EAT
Hominy Grill
Hominy Grill is a staple for Southern comfort food. This high-energy spot is kid-friendly and serves breakfast through dinner but is most famous for its brunch and James Beard Foundation Award winning chef/owner Robert Stehling.
Spokin Tip: During dinner, the kitchen serves boiled peanuts, but they’re kept in a separate area, and the staff is very aware of cross contamination. There’s also a gluten-free menu upon request.
Details: hominygrill.com
Edmund’s Oast
Edmund’s Oast offers an American fare menu that changes daily as well as a beautiful outdoor patio. This hip and trendy spot also gets Zagat’s nod—it’s rated one of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Charleston.
Spokin Tip: During dinner, the kitchen serves boiled peanuts, but they’re kept in a separate area, and the staff is very aware of cross contamination. There’s also a gluten-free menu upon request.
Details: hominygrill.com
Husk
Chef Sean Brock’s Husk is quinessential Charleston: an ever-changing and seasonal menu of Southern comfort and farm-to-table dishes. The restaurant also gives you a taste of Southern architecture since it’s located inside a restored Victorian style home that dates back to the late 1800s.
Spokin Tip: Note that boiled peanuts are featured on the menu, but the servers are very educated on food allergies and extremely helpful.
Details: huskrestaurant.com
Butcher and Bee
Butcher and Bee sits inside a barn-like building with a lively open patio. The restaurant serves locally and ethically sourced ingredients and offers guests anything from mezze or “small” plates to thick sandwiches and a variety of burgers.
Spokin Tip: Butcher and Bee doesn’t use separate fryers, so when ordering ask your server if there are any fried specials that have nuts.
Details: butcherandbee.com/locations/charleston
5Church
5Church offers a vibrant atmosphere and a menu with a modern take on regional favorites as well as various meat options. Equally as impressive is its magnificent setting—the restaurant is situated inside a former church with arched ceilings and beautiful stained glass windows.
Spokin Tip: The lemongrass mousse comes with sprinkles that are made with almond flour, so if you have a nut allergy, just make sure to ask for no sprinkles.
Details: 5churchcharleston.com
Indaco
This rustic eatery, with its communal tables, open kitchen, and comfortable setting, serves many Italian favorites. The restaurant offers breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, which you can enjoy on its outdoor patio. They also have a kid’s menu with all the usual suspects.
Spokin Tip: The pizzas and pastas are not gluten-free, but the restaurant offers plenty of other options.
Details: indacocharleston.com
PLAY
Folly Beach
If you’re looking for a day outside of Charleston, head to Folly Beach or as the locals call it—the Edge of America. A 25-minute drive from Charleston, Folly Beach is a great place for the family to surf and boat or spend time in the town as you shop and eat at the local restaurants.
Details: follybeach.com
Battery & White Point Gardens
Walk along the Battery, a scenic promenade on the southernmost tip of Charleston’s peninsula. Besides the rich Civil War history, enjoy spectacular views of Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor, explore the beautiful White Point Gardens, and revel in the grand Antebellum homes that line the Battery.
Details: discoversouthcarolina.com/products/359
Fort Sumter
Decades of growing strife between the North and South erupted into Civil War on April 12, 1861, when Confederate artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. Grab the boat from Liberty Square in downtown Charleston for a 30-minute cruise to the fort where you’ll spend time visiting its historic sites.
Details: nps.gov/fosu/index.htm
STAY
Two Meeting Street Inn
Two Meeting Street Inn is housed in a restored historical building located in the heart of downtown Charleston—on its namesake—Meeting Street. This quaint bed and breakfast is only half a mile from Waterfront Park where you can enjoy a relaxing afternoon watching the sailboats along the harbor.
Details: twomeetingstreet.com
Wentworth Mansion
Located in downtown Charleston, the Wentworth Mansion is a 21-room mansion turned hotel. Offering a luxury spa, gracious hospitality, and a seasonally inspired restaurant, the Wentworth Mansion gives its guests the full Charleston experience.
Details: wentworthmansion.com
Belmond Charleston Place
This classic and grand luxury hotel is in the heart of Charleston. The incredible location combined with its amenities, including a mini refrigerator, pool, and spa, gives you the best of the best in Southern hospitality.
Details: belmond.com/charleston-place
