The Top 20 Places to Drink in Charleston SC
The best places to drink in Charleston SC, by the professional record: James Beard Awards, Eater, and Esquire have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Graft Wine Shop comes out on top, and the record runs deepest in Charleston and Johns Island.
The Darling Oyster Bar and Recovery Room Tavern hold the next two places. Eater shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with James Beard Awards next.
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- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
- Eater 13 Essential Charleston Bars for Cocktails, Beer, Wine
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service · Femi Oyediran and Miles White
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- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
- Eater 13 Essential Charleston Bars for Cocktails, Beer, Wine
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Rank 5. The Grocery
Mediterranean
Charleston's Lowcountry pantry filtered through a Mediterranean lens, The Grocery is a neighborhood restaurant where seasonal produce and local seafood share the menu in ways that feel natural rather than calculated. Fried oysters with deviled egg sauce have been here since day one, which tells you something about the kitchen's instincts. The room runs warm and unhurried, the kind of place locals treat like a standing reservation they never made.
- Esquire The Dirty Green Tomato · The Best Martinis in America
- Condé Nast Traveler 40 Best Restaurants in Charleston
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- Eater Where to Drink in Charleston Right Now
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. East
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Rank 8. babas on cannon
European-Inspired Coffee
Menu painted on the front windows, high tables, espresso foaming in the morning and a cocktail shaker going by afternoon: Babas is a small all-day European-style cafe and bar that operates on a pleasantly loose schedule. The kitchen moves from overnight oats and baked goods at breakfast through deviled eggs and a caviar sandwich later on, which is a pretty wide range for a room you could cross in six steps.
- Eater 13 Essential Charleston Bars for Cocktails, Beer, Wine
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Charleston
- Condé Nast Traveler 40 Best Restaurants in Charleston
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Rank 8. Lost Isle
Lowcountry Southern
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- Eater 13 Essential Charleston Bars for Cocktails, Beer, Wine
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
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