Breakfast/ Brunch
The Rise Coffee Bar – 75 Wentworth St – I love this little coffee shop because of it’s convenient location to most of the shopping downtown, but also the service has never failed to put me in a good mood, and it’s beautifully decorated with walls of greenery. The pastries are great for a quick bite on the go and I’m impartial to the iced Charleston blend tea. I’m truly not a coffee drinker and yet I could sit in this shop for hours and enjoy.
82 Queen – 82 Queen St – This restaurant feels like an ongoing garden party tucked back behind the busy streets of the lower Charleston peninsula. It’s perfect for brunch (which almost every mom I know of can get excited about) with a great morning drink menu and deep southern cooking.
Lunch
Circe’s Grotto – 85 Wentworth St – The Grotto is a quick and casual lunch location for a relaxed bite to eat. The renovated house just a block off of campus is perfect for students looking to meet up with their parents between classes. The side alley for seating is full of great plants and it is always full of fun music. The sandwiches themselves are tasty with a twist and fit in with any time of year.
Poe’s Tavern – 2210 Middle St – This location is a bit of a drive all the way out on Sullivan’s Island but I had to include it because for those people with adventurous parents this is the location for you. Not only is Poe’s spitting distance from the beautiful beach but inside the restaurant is a spectacle all its own. I won’t spoil much but after splitting seafood tacos and a massive burger while staring at all of the wall art, Poe’s will definitely be the meal your parents go home to tell their friends about.
Dinner
Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar – 186 Concord Street – This restaurant is perfect for dinner with a view. The restaurant is on the water with charming sea decor and a beautiful view of the Ravenel bridge. The drink menu is well thought out and the appetizers are creative enough for everyone to want their own. I highly recommend getting a reservation for this restaurant and showing up a little early for the beautiful sunset.
Leon’s Oyster Shop – 698 King St – Yet another seafood recommendation however this location is also very well known for their fried chicken trays and milkshakes. The old renovated gas station is now filled with funky holiday Christmas lights and swanky music that will put anyone in a good mood. The baked oysters are to die for and you can’t help but enjoy yourself when the garage is rolled up for an indoor-outdoor cool evening experience.
Dessert
Kaminsky’s Dessert Cafe – 78 N Market St – When something on the menu is legitimately titled the ‘mountain of chocolate’ it has to go on Charleston’s best list. You can’t fail with choosing to eat in and top your chosen dessert with ice cream or take your order to go and find a place along the market to sit and enjoy. They serve their delicious creations until they are all gone so I suggest going at a decent time with a big sweet tooth.
La Pâtisserie – 404 King St – Located on the King-side of Hotel Bennett, not only will your parents think you are civilized for showing them this pastry shop, but it might stir the idea for them to return later that evening for drinks. Coffee is served all day but the main attraction is the assortment of freshly baked and colorful pastries. Sitting at the beautiful marble hightop and people watching out the window is a great way to take a break during their busy days in Charleston.