Tasting the world
Charleston is considered a foodie town because of its abundance of restaurants ranging from Southern cuisine (Husk and SNOB) to French (Chez Nous and Rue de Jean) and Italian (Indaco and Wild Olive). But that’s only a small percentage of international cuisine found these days across the Lowcountry. What about the rest of the world’s offerings?
Two seasoned chefs said over the last two decades, the spectrum of Charleston cuisine has expanded, albeit slowly. They marvel how cuisine offerings now include everything from Jamaican and African to Pakistani and Vietnamese.
“I’ve been here about 13 years and I remember when I first moved here, there weren’t a lot of ethnic foods,” said chef Raul Sanchez of Maya del Sol Kitchen in North Charleston. “I think it’s finally getting a little bit of more support.”
Kelly Chu of West Ashley’s Cirsea Ice Cream and whose longtime Chinese favorite Red Orchids China Bistro just closed, remembers how she and husband Tony Chu wanted to introduce authentic Chinese food to Charleston 20 years ago. They wanted menu items like shrimp with heads on or whole fish. But the cuisine was considered too unusual at the time.
“And then now, people come in and are like, “Oh, this is American Chinese. They’re not authentic,’ ” she said. “I’m glad that people are much more open to that and just having people come in from different cultures and backgrounds. It really diversifies our city.”
But just because an international cuisine comes to the area, that doesn’t always mean it will stay.
“Through the years that I’ve been here, sadly enough,” Sanchez said, “I saw many places open that should have stayed [open] but never got the support, because either they didn’t open in a nice neighborhood or just people wouldn’t come out.”
In this issue of Dish, we offer the following list, generally by cuisine. While not comprehensive, it will give you an idea of the array of international restaurants and markets that you may not have heard of, where you can taste the world in Charleston with diverse options that will be here for the long haul.
Africa
African Market Groceries
North Charleston | (843) 277-2033
Bintou’s Atelier
Downtown
@bintu.chs on Instagram
Lydiesika Market Afrik
North Charleston | (843) 974-4631
lydiesikaafrik.com
Asian Fusion
Bok Choy Boy
West Ashley
@bokchoyboyfood on Instagram
Fire Grill Asian Fusion
Downtown | (843) 641-0152
firegrillcharleston.com
Ichiban Steak House & Asian Fusion
West Ashley | (843) 641-0066
ichibancharleston.com
Jackrabbit Filly
North Charleston | (843) 460-0037
jackrabbitfilly.com
Jiang’s Asian Kitchen
James Island | (843) 406-0508
jiangsasiankitchen.com
The Oriental Cuisine
North Charleston | (843) 744-0144
theorientalcuisine.com
Zen Asian Fusion
West Ashley | (843) 766-6331
zenasianrestaurant.com
Brazil
Chão Goiano Brazilian Steakhouse and Bakery
Goose Creek | (843) 640-3450
Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse
Downtown | (854) 999-3950
galpaogauchousa.com
British/Irish
The CODfather, Proper Fish & Chips
North Charleston, Summerville | (843) 789-4649
thecodfatherchippy.com
The Fish & Chippy
Mount Pleasant | (843) 388-4389
thefishandchippy.com
Madra Rua Irish Pub
North Charleston | (843) 554-2522
madraruapub.com
My Father’s Moustache
James Island, Mount Pleasant | (843) 884-2425
myfathersmustache.com
A Salt n Battered, a Fish Fry and Bar Co.
West Ashley | (843) 225-3959
asaltnbattered.com
Seanachai Whiskey & Cocktail Bar
Johns Island | (843) 737-4221
seanachaiwhiskeyandcocktailbar.com
Tommy Condon’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
Downtown | (843) 577-3818
tommycondons.com
Caribbean
Caribbean Delight
North Charleston | (843) 974-4825
caribbeandelightsc.com
Jamaican Grill
North Charleston | (843) 793-4859
jamaicangrillsc.com
Taste of the Islands
West Ashley | (843) 804-9554
facebook.com/tasteoftheislands
China
Dragon Palace Chinese Bistro
Daniel Island | (843) 388-8823
dragonpalacesc.com
Kwei Fei
James Island | (843) 225-0094
kweifei.com
Old Li’s Restaurant
West Ashley | (843) 640-3994
oldlisrestaurant.com
Xiao Bao Biscuit
Downtown
xiaobaobiscuit.com
France
Bistronomy by NICO
Downtown | (843) 410-6221
bistronomybynico.com
Chez Nous
Downtown | (843) 579-3060
cheznouschs.com
Fast and French
Downtown | (843) 577-9797
fastandfrenchcharleston.com
Felix Cocktails et Cuisine
Downtown | (843) 203-6297
felixchs.com
Gabrielle
Downtown | (843) 990-5460
hotelbennett.com
La Bonne Franquette
