Best Places to Eat in Barnwell, South Carolina

If looking at a map, Barnwell, South Carolina will not jump out at you. Nestled in the Central Savannah River Area in the base of South Carolina, it is a very small town. With a population of just under 5,000 (mostly in the downtown) it is not big. However, Barnwell can easily offer some of the best food in the best settings imaginable. This will present you with the top three.

Coming in an easy third is Berley's Pharmacy. Located off what we Barnwell-dwellers call "The Circle" in downtown, it is actually an old-time pharmacy. Think of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." If you want some ice cold fountain drinks or some great ice cream in this kind of setting, Berley's is the place to be. It is also priced very well, for excellent quality food. So at Berley's, we find great products, great value, and a great atmosphere.

Coming in second place is Ballard's Café. Located fairly close to Berley's, also on The Circle, it is more of a main-course restaurant. It is also a very casual atmosphere, with burgers, fries, fried pickles, milkshakes, and other such "burger-joint" products. But of course, it is real beef and not mass-produced like McDonald's. Not only is Ballard's a great place for normal burgers, but it also is home to the "Mule Burger." Named after one of the biggest men in Barnwell, it is three ½ pound patties on a bun with whatever you want on it. Weighing in at 1 ½ pounds, it is more of a "can you eat it" burger. You won't get any special prize for eating it, but the respect is enormous. And this burger is only $11.95. That's pretty good value for that amount of meat.

Finally, my all-time favorite is Black's Barbecue. More towards my edge of town, and outside of the Barnwell city limits towards Hilda (which only has population 450), Black's is surprisingly well-known. Also, it is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Black's is a casual sit-down restaurant with only a buffet. The buffet is only around 10 feet long, but it will be the best 10 feet of your life. Black's is a mostly barbecue buffet, featuring South Carolina style barbecue and other southern foods such as fried chicken, chicken gravy, hash and banana pudding. Black's also has a great atmosphere, as it is themed around old-time farming and farm equipment.

Barnwell, a little town where everyone knows you, and you know everyone, has some great dining. You will probably never pass through it on your way anywhere, since it is around an hour away from any interstate. However, if you like taking back roads, stop in and eat with us. These are really some great places to eat.