If you want to sample Charleston's rich history and culture, the best place to start might just be at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lowcountry specialties, such as she-crab soup, Huguenot torte, benne wafers, fried green tomatoes and sweet potato pone, derived from recipes passed down from generation to generation capture the true flavor of Charleston.
Like the rest of Charleston's culture, the type of food served in the area resulted from a combination of influences. The English influence, of course, but also the French, Italians, Africans, Caribbean Islanders and many others who migrated here had a tremendous impact on what Charlestonians eat. The "melting pot" phenomenon simply made its way to the stove pot in kitchens across the region.
In many respects, Lowcountry cuisine is much like New Orleans cuisine, which developed from similar cultural influences. But if New Orleans is number one in the South for its cuisine, then Charleston is number two, and closing in.
This emergence of Charleston as a premier purveyor of fine cuisine actually began about 25 years ago. The re-introduction of Lowcountry cuisine into local restaurant menus sparked a food revolution that frequently puts Charleston in the national spotlight. The likes of Esquire, Condé Nast, Food & Wine, The New York Times, Wine Spectator, Southern Living, USA Today, and Gourmet Magazine often highlight area chefs and their restaurants. Charleston's starring role as a food phenomenon hasn't been lost on the Food Network and other television outlets, which can't seem to get enough of the beautiful city and her cuisine.
But what exactly is Lowcountry cuisine? Seafood is probably the first thing to come to mind. But more specifically, think gumbos, jambalayas, and crab cakes. Then toss in some rice, beans, and definitely spices for an unusual fare with flair.
Shrimp and grits is one of the dishes that tops the "must-have" list for visitors to the Charleston area wanting to eat an authentic Lowcountry meal. But the list of various recipes for shrimp and grits is as long as a chef's arm. So in order to become a shrimp and grits expert, you have to sample the dish at a number of restaurants around the area.
One of the reasons the Charleston area offers so many fine dining experiences is because so much of the food is grown locally. John's Island, one of the region's fertile stretches of farmland, serves as the backyard garden for local chefs. Squash, green beans, broccoli, spinach, collards, okra, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, a number of different lettuces, and even a variety of herbs are all grown locally. So instead of two or three days on a truck, Lowcountry restaurants receive it fresh-picked.
John's Island is the largest tomato producer in the country. In fact, a wide variety of different kinds of tomatoes are suited to the area. Everything from the tried-and-true old faithful and heirloom varieties to the hot new designer varieties grow well in the Lowcountry climate.
Then there are the onions. The Wadmalaw Sweet Onions are said to rival Vidalia Onions for their sweetness and distinctive flavor. Fresh John's Island produce is sold at the Farmer's Market held weekend mornings during the spring and summer, as well as in local supermarkets.
In restaurants that specialize in egg dishes, it pays to use Mepkin Abbey eggs. Twenty-nine monks coming from the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky founded Mepkin Abbey in 1949 in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The monks of Mepkin Abbey belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. In America and other places in the world they are commonly called Trappists. At the abbey located near Moncks Corner, S.C., they live a communal life of prayer, sacred reading, and work, in an environment of poverty, solitude, and simplicity. They raise chickens in order to sell their eggs to help support the abbey and its charitable endeavors.
Let's not forget Carolina Plantation Rice, grown by the only colonial plantation to offer rice commercially in the Carolinas. After an absence of almost 100 years, commercial rice production made a comeback in 1997 when Campbell Coxe planted rice on 20 acres of his family's farm near Darlington, S.C. Today, Plumfield Plantation is a truly distinctive 18th-century rice plantation. Its rice rates high on the aromatic scale, probably because of the soil, climate, water and northern latitude where Coxe grows the crop.
You can't enjoy your food without your favorite beverages. Charleston has the bragging rights to a couple of interesting "beverage" traditions. First is the Charleston Tea Plantation, which grows a smooth tea on Wadmalaw Island, located just minutes from downtown Charleston. The plantation is home to plants descended from those planted in the Lowcountry more than 100 years ago. While most imported teas are 9 to12 months old before reaching the consumer, the plantation's American Classic Teas are the freshest available in the United States, providing a smooth and mellow flavor to tea lovers. The tea is grown without the use of insecticides or fungicides for a leaner, purer tea than imports. At the Charleston Tea Plantation, all growing, harvesting, drying, grading, and packaging are done under the owners' direct supervision. America Classic Tea has been officially designated as the Hospitality Beverage of South Carolina in recognition of the company's unique and historical endeavor.
If beer is more your cup of tea, try locally brewed Palmetto Beer. The original Palmetto Brewing Company was operated in the late 1800s by two brothers who brewed a full-bodied lager from cistern water, offering both draft and bottled beer. The draft beer was put up in wooden casts and the bottled beer in returnable blue bottles. The brewery operated a block off the Market on Hayne Street. It was said that the icehouse operation, needed to provide the cooling to brew the beer, was the largest during that time period. The original Palmetto Brewing Company survived the great earthquake of 1896, offering an "Earthquake Brew," but closed its doors around the turn of the century. The first brew at the present Palmetto Brewing Company was tapped in April 1994, making it the first brewery to operate in South Carolina since Prohibition. The company's ales are handcrafted in the local tradition, using only malted barley, fresh choice hops, ale yeast and the pristine water of the north Edisto River. They never uses adjuncts, additives or preservatives, and every beer maintains uniqueness in color, richness, bitterness and aroma that makes for a distinctive taste.
