Stretching four city blocks, the old market is still the best way to experience a walk into the past from its food merchant roots to its slave origins. Present-day vendors sell a variety of goods, like the locally made sweetgrass baskets.
Stroll this iconic Charleston walk with grand Southern-style mansions overlooking Charleston Harbor. The waterfront promenade offers views of the Ravenel Bridge and historic Fort Sumter with echoes of the Civil War.
2200 plush orchestra seats surround an intimate stage where big name indie, pop, and country performers, visiting Broadway productions, and the summer jazz festival set up for acoustically inspired shows.
Pack a gourmet picnic lunch and enjoy stellar views of the Cooper River. Stroll the grounds with massive oak trees and rotating art sculptures. The contemporary, open-air pavilion is an excellent place to hear live music.
It may look somewhat nondescript, but this small southside spot hosts Broadway-caliber productions by playwrights like Neil Simon and Wendy Wasserstein.
As America's first theater, the French Quarter gem might be the most photographed spot in town. Look for the faded salmon-colored federal exterior and gorgeous green wrought iron balcony.
Located on Museum Mile, the small, early 1900s Beaux Arts museum houses a collection of genteel watercolors and decorative arts from the American South.
The South's answer to the Northeast's bagels. At the tiny local grab-and-go spot, choose from seven flavors of buttery, flaky biscuits. Top with cinammon whipped butter or add a side of grits, and you're ready to walk it off all the way down King Street. The best news? They now ship nationwide.
Come for chef Jeremiah Bacon's famous bone marrow bread pudding. Splurge on the decadent deckle, or time it right and get $5 plates at bacon happy hour.
Hailing from Nantucket Island, Jesse Sandole brings New England flavor to the South. Come early to nab a coveted spot at the bar or in the garden for lobster rolls, fish tacos, and the freshest oysters.
In a town not lacking for good ice-cream (shout-outs to Jeni's and Cirsea), Parlor Deluxe takes it up a notch with a modern take on old-fashioned counter classics (think hot dogs with names like Sylvester Shalom and The "Gee" Thang). Sidle up to the picture-perfect marble countertop for milkshakes and tater tots.
Slightly North of Broad (lovingly known as SNOB) has been dishing out delicious Lowcountry fare in an airy 18th-century warehouse building for more than 20 years. Chefs Frank Lee and Russ Moore keep the menu fresh, and the loyal lunch crowd keeps the energy buzzing.
At first glance, this hulk of an old filling station looks like anything but the scene of your next lemongrass ginger beer cocktail. But experimental Asian soul food and a serious playlist have turned the scruffy parking lot into a hotspot hangout. The only thing it's fueling these days is a citywide obsession with okonomiyaki (Japanese cabbage and scallion pancakes).
A meal here can just as easily skew decadent — if you spring for the "big chicken dinner" and pair it with bubbles — or down-home (hush puppies, six-packs, and soft-serve with jimmies). With a daily catch and no fewer than ten seasonal side salads, the menu is accommodating, even of calorie-counters. The cannily redesigned space, formerly Leon's Paint & Body Shop and now a study in ramshackle chic, will speak to coolhunters and Brooklynites, but the vibe here is refreshingly come-one-come-all.
Operating out of a restored 19th-century house, Brown's Court supplies industry neighbors like The Ordinary and Two Boroughs Larder with top-notch brioche. Walk-in regulars come for the pour-over coffee, sriracha croissants, and nightly happy hour discounts. Half-priced pecan sorghum pie and a spot on the second story side porch are the makings a fine afternoon.
Open for over fifteen years, it's a sophisticated Charleston classic. Nibble on tuna tartare and sip bubbles at the champagne bar. The intimate courtyard is a perfect al fresco spot.
Don't let the name fool you, as this airy neighborhood joint is open and pouring over forty suds on tap. They're also dishing out serious comfort eats like a pork slap sandwich, beer mussels, and duck pot pie.
James Beard-winner and locavore Chef Brock's spot is tucked away down a narrow alley. Inside, it's all exposed brick and reinterpreted Southern classic using heirloom grains and greens. Sample the four-course menu.
This laid-back artisanal grocery and gastro-eatery doles out a global mash-up of Mexican, Korean, and Taiwanese influences. Happy hour is a relaxed, canned beer-style affair with a bowl of brothy ramen.
