Charleston – Your Guide to Unique Cuisine for 2024

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Charleston – Your Guide to Unique Cuisine for 2024

Charleston, like any other big city, has an array of eateries, including an expansive array of unique cuisines to delight anyone’s tastebuds.

This coastal city, about two hours south of Myrtle Beach, will delight you with its personality. Its horse-drawn carriages and 18th and 19th-century island-styled mansions, with high ceilings and broad “piazzas” (a 17th-century term for the open space Italian style porches) will charm you.

Unique cuisine - Charleston - mansion
One of the numerous mansions that populate Charleston.

Charleston’s abundant menu earns its title as one of the world’s top mecca’s for foodies. Our list of amazing cafes, bistros, brasseries, and fine-dining restaurants begins here and is updated regularly to keep you coming back.

Whether you’re road-tripping through South Carolina or flying into Charleston, don’t miss this legendary delight!

Fleet Landing

Unique cuisine - Charleston - Fleet Landing
Fleet Landing Seafood waterfront restaurant. The hotel nextdoor is under going renovations.

Fleet Landing is a waterfront restaurant in Charleston, located at 186 Concord Street. They are a block from the end of the City Market, in a 1942 Navy building.

There’s a car park to the left of the restaurant in front of the cruise ship terminal where $5 buys you a two-hour limit, which is perfect timing for your dining experience. 

Unique cuisine - Charleston - cruiseliner
A cruiseliner docked at the terminal next to the restaurant.

They are open seven days a week, serving lunch from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm, dinner from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and Sunday brunch from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. 

Unique cuisine - Charleston - Fleet Landing
Relaxing by the restaurant.

If you’re visiting Charleston during the festivities in November and December, plan your lunch experience at Fleet Landing. You may be blessed with a visit from the pod of dolphins that grace the waters in front of the restaurant. 

Unique cuisine - Charleston
View out the window of Fleet Landing.

And now for their delicacies. Open Table lists Fleet Landing as one of the top twelve restaurants in Charleston that crush the outdoor dining experience. 

Unique cuisine - Charleston -
Appetizer of lobster and shrimp stuffed hushpuppy with a creole tomato sauce.

 

Unique cuisine - Charleston - Fleet Landing
Fried flounder with steamed broccoli and coleslaw.

 

Unique cuisine - Charleston - Fleet Landing
A dessert of Fleet Landing of Chocolate Torte – cinnamon pecan crust, whipped cream, chocolate sauce.
Unique cuisine - Charleston - Fleet Landing
I loved the chocolate torte, but this Creme Brulee that my sister got was even better.

This serene waterfront seafood diner is not to be missed while visiting Charleston, especially if you are there in November and December.

Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant

Charleston - Unique Cuisines - Hyman's Seafood

Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant has been a legendary family business, in the same location, for over 134 years.  They guarantee customer satisfaction by having the current owner, 4th generation, Eli Hyman, personally interact with customers as they savour the mouthwatering delicacies.

Charleston - Unique cuisines Charleston - unique cuisines Charleston - unique cuisines

To clarify their legendary status, the list of celebrities who have dined her is unending. Autographed pictures abound and brass plaques adorn the tables showing where they enjoyed their cuisine. 

Charleston - unique cuisines - Hyman's - Neil Armstrong

In addition to the most famous moonwalker, Neil Armstrong, famous diners include Taylor Swift, Paula Dean, Billy Joel, Erma Bombeck, Patti Labelle, and Colonel Oliver North. These are among a litany of celebs who have frequented this establishment.

Charleston - unique cuisines - Hymans's - Seabass Croquettes

Furthermore, their extensive menu of delectable seafood cuisine also features gluten-free and Glatt Kosher options. Every dish is served in substantial portions and is affordably priced. 

To illustrate, we started with gator tail sausage bites and the best hushpuppies I’ve ever had. Following these appetizers, we partook in some mouthwatering Chilean Seabass Croquettes, served with more hushpuppies and roasted brussel sprouts drizzled with a special balsamic sauce.

Don’t let the line scare you – it moves quickly. If the wait exceeds 45 minutes, they will recommend other highly regarded restaurants in town. 

If you’re in Charleston don’t miss this southern delight!