Meetings are mouthwatering in South Carolina, and starting with complex, flavorful traditions of Low Country, Gullah and soul food, in recent years, the state’s ingenious chefs have come to emphasize fresh, local ingredients from sustainable sources.
The South Carolina Hospitality Alliance has created a "Fresh on the Menu" designation earned by many restaurants, indicating that at least 25 percent of ingredients are locally grown. Seafood caught that morning and fruits and vegetables picked that day lend even more zest to what was already some of the most exciting cuisine in the world.
For planners wishing to incorporate South Carolina’s tasty fare, there are myriad options from the coast to the countryside.
Coastal South Carolina
Seafood fresh from the docks is central to the Low Country cuisine native to coastal South Carolina. She crab soup, shrimp and grits, and oysters feature large in the rich palate of Charleston, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach and other destinations.
"In Charleston all of our local seafood is incredible, but you must try two items," says Suzanne Wallace, director of sales at the Charleston Area CVB. "One is shrimp and grits—our beautiful local shrimp cooked with andouille sausage and tomatoes served over stone-ground grits. And our fabulous she crab soup is mouthwatering. The blue crab meat and blue crab roe drizzled on top with a little sherry will warm your heart. One of our newest additions made right here in the Low Country is sweet tea vodka."
Farm-to-table is a major trend on the Charleston food scene. For instance, chef Sean Brock, winner of this year’s Best Chef in the Southeast Award from the James Beard Foundation, gets most of the produce for McCrady’s Restaurant from Thornhill Farm in McClellanville. The ingredients are delivered ripe and used immediately in inventive dishes. McCrady’s offers two private dining rooms capable of hosting as many as 100 guests for banquets, plus the exclusive, 14-person Chef’s Table Room.
New restaurants on the scene include Guy Harvey’s Island Grill. The chain opened its sixth location this year at Mt. Pleasant Towne Center just outside Charleston. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant and art gallery specializes in seafood and marine life paintings created by Harvey himself.
Groups looking for a unique hands-on experience could skip the ropes course and learn how to make their own gumbo or shrimp and grits. Maverick Southern Kitchens offers private Low Country cooking classes, welcoming as many as 32 for demonstration classes or 16 for participatory events.
Besides picture-postcard beaches and world-class golf, South Carolina’s resort islands serve up some of the freshest seafood around. In fact, it’s at the heart of the delectable outdoor traditions known as Low Country boils and oyster roasts, both perfect for groups.
"Low Country boil is actually a combination of fresh shrimp (shell on), corn-on-the-cob, red potatoes, sausage, onions and spices—all cooked together and served casually," says Jack Reed, director of sales at the Hilton Head Island VCB. "You eat it with your hands over a paper tablecloth. It’s great for outdoor parties and several of our local caterers can prepare for groups of any size."
"On Hilton Head, oyster roasts are a local favorite pastime," Reed adds. "Our oysters are harvested from our local tidal creeks and waterways, and then they are washed and roasted over a slow-burning pit-fire. The hard outer shells of the oysters crack open slightly and then they can be shucked by hand. The soft, succulent oysters are ready to eat, served with cocktail sauce or melted butter."
RedFish, Alexander’s and the Old Oyster Factory boast "Fresh on the Menu" designation and feature locally caught seafood and fresh, organic produce from their very own shared farm. RedFish can host as many as 150 for a private banquet. Alexander’s has a private cellar dining room and sports vintage Harley Davidson items for decor. Old Oyster Factory offers an award-winning water view.
A new Hilton Head restaurant, Roastfish & Cornbread, is garnering enthusiastic reviews. Focusing on the traditional cuisine of the Gullah, a local people descended from West Africans, Roastfish offers lamb stew, seafood platters and po-boys. Roastfish caters events and can welcome groups of approximately 20.
Cuisine on Myrtle Beach runs the gamut from North Carolina-style Calabash (think deviled crab, flounder and black bass) in the northern part of the island to Low Country fare. The area is also known for its barbecue made with local, homemade sauces.
"The Myrtle Beach area is historically known for its fresh local seafood, rice, grits, sweet potatoes, peaches and berries, and a fresh produce season that starts in early spring—making Myrtle Beach a paradise for every foodie to indulge," says Danna Lilly, director of sales at the Myrtle Beach Area CVB. "Chefs utilize local ingredients such as Carolina rice, stone-ground grits, shrimp, blue crab, grouper and country ham in traditional recipes handed down from the Gullah community of the Southeastern coastal states."
Far from content to sit on the laurels of these tasty traditions, up-and-coming chefs are putting a new spin on classic shrimp and grits.
"Today, young professional chefs in the Myrtle Beach area are taking the Low Country genre to a new level with innovative interpretations of those traditional dishes," Lilly says. "These Carolina Coastal chefs are using locally sourced ingredients, sustainable meat, fish and seafood, as well as regionally grown produce to enhance the taste and quality of cuisine. One of the most interesting spots to experience this style of cooking is in the community of Murrells Inlet—the seafood capital of South Carolina—where a slew of restaurants sit along the picturesque Murrells Inlet Marshwalk."
Brentwood Restaurant and Wine Bar, known for its French Low Country cuisine, welcomes small, private cooking classes no larger than 12.
This May Myrtle Beach kicked off Coastal Uncorked, the island’s new premier food and wine festival. The eight-day event included Restaurant Week, wine-focused activities, a golf tournament and an all-chef cook-off.
