Sizzling Secrets: Charleston's Culinary Renaissance Unveiled!

Food Scene Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina, is where culinary tradition sashays with innovation, and right now the city is having a gastronomic moment worthy of any food lover’s attention. New restaurant openings and the creative ambitions of decorated chefs are giving fresh flavors to the Holy City’s long-revered culinary reputation, all while honoring the Lowcountry larder and Charleston’s deep multicultural roots.

Anyone landing in Charleston hungry for what’s new will quickly hear the buzz around Costa in Harleston Village. The coastal Italian concept, steered by chef Vinson Petrillo, stands out even in a seafood-rich town. Costa’s luminous, airy dining room sets the stage for beautiful crudos—think scallop with passionfruit and citrus—candele pasta tangled with rich anchovy, and show-stopping swordfish, prepped each day with local catch. It’s already being dubbed the best Amalfi Coast experience this side of the Atlantic, rounded out with a tangy lemon tiramisu inspired by the Italian coast.

Filipino cuisine is also turning heads at Kultura, where chef-owner Nikko Cagalanan delivers soulful plates like pancit, sisig, and Valenciana—pork and shrimp paella—showcasing Charleston’s embrace of global flavors. Kultura’s inventive cocktails match the plates for creativity, with pandan syrup, tequila, and tropical twists defying tradition and inviting conversation, much like the chef himself.

For those who crave Southern comfort with a touch of modern grace, Lowland makes the case for being the city’s most exciting new Southern table. Housed in a historic Charleston home at The Pinch Hotel and directed by James Beard Award-winner Jason Stanhope, the menu is bright with local produce, offering bold takes like celery salad with dates and walnuts or yellowfin tuna crudo with yuzu and spicy peanuts. The butterscotch pot de creme, smooth as old jazz, leaves an indelible impression.

Signature Charleston dishes like shrimp and grits and she-crab soup are still musts. ACME Lowcountry Kitchen slings jerk shrimp over coconut grits with pineapple salsa, while The Palmetto Cafe’s she-crab soup remains the gold standard: creamy, briny, and deeply satisfying. Okra soup, fried green tomatoes, and Frogmore stew pay homage to the city’s Gullah, African, and Native American culinary roots, all starring the region’s unique ingredients—plump shrimp from local docks, heirloom grits, and just-picked okra.

With food festivals, pop-up chef collaborations, and natural wine bars igniting the cityscape, Charleston’s food scene is more dynamic—and welcoming—than ever. Its magic lies in the respectful discord between past and present: where historic homes play host to boundary-pushing kitchens, and every meal hums with local pride. For listeners passionate about discovery, Charleston is a banquet of stories, flavors, and experiences—one city where tradition never stands still..


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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Charleston, South Carolina, is where culinary tradition sachets with innovation,
and right now the city is having an astronomic moment
worthy of any food lover's attention. New restaurant openings and
the creative ambitions of decorated chefs are giving fresh flavors
to the Holy City's long revered culinary reputation, all while
honoring the low country larder and Charleston's deep multicultural roots.

(00:24):
Anyone landing in Charleston hungry for what's new will quickly
hear the buzz around Costa and Harleston Village. The coastal
Italian concept, steered by chef Vincent Petrullo, stands out even
in a seafood rich town. Costa's luminous airy dining room
sets the stage for beautiful crudos thinks scallop with passion
fruit and citrus, candele el pasta tangled with rich anchovy,

(00:47):
and show stopping swordfish prepped each day with local catch.
It's already being dubbed the best Amalfi Coast experience this
side of the Atlantic. Rounded out with a tangy lemonterramasou
inspired by the Italian coast Filipino cuisine is also turning
heads at Cultura, where chef owner Nico Kagalanin delivers soulful
plates like Pansit sisig and Valenciana pork and Shrimpaela, showcasing

(01:12):
Charleston's embrace of global flavors. Culteur's inventive cocktails match the
plates for creativity, with pandan syrup, tequila and tropical twists,
defying tradition and inviting conversation, much like the chef himself.

(01:35):
For those who crave Southern comfort with a touch of
modern grace, Lowland makes the case for being the city's
most exciting new Southern table. Housed in a historic Charleston
home at the Pinch Hotel and directed by James Beard
Award winner Jason Stanhope, the menu is bright with local produce,
offering bold takes like celery salad with dates and walnuts,

(01:57):
or yellowfin tuna crudo with yuzu and icy peanuts. The
butterscotch pot the cram smooth as old jazz leaves an
indelible impression. Signature Charleston dishes like shrimp and grits and
she crab soup are still musts Achemy Low Country kitchen
slings jerk shrimp over coconut grits with pineapple salsa, while

(02:19):
the Palmetto Cafes she crab soup remains the gold standard. Creamy, briny,
and deeply satisfying. Okra soup, fried green tomatoes and frogmore
stew pay homage to the city's Gulla, African and Native
American culinary roots, all starring the region's unique ingredients, plump

(02:40):
shrimp from local docks, heirloom grits, and just picked okra.
With food festivals, pop up chef collaborations, and natural line
bars igniting the cityscape, Charleston's food scene is more dynamic
and welcoming than ever. Its magic lies in the respectful
discord between past and present, where historic homes play host

(03:03):
to boundary pushing kitchens and every meal hums with local
pride for listeners passionate about discovery. Charleston is a banquet
of stories, flavors, and experiences, one city where tradition never
stands still