What’s New in Charleston This Spring

With its vibrant culture, rich history, exquisitely-preserved architecture, idyllic coastal location, celebrated dining scene and friendly locals, Charleston is one of America’s best loved travel destinations. Come, experience what’s new in the Charleston area this spring!

Accolades
New Restaurants
Restaurant News
Accommodations
Retail
Tours & Attractions
Highlighted Special Events

ACCOLADES

NEW RESTAURANTS

Bodega
23 Ann St, Charleston | bodegachs.com 

For those that grew up in the New York/metropolitan area, there is nothing more nostalgic than a good ole fashioned “Bodega” breakfast sandwich on a warm kaiser roll. Executive Chef Alec Gropman brought his childhood favorite to life with a menu full of old–school staples, some with a Charleston twist! Bodega is a true “can’t miss” for a day on the boat, at the beach or on a lazy Sunday on the couch! For those looking for a nice morning pick-me-up, their coffee program is second to none! Once the sun goes down and the moon comes up, make sure to stop by their graffiti–laden spot for a delicious craft cocktail or a local beer on tap. Opened February 2022

The Black Door Cafe
115 Meeting Street, Charleston | @theblackdoorcafe

The Black Door Cafe will be taking the place of the Best Friend Bar in The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel. The cafe will offer artisan pastries and espresso drinks. Opening Fall 2022.

Braised & Glazed
braisedandglazedsc.com

Serving up a range of different dishes with a rotating menu under one tent, Braised & Glazed is not one type of cuisine or one style of cooking. It is a combination of every delicious and memorable bite they’ve ever had — reimagined and prepared as they would like to eat it: in the hand, messy and packed with flavor down to the last bite. Opened February 2022. 

Cabana Burgers and Shakes
2664 U.S. Highway 17, Mount Pleasant | cabanaburgers.com

This burger joint has set out to create a restaurant that the whole family can enjoy on Johns Island. Their goal centers around amazing customer service, dishes crafted from carefully sourced produce and meats, and to make each and every one of their customers smile. After all, Burgers + Shakes = Happiness.

Café Eugenia
209 Farm Lake View Rd, Johns Island | cafeeugenia.com

Café Eugenia, a brand-new cafe and gourmet market named after Kiawah Island’s historic avenue, uses locally sourced ingredients to offer an ever-changing assortment of salads, sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie boards, takeaway meals, drinks, and more. The concept has been the dream of Chef Bea Shaffer for years and will be located near the Lakeside Park next to Fuji Sushi Bar & Grill.  Opening Winter 2022. 

The Caviar Bar
0 George Street, Charleston

Introduced by the Zero Restaurant + Bar. Situated on the piazza of the restored 1800s-era building overlooking the hotel’s gardens, The Caviar Bar at Zero George offers a new experience curated by Zero Restaurant + Bar Executive Chef Vinson Petrillo and Beverage Director Megan Mina. Each reservation includes a caviar sampling with traditional accompaniments, and guests are invited to pair the dishes with Zero Restaurant + Bar’s award-winning wine list and cocktails. Additionally, the à-la-carte menu offers a series of caviar-focused dishes featuring Regiis Ova. Opened March 2022.

The Quinte Oyster Bar
36 George Street Charleston SC

Method Co., the team behind Philly’s lauded rustic Italian restaurant and hotel Mulherin’s Sons will expand to Charleston this spring with The Pinch, yet another boutique property plus restaurant. Claiming two Victorian-style structures dating back to the 1860s, the hotel will offer two dining engagements, one of which is The Quinte, a turn-of-the-century-themed oyster house and cocktail lounge. Patrons will be able to saddle up to a 47-seat marble oyster bar and sample simply prepared sustainable seafood dishes. Opening Fall 2022.

Share House
23 Ann Street, Charleston | instagram.com/sharehousechs

Nestled in a renovated train depot, Share House will offer an all-day dining and drinking experience. Serving menu items such as the Buffalo Duck Quesadilla with caramelized onions, smoked gouda and roasted garlic aioli, this eatery will offer a laid back, indoor-outdoor atmosphere. Opened February 2022. 

