The Best Places to Eat in Johns Island
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The best places to eat in Johns Island, according to the experts: Forbes Travel Guide, AAA, and Condé Nast Traveler have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. The Ocean Room comes out on top.
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Wild Olive and Linette's hold the next two places. AAA shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Condé Nast Traveler next.
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Rank 1. The Ocean Room
Steakhouse
The awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Forbes Travel Guide: Forbes Five Star
- AAA AAA: Four Diamonds
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Rank 2. Wild Olive
Italian
A roadside Italian restaurant on the drive out to Johns Island that rewards slowing down. The menu turns with the seasons, so regulars come back often enough that the staff tends to recognize them. Pasta, charred octopus, and vegetables sourced from local farmers the chef has worked with across a long Charleston career all show up regularly. The room handles birthdays, date nights, and mothers with equal composure.
The awards
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- Condé Nast Traveler Condé Nast Traveler: 40 Best Restaurants in Charleston
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The awards
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Rank 3. The Royal Tern
Seafood
The awards
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Rank 5. Lost Isle
Southern
Everything cooks over open white-oak fires behind a tattered ranch house on Johns Island, sailcloth and outdoor chandeliers overhead, the smoke visible from the road. The chef grew up in North Georgia and knows his Lowcountry, so collards and roasted clams show up alongside chimichurri and tamarind. The New York Times put it on their 2024 Restaurant List. Arrive hungry enough for the charred semolina sourdough that lands first, and don't skip the carrots.
The awards
- The New York Times 2024 · The Restaurant List
- Eater 13 Essential Charleston Bars for Cocktails, Beer, Wine