An industrial-chic taqueria with canary yellow walls, charming outdoor picnic tables, and local ingredients tucked into hand-pressed tortillas.
The thin, artisanal, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza goes hand-in-hand with local toppings like South Carolina bacon, Ashley Farms chicken, and local craft beers in an open, casual brick storefront.
Get your fill of crabs, local Carolina oysters, and the three-tiered shellfish plateaux at the lovely, white-tiled oyster bar and seafood hall in a restored bank with massive windows and high ceilings. The raw bar fashioned out of reclaimed wood is the best place from which to appreciate the nautical bounty.
A classic country kitchen where low country comfort food is served with high ideals. Four-cheese macaroni elicits squeals from the cozy dining room; save room for smoked pork belly, shrimp BLT's, and fried oyster salad.
It's not a trip to the South until you've been fed the classics: shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, collard greens, homemade biscuits, and sweet tea. But to have all that goodness servedup by a James Beard Award-winning chef? Truly a Charleston treat.
Savor hearty Chinese pork-belly sandwiches and Korean BLT's made with local ingredients at communal tables in an airy industrial space. The changing menu is scrawled along chalkboard-painted walls, which you can peruse while sipping your favorite wine — it's B.Y.O. Daytime hours are famously limited, but early birds can pick up fried egg sandwiches with harissa ketchup and fontina next door at younger sibling takeaway spot, The Daily.
A traditional, south-of-broad B&B situated in the city's most historically coveted address with live oaks, lush cherry red azaleas, and a wraparound porch. Plop down with a good book and tea and call it an afternoon.
This three-story inn has all the Southern charm you're looking for: light-filled room, large airy windows, working fireplaces, and a great location mere steps from the best shopping and dining establishments.
Charleston charm with a capital "C": Eighteen chic guest rooms are spread out among five buildings with lovely gardens and cozy courtyards. Bespoke cooking packages and European breakfasts entice the food lover.
Centrally located and open since the nineteenth century, with 64 classically appointed, Southern-charmed rooms with four-poster beds, lavish window treatments, and roaring fires.
Owner Susan Hull Walker sells gorgeous clothing and accessories made by various women's cooperatives and female designers from around the globe (go here for pretty Indian textiles or bright African bangles).
A massive industrial space with old-world tin ceilings and crystal chandeliers stocked with a unique selection of modern women's apparel (from familiar names like Theory and Stella McCartney). Less-than-willing shopping companions will appreciate the waiting lounge with a fully stocked bar. Head next door to the equally decked out accessories shop.
Floor-to-ceiling shelves of handmade candles in 100 exclusive scents make up the fragrence library. If you're feeling overwhelmed, speak to an experienced candlers who'll recommend blends based on your preferences, or sign-up for a fun, BYOB candle-making workshop.
Filled with thoughtfully curated American-made home goods that are both modern and timeless. Look out for the shop's recently launched Shelter collection of handblown glassware and wheel-thrown ceramics designed and made in the Carolinas.
A clean, smartly curated men's shop for the new Southern gent, with rugged and hip Americana goods like Gitman Brother Vintage, Filson bags, and Makr Carry Goods.
This locally celebrated and legendary institution of footwear (sixty years and going strong) stocks designer (Blahnik, Saint Laurent, Louboutin) versions of classic loafers, sexy stilettos, and everything in between.
A small, rustic spot showcases a collection of over 150 artisanal cheeses: soft and stinky, creamy and luscious. Dairy lovers, you're covered. Charcuterie, mustards, and jams conjure images of a perfect picnic.
A beautifully curated dry goods shop with a coffee counter, picnic provisions, and industrial wood shelving stacked with DIY cheese kits, wine caddies, pocket knives, and indie magazines. Pick up an artisinal sandwich or two before heading to the park with your seedbombs.
The well-worn boutique caters to the feminine girl with a little edge. Labels like Isabel Marant, Rick Owens, and A Détacher hang on industrial racks surrounded by floor-to-ceiling shelves of accessories, fragrances, and tabletop goods.
A sweet, refurbished storefront gives way to letterpress treasures, fine papers, and notebooks from Kate Spade, Elum, and local darling Sideshow Press.
A husband-and-wife duo sell antique housewares, religious relics, folk art wood carvings, and other relics gathered and gleaned from regular trips to Europe. Relish the artifacts, and feel free to ask for anecdotes.