Chef Nathan “Nate” Thurston, previously with The Sanctuary’s Ocean Room on Kiawah Island, debuted this upscale restaurant in a bygone Upper King antique shop that sat vacant for over two decades. The glass-fronted space features a curved wooden bar, stained glass sconces, fern accents, and surprisingly formal service, complete with servers wearing white shirts, black ties, and white jackets. The cuisine draws on seasonal Lowcountry traditions, arrives displaying Mediterranean accents, and packs plenty of big flavors, particularly the lobster-ific riff on shrimp and grits. After dinner, head upstairs and grab a drink at the open-air bar, which houses herb beds and offers views of the charming city below.

New York architects Bill Bowick and David Bouffard opened Sugar Bake Shop in 2008, around the corner from Hominy Grill, and turned their cupcake-centric bakery into a success. They also bake cookies, scones, donuts and other treats in small batches, and deliver one of best coconut cakes on the planet, by special order.

Jennifer and Mike Kulick opened one of Charleston’s first gastropubs in 2010, building on the success of Voodoo Tiki Bar and replacing the locally famous Kitty’s Fine Foods in an emerging area of Charleston. The Tattooed Moose’s walls host deer heads, and yes, they have a stuffed moose head behind the bar, including an accompanying gun rack crafted from shorn hooves. A school bus-yellow duck crossing sign and kitschy signs like one that reads – “We don’t serve women here. You have to bring your own” – round out the space’s uniquely kitschy look. Initially, the Moose only offered the triple-decker duck club sandwich and the option to build your own sandwich, but they added a number of custom sandwiches, cementing the pub’s destination status. So does the delectable craft beer selection.

Talented Italian chef Ken Vedrinski built his Lowcountry reputation at Sienna and The Woodlands Resort & Inn before striking out on his own with boisterous Trattoria Lucca, which resides on a residential stretch of Charleston. The exacting chef, who grew up in Ohio and has clearly taken to Charleston, crafts pastas in-house, sources from the sea and nearby farms, and beautifully toes the line between rustic and refined in a setting where the decibel level rings and wine flows freely.

Josh & Heather Keeler named their multifaceted Charleston eatery for Cannonborough and Elliotborough. The space features worn wooden walls, concrete flooring, fridges for sodas, wine, beer, and core ingredients like housemade scrapple, Keegan-Filion chicken, Anson Mills grits, whole NC rabbit, and Moss Hill Farms lamb belly. The Keelers also promote their dog Walter, who has his very own “chick magnet.” The menu sees the world through a Southern prism, drawing on Italian charcuterie, Japanese ramen and other traditions to deliver exciting seasonal flavors at the intersection of Two Boroughs.

If you didn’t know to look for The Wreck, a Mt. Pleasant seafood institution located on Shem Creek, you would never stumble upon it, but it’s worth persisting past a residential neighborhood. The Wreck of the Richard & Charlene, named for a fishing trawler that Hurricane Hugo decimated, has some of the best seafood in the Lowcountry. The “dining room” is all porch, with wood tables and chairs, whirring ceiling fans and terrific views of Shem Creek, which still houses active shrimp boats. Décor includes photos of wreckage from Hugo, an inverted boat, and wall-mounted game fish. Heaping combo platters are gospel at The Wreck, featuring shrimp, scallops, oysters and grouper, most available deep-fried or grilled, served with a grit cake, hushpuppy, andouille-studded red rice, and cole slaw. No matter what you order, every table gets a steamed bowl of well-seasoned boiled peanuts.