Growing up, I believed no one could touch my grandmother’s fried chicken and collard greens. Then I moved to Charleston and found a city full of cooks who stand toe-to-toe with her legendary Sunday suppers.
From Gullah-Geechee recipes passed down like prayer to whole-hog barbecue that brings tears, the Holy City serves soul food that honors history and still makes taste buds dance.
These fifteen spots earn their stripes by keeping it real, cooking with love, and welcoming strangers like cousins. Pull up a chair, pass the hot sauce, and watch a roomful of favorites turn newcomers into family today.
1. Bertha’s Kitchen — North Charleston
Winning a James Beard America’s Classics award isn’t something that happens by accident…