visit, and make sure to continue social distancing!
Restaurants
1. Toast of Charleston
This was our first stop, and I had heard so many good things about this restaurant. We were honestly a little disappointed. The food was good, but definitely nothing special, and I don't think I would go out of my way to come back. I think it had been over-hyped and we were just expecting too much. We got a fried green tomato sandwich and an omelette.
2. Fleet Landing
I got a vegetarian pasta, and it was SO GOOD. The atmosphere is really open and cheerful, and the staff were so nice! The restaurant is made to look like a boat, and you have a great view of the river outside, too. It would be great for an outdoor meal by the water.
3. Basil Thai
This Thai restaurant was pretty pricey, but still good! We ordered the Pad Sie Ew, and the portions were pretty big! Being from an area surrounded by all kind of Asian food, I didn't think it was worth the price, and you're mostly paying for the upscale ambiance. I didn't see many Asian restaurants around, so if you're craving Thai this could be a good option for you. Otherwise, I might suggest trying some other places first!
Photos are listed in order from left to right (Toast, Fleet Landing, Basil Thai):
Desserts
1. Kaminsky's Dessert Cafe
The milkshakes are SOOO good. I would definitely recommend this place. We got the salted caramel milkshake and it did not disappoint.
2. Peace Pie
We passed this place on our way to look for an ice cream shop, and I'm so glad we decided to stop by. It is such a unique place! It's an ice cream sandwich shop with unique flavors, and they are all made to taste like different pies. We got the pecan pie one, and it was really good!
3. Byrd Cookies
Whenever I visit Savannah, Georgia, this is my go-to store. The location in Charleston is no different, and you can sample as many flavors as you'd like! My favorites are the benne wafers and the key lime pie.
Pictured below, Kaminsky's on the left and Peace Pie on the right:
I hope this post helps you narrow down some food option for your next visit, and I'd love to know if you find any other great restaurants/local businesses, too!