Spice Palette
1220 Ben Sawyer Blvd, Mount Pleasant | spicepaletteindiancuisine.com 

The Spice Palette brings a spread of traditional and modern Indian food and tastes. The Indian subcontinent is a land of great diversity and yet it bodes great harmony and unity that could seldom be seen elsewhere. The Spice Palette menu encompasses this harmony and diversity by bringing together a plethora of Indian flavors and spices. They aim to bring the joy and sumptuousness of Indian food and cuisines not just to your taste buds, but to the soul. With the added garnishing of excellent and thoughtful service, they hope to entice your “palette” in the next and best version of Indian food and cuisine. Opening April 2022.

Thailicious
1975 Magwood Road, West Ashley | thailicious.com

Located in the heart of the city, this new restaurant is serving authentic Thai food, centered around directly imported rice, noodles, and spices with locally sourced vegetables with protein. Opened February 2022.

RESTAURANT NEWS

Co-Op Frosé and Eatery
Freshfields Village, Kiawah Island | @coopsullivansuncensored

Co-Op Frosé and Eatery will be opening a new location in Freshfields Village. The café will be open daily and serve sandwiches, coffee and its famous frosé. This new location is said to have a breakfast menu twice the size as the one on the islands. Opening May 2022. 

Crust Wood Fired Pizza & Bailey’s Oyster Bar
45 Romney Street, Charleston | crustwoodfiredpizza.com

Bringing the brand to the peninsula for the first time, local pizza chain Crust Wood Fired Pizza is opening its third location downtown. Customers can expect pizzas like the J Bird with braised beef, red pepper, and caramelized onion as well as an oyster bar and twenty-four beers on tap at this new neighborhood spot. Guests will be able to grab a slice while enjoying a cold brew at the bar. Opened January 2022

Island Provisions
221 St. Philip Street, Charleston | @islandprovisionschs

Known as the “Local’s Joint,” Island Provisions is a fine neighborhood market and gathering place on Johns Island, SC. Inspired by their favorite coffee bars, food halls, bottle shops, and all-day cafes of America and beyond…they believe in wholesome foods, great beverages, stellar service, and a welcoming vibe. Coming Spring 2022. 

Ma’am Saab
251 Meeting Street, Charleston | maamsaabchs.com

Former Pakistani pop-up restaurant Ma’am Saab is expanding to brick-and-mortar. Born out of chef and co-owner Maryam’s longing to share the flavors of her home with Charleston, Ma’am Saab serves comfort food from Pakistan, such as kebabs and pakora. Opening Spring 2022. 

Pier 101 Restaurant and Bar
101 East Arctic Ave | pier101folly.com

Pier 101 has reopened as the first phase of the piers reopening plan. The restaurant has been serving the community since 2017.  Located just 10 miles from Charleston, South Carolina, beach lovers have been partying at the Folly Beach pier since the 1930s. It is our goal with Pier 101 Restaurant & Bar to bring back the carefree, easy-going, beach vibes from the piers of the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Much of our menu and décor is intended to reflect these decades gone by. We hope you enjoy cold drinks, fried seafood, and live music at the Edge of America on Folly Beach! Reopened March 2022.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Charleston Flatiron Hotel
810 Meeting Street, Charleston| chstoday.com

The Holy City skyline is defined by church steeples and the Ravenel Bridge, soon to be joined by this hotel. Charleston is short in stature–its tallest point is the steeple at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church at 297 feet. At 10 stories, The Charleston Flatiron will join the shortlist of high-rise buildings around town. This will be the first flatiron-shaped hotel developed in the Southeast. Flatirons are wedged between the intersection of two streets on a triangular lot, and Charleston’s will sit in a vacant lot between Meeting Street + Morrison Drive. Designed by LS3P, it will have 191 rooms with plans for a first-level restaurant and cafe and a ninth-level bar, terrace, and meeting space. 

