FIG
Come for amazing dishes using locally sourced ingredients at FIG (for Food Is Good), which is unfussy but elegant—and completely hopping. Chef Mike Lata, who picked up the James Beard award for best chef of the Southeast in 2009, is the chef and partner.
Butcher & Bee
Catch the ever-changing sandwich menu for Butcher & Bee on Facebook and Twitter each day; this unfussy spot posts a photo of its offerings written on a chalkboard. Grilled cheese with fontina, zucchini and roasted garlic? Yes, please!
McCrady's Restaurant
Come for new Southern fine dining from Sean Brock, winner of the James Beard best chef Southeast award in 2010, at McCrady's. The venue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Landmarks, with spectacular exposed brickwork and gas lamps.
Husk
Also from Brock, Husk has a menu driven by local ingredients in an unfussy atmosphere with a sprawling front porch for relaxing before or after a meal. Next door, in a an adjacent brick building, is an equally welcoming bar where perfectly spherical ice cubes get patrons talking.
The Ordinary
If seafood and oysters are your thing, you'll be in heaven at the Ordinary—which takes over an old Charleston bank for an airy experience that's far from ordinary. Look for fare sourced from local fisherman, farmers and producers. This place comes from the folks behind FIG.
Charleston Grill
Chef Michelle Weaver is behind the menu at Charleston Grill, which changes regularly. There's live jazz seven nights a week in this convivial spot. Eat in the dining room or the lounge if a sofa suits you better.
Cypress
Two-time James Beard nominee Craig Deihl is behind the Southern cooking eatery Cypress located in a historic two-story building downtown. Meat eaters and seafood lovers will feel right at home here.
The Grocery
Executive chef and owner Kevin Johnson meant to conjure memories of small-town grocery stores with the Grocery. Seasonal ingredients comprise dishes on the menu—and the restaurant cans fresh produce right in house to preserve it. A wood-burning oven makes the restaurant, located in a furniture warehouse, totally cozy.