Comparing Charleston’s newest donut shops, Fractured Prune and Duck Donuts (Charleston City Paper) Jan09

Comparing Charleston...

Donuts are nothing new. Dating back to the early 1800s, the Dutch-inspired, deep-fried rings of sweetened batter endure. Over the years, the breakfast treat has inspired fans, admirers, and what might be termed Donut People. Popular culture has offered up several notable Donut People, among...

Four years after opening, R Kitchen is still an innovative concept (Charleston City Paper) Dec19

Four years after ope...

When it opened in the summer of 2014, R Kitchen’s simple concept was also its flagship: Offer a limited number of nightly guests seating at a wooden bar flanking the minimal kitchen and open-shelved storage area. Positioned as fundamentally experiential, the website still boldly...

James Islanders luck out with Kwei Fei’s unlikely arrival and bold flavors (Charleston City Paper) Dec12

James Islanders luck...

What do an eighth century Chinese consort, an ’80s new wave soundtrack, and a dogged journeyman chef have in common? No, not a Jon Favreau time travel themed sequel to Chef, but a permanent — and much-deserved — home for chef David Schuttenberg’s former weekend-only...

With some fine tuning, Kid Cashew could be Mt. Pleasant’s newest go-to (Charleston City Paper) Dec05

With some fine tunin...

Some day in the not-too-distant future, a young, would-be hip-hop artist in Brazil will come up with the perfect rap name and Google it, only to find it’s already been taken by a restaurant chain founded in Charlotte, N.C. Alas, while Sao Paolo will never experience the dope beats of...

With a refined menu and sophisticated service, Tradd’s is a beautiful newcomer (Charleston City Paper) Nov28

With a refined menu ...

When Cypress shut down in May 2017, it was hard to imagine anything filling the venerable farm-to-table restaurant’s shoes. A year-and-a-half later, Tradd’s — now occupying the stunningly renovated space — has arrived on remarkably nimble feet. To start, the interior has been...

With standout aperitivo and made-to-order creations, Babas on Cannon hits the mark as a unique local cafe (Charleston City Paper) Nov21

With standout aperit...

Just when you thought Charleston couldn’t possibly support another small plates, European-inspired bar, along comes Babas on Cannon. With its high ceilings, full-length picture window, and white marble everywhere, elements of the airy space certainly look like they came from the Wine...

The Royal American serves up stellar music, boozy punches, and solid bar bites, with a few standouts (Charleston City Paper) Nov14

The Royal American s...

As your eyes adjust to the dark inside the former forge warehouse on Morrison Drive, you might notice the old photo booth, stained glass church windows, or a row of five top hats hanging above the stage. Certainly it’s hard to miss the vintage painting of a naked blonde, lying on her...

Melfi’s brings a convivial space and fresh, classic Italian to Upper King (Charleston City Paper) Nov07

Melfi’s brings a con...

Recently, I found myself Googling things like “Brooks Reitz Crazy Bastard” and “Tim Mink Hard Start.” Hey, I didn’t write the menu. It turns out these totally harmless, not-at-all-weird searches leads one again and again to Neighbourhood, the ‘hospitality...

Papi’s Taqueria serves lust-worthy tacos in a chic, laid-back space (Charleston City Paper) Oct31

Papi’s Taqueri...

“Ay, Papi!” is not something I’ve ever exclaimed … until this week. As the jubilation hit a notable peak, what can I say, except that Papi’s Taqueria made me do it. Whether Papi is a real boy or just a figurehead is unknown. Regardless, the Isle of Palms...

Two successful Charleston pop-up chefs talk about finding a semi-permanent niche in the city (Charleston City Paper) Oct24

Two successful Charl...

pop-up \ ‘päp-‘?p\ Phrasal verb of pop To appear or occur suddenly and unexpectedly. Used in reference to retail opportunities, dining experiences, and flashy ads promising untold sweepstakes riches, pop-ups are the surprise party of modern times. So what does it mean if a...

