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Best Restaurants in Charleston — Ranked by Locals · CharlestonRanked

Home/Restaurants

Charleston · Restaurants

Best restaurants in Charleston

The places locals actually book — from neighborhood lunch spots to tasting-menu nights.

Showing 25 of 590 in Downtown · May 6, 2026

1
684 King St, Charleston
WELTONS TINY BAKESHOP
Compact King Street bakery turning out pastries and coffee from a small-format shop with outdoor seating.
4.8370 ratings
Open
2

Downtown240 Mexican39 Bakery21 Thai8 Vietnamese3 West Ashley70 Mount Pleasant57 Seafood85 Outdoor seating416 Takeout524 Pizza54

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AreaDowntown240 West Ashley70 Mount Pleasant57 North Charleston49 James Island39 Sullivan's Island29 Folly Beach23 Isle of Palms20 Hanahan17 Daniel Island14 Summerville9 Johns Island7 Kiawah Island6 Goose Creek4 Seabrook Island4 Wadmalaw Island2 Clear

CuisineItalian45 Sushi35 Mexican39 BBQ25 Seafood85 Steakhouse17 Vietnamese3 Thai8 Pizza54 Sandwich

198 E Bay St STE 100, Charleston

Carmella's Cafe and Dessert Bar

Tranquil eatery featuring sandwiches & charcuterie, classic Italian desserts, wine & cocktails.

4.7★·2.9k ratings

Open

MESU

570 King St, CharlestonTrending

MESU

Japanese-Mexican fusion restaurant on upper King Street, with sushi and tacos sharing a menu alongside cocktails and occasional live music.

4.6★·1.4k ratings

Pink Bellies

595 King St Ste 1, CharlestonTrending

Pink Bellies

Counter-service Vietnamese on upper King, built around pho, banh mi, and rice bowls with a tight beer list.

4.6★·2.1k ratings

Bon Banh Mi Southeast Asian Kitchen

162 Spring St, Charleston

Bon Banh Mi Southeast Asian Kitchen

Bright counter-serve spot offering build-your-own banh mi sandwiches, tacos & salads.

4.6★·577 ratings

Mercantile & Mash

701 E Bay St Suite 100-1, Charleston

Mercantile & Mash

Sprawling setup combining grocery, whiskey bar, coffee, wine & butcher shops, plus dining & games.

4.5★·971 ratings

Mango Tree Thai Cafe

396 Huger St Suite 110, Charleston

Mango Tree Thai Cafe

Neighborhood Thai spot on Huger Street serving curries, noodles, and beer in a low-key strip mall setting.

4.5★·468 ratings

ThaiZapp Restaurant and bar

200 Meeting St Unit 2, CharlestonTrending

ThaiZapp Restaurant and bar

Straightforward restaurant offering traditional Thai cuisine, including chicken satay & dumplings.

4.7★·3.2k ratings

Daniela's Downtown

132 Spring St, Charleston

Daniela's Downtown

Neighborhood coffee shop and deli on Spring Street, pouring espresso and serving pastries alongside beer and wine.

4.6★·121 ratings

Rancho Lewis

1503 King St, Charleston

Rancho Lewis

Ford Fry's Tex-Mex outpost on upper King, slinging smoked meats, flour tortillas, and margaritas in a lively, wood-paneled room.

4.6★·8.2k ratings

Taco Boy Charleston

217 Huger St, Charleston

Taco Boy Charleston

Tacos with innovative fillings & frozen cocktails in a funky, vibrant setting, plus outdoor seating.

4.4★·3.3k ratings

Cachita's Kitchen Downtown

2 N Market St, Charleston

Cachita's Kitchen Downtown

Cuban-Mexican kitchen on Market Street serving ropa vieja and tacos in a compact, dog-friendly dining room.

4.3★·194 ratings

Santi’s Restaurante Mexicano

1302 Meeting St, Charleston

Santi’s Restaurante Mexicano

A collection of eclectic chandeliers light up the Mexican & Southwest food & frozen drinks.

4.4★·2.1k ratings

Tasty Thai & Sushi

320 W Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant

Tasty Thai & Sushi

Neighborhood strip-mall Thai and sushi spot on Coleman Boulevard, steady enough to earn loyal Mt. Pleasant regulars over the years.

4.5★·207 ratings

El PinchoTaco

616 Meeting St ste b, Charleston

El PinchoTaco

Counter-service taco spot on upper Meeting Street pouring beer and wine alongside straightforward Mexican street food.

4.4★·591 ratings

Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale

410 W Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant

Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale

Counter-service Tex-Mex spot on Coleman Boulevard slinging loaded nachos and cheap beer since the '90s.

4.4★·1.3k ratings

Saveurs Du Monde Cafe WestEdge

Parking lot, 22 Westedge St Suite 101, Charleston

Saveurs Du Monde Cafe WestEdge

French-inflected cafe tucked into the WestEdge development, serving coffee and breakfast with a global pantry.

4.4★·284 ratings

KING STREET FOODS

347 King St, Charleston

KING STREET FOODS

Fast-casual counter on King Street serving sushi burritos and poke bowls where Hawaiian and Japanese overlap.

4.4★·315 ratings

Ru Ru's Tacos & Tequila

159 E Bay St, Charleston

Ru Ru's Tacos & Tequila

Casual Mexican spot on East Bay slinging tacos and tequila to the downtown lunch and late-night crowd.

4.3★·1.6k ratings

Ruby's New York Style Bagels, LLC

280 W Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant

Ruby's New York Style Bagels, LLC

New York-style bagels and coffee on Coleman Boulevard, covering breakfast and takeout in Mount Pleasant.

4.3★·446 ratings

Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale

439 King St, Charleston

Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale

Colorful eatery & sports bar for Mexican-inspired bites & drinks, plus live music & patio seating.

4.2★·1.5k ratings

Handy and Hot

68 Wentworth St, Charleston

Handy and Hot

Quaint, cool restaurant whipping up sweet & savory biscuits & hand pies, plus coffee.

4.2★·217 ratings

CO Restaurant

340 King St, Charleston

CO Restaurant

Hip choice for contemporary twists on Southeast Asian staples like pho, banh mi & dumplings.

4.2★·1.2k ratings

Benne’s by Peninsula Grill

112 N Market St, Charleston

Benne’s by Peninsula Grill

Daytime coffee shop and evening cocktail bar from the Peninsula Grill team, tucked into the Market Street corridor.

4.2★·252 ratings

Agaves Cantina Coleman Blvd

320 W Coleman Blvd unit p, Mt Pleasant

Agaves Cantina Coleman Blvd

Neighborhood Mexican cantina on Coleman Boulevard serving margaritas and tacos in a casual, reservable dining room.

4.2★·251 ratings

25

VibeDate night25 Brunch232 Cheap eats83 Outdoor seating416 Late night8

AmenitiesReservations310 Takeout524 Delivery300