Kultura Charleston

"Chef Nikko Cagalanan and Baguette Magic co-owner Paula Kramer teamed up to make Filipino flavors a more permanent fixture on Spring Street with the opening of Kultura. For the karaoke brunch, the space offers coffee and pastries from Baguette Magic but with Filipino flavors, like ube lattes, guava “Pop-Tarts,” and egg sandwiches with pork belly adobo. In the evenings, the menu includes arroz caldo with smoked trout roe, pancit with lump crab, and twice-cooked pork ribs in banana ketchup. It’s a casual spot where you’ll find a mix of locals and tourists in the know." - Erin Perkins

"This is a great early date place, to tuck into a small table and try menu items together kind of place. The execution here is a revelation, especially when you realize that Chef Nikko Cagalagan prepares all his dishes without the help of a professional kitchen set up; it's just induction burners and a small oven. Beyond the skill to consistently execute, the dishes are edited perfectly, both in the number of elements included and the size. Nikko is a native Filipino, and the dishes seem like love poetry whose subject is his homeland, but set in Charleston. The Pancit is traditionally sauced in citrus and soy and served with local oyster mushrooms, local pork belly is the star of the Pork Asado, and local snapper is bathed in red curry and served alongside a carrot salad. And the menu isn't big, so many tables order everything." - Stephanie Burt

"“Not in my wildest imagination did I think that I would open my own restaurant,” says Kultura chef-owner Nikko Cagalanan. Born in the Philippines, Cagalanan immigrated to the United States in 2011 to work as a nurse, then pivoted to cooking. Food & Wine named his first venture, Mansueta’s Filipino Food, the best Filipino restaurant in South Carolina in 2022, and in November 2023 he won Food Network’s Chopped show. Next came Kultura, a pop-up he started, he says, because “I just wanna eat the food that I grew up eating, make it the way I want it, while adding a little diversity to Charleston’s food scene.” Kultura moved to a permanent space in 2024, and Cagalanan earned a James Beard Foundation Award nomination for Emerging Chef. His dishes lean traditional, with contemporary accents: The arroz caldo, for example, is inspired by his grandmother’s version, but he tops it with smoked caviar, mushroom XO sauce, and chili crisp."

"We just went to Kultura and had a great time and a great meal." - Erin Perkins

"Even your cousin who only goes out once a year could tell you that Cannonborough-Elliotborough is a hub for great restaurants. Filipino spot Kultura is the newest place in the neighborhood you'll text your friends about. While you certainly won't be mad if you make a reservation for dinner, the weekend karaoke brunch is where this place shines. Where else can you eat an eggplant omelet covered in caviar one moment, and be practically shouting Lizzo the next? We also love their breakfast sandwich with pork belly adobo and scrambled eggs, along with the ube latte—both of which are also good fuel for miming a flute solo. " - jai jones, emily yates