Mount Pleasant’s culinary scene continues to bloom, blending local creativity with crowd-pleasing classics. Whether you’re craving an artisan sandwich elevated to art, Italian-inspired eats that feel like home or warm, made-to-order doughnuts that satisfy every sweet tooth, our charming Lowcountry community has something for every palate. Let’s take a closer look at three … [Read more...]
The Masterful Chef: The Culinary Legacy of James Clark Jr.
With The Masters just around Amen Corner, many friends and neighbors from Mount Pleasant are either headed to Augusta, Georgia, to watch the tournament in-person or are planning to catch it on TV. Off the course is the inspiring story of chef James Clark Jr., who with determination and a desire to help people, became a legend not just at Augusta National but around the … [Read more...]
Something to Taco ’Bout: VIVA Tacos & Tequila
VIVA hits you the second you walk in. Warm tortillas on the grill. Chiles roasting. That smell that tells you real cooking is happening. Fresh isn’t something they advertise, it’s just the way the kitchen works. Masa is pressed by hand. Guacamole is made every day. Produce comes in the same day or week. Everything is prepped in small batches each morning, and nothing sits … [Read more...]
Page’s Okra Grill: Shrimp & Grits On-the-go
What began as a neighborhood eatery focused on hearty, scratch-made Southern cuisine blossomed into more than just a sit-down experience. While Page’s main restaurant continues to draw crowds for classics like Ashleigh’s shrimp & grits, buttermilk biscuits and fried chicken, the Page family recognized that their menu’s appeal wasn’t limited to a dining room. So they put … [Read more...]
LoLA: Comfortably Creole
Tucked in the heart of the Charleston area, LoLA brings the bold, soulful flavors of Louisiana to the coast. Short for Lowcountry Louisiana Seafood Kitchen, LoLA offers a menu with both spice and comfort in a laid-back, personable atmosphere. They pride themselves on their passion for both the food and their guests, ensuring that not only are guests served authentic Cajun and … [Read more...]
Food on Wheels: BlackOut Burger
If 21 years of working in the food and beverage industry has taught chef Cameron Wetzler anything, it is to do one thing well and execute it perfectly. During the pandemic, that lesson prompted him to launch his food truck BlackOut Burger as a ghost kitchen, providing curbside eats to help party-goers on Charleston’s peninsula satisfy late-night cravings. Despite no longer … [Read more...]
Meet the Chef: Nico Romo
Born in the gastronomic capital of Lyon, France, Nico Romo graduated from the Helene Boucher Culinary Art School in Venissieux at age 19. He then went on to train with French master chef Patrick Henriroux in Vienne at his two-Michelin-Star restaurant, La Pyramide. Having become the youngest-ever American member of the French Culinary Academy and a master chef himself, Romo … [Read more...]
Behind the Bar: O’Brion’s Pub & Grille
After Hurricane Katrina slammed into Hayley Smith’s hometown of New Orleans when she was in middle school, her family relocated to Charleston. As the daughter of a restaurateur, Smith grew up in and around the food and beverage industry. Destined for a career as a bartender, Smith worked in dive bars through college and beyond. Then eight years ago, in 2017, one of her … [Read more...]
New & Noteworthy: Latest Places to Grab a Bite
Whether looking to simplify dinners with pre-prepared meals, searching for a taste of the Mediterranean or taking the family out for a sweet treat, life in Mount Pleasant and the surrounding East Cooper area just got a whole lot tastier with these new and noteworthy establishments. BUCK’S DELI Like many busy families, Christian and Gail Buck found preparing home-cooked … [Read more...]
Happy (Hamby) Thanksgiving: Hamby Catering & Events
Thanksgiving in the Lowcountry is a scene straight out of a Southern storybook: children running in the yard, cousins tossing a football under the oak trees, the game humming in the background and family gathered around a table piled high with seasonal favorites. The air smells of roasted turkey and sweet potato casserole, and laughter carries from room to room. But while the … [Read more...]