Restaurants in South Carolina

The menu at Chicora Alley fuses the sweet, tangy flavors of the Caribbean with the smoky, savory flavors of the South, resulting in a collage of tropical plates and down-home favorites. The vibrant flavors of the menu encourage guests to mix and match cuisines—start with an appetizer, then dig into one of mom's cream cheese chicken enchiladas or a black Angus shredded brisket taco, with 7 different salsas to choose from. On weekends, Chicora Alley offers a Sunday brunch with a variety of items, such as huevoes rancheros, breakfast burritos, and country breakfast.

The kitchen dishes out classics such as jerk chicken with fried plantains, but also cooks up unique creations. The shrimp burrito, for example, wraps eggplant, plantains, spinach, goat cheese, and jerk shrimp in a massive tortilla. Even the sauces constitute intriguing combinations, boasting names like ketchupeno and honey butter, a sweet spread that has to be painstakingly churned from honeybee milk. The restaurant's penchant for unexpected pairings even affects the live entertainment. On any given night, performances by bands range from Caribbean reggae to Southern jazz to Bluegrass. During the warmer months, patrons can enjoy the music and great food in the outdoor seating area complete with firepit, where games of cornhole or ring toss can be played. For younger guests, there is a kids play area with kids tables.

The notion of “fast and casual” isn't new—most chain restaurants adhere to the concept, as do many conversations with abandoned sock puppets. However, at Brioso Fresh Pasta, efficient service merges with local and organic ingredients to bump "fast and casual" into the glow of a new spotlight. Italian dishes range from house-made pasta to fork-free paninis, all of which arrive at tables on the arms of friendly servers. Brioso’s culinary team also respects special dietary needs with gluten-free pastas and vegan menu options.

Try an East Coast eat without leaving the state and order the Jersey Shore’s Favorite served Mike’s Way—generous slices of provolone, ham, and cappacuolo get layered with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, vinegar, and a sprinkling of oil and spices. Hot options include various takes on the famed cheese-and-steak combination, as well as a chicken parm and meatball and cheese. On a lighter note, Jersey Mike’s also serves wraps and salads. Prices vary by location and size, with cold mini subs ranging from $4 to $4.75, cold regular subs ranging from $5.75 to $6.75, and giant regular subs ranging from $9.75 to $10.75. Regular hot subs run from $6.25 to $6.75, and giant hot subs run from $10.25 to $10.75.

Noisy Oyster provides the pelican pouches of area citizens with fresh, locally-caught fruits-of-the-sea. Inspect the extensive dinner menu before commencing incisor insertion into an appetizer such as the twistedly-tasty shrimp corn dogs—a skewer pierced with five battered jumbo shrimp, deep-fried to crispy resistance, and served with a side of sweet and spicy Chinese mustard sauce ($8.99). The baked seafood au gratin layers fresh shrimp, meaty scallops, and fresh fish medallions within the mortar of a decadent blue crab stuffing, Jack and cheddar cheeses, and a Parmesan cream sauce ($16.99), and the low-country crab cakes feature loads of crab meat with a blue crab hollandaise ($16.49) on top. Those abstaining from oceanic eating can direct their eyes toward the super cheeseburger ($6.49, add bacon for $0.79), or the spicy barbecue chicken pizza ($11.99), while those abstaining from eating in general can explore the drink menu. Quench thirst with house specialty jungle juice ($6.99) or the noisy oystertini, a spicy mixture made of Tabasco, horseradish, and vodka ($6.50).

Tortilla Maria whips up fresh batches of tortillas every day, whose organic corn flours envelop steak, chicken, and bean tacos tapped with salsas and cilantro in the entirely gluten free menu. In addition to enchiladas, quesadillas, and vegan soups, Tortilla Maria also blends super smoothies and offers options for raw foodists.The Energize Me smoothie, for instance, unites fruits, flax, turmeric, walnuts, and other ingredients shaken together by a Saturn V rocket and its 7 million pounds of thrust—just enough to meld it all together. The staff mixes smoothies with seasonal, organic, and locally grown produce, when available, as well as with non-dairy milk and organic cold-milled golden flaxseed.

Peppino's pizza chefs toss homemade dough before slathering it in homemade sauce, blanketing it in Grande cheese and fresh toppings, and baking it to a tawny crispness. Culinary craftsmen can arrange more than 15 toppings, such as feta cheese and meatballs, onto thin and thick crusts, or hide the goods inside a calzone or stromboli. Fourteen cold and hot 6-inch and 12-inch subs satiate sandwich cravings, including the vegetarian and the chicken cutlet with provolone, while an order of garlic-cheese bread keeps fingers occupied so they don't return to unscrewing the tops of every salt shaker in the restaurant. Pasta dinners–including meat lasagna, cheese raviolis, and eggplant parmigiana–share stomach space with a crisp salad and bread, while a smattering of desserts from cannoli to tiramisu temper sweet teeth.