Charleston Place
205 Meeting Street, Charleston | charlestonplace.com

Charleston Place Hotel is now owned by Beemok Capital. The group says it plans to make a “significant investment in revitalizing the iconic property” and will begin property improvements within the next eighteen months. First and foremost, the hotel’s name will transition from Charleston Place, a Belmond Hotel, to The Charleston Place — a locally owned and operated independent hotel. A lot of aspects of the hotel will be upgraded such as the lobby, courtyard, guest rooms, spa, restaurants, meeting & event spaces and the pool. While the hotel has plans for $100+ million in updates and renovations over the next few years, it has already begun to initiate change to focus on community — working to situate itself as “Charleston’s living room.” 

The Pinch
36 George Street, Charleston| thepinch.com

At the intersection of King and George Streets in Charleston, South Carolina, The Pinch (from Philadelphia-based Method Co.) will add another address to the city’s luxury hotel scene. The apartment-style rooms come with a full kitchen and laundry facilities. Opening Spring 2022.

StayAPT Suites
9331 Blue House Road, North Charleston | stayapt.com

First-of-its-kind apartment-style hotel, featuring a signature layout with a full-size kitchen, living room and separate bedroom. North Charleston travelers will soon be able to experience new hotel brand stayAPT Suites, as its latest location is officially under development at 9331 Blue House Road in North Charleston. Ideal for any length of stay, stayAPT Suites’ unique design philosophy abandons the traditional one-room hotel layout in favor of a residential-feeling suite with intentional spaces.  Opening Spring 2022.

RETAIL

The Beaufort Bonnet Company 

157 Village Green Lane, Kiawah Island | thebeaufortbonnetcompany.com

The Beaufort Bonnet Company creates upscale items for babies and children born with a refined sense of style. Founded in 2012, the company evolved from a few styles rooted in Beaufort, SC to a lifestyle children’s brand headquartered in Lexington, KY. The Beaufort Bonnet Company encourages families to embrace childhood and strives to help make memories sweeter. Now sold online and in approximately four hundred retail locations, The Beaufort Bonnet Company’s line has expanded to include a range of baby and children’s apparel, and gifts. Opening Spring 2022. 

Lululemon
654 Freshfields Dr Suite 200, Kiawah Island, SC | lululemon.com

 Lululemon is relocating its store in Freshfields Village to Freshfields Drive between Cantina 76 and Village Optical. This new location is nearly two times the size of its former space at 2,331 square feet. Lululemon Athletica is an athletic apparel company founded in 1998 and is based in Vancouver, Canada. The company offers pants, shorts, tops, and jackets for a healthy lifestyle and athletic activities, such as yoga, running, and training, as well as other sweaty pursuits. It also provides fitness-related accessories, including bags, socks, underwear, yoga mats and equipment, and water bottles. Opened February 16th, 2022. 

Luminary 

501 Freshfields Drive, Kiawah Island | luminarylifestyle.com

Luminary, founded in 2018 in the heart of Rosemary Beach, captures a timeless traveler whose fashion harmonizes comfort and sophistication. Situated off the Village Green next to Holly & Brooks, Luminary speaks to those who possess effortless elegance and appreciate understated luxury. It strives to fuse travel, discovery, and diverse cultures through its curated collections in fashion, home, and design. Opening Spring 2022. 

TOURS & ATTRACTIONS

Ashley River Park
200 Renken Rd, Summerville | dorchestercountysc.gov

An 87-acre park is coming soon to the Lowcountry. Ashley River Park is currently being built on the banks of the Ashley River by the historic Bacons Bridge in Dorchester County and is located near Summerville. The park will be equipped with two dog parks, open lawn areas, playground and picnic areas, an event space with a pavilion, an interactive play fountain designed to look like a map of Ashley River, a tiered lawn by a large pond with fishing piers and boardwalks and an upgraded nearby kayak launch and picnic area. The site is currently 80 acres but has plans to add 100 more acres across the street. Opening this Saturday, March 19th, 2022. 

