One of the more stressful parts of traveling to a new city, is choosing where to eat. Well, ok - honestly it can be stressful whether it’s a new city or the one you live in. After all, it can be intimidating to step outside your foodie comfort zone to try somewhere new. Anyone else experience FOMO when you scroll through your Instagram feed and see someone eating a delicious meal that you totally missed out on? That’s why I did tons of research before traveling to Charleston, South Carolina. I asked my friends who are locals, looked through dozens of Yelp reviews and basically went down a Pinterest rabbit hole looking for delicious places to eat.

Here are my top five places to eat in Charleston so you don’t even have to think about where to go on your trip:

5Church.

32b North Market Street Charleston, SC 29401.

This restaurant has had some major press. I’m not just talking about local press either, 5Church has been featured on Eater, Top Chef, Marie Claire and more. It’s no surprise they’ve gotten so much attention because their food is simply incredible. One bite of their fried chicken and your life will be changed. It’s that good and is easily some of the best I’ve ever had. 5Church’s fried chicken is drizzled with chili infused honey and paired with apple slaw, creamy campanelle, and a perfectly flaky biscuit. If you’re not a fried chicken person (how can you not be?), their modern-American menu is filled with cuisine created with Executive Chef Adam Hodgson and Bravo Top Chef Jamie Lynch like sushi tots (the baby of two of my favorite foods) and truffled polenta.

The Terrace at Coastal Provisions

200 Grand Pavilion Blvd, Isle of Palms, SC 29451.

Coastal Provisions is the signature restaurant and bar at Wild Dunes Resort and it’s an absolute must when you’re visiting Charleston. Chef de Cuisine Read Wolfe created an out-of-this-world menu showcasing seafood, chops and seasonal veggies served steps from the ocean. Some of my favorite dishes include the crab hushpuppies, crab cakes and the Fish en Papillote. And my hands-down food that I could eat every day? Coastal Provisions’ fried green tomatoes. Think the most mouth-watering tomatoes with arugula and kale pesto, spicy buttermilk dressing, and blackberry chow-chow. I may or may not be drooling as I type this.

Poe’s Tavern.

2210 Middle St. Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482.

Technically located on Sullivan’s Island, Poe’s Tavern is 100% worth going just outside downtown Charleston for if you’re in search of a great burger. A search most of us find ourselves on regularly, right? Poe’s Tavern is located on the oceanfront and gives you that super laid back vibe we all want while we dive into a great meal. Known for their burgers, I visited for dinner with another burger aficionado to put Poe’s Tavern to the test. Their juicy half-pound burgers are made with certified Angus Chuck beef and are ground in-house, and did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend the Amontillado burger or the Tell Tale Heart burger!

Callie’s.

1895 Ave F, North Charleston, SC 29405.

The south is known for its biscuits. Chances are you will come across quite a few restaurants with biscuits on their menu but you don’t just want ANY biscuit…you want the best biscuits in Charleston. Right? Right. That’s where Callie’s comes in.. They have fresh biscuits in a range of different flavors like their classic buttermilk, cheese and chive and more. You can even buy them by the dozen because…biscuits. Callie’s also offers daily specials and biscuit sandwiches. Their biscuits are SO good there’s usually a line, but they’re well worth the wait.

Gaulart & Maliclet.

98 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401

Charleston has long been known to have French influence in the culture of their city, which makes it a great city to enjoy some French inspired food. Not to mention, Charleston is a city with so much American history to enjoy you should try to make it a point to dive into the culture it offers. Gaulart & Maliclet encompasses all of the above. Expect to find a very French inspired menu that includes rotating daily specials. Don’t forget to enjoy a glass (or two…or three) of wine while you’re there.

Where are your favorite places to eat in Charleston, South Carolina? Have you visited any of my go-tos yet?