Best Southern Restaurants in Charleston

Cru Cafe, conveniently located on Pinckney Street across from the carriage tour companies of Charleston, offers gourmet style preparations of traditional Southern dishes and ingredients, at a very reasonable rate. The menu at Cru represents a modern, artful take on Southern classics alongside ethnically influenced appetizers and entrees, each presented beautifully. Stop into Cru post carriage tour or Charleston City Market shopping for one of Charleston's best kept fine dining secrets. Some of Cru Cafe's most delectable Southern dishes include the Cru Barrata with heirloom tomatoes, Fried Green Tomato with pork belly croutons and the Pecan Fried Brie with local honey.

Poogan's Porch is an iconic culinary landmark in Charleston, serving up some of the lowcountry's best Southern fare for decades from its quaint cottage setting. Expect beautifully prepared plates of traditional Southern dishes, served with a modern flair, made from locally sourced ingredients. Poogan's Porch is open 365 days a year, making this memorable restaurant the ideal destination for a gathering of friends and family, a holiday celebration, or even a quiet romantic date. When visiting Poogan's Porch, opt for the tried-and-true local favorites, such as the She Crab Soup, Pimento Cheese Fritters or Fried Green Tomatoes to start your meal. For the main event, highlights include the Crispy-Skin Snapper, All Natural Fried Chicken, and of course, the Shellfish & Grits.

Located just across the Ashley River from downtown Charleston, The Glass Onion attracts both locals and visitors with its classic Southern comfort foods and family-friendly atmosphere. The Glass Onion shares its name with a White Album Beatles' song, and is perhaps just as popular for its Tuesday Fried Chicken Suppers. This weekday dinner special is in high demand, and reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance, and the fried chicken itself is first-come, first-served. Tuesday Chicken Suppers are sold as plates with two sides ($13 for white meat and $12 for dark meat). When it's necessary to reserve your fried chicken in advance, you know you're in for an authentic Southern meal!

This approachable, budget-friendly West Ashley diner offers the true Southern experience to both locals and visitors to Charleston with a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night hot plates. The Early Bird Diner, living up to its name with late night service til 4am on weekends, is a dependable choice for affordable Southern food in the Charleston area. Look for such Southern menu items as their famous Chicken & Waffles, Fried Pork Chop with Pepper Jelly, Blackened Catfish and Meatloaf to satisfy your comfort food cravings. If you're heading out to Early Bird for weekend brunch, head there early! Lines often form in reflection of the demand for an Early Bird Diner hangover cure!

Stop by Callie's Hot Little Biscuit for breakfast, lunch, or even a late night snack when you're craving fresh, made-from-scratch Southern biscuits. This tiny bakery-restaurant boasts a wide variety of topped and filled biscuits, priced at just $5 for three or $19 for a baker's dozen. Choose from 7 types of hot little biscuits: Buttermilk, Cheese & Chive, Shortcake, Blackberry, Cinnamon, Black Pepper Bacon, and Country Ham. In addition to the regular biscuit offerings, Callie's Hot Little Biscuit's daily specials often include biscuit bowls of soup, shrimp and grits, tomato pie and more! Check their Facebook page for today's offering - you won't be disappointed!

Page's Okra Grill of Mount Pleasant is a casual, Southern eatery, serving "Local Food for Local Folks" since its opening in 2006. Owned and operated by the Page family, Page's Okra Grill is run by executive chef Ashleigh Page and her sister, General Manager Courtney. This laid-back restaurant offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, outdoor seating, and consistently delicious Southern plates at a great value. Daily specials appear on the menu for each meal of the day, and biscuits are made from scratch by the hundreds each morning. Order the Hungryneck Pimiento Cheese or the Redneck Rolls for your appetizer, but leave room for Ashleigh's Famous Shrimp and Grits, Country Fried Steak or Fried Chicken Livers for your main course!

There's a little pink painted building on Morrison Drive that's self-described as a "roll-your-eyes-it's-so-good" soul food restaurant, and for many, that's exactly what a Martha Lou's lunch is all about. This homey, welcoming spot is situated in a rapidly developing area of north downtown, and it always has been—serving the people of Charleston and beyond for over 30 years. Expect a great value on all the soulful Southern classics—lima beans, mac, pork chops, giblet rice, collards, and fried chicken—and even meet the owner and chef, Martha Lou Gadsen. Martha Lou's little pink restaurant is now a family business, with daughters and granddaughters helping to run the show. Martha Lou's remains and important landmark on Charleston's culinary map, and makes for a spot-on affordable meal for Southern food lovers.

You'll find Husk, one of the Southeast's most critically acclaimed restaurants, tucked into a quiet stretch of Queen Street downtown just a few blocks from the waterfront. The unassuming home style building is an ideal setting for the warm and welcoming service, as well as the true-to-tradition plates being served inside. From brunch to lunch, dinner and dessert, you'll find that you really can't make a poor menu selection. Menus change twice daily according to what's in season or available locally, so be sure to check the Husk website before your mealtime visit. An order of the Skillet of Cornbread with Bacon is not to be missed, and a true representation of Husk's ability to master simple Southern fare. When Shrimp 'n Grits appears on the daily menu, it's an opportunity that should be seized, along with fried chicken or catfish entrees. Reserve a porch patio table if possible!