Upper King · $ · bar food, burgers

The Post and Courier's alphabet guide gives it the letter A and calls it one of the oldest of the city's dives, 37 years old when the guide ran. After a fire burned its original location it moved to 467 King Street in 2000, ahead of the redevelopment that became the Upper King nightlife district. The paper notes pool tables, affordable drinks, and that it is one of few downtown places serving food after midnight ... a dozen burgers, cheesesteaks, loaded fries and nachos.

Acme Lowcountry Kitchen

Isle of Palms · lowcountry, seafood, southern, breakfast

Acme describes itself as a no-frills beach grill with a full bar and deck serving Southern coastal cooking. City Paper readers voted it Best IOP Restaurant and Best IOP Brunch in 2026. A regular on r/Charleston says they always plug it for dinner and brunch that is not high-end.

Agaves Cantina

Daniel Island · mexican

A Mexican cantina on Island Park Drive on Daniel Island with a house cocktail list. The site's own structured data files it under Charleston, 29492.

Avondale Wine & Cheese

Avondale · cheese, charcuterie

Avondale Wine & Cheese has been pouring in the Avondale strip of West Ashley since 2006 and describes itself as female-owned. City Paper readers named it Best Wine Selection for 2026 and runner-up for Best Wine Bar.

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Avondale Wine & Cheese

Avondale · cheese, charcuterie

Bin 152

Lower King · cheese, charcuterie

Bin 152 calls itself Charleston's oldest wine bar. Its cheese and charcuterie menu runs to more than 40 selections, sold a la carte, and it is open until midnight seven days a week.

Graft Wine Shop & Wine Bar

Upper King

Graft is a bottle shop with a wine bar inside it at the top of King Street. City Paper readers named it Best Wine Bar for 2026.

Philosophers & Fools

Cannonborough-Elliotborough · wine, beer, snacks

A bar inside a bookshop on a residential corner. The Post and Courier (17 May 2024) wrote that when you walk into the corner store at 50 Bogard Street there is a long wooden bar with black barstools to the left and bookshelves of titles for sale to the right. Co-owners Jenny Ferrara and her husband, Michael Bourke, longtime Charleston residents, opened it in 2024 because they like to read while having a drink and wanted to build a little clubhouse. On 11 June 2026 the paper reported it ranked sixth in USA Today's 2026 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for independent bookstores, the only South Carolina shop on the list. It draws people before and after dinner at Chubby Fish, Vern's and Bistronomy by Nico.

Saint Urban's

Mount Pleasant · cheese, charcuterie, tinned seafood

Saint Urban's is a 350 square foot wine, cheese and cocktail bar on I'On Square that opened in July 2023, run by partners Warren Johnson, the cheesemonger, and Chad Besenfelder. City Paper profiled it in September 2026 for a dirty martini made with Spanish Perelló olives, French bread pizza on Tuesdays and a Wednesday night called Weenies + Tinis.

Stems & Skins

Park Circle · mediterranean, tinned seafood, charcuterie

Stems & Skins opened in 2016 on East Montague Avenue in Park Circle and pours natural wine with Mediterranean-style plates, tinned seafood, charcuterie and cheese. Its site lists a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist nod for Outstanding Wine Program, and Food & Wine called it one of America's most important natural wine bars.

The Tippling House

Cannonborough-Elliotborough · wine, small plates

A wine bar in a house, not a storefront. The Post and Courier's 2026 itinerary (14 January 2026) describes it as tucked inside a 150-plus-year-old single house in Cannonborough-Elliotborough, steps from Chez Nous and Chubby Fish. Sommelier Matthew Conway opened it in October 2021 with his wife, Carissa. Micah Pearson runs the food menu. The same owners run The Press, a burrito window next door.

Vintage Lounge

Upper King · cheese, charcuterie

Vintage Lounge is a wine bar on Upper King with more than twenty wines by the glass, a bottle list of over 200 selections, and cheese and charcuterie.

What these spots are known for

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Rooftops and Patios Can we sit outside? Live Music Where can I eat and hear a real band? Private Dining and Buyouts Can we take a room? Craft Cocktail Programs Who is taking the bar seriously? The Whole Family Table Will they be fine with a four-year-old? Late-Night Food What is still open? Seafood and Oysters Who is getting good product in? Vegan and Plant-Based Where can I eat with no asterisks?

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