Why locals love it
Malagón is a Spring Street tapas room — a short, rotating Spanish menu of paella, fried rabbit, rossejat negro, and the cult la bomba — that earned a Michelin Star in the inaugural American South guide. Chef Juan Cassalett's cooking and the room's late-night, vermouth-on-tap energy made it Charleston's most surprising 2025 star.
What locals are saying
Malagón Mercado y Taperia is a Michelin-starred (2025 American South debut) Spanish tapería and market in the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood, earning consistent local praise for its authentic, technique-driven Spanish cuisine and intimate old-world atmosphere. Chef Juan Cassalett's training under Charleston fine-dining stalwarts shows: locals and critics alike laud the use of fresh local catch and vegetables woven into traditional Spanish preparations, making it feel distinctly rooted in the Charleston culinary scene. The small, 'easy to walk past' space is a neighborhood gem shared by regulars, though the no-liquor-license policy (vermouth and sherry only) and tight reservations are frequently noted.
