Adventure Charleston: Where Southern Cuisine Reigns Supreme

Charleston, South Carolina is a small city, but it’s peppered with some mighty amenities: Historical and quaint architecture, park-lined waterways, and unmatched down-home cookin’. In fact, there are so many Southern, Gullah, and Lowcountry offerings, it’s difficult to decide which restaurants to patronize if you’re only in town for a couple of days. Should I go to Fig, the “intimate, neighborhood bistro” that specializes in seasonal and locally-inspired dishes with a modern twist? Or maybe, Jestine’s Kitchen to indulge in some Southern classics like fried chicken and stewed collard greens. Crosby’s Fish and Shrimp Company, tempted by local gifts from the sea? Sweatman’s Barbecue for South Carolina’s finest smoked-meats?

When the vast-array of choices start to make your head spin, or if you only have room for one, the decision is actually quite simple—take time for the grand jewel in Charleston’s excessively-embellished crown: Hominy Grill.

Hominy Grill is run by chef Robert Stehling and aims to please for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Located in a residential neighborhood just outside the city center and mixed amongst historically dilapidated homes, this standout offers a private patio or quaint and unpretentious indoor seating. An ever-changing menu, we decided on the oh-so-lovingly-sesame-encrusted farm-raised catfish, served on a bed of Gullah-inspired peanut sauce and sautéed okra; shrimp and cheese grits, sautéed with mushrooms, scallions, and smoky bacon; and the Hominy Grill vegetable plate that, tastily enough, included homemade macaroni and cheese as a “vegetable” of choice! We managed to spend a large portion of our afternoon under the warm December sun, washing-down our dinner and flooding our conversation with local brews and ginger beer—truly enjoying the best Charleston has to offer. Details: www.hominygrill.com.

Email this article!