15 Charleston, South Carolina Soul Food Spots That Locals Say Give Grandma A Run For Her Money
Growing up, I believed no one could touch my grandmother’s fried chicken and collard greens. Then I moved to Charleston and found a city full of cooks who stand toe-to-toe with her legendary Sunday suppers.
From Gullah-Geechee recipes passed down like prayer to whole-hog barbecue that brings tears, the Holy City serves soul food that honors history and still makes taste buds dance.
These fifteen spots earn their stripes by keeping it real, cooking with love, and welcoming strangers like cousins. Pull up a chair, pass the hot sauce, and watch a roomful of favorites turn newcomers into family today.
1. Bertha’s Kitchen — North Charleston
Winning a James Beard America’s Classics award isn’t something that happens by accident.
Bertha’s Kitchen earned that honor by doing one thing exceptionally well: cooking soul food exactly the way it should taste. Their fried chicken comes out of the fryer with a crackling golden crust that shatters at first bite, revealing juicy meat that’s been seasoned with decades of know-how.
The red rice here carries that perfect balance of tomato tang and savory depth, while the collards get cooked low and slow until they’re tender enough to melt on your tongue. Recent grants and ongoing operations prove this North Charleston treasure isn’t going anywhere. Walk through the door and you’ll smell what heaven must be cooking.
2. Hannibal’s Kitchen — Downtown Charleston
Gullah-Geechee culture runs deep in Charleston, and Hannibal’s Kitchen serves as its delicious ambassador.
Located on the East Side of downtown, this spot made the City Paper’s Top 50 for 2025 by staying true to ancestral recipes that have fed Lowcountry families for generations. Their crab rice isn’t just a side dish; it’s a main event packed with sweet crabmeat and perfectly seasoned grains.
Turkey wings fall off the bone with a whisper, while oxtails braise until they reach that melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes you close your eyes and sigh. The red rice here competes with anyone’s grandmother’s version. Check their active website for hours because you’ll want to plan your visit carefully.
3. Dave’s Carry-Out — Downtown Charleston
Sometimes the best meals come in styrofoam containers from places that have been around longer than you’ve been alive.
Dave’s Carry-Out represents old-school Charleston soul food at its finest, specializing in fried seafood that crunches with every bite and soul sides that remind you why comfort food earned its name. Making the City Paper’s 2025 Top 50 list confirms what locals already knew.
Their Facebook page stays active with daily specials and menu updates, so you can plan your attack before arriving. The fried fish here gets coated in seasoned cornmeal that creates a textured crust you’ll dream about later. Grab extra napkins because things are about to get messy in the best possible way.
4. Workmen’s Café — James Island
Meat-and-three restaurants represent Southern dining democracy at its finest.
You pick your protein, choose three sides, and suddenly you’ve got a plate that looks like Sunday dinner at your auntie’s house. Workmen’s Café on James Island has perfected this formula, posting active menu updates on their Facebook page and keeping delivery options live through UberEats and Postmates.
Their comfort plates rotate daily, giving you reasons to visit multiple times per week without getting bored. One day you might grab smothered pork chops with mac and cheese, collards, and candied yams. The next visit could bring fried chicken with green beans, potato salad, and cornbread. Every combination works because they cook with consistency and care.
5. My Three Sons of Charleston — North Charleston
Cafeteria-style service might remind you of school lunches, but My Three Sons elevates the experience into something special.
Their Gullah cafeteria line lets you see exactly what you’re getting before committing, which is perfect when everything looks so good you can’t decide. Smothered turkey wings glisten under rich gravy that’s been simmered with onions until it reaches peak savoriness.
Pork chops come out tender and seasoned deep into the meat, while oxtails offer that fall-apart texture that only comes from proper braising. Current Tripadvisor and Yelp pages show active hours and fresh reviews, proving this North Charleston spot stays busy for good reason. Bring your appetite because portion control isn’t really their thing.
6. EastSide Soul Food — Downtown Charleston
Not every great meal requires tablecloths and reservations. EastSide Soul Food proves that takeout can deliver the same satisfaction as sit-down dining when the cooking comes from the heart.
Their downtown location makes it easy to grab soul plates on your lunch break or pick up dinner on your way home. Recent reviews on Yelp, Tripadvisor, and MapQuest confirm they’re still serving up consistent quality.
Posted hours mean you can plan your visit without disappointment. The menu covers all your soul food favorites without trying to reinvent the wheel, because sometimes tradition doesn’t need improvement. Their fried chicken stays crispy even after the drive home, which is basically magic. Keep some napkins in your car for spontaneous visits.
7. Nigel’s Good Food — Ladson
When one location closes but two others keep thriving, you know the food speaks for itself. Nigel’s Good Food moved on from their original North Charleston spot but continues serving Lowcountry and soul staples in Ladson and Hanahan.
Their official locations page stays current, and Yelp plus Tripadvisor reviews for the Ladson location prove people are finding them and loving what they taste.
The menu walks the line between traditional soul food and Lowcountry specialties, giving you options whether you’re craving something familiar or adventurous. Portions come generous enough to share, though you probably won’t want to. Their commitment to quality hasn’t wavered despite location changes, which shows real dedication to their craft and their customers.
8. Nigel’s Good Food — Hanahan
Sister locations can sometimes feel like afterthoughts, but Nigel’s Good Food in Hanahan delivers the same quality as their Ladson spot.