Music Farm
32 Ann Street, Charleston | musicfarm.com

The 30-year-old local music venue announced that it will officially reopen next year after being closed since the pandemic began. The improved venue will feature the following: New air conditioning, a new sound system, an updated green room, new lighting, and an updated bar + facilities. The venue’s capacity has been reduced to 650 in order to ensure the comfort of concertgoers. The Royal American will run the kitchen, serving up similar menu items to the eatery’s location on the Upper Peninsula. Opening Spring 2022.

Charleston County Public Library
68 Calhoun Street, Charleston

The Charleston County Public Library’s Board of Trustees is hoping to raise $12.4 million in donations to expand public history resources and renovate the Main Library branch in downtown Charleston. The Main Library currently has $9 million from a previously approved plan to use for renovations, and the Board thinks the project could be enhanced with additional funding – a grand total of $21 million. It assisted in expanding features like the South Carolina Room, which is a reading room for The Charleston Archive – a collection of books, maps, microfilm, and other research materials that cannot be checked out of the library. Additional funding could expand the historic archive capacity, dedicate a program area to local genealogy, enhance the youth space, and increase career assistance + educational support. Fundraising is expected to take place over the next year, with a target end date of January 2023.

HIGHLIGHTED SPECIAL EVENTS

Cooper River Bridge Run | bridgerun.com

Charleston is gearing up for the annual Cooper River Bridge Run this April. Participants can choose to walk or run this 10K, and a Kid’s Run is offered to those 12 and under. Not a fan of running? This event has you covered with a variety of entertainment at the Finish Festival in Marion Square where you can find live music, food and drinks, merchandise, and more. The bridge run will take place on April 2, 2022. 

Charleston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
King Street, Charleston

First started in 1996 when a group of men from the Ancient Order of Hibernians decided to march down King Street. At 10:00 am on Saint Patrick’s Day, join the parade on King Street to celebrate the 25th year of honoring the Irish. 

High Tide Music Festival
1061 Everglades Avenue, North Charleston | hightidefestival.com

The first annual High Tide Music Festival. High Tide is an immersive music and lifestyle experience focused on creating special moments set against picturesque, coastal backdrops, making the destination as important as the journey. High Tide is excited to bring some of the biggest names in electronic music to the Southeast. June 25, 2022.

Dancing on the Cooper
Mount Pleasant Pier | ccprc.com

Dust off your dancing shoes! It’s summertime, and that means we’re Dancing on the Cooper! Live music fills the air as local bands perform a variety of hits, including Beach/Shag, Motown, Alternative, Country, Rock, and the greatest hits from the 80s and 90s! Let loose, breathe in the harbor breeze, and dance the night away under the stars! This is a new dance series that will first take place on April 23, 2022. 

Mullet Hall Trail Run
662 Mullet Hall Rd, Johns Island, SC 29455 | ccpr.com

Take to the trails of Johns Island County Park with our Mullet Haul Trail Run, featuring a 5K and 10K race! Register online. Pre-registration is required and ends by phone at 5:30 p.m. and online at 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 18. Bibs will be distributed onsite from 7 a.m.-8 a.m on race day. 10K begins at 8:30 a.m. and 5K begins at 9 a.m. Water stations will be available on course. Pre-filled, personal water bottles are highly recommended. Participants ages 10-15 can register but must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Chaperone does not have to participate but must be onsite. Dogs are not allowed on the run. Please be aware that the course offers occasional areas of uneven terrain and varies from hard-packed trails to roots to grass. Strollers are not recommended. The trail run will place on April 23, 2022. 

75th annual Festival of Houses & Gardens
Historic District of Charleston | historiccharleston.org

Since 1947 the Festival of Houses and Gardens has been Historic Charleston Foundation’s largest fundraiser and educational tool and has provided intimate glimpses into some of the most beautiful homes and gardens in Charleston, SC. Come along for educational tours and events that explore the area’s significant cultural and architectural landscapes and historic events in the Charleston region, from 350 years ago to present day. The festival will take place March 16 – April 9, 2022.

Holy City Farmers Market
Holy City Brewing, 1020 Aragon Ave, North Charleston

The Holy City Farmers Market is back. Shop handmade goods such as clothing, food, and accessories to support local businesses while also listening to live music. Every Sunday, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

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