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| Oyster Bar at The Ordinary, 544 King St., Charleston, SC |
Peanut butter and jelly. Eggs and ham. Oysters and Charleston. Great on their own, but better together. I popped in for the Charleston Food + Wine Festival last weekend and plotted an oyster tour. It's impossible to fully appreciate the Charleston oyster experience without learning a little about its oyster history. Oyster middens (mounds of oyster shells) have been found in the area dating back as early as 2000 BC. Victor Burrell writes extensively about the South Carolina oyster industry in his book South Carolina Oyster Industry: A History. It's worth a read before your Charleston oyster tour.
CHARLESTON OYSTER BARS
Come hungry: the Charleston Oyster Tour is a full day affair.
- The Noisy Oyster (24 North Market St.)
- Amen Street Fish and Rawbar (205 East Bay St.)
- A.W. Shuck's (70 State St.)
- Pearlz Oyster Bar (153 East Bay St.)
- Hanks Seafood Restaurant (10 Hayne St.)
- The Ordinary (544 King St.)
- Bowens Island Restaurant (1879 Bowens Island Rd.)
I mapped out each restaurant on Google and hit the ones that served lunch first. Only The Noisy Oyster, Amen Street and A.W. Shuck's are open for lunch. I parked at the Bank of America parking garage, right next to Hanks Seafood Restaurant, between Pinckney and Haynes Streets.
OYSTER TOUR OF CHARLESTON
DAY ONE
12:00p: The Noisy Oyster
Open Sun-Thurs: 11p-10p; Fri-Sat: 11-10:30p
House oysters - usually Apalachicolas (FL) - are served raw by the half dozen. If you haven't tried an Apalachicola oyster, order a half dozen at a window table. Otherwise, skip the oysters and grab a cute t-shirt. Next: Amen Street. Walk one block south on East Bay St.
12:30p: Amen Street Fish and Rawbar
Open Seven Days a Week. 11:30a - 10p. Bar open until 2p. Reservations recommended.
Home of the most fabulous oyster chandelier ever! Grab a seat at the first-come-first-served oyster bar. Amen usually offers a half dozen oysters. Varieties change daily. Next: A.W. Shuck's. Walk one block north on East Bay, then turn left onto Market St.
2:00p: A.W. Shuck's
Open Sun-Thurs 11a-10p; Fri-Sat: 11a-11p
The oyster menu offers Apalachicolas, Blue Points, and Carolina Cups. Weather permitting, sit on the outside porch, grab a cheap beer and enjoy the people watching. Order a half dozen of the Carolina Cups.
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| The elephant and turtle are handmade from ground oyster shells and epoxy. |
Next: Pearlz Oyster Bar. From the last market stall, turn right onto East Bay. Walk three blocks south.
3:55p: Pearlz Oyster Bar
Open Seven Days a Week. 4p-close. Reservations Recommended.
Arrive at Pearlz a few minutes before it opens. By 4:10p, the place is packed. Happy hour bargain hunters can order a dozen "House" oysters (James River or Gulf oysters) for just $8.95. Next: Hanks Seafood Restaurant. Turn North on East Bay. Turn left onto East Bay. Walk four blocks north. Turn left onto N. Market Street. Walk three quick blocks East. Turn right onto Church Street.
5:00p: Hanks Seafood Restaurant
Open Sun - Thurs 5p-10:30p; Fri-Sat 5p-11p. Reservations Recommended.
Hank's is an institution, a place for a special meal. If you're in an oysters-only mood, sit at the bar. Next: The Ordinary. Turn right out of the restaurant on Hayne Street. The Bank of America parking garage is next door. Grab your car. It's a 20 -30 min walk - great on a sunny day. It was freezing when I visited, so I opted to drive. Parking is available at the Charleston Visitor Center (375 Meeting St.)
6:30p: The Ordinary
Open Tue-Sun 5p-close. Reservations Recommended.
Head straight to the back and stalk a seat at the hottest oyster bar in Charleston. Keep your eyes out for culinary celebs.
Even the most avid oyster lovers among us hit our oyster limit. Charleston (Day 1) wore me out. I spent the next day at Isle of Palms, then drove to a tiny spit of land called Bowens Island, just outside of Folly Beach, for dinner. From downtown Charleston, plan for a half hour drive.
DAY 2
5:00p: Bowens Island Restaurant
Open Tues-Sat 5p-10p. No Reservations Accepted.
The line starts early, so be prepared to wait up to an hour for steamed, local oysters. Time your dinner for the best sunset in the South.
Every day this week, I'll post a review of the Charleston restaurants and the oysters I ate at Amen Street, Pearlz Oyster Bar, Hanks Seafood Restaurant, The Ordinary, and Bowens Island Restaurant. Heading North? Check out our Ultimate Oyster Tour of New York.
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