5 Places to Dine in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston South Carolina is a great place to visit with plenty to see and plenty to do. But you've also got to eat! Hopefully you have a car and can check out any of these five restaurants in and around the Charleston area.

Rooftop Pavilion: One of the nicest places I've been to in Charleston is also one of the first restaurants in Charleston I've eaten in; the Rooftop Pavilion Bar and Restaurant. Located in the Market Pavilion Hotel at the corner of Market and East Bay Streets in downtown Charleston, the Pavilion Bar menu has casual fare like pizzas, seafood, burgers, and steaks. The fun thing about this place is that you can sit and drink and eat on the roof! 225 Market Street Charleston South Carolina 29401. 843-723-0500.

Mellow Mushroom: The unavoidable thing about a place like Charleston is that you're going to run into chains. This isn't always a bad thing; such is the case with Mellow Mushroom. The different locations in the area each have their own personality and each brings a different dining impression to the experience. Mellow Mushroom is a stoners paradise. They are pizza bakers with bandanas and long, long hair. Don't be off-put by their demeanor, the food is great, the crust is pseudo-whole wheat (some curious amalgamation) and the service is totally casual. 3110 Hwy 17 North, Mount Pleasant South Carolina 29466. 843-881-4743.

Bamboo Garden: fresh, delicious Chinese food is tough to come by in the deep, deep south; fortunately for consumers in the Low Country, there is Bamboo Garden. Priding themselves on using only the freshest ingredients, Bamboo Garden is as good a choice as any for solid Chinese in Mt Pleasant. 553 Belle Station Boulevard, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464. 843-849-8477.

Dog & Duck: A small "family of pubs" in the Charleston area is Dog & Duck with locations in West Ashley, Park West, and Mt. Pleasant. Dog & Duck is a very chilled out space and the one in Belle Hall and Mt. Pleasant is a favorite spot for me and my wife to go to. The food is pub cuisine, burgers, sandwiches, and other such but the real story about Dog & Duck is the very relaxed attitude about the place. You sit where you want, you eat when you want, you leave when you want; who could ask for anything more?

Gilligan's: If deep fried local seafood is your thing you should check out Gilligan's (5). there are a smattering of locations around the Low Country including Mt Pleasant, Goose Creek, John's Island, and Summerville, however the Gilligan's to go to if you're looking for the full-on Charleston experience is the one at 14 N. Market Street in downtown Charleston.

Sources:

(1) http://www.marketpavilion.com/index.cfm?page=pavilion
(2) www.mellowmushroom.com
(3) http://bamboogardentogo.com/
(4) http://www.dogandduckfamilypubs.com/
(5) http://www.gilligans.net/home.asp?pid=58