The restaurant scene in Charleston, SC is legendary, known for creative culinary offerings at every turn downtown and on the surrounding islands. People regularly direct message me on my instagram @TheCharlestonLens for my Charleston restaurant recommendations. My honest answer is always that you really cannot go wrong no matter where you dine in downtown Charleston, except maybe for a certain local seafood restaurant that has a terrible reputation among locals as being a tourist trap. There are so many spectacular spots with delicious food, that almost any meal will most certainly be a treat.
For Charleston locals, living working around town on the daily, often its not the most instagrammed spots that earn our repeat business. We tend to hit the same few spots weekly, where we find our tried and true favorites that offer consistent meal quality. We are truly drawn to the places where the staff knows our name and our favorites before we even sit down (half and half iced tea, please). If you’ve ever thought of heading off the beaten path a little, here are my favorite Five Local Charleston Lunch Spots. We personally, don’t eat much seafood, so this guide doesn’t focus on seafood restaurants, but most restaurants in town offer a healthy amount of fish on their menus.
Zia Tacqueria
Located on James Island just a short trip across the James Island Connector to Maybank
Claims to have the best salsa in Charleston, which I may agree with. Chris always grabs a chicken Yucatan taco or quesadilla, while I prefer the portobello or pastor tacos or half of the house salad. The tortilla soup is very cozy and flavorful and when the kids tag along, we order the queso. Their iced tea is from a local grower and we absolutely inhale it along with the chips and salsa. This spot ranks in the top two for us most days.
https://ziataco.com/chs
Five Loaves Cafe
“Good Mood Food.”
Healthy, nutritious food that you feel good about eating. Their meats are pasture-raised, antibiotic free and when possible South Carolina raised. They pride themselves for partnering with local purveyors and makers of produce, fresh pasta, nuts, breads, and wine & beer. Our only complaint about Five Loaves is that they closed their downtown location, so we have to head over the bridge to enjoy lunch there. The homemade soups are to die for, and we usually opt for the half soup with wither a half sandwich or half salad combo. My favorite soup is the tomato tarragon, or the potato cheddar broccoli, while Chris’s is the Mexican chicken chili. We’ve been in for dinner a few times as well and that also never disappoints.
https://www.fiveloavescafe.com
Sesame Burgers and Beer
Mt. Pleasant and Park Circle
A gourmet burger spot with healthy salads and sandwich options to satisfy all appetites. A sister restaurant to Five Loaves, Sesame uses Certified Angus Beef Ground in house daily and antibiotic free poultry raised in South Carolina. Build a burger with various meat choices, including hamburger, chicken, elk, turkey, and black bean. Generously sized salads come with fresh toppings and homemade dressings. Chris orders the beef burger while I stick to the Santa Fe salad with a side of the fries. Delish!
https://www.sesameburgersandbeer.com
Crust Wood Fired Pizza
James Island (Next door to Zia) and Summerville
Wood-fired oven pizzas and Italian dishes with a focus on fresh, simple ingredients made from scratch in house or sourced locally. Menu items include salads, pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and homemade desserts. My favorite is the Burrata Panzanella Salad with homemade ranch. Chris opts for Sausage pepperoni and bacon pizza. The menu is rounded out with basic lunch fare including a cheesesteak and a ham and cheese sandwich and delicious hand cut fries. Crust offers something for everyone.
https://crustwoodfiredpizza.com
Mex 1 Coastal Cantina
Locations West of the Ashley, Mt. Pleasant, SC and Sullivan’s Island
Mex 1 is billed as Baja Mexican, Southern California-style food, focusing on tacos, rice bowls, quesadillas, infused tequilas and memorable margaritas. While we don’t eat much seafood, I did branch out a couple of weekends ago and tried the tuna taco. Normally, we order Cantina chicken salads or bowls, featuring yummy, smoky pulled chicken atop a fresh salad with lots of guac. My tip is to add a huge dollop of their house-made salsa on top of anything you order. The complimentary salsa is one of my favorites in town and is accompanied by the most delicate, crispy tortilla chips. We love the Sullivan’s Island location because of its laid back but vibrant surf bar vibe. And you might get lucky and see a Southern Charm cast member at the bar! https://mex1coastalcantina.com
BONUS entry:
The COOP is fast becoming one of our favorite spots to grab a bite though there’s no brewed tea. A perfect work week pick-me-up (even without a bottle of Frose). Chris and I love to head there after real estate showings on Isle of Palms.
https://thecoopsi.com
I’m reading this a week too late!