Cru Cafe

Cru Cafe offers a delightful dining experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. The use of local ingredients is evident in every dish, with flavors beautifully mixed to create an unforgettable culinary journey. Each bite was a testament to the chef's skill and commitment to quality. Whether you're a local or just visiting, I highly recommend Cru Cafe for a memorable meal.

The fried green tomatoes here was the single best dish of my entire 4-day trip to Charleston. Fried goat cheese salad was also perfectly executed. The atmosphere on the patio made it probably my most relaxing meal also. Will definitely be back.

Ate here years ago with some friends who were foodies in Charleston. When we came back we decided to give it a try again as our son’s name is Cru. Wife had the caprese salad it was well presented and delicious. I had the Cru burger it was hand patted juicy and delicious. You can’t tell from the picture but it was a thick burger cooked to a great medium temperature paired with truffle parmesan fries for the win. Highly recommend this place as it was great and will be back someday

We loved our experience here at Cru Cafe. Sally our server was excellent! Her smile and charm at so much to the atmosphere. I loved that they had a non alcoholic beverage too. The beer choices were excellent for our party too. The champagne drink was good too

Upon our very first visit to Charleston, my husband and I were so blown away to stumble upon this beautiful gem of a cafe known as Cru. The staff were ALL attentive, kind and accommodating and the food was nothing short of FABULOUS!! Thanks to Julia, who delightfully answered all the many questions we threw her way. We decided to go with the White Wine Truffled Mussels, the Potato Cheddar soup and shared the Garlic Chicken Club and side salad with an amazing ginger based dressing. It was all wonderful. Thank you for providing us an experience worthy of our return and recommendation! We will definitely be back. Thanks again Julia!

An absolutely incredible spot! The food was incredible and well portioned for the price. The service was amazing! Sally ensured we had a good time! I highly recommend making reservations for this place since it is quickly becoming an uncovered gem. I had the steak and it was AMAZING! This is a sure spot to check out for birthdays, anniversaries or when family comes to town!

This was a nice little restaurant. The food was good, but the menu at lunch was limited, and they don't have any cocktails. The fried green tomatoes and the sandwiches we had were large and tasty.

Reservations are a must. We got the soft shell crab salad (special of the day) and the Shrimp BLT. Fried Green Tomatoes with chicharron & chèvre were a perfect appetizer. Mimosas were excellent. We sat inside but the outdoor seating looked great & comfortable. Menu spans from lighter fare to burgers and steak.

Our dining experience at Cru Cafe was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, the entire staff was engaging, warm, and incredibly helpful, with a special mention to our server, Julia, whose attentiveness and charm made the evening unforgettable. We were intrigued to learn that many celebrities have enjoyed Cru Cafe's food for special events through their catering division, and it quickly became clear why. Our culinary journey began with an impressive array of appetizers. The Fried Green Tomatoes were a standout, crispy and delicious, wonderfully complemented by Pork Belly Croutons and a Smoked Tomato Caramel. The Fried Calamari was another highlight, light, tasty, and uniquely prepared with an Asian twist. The entrees were a masterclass in sophistication and balance. From the tender Pork Schnitzel to the flavorful Duck, alongside perfectly cooked Pasta and creamy Risotto, each dish was executed to perfection. The atmosphere at Cru Cafe is cozy and friendly, set within the charming confines of a historic home. It was the perfect backdrop for a memorable evening of outstanding food and impeccable service. We can't wait to return and send others their way.

One of the best meals I've had in Charleston!! To start, service was very friendly upon arrival and it continued through our meal. Like many restaurants in CHS, this is in a former home so the tables are in different rooms in a long and narrow space. It's also open to the kitchen in the back which is cool! I had the Grilled Basil Shrimp and it was fabulous. Very flavorful but not too rich. Another member of my group ordered this as well and we couldn't say enough great things about the dish. Excited to return !

