Places to go - and a few to skip - when visiting the Holy City

Charleston is a city known for its warm weather, historic architecture, and Southern comfort food.

Once known for seafood and homestyle southern eats, the restaurant scene in the Lowcountry is quickly evolving as the city continues to grow.

From shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes to barbeque and vegan pizza, Charleston is a city that can do no wrong when it comes to food.

You’ll have no trouble finding somewhere to eat, but making sure you’ve picked the best place can be tricky.

Four places you must try

Neon Tiger

Neon Tiger, located on upper King Street, is one of the few places in Charleston with an entirely vegan menu.

The restaurant aims to serve local, natural, organic, fresh, sophisticated liberations and beautifully curated plates - all while not serving any type of animal products and offering a wide variety of menu items.

Offering an unlimited variety of drink options and local beers, you won’t want to miss out on their colorful kegged cocktail options.

Whether you’re in the mood for classic pizza, a sandwich or want to branch out and try trumpet mushroom calamari, Neon Tiger has you covered.

Lewis Barbeque

Lewis Barbeque, located on North Nassau Street, is widely known as one of if not the best places to get barbecue in Charleston.

Regardless of when you visit, there's likely a long line to place your order but there are endless positive reviews and awards from locals and tourists alike, proving Lewis’ is worth the wait.

If you’re looking for frills then this isn’t your place. It has a simple but abundant menu of by-the-pound smoked meats and traditional southern sides all served on a tray packed completely full.

While sweet tea is typically paired with barbeque, Lewis’ has a simple Texas-inspired drink menu and a great draft list of both local and imported beers.

Leon’s Oyster Shop

Leon’s Oyster Shop, located on upper King Street, is one of the best places to get oysters in Charleston.

Housed in a comfortable renovated auto body shop, Leon’s is deserving of its reputation for being one of the best restaurants in the Lowcountry, even Outer Banks star and Charleston native Madelyn Cline thinks so.

Despite their name, Leon’s isn’t just serving award winning oysters but also incredible fried chicken and seafood.

Serving just about any type of alcohol you can imagine, Leon’s drink menu is beyond impressive - but its orange wine is almost impossible to pass up.

Millers All Day

Millers All Day, located on King Street, is a must-try for brunch… and maybe a cute Instagram post.

Located perfectly among all the stores King Street has to offer, Millers is a great place to start your morning.

If carbs aren’t your thing, then Millers isn’t the place for you. With a menu comprising of grits, waffles, pancakes, and biscuits, get ready for a true southern breakfast with a little flare.

With a coffee bar of Instagram influencers dreams to grit cocktails, you can’t go wrong with the drink menu at Millers.

Three places to skip

Hyman’s Seafood

Located on Meeting Street, Hyman’s Seafood has been providing customer service to guests for 132 years.

Reviews from local and national media outlets offer high praise of Hyman’s food, atmosphere and service.

But despite the positive reviews, this isn’t a restaurant where you’ll find locals, and many in Charleston will refer to it as a “tourist trap.”

If you’re looking for fresh, local seafood with an authentic Charleston feel, then skipping Hyman’s is the right call. Plus, there are endless seafood options in the Lowcountry you should check out instead.

Toast All Day

With locations on both Meeting Street and King Street, Toast All Day is seemingly a great place to stop in for a quick casual brunch.

Recognized as a top brunch spot in the country, Toast is never hurting for business, especially on weekend mornings throughout tourist season.

But reviews like this one prove Toast is nothing more than a chain style restaurant with a menu that isn’t memorable in any way.

If there is one thing Charleston does right, it’s brunch. There are countless brunch/breakfast options with similar menus and atmospheres to choose from, so instead of starting your morning with Toast, stop in to a local diner or cafe for a real hospitable experience.

Halls Chophouse

Located on King Street, Halls Chophouse is recognized as one of the best steakhouses in Charleston.

I know what you're thinking, "Why should we skip an award-winning restaurant that shows up in the first spot on every Google search of 'best restaurants in Charleston'?"

Because it's overrated.

Locals and tourists alike rave about Halls for its incredible service and fine dining, earning the restaurant numerous awards.

But despite their awards, Halls Chophouse is missing one main thing – quality.

Menu prices reflect a high opinion of themselves but unfortunately what you can expect from Halls is small portions, a deafening experience, and mediocrity on taste.

Save your money and get a bargain at any other steakhouse.