Charleston-area foodies had another banner year when it comes to great solid and liquid tastes. While the Holy City mourned the loss of many beloved restaurants, the sadness was (slightly) tempered by some very exciting openings and evolutions.
While 365 days of Charleston cuisine could never be covered in just one story, we’ve done our best to capture the top dining stories of 2025:
Sprouting suburban growth
As the Charleston population continues to balloon, the need and market for great food has grown geographically. Chef Mark Bolchoz, a veteran of the Grocery and Indigo Road kitchens, opened Cane Pazzo in Hanahan over the summer. Mexican market El Molina added two locations in 2025, one in Ladson and a taqueria on Johns Island, joining existing locations in West Ashley and North Charleston. Chef Nico Romo opened Kersey House, a French Bistro and event venue, in Summerville and Heavy’s Barburger opened a location on Daniel Island – with another set for Isle of Palms in the spring.
Italian invasion
While many international cuisines were represented with restaurant openings this year (see below), none as much as Italian. In addition to Cane Pazzo, Allora started serving coastal Italian on Spring Street in October, and Brooklyn-style Pelato took over the former Butcher and Bee space on Morrison Drive. Sorelle brought a modern spin on classic southern Italian cuisine to Broad Street and Chef Ken Vendrinski, owner of Isle of Palm’s Coda del Pesce and Trattoria Lucca (RIP), returned to the peninsula with Volpe on Ashley Avenue.
New to the scene
While we didn’t pull out the calculator, it feels like there were more restaurant openings in Charleston during 2025 than in recent years. New restaurants, bars and bakeries opened this year include (but are not limited to):
Merci, an intimate Parisian-style bistro, opened downtown on Pitt Street and Rivayat started serving Southern Indian cuisine on Rutledge Avenue. Chef Daniel Humm of New York’s famed Eleven Madison Park started a year-long residency at The Charleston Place in the former Charleston Grill space. Sister restaurants Sushi Bar, an omakase concept, and modern steakhouse Bellerose opened on Church Street, and prolific restaurant group Indigo Road ushered in the Vietnamese Two Bit Club and Japanese tavern Shokudô. Bakery openings included Grit Bakery and Girl Nextdough. Meanwhile, Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop became a bit less tiny when it expanded into an adjacent building on King Street.
Coffee explosion
Charlestonians love coffee and 2025 served up an embarrassment of riches. Park Circle’s Prophet Coffee expanded to a downtown location on the Eastside, Herbert’s Vintage and Coffee opened on Reynolds Avenue in June and West Ashley’s Cafe Roca opened in February. James Island’s Dawn Patrol Coffeehouse, upper King Street’s Sweet Palm Coffee and Nook Tiny Cafe and Market on Rutledge Avenue also opened in 2025. Looking ahead to the new year, Park Circle’s Odd Duck Market has announced two 2026 locations – in Summerville and near Hampton Park.
Dark shadows
While the food scene has lots of newcomers, 2025 saw too many closings for reasons related to the economy, burnout or something else. Among the casualties: 60 Bull Cafe, the Archer, Barnyard Chicken, Bumpa’s, Cleats, Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen, Herd Provisions, Jack’s Cosmic Dogs’s on Folly Road, La Bonne Franquette, Fuel Cantina, Local 616, O’Brion’s Pub and Grille’s Folly Road location, the Rarebit, Raw Lab and The Select.
Stars Grill Room and Rooftop Bar shut down its dining room to make way for more event space, but its rooftop Satellite Bar remains open to the public. Palmetto Brewery shuttered and Cooper River Brewing Company closed its taproom (although it will continue to make and distribute beer). Rusty Bull Brewing Co. closed its downtown location, but the North Charleston spot remains open. And perhaps, most notably, The Charleston Grill served its last meal Aug. 23, ending a 36-year chapter of Charleston fine dining.
South Carolina welcomes Michelin
The Michelin Guide, which recognizes excellence and quality in restaurants, published its first-ever Southern guide in 2025. Charleston restaurants Malagón, Vern’s and Wild Common each received one Michelin star at a Nov. 3 ceremony in Greenville, which unveiled the 2025 Michelin Guide American South selections. Selections were made by anonymous inspectors. Restaurants from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee were eligible for the first time this year and joined an existing Atlanta guide.
Charleston restaurants in the news
It also was another banner year for Charleston restaurants in the news. Most recently, The New York Times published “The 23 Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S. in 2025,” with the blowfish tails from Chubby Fish and the beef cheeks from Palmira Barbecue on the exclusive list. Chubby Fish’s accolades didn’t stop there. The New York Times also named the restaurant as one of the “50 best places in America now” in its 2025 Restaurant List, and Southern Living crowned John Island’s Lost Isle as its restaurant of the year in March 2025. Eater published its “All-Time Eater 38” naming the most essential and influential restaurants in America from the past 20 years: Chubby Fish and Husk made the list.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.