The future of dining is bright.
No, really — the mass glow of cell phones will light the way as area diners scroll through restaurant loyalty apps, searching for the best daily deals.
The growth of and launch of dining apps in Charleston in 2024 speaks to a tech-y future for area diners. Fear not, though, lovers of life in analog, the future is not all downloads and QR codes (thank god).
In 2024, we began to see a return to a more leisurely, and often luxurious, mode of dining. From a high-end steakhouse on East Bay Street to a South of France–inspired bar on King Street, luxe bites and sips will continue to star in 2025.
Restaurants will continue to cater to diners’ needs by opening in suburban locations, leaving room for walk-in guests and, as always — in this city, at least — putting hospitality first.
Look out for these trends in 2025:
Specialized dining experiences
Local restaurants and chefs will continue to offer special dining experiences for Charleston diners.
167 Sushi will bring back its Omakase experience on Tuesday nights this January. The 24-seat sushi bar will offer a chef-curated, multi-course Omakase menu with optional sake pairings.
Last year, both Raw Lab and Honeysuckle Rose launched smaller, less expensive versions of their signature tasting menus, making special experiences more accessible for everyone.
Look for even more signature dinners, restaurant takeovers and specialized dining series in 2025.
More inventive pop-ups
Speaking of special, this past year saw an increase in extra-special pop-ups around town. From open-fire cooking to a mobile raw bar to a cozy soup pop-up, Charleston diners got to taste great food at breweries, bar kitchens and even on the deck of the Charleston Pour House.
There’s a good chance some of these temporary hot spots will one day evolve into their own brick and mortar stand-alones, so be on the lookout for that this coming year.
Suburban dining grows
As Charleston continues to grow and expand, so, too, will its suburban dining options.
Abbracci, an elevated Italian joint, opened in North Mount Pleasant late last year and will celebrate its grand opening this month.
Owner Joanne Migliori echoed the sentiment of many suburbanite Charleston foodies, saying, “We wanted to have a downtown [quality] restaurant in North Mount Pleasant.”
Meanwhile look for chef Mark Bolchoz’s “neighborhood osteria,” Cane Pazzo, to open in Hanahan in spring 2025.
Apps will keep comin’
This past year saw the launch of one food-centric app, Goodie Bag, and the growth of another, Blackbird, and we imagine the coming year will see even more convenience-forward restaurant apps.
Giving people what they want
Convenience is the name of the game for so many diners in town. With limited time and budgets, folks often want to be able to enjoy a nice night out without breaking the bank.
A number of new bars and restaurants opened both on and off the peninsula in 2024, ready and willing to fill that demand.
“There are a lot of people in my demographic that want that downtown-caliber experience of food and drink and vibes and culture without having to leave the island,” said Johns Island restaurateur Roderick Groetzinger of his new spot, Bar Copa.
The Line Street wine bar Roseline opened last fall, and its owners Meggie and Quinn Burns were happy to serve a menu with “something that caters to everyone, ranging from cheap beer to high-end wine.”
Expect to see more places like Bar Copa and Roseline opening this year — bars and restaurants that don’t require reservations, serve great drinks, fun food and good vibes.
And the people want luxury
On the other end of the spectrum, there are still plenty of Charleston area diners who want their nights out to be, well, nights out — the kind of evenings that encourage lingering over luxurious drinks, entrees and desserts.
East Bay steakhouse Marbled & Fin answered the call when it opened last summer, serving “modern” steakhouse fare, including a solid list of raw bar items and a number of inventive cocktails.
Diners can also find luxe bites and sips at the new King Street bar La Cave, the sister restaurant to Felix. Owner Felix Landrum said that his elevated sipping lounge and salon privé may have some special items (hello martini that comes with a caviar crisp garnish), but that at the end of the day, he wants everyone to be able to enjoy the cozy, chic new spot.
“There are a bunch of things on the menu that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg for,” Landrum said. “I think that’s really important because you want people to feel like this is a place they can come all the time, not just for special occasions.”
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