“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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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?...

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,...

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 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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...