Don't stop with the Lowcountry cuisine. While in Charleston, do as the Charlestonians. Pick a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods to sample and savor. You can find everything from our own tangy mustard-based barbeque and the best fried chicken you'll ever taste, to the finest Lowcountry-style food served in surroundings that drip with hospitality and ambience. Or you can tempt your taste buds with everything in-between: American, French, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cajun, Creole, and about anything else the food connoisseur can dream of can be found right here.
There are almost as many dining environments as there are foods to enjoy. They include everything from humming family friendly to island chic casual or romantic supping by candlelight.
You may not have come to Charleston for the food, but once you experience the truly unique tastes of Charleston, you'll certainly come back for the food...again and again.
Tristan offers a bold American menu with a global influence in a beautiful, yet relaxed atmosphere that reflects the character of a fine dining establishment. Located at 55 South Market Street (next to the French Quarter Inn), Tristan offers an energetic bar and an award-winning wine list.
In 1978 A.W. Shuck’s opened on The Market. It was a place where you could get a plate of fried shrimp, a dozen raw oysters or an ice cold pitcher of beer. Shuck’s has expanded and evolved, but has remained true to its roots of local décor, local food, and a local atmosphere ... a casual, upscale spot where all feel at home.
Welcome to Charleston. Our heart of pine floors, ceiling fans and walls of hand-made brick have been the signatures of Lowcountry high-life since antebellum times. Even our name is derived from plantation jargon for livin’ large. Our menu is hearty and southern, featuring regional favorites prepared with Maverick artistry.
If you want to sample Charleston's rich history and culture, the best place to start might just be at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lowcountry specialties, such as she-crab soup, Huguenot torte, benne wafers, fried green tomatoes and sweet potato pone, derived from recipes passed down from generation to generation capture the true flavor of Charleston.
This emergence of Charleston as a premier purveyor of fine cuisine actually began about 25 years ago. The re-introduction of Lowcountry cuisine into local restaurant menus sparked a food revolution that frequently puts Charleston in the national spotlight. The likes of Esquire, Condé Nast, Food & Wine, The New York Times, Wine Spectator, Southern Living, USA Today, and Gourmet Magazine often highlight area chefs and their restaurants. Charleston's starring role as a food phenomenon hasn't been lost on the Food Network and other television outlets, which can't seem to get enough of the beautiful city and her cuisine.
One of the reasons the Charleston area offers so many fine dining experiences is because so much of the food is grown locally. John's Island, one of the region's fertile stretches of farmland, serves as the backyard garden for local chefs. Squash, green beans, broccoli, spinach, collards, okra, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, a number of different lettuces, and even a variety of herbs are all grown locally. So instead of two or three days on a truck, Lowcountry restaurants receive it fresh-picked. 
In restaurants that specialize in egg dishes, it pays to use Mepkin Abbey eggs. Twenty-nine monks coming from the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky founded Mepkin Abbey in 1949 in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The monks of Mepkin Abbey belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. In America and other places in the world they are commonly called Trappists. At the abbey located near Moncks Corner, S.C., they live a communal life of prayer, sacred reading, and work, in an environment of poverty, solitude, and simplicity. They raise chickens in order to sell their eggs to help support the abbey and its charitable endeavors.
You can't enjoy your food without your favorite beverages. Charleston has the bragging rights to a couple of interesting "beverage" traditions. First is the Charleston Tea Plantation, which grows a smooth tea on Wadmalaw Island, located just minutes from downtown Charleston. The plantation is home to plants descended from those planted in the Lowcountry more than 100 years ago. While most imported teas are 9 to12 months old before reaching the consumer, the plantation's American Classic Teas are the freshest available in the United States, providing a smooth and mellow flavor to tea lovers. The tea is grown without the use of insecticides or fungicides for a leaner, purer tea than imports. At the Charleston Tea Plantation, all growing, harvesting, drying, grading, and packaging are done under the owners' direct supervision. America Classic Tea has been officially designated as the Hospitality Beverage of South Carolina in recognition of the company's unique and historical endeavor. 
Don't stop with the Lowcountry cuisine. While in Charleston, do as the Charlestonians. Pick a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods to sample and savor. You can find everything from our own tangy mustard-based barbeque and the best fried chicken you'll ever taste, to the finest Lowcountry-style food served in surroundings that drip with hospitality and ambience. Or you can tempt your taste buds with everything in-between: American, French, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cajun, Creole, and about anything else the food connoisseur can dream of can be found right here.
Tristan offers a bold American menu with a global influence in a beautiful, yet relaxed atmosphere that reflects the character of a fine dining establishment. Located at 55 South Market Street (next to the French Quarter Inn), Tristan offers an energetic bar and an award-winning wine list.
In 1978 A.W. Shuck’s opened on The Market. It was a place where you could get a plate of fried shrimp, a dozen raw oysters or an ice cold pitcher of beer. Shuck’s has expanded and evolved, but has remained true to its roots of local décor, local food, and a local atmosphere ... a casual, upscale spot where all feel at home.
Welcome to Charleston. Our heart of pine floors, ceiling fans and walls of hand-made brick have been the signatures of Lowcountry high-life since antebellum times. Even our name is derived from plantation jargon for livin’ large. Our menu is hearty and southern, featuring regional favorites prepared with Maverick artistry.
