Folly’s newest beach bar, Lowlife, serves up tasty fare with a side of laid-back vibes (Charleston City Paper) Aug22

Folly’s newest...

Let’s start with the obvious: The name is magnificent. At once self-deprecating and a clever nod to the area, Lowlife elicits a chuckle and covers a lot of sins. Like the Eggos in the chicken and waffles ($12). Eggos? By which you mean a locally sourced, hand-crafted, bespoke heirloom...

With a little ironing out, Revival has plenty of promise (Charleston City Paper) Aug15

With a little ironin...

High-backed chairs, warm lighting — both natural and electric — and exposed brick accents make Revival a sophisticated space that belies our idea of a stuffy hotel restaurant. But looking a little more closely at the interior of Revival, one may note that every table in the dining room is...

Despite a few shortcomings, Chubby Fish is an airy and welcoming addition to Coming Street (Charleston City Paper) Aug08

Despite a few shortc...

When you first walk in, Chubby Fish is reminiscent of an Apple store. While both are white and airy, the vibe has little to do with aesthetics. Rather, there’s the same busy, buzzy energy and the feeling of too many people happily packed into a table-filled space. Once inside, a man...

Woodward Tavern offers milkshakes and bar food galore — at a not-so-sweet price (Charleston City Paper) Aug01

Woodward Tavern offe...

In 1994, Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction introduced the world to the concept of expensive milkshakes. “I’ll have the Durwood Kirby burger — bloody — and a five-dollar shake.” “Did you just order a five-dollar shake?” “Sure did.” “A shake?...

Parcel 32’s focus on indigenous cuisine is evocative, even if off-key at times (Charleston City Paper) Jul25

Parcel 32’s fo...

Before it was Fish, the Charleston single that now houses Parcel 32 was apparently the “peninsula’s highest volume bakery for 75 years.” Named for the original King Street block as noted on an 1888 map, the food, in kind, has an old-fashioned feel, with a focus on local,...

The Establishment’s dishes are so divine, you might just wax poetic (Charleston City Paper) Jul18

The Establishment...

If I should think of love  I’d think of you, The Establishment,  Your arms outstretched,  Offering me a bowl of razor clams ($13). Adorned with delicate, yet pungent garlic blossoms,  I blush as my breath grows bad. In contrast, the sweet, light shellfish meat luxuriates in a fresh...

Daps Breakfast & Imbibe serves familiar yet creative breakfast fare (Charleston City Paper) Jul11

Daps Breakfast &...

Daps Breakfast & Imbibe occupies a bright, Westside single renovated into something straight out of an Urban Outfitters catalog. Effortlessly trendy bordering on so-cool-they’re-not-even-trying, the menu similarly focuses on the breakfasts of champions: You know, English muffin egg...

Serving superlative seafood on a charming rooftop, Balao is the place to be on a sunny day (Charleston City Paper) Jul04

Serving superlative ...

On our first date, Balao stood me up. I’d made reservations under one of my ever-evolving pseudonyms and arranged to meet friends. But when we walked up to the hostess station at Burwell’s, the downstairs neighbor and gatekeeper of the rooftop location, we were met with a confused...

Betty’s Eatery does its best to invoke the simple comfort of Grandma’s kitchen (Charleston City Paper) Jun27

Betty’s Eatery...

Tucked behind Whole Foods in Mt. Pleasant, Betty’s Eatery is a breakfast and lunch joint, with a promise to “take you back to your grandma’s kitchen.” It does not stink of boiling cabbage and there wasn’t so much as a single TV playing an overly loud game show,...

Bistro A Vin is the French newcomer we didn’t know we needed (Charleston City Paper) Jun20

Bistro A Vin is the ...

As you walk into Bistro A Vin ­— the sister establishment and next-door neighbor to pastry-focused Cafe Framboise — the sound of Frank Sinatra fills the air. In accordance, the olive oil shop-turned-wine-bar is elegant, but cozy, with two high-tops, a handful of tables, and a bar with seating...

Uptown Social encourages conversation with solid bar food, boozy slushies, and rooftop views (Charleston City Paper) Jun13

Uptown Social encour...

As an introvert and an aspiring recluse, I first arrived at Uptown Social feeling a little … antisocial. Nonetheless, it was a mood that soon passed. Maybe it was the friendly waiter, with his go-getter hustle? Perhaps it was the late ’70s/early ’80s soundtrack, seemingly...

Renzo is exactly what a perfect neighborhood restaurant should be (Charleston City Paper) Jun06

Renzo is exactly wha...

In a town teaming with establishments serving small, thoughtful, farm-to-table dishes, it’s hard to stand out. Renzo, employing a seeming mantra of originality squared, has found a niche. It’s the bastard child of a well-heeled Spanish/Italian chef and a mad scientist. Not...

Creativity Reigns at Tu (Resy) Jun06

Creativity Reigns at...

Chef Joshua Walker of Tu began his career in design—working as an artist and designer in New York, prior to parlaying that creative vision to restaurants—and it’s a background that shines through at each of his establishments. The first, Xiao Bao Biscuit, a Pan-Asian eatery co-owned by...

There’s something for everyone, even pups, at Mainland Container Co. (Charleston City Paper) May30

There’s someth...

There’s dog friendly, and then there’s Mainland Container Co. “Four-legged friends!?” my dining companion read aloud, visibly aghast. “Why would they write it like that? That’s horrible! And chickens don’t have four… Oh.” Yep. Mainland...

Cannon Green menu needs time to mature (Charleston City Paper) May23

Cannon Green menu ne...

Walking into Cannon Green is like arriving at a perpetual garden party. With its moss-like chair cushions and charming country house facade, the bright, airy space is evocative of both a stage set and a putting green. The restaurant is undeniably beautiful, filled with reclaimed heart pine...

Peninsula Grill continues to impress 21 years on (Charleston City Paper) May16

Peninsula Grill cont...

There are milestones in life that require a fancy steak. Or at least the kind of place where one can get a fancy steak. If you’re in the midst of such an occasion, Peninsula Grill has got you covered. At the same time, Peninsula Grill is also something of a local institution. If you...

At Saltwater Cowboys, it’s the view that’s worth the wait (Charleston City Paper) May09

At Saltwater Cowboys...

If you’ve ever had any doubts about the validity of the old “location, location, location” adage, try to get a table at Saltwater Cowboys on Shem Creek. Be sure to bring a light snack, some correspondence you’ve been meaning to address, and a deck of cards, because the...

Millers All Day is great any time of day (Charleston City Paper) May02

Millers All Day is g...

Sometime in the last decade, large groups of strangers began standing in line on Sunday mornings. Gathering in hordes that often snake around city blocks, these spontaneous societies don’t congregate for religious or political reasons, but for access to bottomless mimosas and a variety...

Great patios and a super slaw are Tattooed Senorita’s selling points (Charleston City Paper) Apr18

Great patios and a s...

Overlooking the marsh at the intersection of Old Folly Beach and Folly roads, Tattooed Senorita Cantina is sure to beckon anyone crawling by in sun-worship-related traffic. But this is no mirage, and the casual bar/restaurant offers plentiful seating in a range of ambiances. There are four...

FIG Chef Mike Lata on Hospitality (Resy) Apr12

FIG Chef Mike Lata o...

In 2003, Chef Mike Lata and co-owner Adam Nemirow opened the now-iconic FIG. “What we stand for goes back to the beginning when we first started FIG,” Lata recalled. “We were in a city where the fine dining restaurants were very elite and exclusive, and their check average – as well as the...