With its eclectic and thoughtful seafood offerings, Pier 22 is a welcome addition to Sullivan’s (Charleston City Paper) Oct24

With its eclectic an...

Nestled amongst the shops and eateries on the east side of Middle Street on Sullivan’s, Pier 22 is the latest in Chef Brannon Florie’s burgeoning restaurant dynasty. Sharing the upper level and some outdoor dining space with the adjacent High Thyme, Pier 22 focuses on the same mix...

Semilla puts down roots on President Street with solid food truck fare (Charleston City Paper) Oct17

Semilla puts down ro...

If there’s ever a case to be made for the existence of a collective unconscious, the sudden proliferation of like-minded restaurants should be studied. While 2017 brought us The Summer of Pizza Pie, fall of 2018 has ushered in a veritable bounty of taco shops. Enter the latest, Semilla,...

It’s always sunny at real deal mom and pop Yous Guys sandwich shop (Charleston City Paper) Oct10

It’s always su...

However cliche, if a city is known for a sandwich, it’s probably a good one. Enter Yous Guys on Folly Road, focused on sharing the love with a taste of the City of Brotherly Love. Set amongst a jeweler, a seamstress, and a Brazilian wax spa, the cozy joint is brimming with Eagles and...

With an expansive menu, stellar views, and friendly service, you’ll find something to love about Mill Street Tavern (Charleston City Paper) Oct03

With an expansive me...

Set on the less-populated east side of Coleman Boulevard, Mill Street Tavern is the latest to join the burgeoning Shem Creek Strip. In these parts, where the views are marshy and the menus are decidedly American, Mill Street is no exception. Similarly, it offers more than one bar, ample water...

Prices and portions aside, what’s not to love about Joséphine Wine Bar? (Charleston City Paper) Sep26

Prices and portions ...

Along with poke bowls, cold brew coffee, and mezcal, one of the most significant food trends to come down the pike as of late is the chef-driven wine bar. Forget cheese, crackers, and charcuterie, these establishments are significantly changing what it means to wine and dine, and the new...

You’ll get a taste of South America at Mario’s Peruvian Chicken (Charleston City Paper) Sep18

You’ll get a t...

Known for pisco, alpacas, and Machu Picchu, the stark, rugged landscape of Peru is about as far as one can get from the gently undulating Lowcountry. The food, however, is now available — at least in part — in a quiet end location in Sweetgrass Corner Shopping Mall in Mt. Pleasant. Much like...

At burgeoning Mexican-inspired chain Cantina 76, you can rely on the tacos (Charleston City Paper) Sep12

At burgeoning Mexica...

The new Cantina 76 on Coleman Boulevard is the fifth location in a seemingly burgeoning S.C. chain. With outposts in Columbia, Greenville, and Kiawah Island, the cantina offers “Mexican-inspired” fare, which seems to be another way of saying gringo chow. If flour tortillas filled...

With more focus on authentic Caribbean offerings, strip mall refuge JuJu could be the next locals hangout (Charleston City Paper) Sep05

With more focus on a...

Despite its residency in the relatively depressing Moultrie Plaza strip mall on Coleman Boulevard, JuJu is a sleek and stylish space. Presumably named for the West African spiritual practice, the sign declares the cuisine to be “Urban American Caribbean Fusion.” Considering...

Four local pizza makers prove beauty is in the eye of the beholder (DISH, Charleston City Paper) Aug29

Four local pizza mak...

Pizza is an equalizer. When tomorrow’s people look back on the strife and schisms that led to the decline and fall of our contemporary civilizations, they will laugh and ask, “Kial ne tauxga por pico?” which is Esperanto for, “Why didn’t they just meet for...

Daniel Island’s brewpub Dockery’s has ambitious goals to prove size matters (Charleston City Paper) Aug29

Daniel Island’...

After opening in early December of last year, Dockery’s — a mammoth, 10,000 square foot restaurant, brewery, and music venue on Daniel Island — brought in a new chef this spring. With stints all over the place, including The Macintosh and Obstinate Daughter, chef Chad Anderson’s...