The food is wonderful whether you have lunch or dinner here. Everything, is man fresh to your order. The service is very good. We had Lucy take that order. However, another nice lady served us our food, Everyone is very nice

Stopped by on a Wednesday evening, no wait and we got to sit outside on the charming patio! Note - while it was charming, very buggy!! They had citronella candles lit at every table but mosquitos are ruthless. We got the Chinese chicken salad and Butter Lettuce salad with chicken. Good sized portions. The Chinese chicken salad had a lot of good flavor and texture, but personally would have preferred if the chicken was fully shredded or grilled/cut into strips. Our servers was so nice! My friend is GF and they made sure to provide all the correct information when it came to ensuring her allergy.

The fried green tomatoes here was the single best dish of my entire 4-day trip to Charleston. The atmosphere on the patio made it probably my most relaxing meal also. Will definitely be back.

Enjoyed dinner with friends at Cru. We found it to be accommodating with reservations and not noisy so that it allowed us to be able to chat and enjoy each others company. The food was delicious and service was friendly.

We visited here last Thursday while visiting Charleston. I made reservations because I read this place can get busy but we probably could have went in at the time (6:30 pm) without a reservation. I had the Thai seafood risotto. My husband had the local fish. We shared a side of four cheese macaroni. Everything was excellent. The service was friendly and attentive. The ambiance was cozy (though a little hot). The food was delicious. We will definitely be back.

Overhyped. Very small restaurant make reservations ahead of time. Food took more then 3o minutes to arrive even though we just ordered sandwiches. Food was good but not amazing would not return.

Cute restaurant that makes you feel like you're eating in someone's house. There's a small indoors area and then a nice outdoors area to eat too if the weather is nice. Service is amazing, and our waiter went above and beyond in suggesting dishes for us to order for our table of ~10 and places for us to visit after! We got nearly everything on the menu amongst our entire group and everyone was so happy with their dishes. My personal favourites were definitely: For apps, we ordered nearly everything and the one I really liked was their fried goat cheese salad. 10/10 get this one! The ingredients were all so fresh and very light but still flavorful. Loved it. Another popular app was the fried green tomatoes. It wasn't quite my cup of tea since I don't like tomatoes but wanted to give it a shoutout since we ordered multiple of this app and it was popular! For mains, I got the local fish. It was pretty good and wasn't over cooked or anything. I'd have rather gotten another salad though. For dessert, again we tried everything, and I really liked the chocolate cake (maybe it was a lava cake?). The fresh cream on top was such a hit in our group! The other desserts like cheesecake and such were also quite good so I'd suggest ordering whatever your heart desires here as the cake wasn't mindblowing but all desserts were good.

Gold star service from my new friend Kevin. Don't miss the super fresh ingredients here and talk with your waiter about what you like. Tried a couple of wines, no pressure to love the first. Enjoying the kitchen table, if you're traveling alone or a small group. Definitely a highlight of my visit to Charleston and strongly recommended by the locals. I came on the early side and it's still pretty quiet after 6 during Spoleto, which has the whole town a little crazy.

I'm having a hard time with this review. The food was good. We had the oyster salad- delicious, fried green tomatoes- very good and the pork schnitzel- ok. I think they either forgot the sauce or needed some sauce on the schnitzel. OR the side tasty pasta was meant to balance out the flavorless meat. We saw a BIG COCKROACH crawling along the wall. When we pointed it out to our server Lesley she shrugged and asked if we were afraid of the "palmetto" and assured us it was harmless. WTH!!! That sure wasn't our point. Secondly, when we were given our bill it had the barcode to scan and pay,which we did. As we were almost out the door, Lesley said we forgot to leave our signed receipt. When we indicated we had used the bar code she said she wasn't used to people paying that way??? That left a bad taste in my mouth.

One of my top restaurants in Charleston. Can't wait to back . The food is delicious, I love sitting out on the porch to dine.

