In the spirit of those popular social media “in/out” lists that cavalierly proclaim what is to come (and what’s no longer in vogue), we’ve come up with some notable 2023 “in” Charleston food trends — ones we think will carry into the new year.
While it’s tempting to distill our years into sound bites and buzzwords, it’s important to remember that the existence of one trend does not negate another. Just because the $10 cocktail is back1 (thank God) doesn’t mean that the $20 cocktail has gone anywhere. The rise of bars and restaurants that don’t require reservations2 does not erase the popularity of reservation apps like Resy.
And the hype and excitement around new restaurants — especially those that made it into national publications3 like Bon Appetit, Eater and the New York Times, doesn’t take the place of the stark and startling fact that most bars and restaurants are still struggling post-Covid and many hospitality workers in Charleston struggle to afford living in the city.
These kinds of trend watch discussions won’t be possible if restaurants can’t afford to hire and take care of their workers — so be kind and tip well.
This year saw the return of the restaurant critic. Food critics went the way of the dodo in 2020; to critique struggling restaurants during a pandemic, and in the years following, was, universally, a frowned upon act. Now, critics are slowly writing, well, critically about food again. Whether you agree with the practice or not, it seems to suggest that restaurants are doing well enough again to handle a little criticism.
Speaking of critics — everyone is one. Nasty Yelp reviews aren’t new, and they aren’t going anywhere either. New(ish) this year, though, was a TikTok trend in which laymen and women bashed or celebrated restaurants with aesthetically pleasing video clips. While this make-or-break a restaurant trend veered more national than local, TikTok did have some positive impact locally, with Brown Dog Deli racking up views and customers with viral videos.
As vitriolic as some online reviewers can be, there are just as many folks praising restaurants online, specifically in Facebook groups designed to support the local restaurant industry. Lowcountry Eat Out!, which was started in 2020 to support restaurants during the pandemic, surpassed 100,000 followers this year, with most posts positively commenting on new restaurants and existing hidden gems.
New restaurants veered toward international cuisine this year, with the opening of Bintü Atelier, Kultura and Ma’am Saab. And while those three hotspots are all located downtown, a growing number of highly anticipated restaurants are opening in the ‘burbs. From The James on James Island to Lost Isle and Colectivo on Johns Island to Lola Rose in North Mount Pleasant to King BBQ in North Charleston — you get the idea — restaurateurs are seeing the benefits of bringing quality cuisine to highly populated areas. We expect the North Mount Pleasant and Park Circle neighborhoods, in particular, to continue to host big name restaurants, and for downtown spots to expand northward.
Area bars, restaurants and now breweries continue to celebrate seafood, especially of the raw variety, with an ever-growing number of raw bars. From recently reopened downtown establishment The Quinte (with Jason Stanhope at the helm) to The Harlowe on James Island plus a new raw bar in Holy City Brewing Co. and one opening soon in Fleet Landing, you can get fresh shucked oysters (and more!) all over town.
And when you get thirsty, well, you now have a lot more booze-free options to choose from around town. The low and no-alcohol trend is skyrocketing nationally and locally; most recently King Street alternative spirit shop Sechey partnered with 1,300 Target stores across the country to offer a curated selection of NA bevs. Hemp-infused drinks are growing in popularity too, with local company High Rise Bev opening its own spot, High Rise Dry Bar, on James Island.
Like we said — the existence of one trend does not negate the other. For every mocktail in town, you’ll find an equally appealing cocktail; get your fix at High Rise Dry Bar or The Den, a new hidden martini bar. There’s something for everyone in town, and that’s something we can always get behind.
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