36 Best Restaurants in Charleston

"What's great about Delaney is the editing—Charleston is a seafood center, so it would be easy to go big, but instead, the menu is sleek. Divided in categories of oysters (obviously), cold, hot, small, and not small plates, the modern style of ordering things for the table is naturally encouraged. Ordering is easy, because everything from the cheddar bay hushpuppies to the local peel and eat shrimp to the crispy flounder is delicious. The drinks are all meant to pair with seafood, so the cocktails are bright with plenty of citrus and bubbles, the wines may have notes of limestone or green strawberry (perfectly paired with a crudo), there's mini bottle vodka service for the caviar, and also beer and zero proof cocktails, too." - Stephanie Burt