I had an hour of notice that I needed a reservation for 5 in Charleston in a Saturday, and frantically reserved a table at Cru Café when I saw an 8:15 pm opening. I had never heard of it, but it had a high rating on Yelp so I expected it to be great. Our overall experience was.... odd. We were sat outside immediately, but had to wait a while on our waitress. I am in my 20s, but it was so incredibly dark outside I had to use my phone light to read the menu. Our waitress placed our orders incorrectly, delaying the arrival of our fried oysters and instead bringing us fried onions (which were not very good). The fried oysters were small but tasty, albeit salty. I really liked the mussels, and they were a large portion. For my entree I got the local catch, which was swordfish. The dish was pretty good, but I wish it had more of the potatoes/ veggies. Like the fried oysters, it was too salty for my taste. The way the porch/ table was set up, all of the liquids from our sweating drinks continuously dripped onto my lap (I was the 5th seat on the end of our 4-person table). This also included grease from the mussels, and anything else mixed in from our dinner that made it onto the table. Another weird thing- the waitress asked someone in our party if they wanted more unsweetened tea, then was unable to follow through with the refill offer because the staff had apparently emptied out the tea urns. She made no offers of brewing more tea for her. The food was ok but I do not think I will be returning.

Ambiance is great, and they accommodated up inside when our reservation was made for outside... great service and food was good. I ordered the pork, but didn't realize it was served on a cold bed of orzo and arugula.

I have been going to Cru Cafe since I was four years old, and now at 25 I recommend it to everyone visiting Charleston. It is a small restaurant, so each dish is crafted to perfection. the wine and beer selection is lovely, and the service is always amazing every time. I recommend their macaroni, any of their delish salads or specials of the day. I love you Cru!

Came here for brunch and was impressed with the service and food. Seated outside, definitely recommend getting a reservation. Get the brisket sandwich if you still can (it's seasonal). Will come back if I'm in the area.

Mediocre. Quite a dive at high prices. The salad was not impressive. The French fries were a floppy and rook temperature. The fried green tomatoes were quite nice but nothing incredible. The special fish was great! It was a large piece of fish and had a nice light sauce. My friends steak was very cooked and lacked all flavor. The dessert was good but nothing amazing. I was disappointed with their wine list. Also, the wine is served room temperature. It's hard to justify the price with the decor and food quality though. Maybe we went on a bad night as this restaurant gets stellar reviews normally.

We stumbled upon this gem while waiting for our carriage ride, and we had the most wonderful experience. It was a warm, quiet day for February so we opted to sit out of the deck and we had a perfect view of all the horse carriages walking down the street. The server made an incredible batch of sweet ice tea and we loved the fried green tomatoes with smoked pork belly. We'll be back for sure.

The menu was varied and the food was great. Service was impeccable and we enjoyed the patio seating.

Cru Cafe continues to be one of my favorite places for lunch or dinner. Always a reliable stop for great freshly prepared food. Ask to sit at the chefs counter and watch them prepare all the plates with effortless style! Housed in a historic 18th century Charleston single house and directly off of the "Charleston City Market Area" ~ you'll enjoy being a part of the action while eating and watching the horse drawn carriages go by. Our server Kara B. was friendly, attentive and efficient and covered the small dining room with ease. She was knowledgeable of the menu and shared the the daily specials immediately and didn't hesitate to ask if we wanted to add-on items that would help to enhance our dining experience. Indoor, porch and patio dining is now available which has been much needed as Cru Cafe tends to be very busy and have wait times during peak hours. Highlights of them menu and most popular are the Chinese Chicken Salad, Duck Confit Salad and the Four Cheese Macaroni. Of course there is Fried Green Tomatoes or Fried Calamari to start and if you're in the mood for a sandwich ~ order the Shrimp BLT or the Oven Roasted Turkey Hoagie. Many local purveyors are used and they are all among the best of the best! My visit today included an order of the Butter Lettuce Salad and my taste buds savored every morsel. The honey sherry vinaigrette is perfect for this type of salad ~ I wouldn't have it any other way. I have made a commitment to myself to eat a piece or two of salmon every week ~ mainly for it's health benefits ~ so I ordered a portion of salmon on top of the salad! Delicious! To keep our taste buds satisfied we decided to order a dessert and we chose the Peach-Blueberry Bread Pudding..It was served with a generous dollop of house made fresh whip cream! Oooh La La! Definitely have to do a long walk tomorrow! I'm always satisfied and pleased with Cru Cafe and I highly recommend to friends and family when they are in town.