Hyman Vineyards specializes in growing muscadine grapes and making rich dessert wines. Located 25 minutes west of Myrtle Beach in Conway, the winery offers tours and tastings.
On Isle of Palms, Ted’s Dockside has opened at the Isle of Palms Marina. A new location of the thriving gourmet market Ted’s Butcherblock in downtown Charleston, the new outpost offers breakfast, lunch and catered meals for groups of all sizes.
The island is also a great place to catch your own seafood. Planners can arrange customized outings through the marina to take groups crabbing, fishing for redfish, spotted trout, shark, tarpon and flounder, or even night fishing. Picnic cruises are also available.
On Kiawah Island, seafood, ocean views and golf go hand in hand. The Atlantic Room at Kiawah Golf Resort’s Ocean Course Clubhouse prides itself on seasonal, regional seafood. For those more interested in turf than surf, the resort also offers the Forbes Four Star-rated Ocean Room, which specializes in grass-fed beef raised in South Carolina.
The private island community of Seabrook is home to 1,250. Dining options include the upscale Palmetto Room and the casual Pelican’s Nest and Bohicket’s Lounge.
Inland South Carolina
Orchards crowded with ripe peaches, fields bursting with heirloom varieties of corn and rice, tangy-sweet barbecue and intriguing area delicacies give the inland regions of South Carolina their distinctive flavors.
Central in the state, Columbia enjoys the fortunate position of being able to draw ingredients and cooking styles from all over South Carolina.
"Columbia is known for its variety of Southern comfort foods such as mac and cheese, grits and fried chicken," says Ric Luber, president and CEO of the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism, representing the Columbia area. "We’re also known for our mix of barbecue. South Carolina has three types of barbecue: vinegar based, mustard based and ketchup based. In Columbia, you’ll find all three."
Restaurants with private banquet space include Ristorante Divino, which can seat groups of 40, and The Vault, a former bank vault in the Sheraton Columbia Downtown that can seat 30 and serves up martinis named after legendary bank robbers.
Each September, Columbia plays host to Viva la Vista. This outdoor festival combines live music and food from the most popular restaurants in the hip neighborhood of Congaree Vista.
Upstate South Carolina is home to numerous orchards and gardens that provide fresh fruit and vegetables. Farm-to-table restaurants, agricultural tours and food festivals fill places like Greenville, York County, Spartanburg and Clemson with fresh local flavors.
"Southern food is the indigenous cuisine here," says Todd Bertka, vice president of sales at the Greenville CVB. "Fried items such as okra, green tomatoes and catfish are Southern staples. As for beverages, sweet tea and muscadine wine are representative. If you’re driving around the area, you will likely see stands selling boiled peanuts. This local delicacy is a soft salty nut, not the crunchy roasted peanut that most folks know."
Euphoria and Fall for Greenville, the city’s two food, wine and music festivals, warm up the autumn. In June of each year, the Upstate Farm Tour invites participants to visit sustainable, organic produce farms, dairies and livestock growers.
High Cotton, one of Greenville’s top restaurants since it opened in 2006, offers a regional menu and views of the Reedy River. There is private dining space for as many as 60 and a total of 500 seats in the restaurant.
Nantucket Seafood Grill opened in May and features a wide variety of fresh seafood flown in from both coasts. Located inside the newly renovated Courtyard by Marriott Greenville Downtown, the restaurant has two 30-seat private dining rooms.
Organic and farm-to-table food is a growing trend, and the Saturday Market fills Main Street with local vendors. Restaurants such as American Grocery Restaurant focus on carefully sourced ingredients from area farms.
"York County is rich with many orchards," says Sonja Burris, communications coordinator at the Rock Hill/York County CVB. "We have peach, strawberry and apple orchards that produce some delicious and mouth-watering Southern delights. At Windy Hill Apple Orchard you can get freshly made apple cider and apple donuts. Mama Beehive has some of the best homemade honey in the state, and you can’t leave South Carolina until you’ve tasted York County stickies, a sweet, buttery Southern pastry."
The Old Town Market opened in downtown Rock Hill in June 2010. A showcase for local farmers, homemade food and regional arts and crafts, the market makes a great outing for groups.
The Garden Cafe is a local favorite. With a menu ranging from burgers to prime rib, the restaurant itself has 130 seats and is adjacent to the 5,000-square-foot Garden Gate Pavilion.
"Spartanburg County at one point produced more peaches than the entire state of Georgia," says Lauren Ponder, sales and development manager at the Spartanburg CVB. "Visit from May through September and you will taste some of the most amazing peaches. Don’t forget homemade peach ice cream at any of the local farms. Strawberry Hill, also known as Cooley Farms, is the largest strawberry field in the southeast, and you can enjoy their cafe and shop at their open air market March through October."
Several Spartanburg restaurants have been recognized on the Food Network. NuWay holds the title for "Best Burger" with its Redneck Burger, served with a scoop of pimento cheese. Mexico Lindo has made waves with its homemade guacamole.
Groups of 10 or more will enjoy the Spartanburg culinary tour, which includes cooking lessons at a local restaurant, visits to breweries and vineyards, a stop at a local coffee roaster and trips to area farms to taste fresh produce and baked goods.
Clemson is famous for its blue cheese. Made at Clemson University, this pungent, tasty cheese is used by many top restaurants.
Calhoun Corners Restaurant can host groups as large as 85 for Southern favorites such as she crab soup and shrimp as well as steak, duck and vegetarian options.
Kelly Crumrin is a San Francisco-based travel writer who would walk several miles for a bowl of good she crab soup.