Their famous Geechie wings have developed a cult following, and one bite explains why. These aren’t your average buffalo wings; they carry flavors and seasonings that reflect Lowcountry cooking traditions passed through generations.
Shrimp and grits here get prepared with real attention to detail, from perfectly cooked shrimp to creamy grits that have been stirred with patience. The official locations page confirms current operations, so you can visit with confidence. Whether you hit the Ladson or Hanahan location depends on which side of town you’re coming from, but either way you’ll eat well and leave happy.
9. Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles — North Charleston
Chicken and waffles might sound like a strange combination until you taste how perfectly sweet and savory work together on one plate.
Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles in North Charleston has turned this soul food brunch staple into an art form. Their brand site shows the North Charleston location proudly, while an active Yelp page proves people are visiting and reviewing regularly.
The chicken arrives hot and crispy, seasoned with a blend that makes each bite interesting. Waffles come out fluffy inside with crispy edges, ready to soak up syrup and chicken drippings in equal measure. Soul food sides round out the menu for those who want more than just the signature dish. Brunch crowds can get serious, so plan accordingly or prepare to wait.
10. Gail’s Soul Food — Goose Creek
Goose Creek might sit outside Charleston proper, but Gail’s Soul Food makes the drive worthwhile.
Turkey wings here get cooked until they’re tender enough to pull apart with a fork, seasoned with spices that penetrate deep into the meat. Meatloaf brings back memories of childhood dinners, while baked chicken offers a lighter option that still delivers on flavor.
Their official site, Yelp page, and ezCater profile all started showing activity in 2025, confirming they’re open for business and taking catering orders. Hours stay posted so you won’t make a wasted trip. The menu sticks to soul food classics without getting fancy, which is exactly what you want from a place called Gail’s Soul Food. Sometimes simple done right beats complicated done wrong.
11. Early Bird Diner — West Ashley
Food Network doesn’t feature just any restaurant, so when Early Bird Diner earned that recognition, Charleston locals nodded knowingly.
Their chicken and waffles have achieved legendary status in the Holy City, drawing crowds who plan their weekends around brunch here. Shrimp and grits compete for menu supremacy, prepared with local shrimp and creamy grits that have been stirred with love.
The official site posts current hours, and Yelp reviews stay fresh with recent visits. Located in West Ashley, this spot serves breakfast and lunch crowds who know good food when they taste it. Lines form early on weekends, but the wait gives you time to study the menu and plan your order. Trust me, you’ll want to order more than you think you can eat.
12. Bear-E-Patch Café West — West Ashley
Classic Southern breakfasts never go out of style when they’re prepared with quality ingredients and real cooking skills. Bear-E-Patch Café West in West Ashley keeps that tradition alive with plates that would make your grandmother proud. Their official site shows 2025 hours clearly, and active Yelp listings confirm they’re serving daily.
Breakfast plates arrive loaded with eggs cooked to order, grits that have been properly seasoned, and biscuits that rise tall and flaky. The menu extends beyond breakfast into lunch territory, offering Southern plates that satisfy any time of day.
Prices stay reasonable, portions come generous, and the atmosphere feels comfortable without being fancy. This is the kind of place where regulars know the staff by name and newcomers quickly become regulars themselves.
13. Kardea Brown’s Southern Kitchen — Charleston Airport
Airport food usually means overpriced disappointment, but Kardea Brown changed that game when her Southern Kitchen opened at Charleston International Airport in April 2025.
The Food Network star brought her Gullah-inspired menu inside the terminal, giving travelers a taste of authentic Charleston soul food before their flights. The airport announcement and Guardian feature confirm this isn’t just another celebrity restaurant cashing in on a name.
Her menu reflects real Lowcountry cooking traditions with modern presentation. Tripadvisor already has a listing despite the restaurant being brand new, proving people are finding it and spreading the word. Now you have a legitimate reason to arrive at the airport early. Skip the chain restaurants and grab real Charleston flavors before you leave town.
14. Rodney Scott’s BBQ — Charleston Upper King
Whole-hog barbecue represents South Carolina cooking at its most serious. Rodney Scott has turned this tradition into an art form that earned him a James Beard Award and national recognition.
His Upper King location in Charleston serves pulled pork that’s been smoked over hardwood until it reaches that perfect balance of crispy bark and tender meat. Soul food sides like perlo rice and banana pudding complete the experience.
Tripadvisor, Yelp, and even Bon Appétit guides list this spot with current details and glowing reviews. Open daily means you can satisfy your barbecue cravings any day of the week. The banana pudding alone justifies the visit, layered with vanilla wafers and topped with meringue that’s been torched to golden perfection.
15. The Soul Kitchen at ECD — Mount Pleasant
Finding soul food inside a disco venue might seem unusual until you remember that good food and good times have always gone together.
The Soul Kitchen at ECD in Mount Pleasant serves Gullah and Lowcountry soul plates that honor traditional cooking methods. Their okra soup carries flavors that have been passed through generations, thick with okra, tomatoes, and seasonings that warm you from the inside.
Baked turkey wings offer a lighter alternative to fried options without sacrificing flavor. The official site and ordering page show they’re fully operational with online ordering live, making it easy to grab food before or during events at East Cooper Disco. Current hours posted on venue listings mean you can plan your visit with confidence. Soul food and dancing? That’s a combination your grandmother would definitely approve of.