Located in an old home - the dining rooms are small and cozy. Our Waitress Kara was very helpful with suggestions and recommendations and just a sweetie. I guess we would have been better off at a larger table - b/c we sat 5 people at a 4 tops with loads of split items so table real estate was challenging. This was one of my favorite meals of the trip (And my first official vacation meal). We shared a bunch of things. The fried green tomatoes here were the ones to beat here - it included goat cheese and crispy pancetta bits. MUST ORDER. I would happily just order this for lunch and not have to share. also we got: -The asian chicken salad, surprisingly good - and would definitely satisfy for a light lunch -Mushroom soup - good - but could have been hotter. -Grilled cheese with broccolini - comes with tomato soup -General Tso's chicken - Another great choice for a slightly lighter lunch -Garlic Chicken club - Subbed fried onion strings - the charred bread was what made this sandwich a standout -Mac and cheese - Others loved this - for me - the pasta was a bit mushy This is apparently a tough reservation to get - so plan ahead!

Five of us had brunch on a Friday before a three-day holiday weekend. Place is super cute but very small. We ate inside because it was too hot outside. AC was perfect temp. Single unisex bathroom. We started by sharing the fried green tomatoes and Chinese chicken salad. Loved both. They balanced each other because the salad was light and refreshing and the tomatoes we heavier. In retrospect, these were the best fried green tomatoes of the trip. Then we all split several dishes. My absolute favorite was the grilled cheese sandwich. Wow. Bread was crunchy perfect. Broccoli rabe was the perfect amount. Cheese was gourmet. I did not eat the soup; not a fan in general. Others liked it. We also spilt the Mac and cheese and it was death row meal worthy. It had a lot of black pepper flavor and reminded me of cacio and pepe. Would come back here.

A m a z I n g. . We drove to Charleston for this reason. A team working together delivering the finest dishes. Singing in the kitchen, chefs and food prep totally in tune. Some parking in the rear. Salads a must! Fried Goat cheese.

We heard so much about this restaurant that we decided to go there for lunch. I got the Smashburger and fries. This was not an exciting lunch, but it was a very very good hamburger. Let's face it if you get something good for lunch and enjoy it then it's a good lunch. My wife got the shrimp and grits she thinks, but then it's 75 who knows what she got to eat a week ago she enjoyed it very much. We never get shrimp and grits in New Jersey. All we get is subs and cheesesteaks. I would highly recommend anyone to visit this restaurant and put it on your list for Charleston.

We were able to get a dinner reservation at 6:15 on Memorial Day weekend. The interior of the home was quaint and pleasing to the eye. In the corner by the window, looking out on the street, which was right by the worst carriages companies. Our waitress, Sally was outstanding, friendly, courteous, and knew her menu well. The fried green tomatoes were outstanding, delicious and hot and both our meals were excellent so if you want to quaint quiet atmosphere, I strongly this restaurant.

I ate here for lunch not long ago and the food was delicious; however, the host that checked us in was a total rude jerk! I work in tourism in Charleston and was appalled at his condescending attitude and comments...much like other reviewers below. We had been sitting there after eating and chatting (and no one was waiting or in sight). As he passed us he said, "Are you still here?!" When we mentioned that to our waitress, who was wonderful, she said they constantly get complaints about him but the owner does nothing. Don't waste your time!

Surprisingly good. A subdued, low-key restaurant housed in an old house. The wine list is seriously lacking and they do not sell drinks with hard alcohol. Get the Parmesan fries for an appetizer. They are good for snacking on and they are generous in sizing. The salad was good. The fried green tomatoes are a bit sweet. The ribeye was very good and flavorful. Our waiter, Dakota, was very nice. We opted for the flourless chocolate cake. It's a fine dessert. Overall, it is a good restaurant, just not remarkable...yet.

