From the Low Country seafood delights like she-crab soup and frogmore stew to amazing barbecue, biscuits, and grits in the Upcountry, you can expect a mouth-watering menu wherever you venture in South Carolina. This state knows how to eat well, with Charleston a leading light in southern cuisine. The nightlife in South Carolina is also high quality but as sedate as the overall lifestyle of the state’s residents.
Bars and Pubbing in South Carolina
You won’t do much clubbing in South Carolina, but if you enjoy a freshly-brewed pint of beer and friendly company you’ll do just fine. The state’s historic cities like Charlestown and Beaufort are great for cocktails in a cool Old South ambiance. Venues like The Brick (213 E. Bay St, Charleston) and the Rooftop at the Vendue Inn (19 Vendue Range, Charleston) are great starters.
The beach towns of Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach are also prime spots for a fun night out. Myrtle Beach is the livelier of the two, but you’ll likely have a good time at The Triangle district in Hilton Head. Here, sports bars and grills are packed together, making it easy to bar hop. Try Callahan Sports Bar & Grill (38 New Orleans Rd, Hilton Head) if the game is on.
Myrtle Beach is perhaps the best town in South Carolina to really cut loose and go clubbing. Head to the Celebrity Circle district to begin the fun. Eschelon, Razzies Beach Club, and the Indigo Lounge are three unique clubs situated within 2001 (920 Lake Arrowhead Rd, Myrtle Beach). Bars in the state close at 2:00 a.m. and smoking is not permitted.
Dining and Cuisine in South Carolina
While there is good dining all over South Carolina, the state’s culinary scene reaches its apex in Charleston. This town is a foodie pilgrimage site, with some of the finest and most creative restaurants in the American South. Traditional seafood dishes like she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and frogmore stew share the menu with French favorites and innovative New American dishes. There are countless top-drawer eateries in Charleston, but Charleston Grill (224 King St, Charleston) and Anson (12 Anson St, Charleston) stand out as superlative.
Hilton Head is another dining hotspot, with over 250 eateries on this little island. This upscale destination is infamous for its high prices so be prepared. Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte (8 New Orleans Rd, Hilton Head) and Redfish Grill (8 Archer Rd, Hilton Head) are among the finer restaurants here. Myrtle Beach is filled with predictable American eateries that may seem overpriced. For more authentic food, head inland to towns like Columbia where places like Mr Friendly’s New Southern Café (2001-A Greene St, Columbia) put a spin on southern classics.