West Ashley | (843) 709-7962
facebook.com/labonnefranquette
Greece
Olympik Restaurant and Bakery
West Ashley | (843) 556-9359
olympikrestaurantandbakery.com
Philosophia
Mount Pleasant | (854) 227-5738
philosophiamtpleasant.com
Stella’s
Downtown | (843) 400-0026
stellacharleston.com
Gullah/Soul
Bertha’s Kitchen
North Charleston | (843) 554-6519
facebook.com/berthaskitchen
Charleston Specialty Foods
North Charleston | (843) 744-8991
charlestonspecialtyfoods.com
Geechee Garlic Crabs & Seafood
North Charleston | (843) 225-3616
geecheegarlic.com
Gullah Gourmet
Folly Beach | (843) 556-0333
gullahgourmet.com
Hannibal’s Kitchen
Downtown | (843) 722-2256
hannibalkitchen.com
Nigel’s Good Food Express
North Charleston | (843) 552-0079
nigelsgoodfood.com
India/Pakistan
Baba Kabob Market and Deli
North Charleston | (843) 990-9522
babba-kabob-market-and-deli.business.site
Bombay Bazar and Indian Restaurant
North Charleston | (843) 554-5323
bombaybazarindianrestaurant.com
India Spice
West Ashley | (843) 203-6470
spicesandgrocery.com
Malika Canteen
Mount Pleasant, James Island | (843) 388-5178
malikacanteen.com
Ma’am Saab
Downtown | (843) 259-2660
maamsaabchs.com
Nirlep Indian Restaurant
West Ashley | (843) 763-9923
nirlepindianrestaurant.com
Spice Palette Indian Cuisine
Mount Pleasant | (843) 306-9626
spicepaletteindiancuisine.com
Taste of India
West Ashley | (843) 556-4444
tasteofindiacharleston.com
Italy
Coda del Pesce
Isle of Palms | (843) 242-8570
codadelpesce.com
Indaco
Downtown | (843) 872-6828
indacorestaurant.com
Laura Summerville
Summerville | (843) 738-6988
laurasummerville.com
Renzo
Downtown | (843) 259-2760
renzochs.com
Wild Olive
Johns Island | (843) 737-4177
wildoliverestaurant.com
Japan
Hachiya Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar
West Ashley | (843) 571-6025
hachiyakyoto.com
King’s Sushi
West Ashley | (843) 737-5211
SHIKI
Downtown | (843) 720-8568
shikicharleston.com
Sushi-Wa Izakaya
Downtown | (843) 735-8633
sushiwacharleston.com
Korea
843 Korean BBQ & Sushi House
North Charleston | (843) 764-9578
843koreanbbq.com
Ko Cha Korean Restaurant
West Ashley | (843) 766-0301
Mama Kim’s
Downtown | (843) 577-7177
facebook.com/mamakims
Middle East
Leyla Fine Lebanese Cuisine
Downtown | (843) 501-7500
leylafinelebanesecuisinesc.com
Saffron Restaurant & Bakery
Downtown | (843) 722-5588
eatatsaffon.com
Istanbul Shish Kabob Restaurant
North Charleston | (843) 996-4738
istanbulshishkabob.business.site
Mexico
El Molino Supermarket
West Ashley, North Charleston | (843) 225-8244
facebook.com/elmolinosupermarket
La Nortena Taqueria & Mexican Grill
North Charleston | (843) 225-7055
lanortenamexican.com
Las Lupitas
North Charleston | (843) 419-0865
Los Altos Mexican Grill
Goose Creek | (843) 793-2787
facebook.com/Losaltosmexicangrill
Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant
Goose Creek | (843) 572-5838
losarcoscharleston.com
Maya del Sol Kitchen
North Charleston | (843) 225-2390
raulsmayadelsol.com
Santi’s Restaurante Mexicano
Downtown | (843) 722-2633
santisrestaurantemexicano.com
Philippines
Lumpia House
Goose Creek | (854) 999-1359
Spain
Barsa Tapas Lounge & Bar
Downtown | (843) 577-5393
barsacharleston.com
Estadio
Downtown | (843) 793-1029
estadio-chs.com
Laurel
Downtown | (843) 974-5159
laurelcharleston.com
Malagón
Downtown | (843) 926-0475
malagonchs.com
Thailand
Basil Thai Park Circle
North Charleston | (843) 225-8161
eatatbasil.com
Pick Thai Restaurant
James Island | (843) 793-2258
Taste of Thai
West Ashley | (843) 573-8825
tasteofthaiorleansrd.com
Tasty Thai
Mount Pleasant | (843) 388-3912
tastythai320.com
Thai Elephants Restaurant
James Island | (843) 619-0181
thaielephantscharleston.com
Thailicious Thai Cuisine and Hotpot
West Ashley | (843) 501-7167
thailicious.com
Ti-Ney Bangkok II
Goose Creek | (843) 990-9979
order.tineybangkok.com
Ukraine
Euro Foods Bakery and Market
West Ashley | (843) 571-1451
eurofoodsbakeryandcafe.com
Vietnam
CO Restaurant
Downtown | (843) 720-3631
eatatco.com
Ding Tea and Ha Long Cafe
Downtown | (843) 501-7477
dingteachs.com
Hi Boba Tea
North Charleston | (843) 593-5312
hibobatea.com
Little Miss Ha
Mount Pleasant | (843) 388-7251
littlemissha.com
Mi Xao
Mount Pleasant | (843) 388-5733
mixaotogo.com
Pho Bowl
Goose Creek | (854) 999-1832
order.phobowlgoosecreek.com
Pho Saigon
James Island | (843) 974-4732
Pink Bellies
Downtown | (843) 640-3132
pinkbellies.com
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