I've wanted to try Cru Cafe since the first time I visited Charleston but it was always packed and always required reservations. This time around, we actually remembered to make a reservation for lunch and I'm so glad we did! The food was delicious and our waitress was very nice and attentive. When I first arrived and checked in, I was told there was a 45 minute wait even with reservations. That kind of bummed me out at first because why make reservations then? Also, I had my kids with me... but luckily my husband just took them for a walk around the city while I waited at the restaurant. I don't think the overall wait was 45 minutes, but it was definitely at least a half an hour. We were finally seated outside on the porch in the corner away from the door and it was a perfect, lovely spot. We wanted to eat a light lunch so I ordered the Mesclun Fried Goat Cheese Salad, my husband ordered the Garlic Chicken Club, and the kids split the Mac and Cheese. All of our food was absolutely delicious. I still dream about that salad! It tasted so crisp and fresh. The dressing was fantastic, and the fried goat cheese was perfection. My husband said his sandwich was very good as well and the kids (with some help from us) devoured the Mac and Cheese. We also had to try the orange cake, and I am SO glad we did. It was so so good - light, fluffy, and the icing was perfect. Our waitress also told us that it is made by a local woman who used to work at Cru Cafe. She still bakes three cakes a week for them because her dessert is such a hit. I highly recommend trying the orange cake to end an excellent lunch at Cru Cafe.

Food is fresh and our chicken sandwich had the perfect amount of flavor. Loved the side Asian salad that came with it too. The exercise is personable and the wait was not to long for lunch in a Wednesday around 12 PM. This is a small establishment and worth the wait. I recommend you dine here.

Cru Cafe is a hidden gem & I'm so glad our dinner plans didn't work out & we stumbled upon it. This place is adorable! We ate outside on the patio but the options inside & on the porch both seemed great too. The service we received was top notch. Our server, Jason, was great. He was very attentive & personable. We started with the Cru Caesar salad & the fried green tomatoes. Jason said the fried green tomatoes were the best in the area & he wasn't lying! They were amazing! For our entrees, my husband & I split the Poblano & Mozzarella Fried Chicken and the Pork Schnitzel. Both were delicious & perfectly prepared! Highly recommend this place & would love to come back the next time we're in the area.

Cru Cafe never disappoints for your lunch or dinner choice in historic district of Charleston. Make a reservation! Today I ordered the specials: beefsteak tomato and housemade mozzarella drizzled with housemate balsamic and herb. Next the avocado shrimp ceviche toast on sourdough toast. Both were a 10! Husband ordered his favorite - General Tso's Chicken. (Actually it's a tie with the salmon for him) Got there right when it opened at 11am and got my favorite table on the porch. Longtime favorite of ours!

Friendly servers their coffee is off the charts and comes from King bean roasters. I had the most delicious, plump muscles. I've had in a really long time, I really enjoyed them.

Was in town for memorial day weekend and made a reservation here, it was AMAZING! I had the Thai Seafood Risotto and my boyfriend had the Local Fish which was Swordfish. We also had a side of the 4 cheese macaroni. Best food, we were licking our plates. Sally was the best server ever so knowledgeable about the dishes, kind and attentive. Would 10/10 recommend :)

Excellent food was phenomenal fresh and tasteful service was exceptional, and the atmosphere was perfect Thank you Cru Cafe for making my evening .

The food was so delicious. The flavors were so delicious. A quaint cafe with an intimate atmosphere. So glad we tried it on a recommendation during our first visit to Charleston. Highly recommend for a romantic dinner out or a casual lunch. Not very many tables inside when the weather is mucky, so plan ahead and make a reservation. Great to sit on patio when weather permits.

Love the Cru Café. Been coming here for over 10 years. The Shrimp BLT is the greatest sandwich of all time. With Wildes on the grill, he prepares the shrimp, bacon and pepper jack with a grill warmed sourdough and a special sauce that is out of this world - all the distinct flavors play off each other. They always ask me what side I want - I always say the same thing - Nothing deserves to be on this plate with this sandwich, so no side for me. These days when my wife drives from Charlotte to Charleston, I'll go for the Shrimp BLT, eat it, and drive 210 miles home! Jeff W

Amazing food and even better service! Rhonda took care of us and made us feel comfortable and made some great recommendation. A must for people visiting Charleston!

Such a neat little place! Has a wonderful quaint atmosphere. Sit outside, on the porch, or in the "living room". Had lunch - the food was delicious and great quality. The staff was super nice. I'll definitely be back!

The food was excellent, the wait staff did know the menu and was able to help us with our lunch decision. I would definitely come back again

Wow!! This is one of our favorite places in Charleston. The food, service and the entire experience is amazing! A must try on a Charleston visit.

