Our taste-and-tell guide to some of the latest food and beverage openings in Charleston
Rodney Scott’s BBQ
Good pork comes to those who wait. From his hometown post in Hemingway, South Carolina, Rodney Scott has stoked a far-reaching reputation as a slow-cooked ’cue master. And since the long-awaited opening of his pithouse on Upper King Street in February, a taste of that prime-roasted pork no longer requires a two-hour drive—though you may have to endure a round-the-block line during peak lunch hours. Inside the airy joint, patrons gather over mouth-watering sandwiches and Southern sides at a high-top community table and booths decked with Rodney’s signature kicked-up vinegar sauce. We suggest gracing your plate with a generous hunk of cornbread slathered with ever-so-slightly-sweet honey butter and classic creamy coleslaw. On a return visit—which is sure to be soon—find out why we’re fired up over the saucy spare ribs and fried catfish fillet. www.rodneyscottsbbq.com
The Granary
Now resettled on Mount Pleasant’s Coleman Boulevard, the Lowcountry-inspired eatery has maintained its best features from Belle Hall, with a slightly looser necktie. The cavernous interiors still exude elegance, with wrought-iron chandeliers and dark wood accents, but the space feels even more welcoming: the expanded bar seats 50 people, while long community tables allow parties to mingle. Head chef Brannon Florie’s refaced menu offers slightly lower prices and new comfort food options—think fried chicken, mac-n-cheese, and duck-fat cornbread—while old favorites remain, including Brussels sprouts blistered and tossed with syrup, pork belly served atop grits with kale pesto and an over-easy egg, and house-cured charcuterie boards. The bar has cocktails on tap, including a seasonal punch. Banana bread, crisped with brown sugar and crowned with Bourbon caramel ice cream, seals the meal. www.thegranarycharleston.com