Awesome southern food and hospitality. Had the ginger salmon and fried green tomatoes. Atmosphere was quaint southern homey feel in historic building.

Hubbie and I came in in a Wednesday night at 7:30pm with no reservations and were able to be seated right away. Truffle mussels 4.5/5: Delicious!! Absolutely loved the sauce. You can actually taste the truffle a bit. They have a couple extra pieces of crostini too since we had a bunch of extra sauce sauce left. Thigh the crostini were just okay. Almost too hard. Fried tomatoes 5/5: The combination of the fried tomatoes and feta, balanced out with sweetness of the pork belly was absolutely fire 4/5 Thai risotto: what a pleasant, interesting twist on risotto! It turned out how I imagined it would, in a good way! There was plenty of seafood to go around. 2/5 Bread pudding: this was the only dish that disappointed us. We didn't even finish it and we hardly ever waste food. It just was sooo bland and had no depth to it in terms of flavor and texture.

Had the service been quicker and more attentive, this would have been a 4-star rating, as the food was very good. A quiet Friday afternoon is no time for an over half-hour wait to get out a few sandwiches, however....

Best food we had in Charleston! My husband and I have over 20 years each plus in the industry, this food was awesome! We went in for dinner with our two boys, the staff was great, friendly and knowledgeable. We forgot our servers name, she had long dark hair and The GM Kelly were amazing! Great hospitality, we will be back!

Stopped in without a reservation and were instantly and warmly greeted by Rhonda. We ordered the Gourmet Grilled Cheese and goat cheese shrimp salad. Both excellent choices ... delicious We had the great advantage of sitting at the bar where we had front row seats to Rachel, head chef, masterfully preparing a huge fresh salmon to take its next step onto her customers plates! The kitchen team worked like a finely tuned musical instrument, never missing a beat as they filled order after order of mostly custom requests. And don't forget dessert... You must have the "dreamsicle " cake. Divine!! The atmosphere, extra charming, menu extra creative and an expensive in culinary happiness... the service, friendly, fun and attentive. Please enjoy Cru!!

Charleston provides a myriad of enticing eateries throughout the downtown area which makes choosing a restaurant a difficult endeavor. Fortunately, we chose Cru for lunch and had a fantastic time. The food was excellent and the service even better. Cru is located in an old house and has a small dining area inside with several outside options. I would recommend making a reservation to ensure you get your preferred seating. I had a salad with fried goat cheese and loved it. My companion had the gourmet grilled cheese and tomato basil soup, which she would strongly recommend. My only regret was that I will not be able to try more of their menu. The wait staff was extremely attentive and we even had an opportunity to speak to the chef. This is a great place to eat in Charleston.

Second time visiting and once again Cru was wonderful! Amazing staff and delicious food. My son had a blueberry mock-tail he raved about!! Highly recommend this quaint restaurant!

Always great, but make sure you make a reservation As always, the food at Cru Cafe is great. Maybe it is why it is a fallback place to eat when we have visitors. First, don't go for dinner without reservations. Even when they opened at 5:30 multiple groups were turned away without one. Fried Green Tomatoes was a great way to start the meal. You can't go wrong with a dish that has Pork Belly Croutons, over Feta and fried green tomatoes The wife enjoyed her White Wine Truffled Mussels. The double-cut Grilled Pork Chop is the best in the city, or anywhere else I have eaten for that matter. The only disappointing part of the meal was the special Scallops over pasta the wife ordered. The scallops were cooked perfectly, but the pasta sauce was watery as if they did not drain the pasta before plating. I wish we would have stayed for dessert; because it would have been better than the place we went to down the street.

We were able to get in by chance and I am so glad we did. The entire meal and service were fantastic. It's also such a cute cozy setting that is immediately relaxing. We had a bottle of rose and tomato salad to start. I got the duck which I don't normally eat but holy cow I am now a duck person. My friend had the schnitzel and it looked amazing. Definitely make a reservation in advance because it's worth the time.

Amazing chef and service. Sat at chef's table. Fried green tomatoes perfectly done; fried oysters perfectly done; NY strip steak with amazing potatoes and green beans. Historical house.