Dog & Duck Nexton is officially open
The fifth Dog & Duck location is now open at 430 Cross Park Lane in Nexton.
Looking for restaurant recommendations?
Aaron Pennell, an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston School of Business, has launched TasteSignal.ai, a platform that uses AI to rank 240 Charleston restaurants across 16 dining categories based on critical reviews, crowd sentiment, trending data, consistency, and local relevance. Rankings are fact-checked, updated monthly, and include cited sources and confidence scores. April's top overall picks were Wild Common, Chubby Fish, Vern's, Malagón, and FIG. Pennell hopes to scale the platform to other markets and eventually build a mobile app.
The secondhand soul: David Santos traded the corporate grind for vintage finds
After 25 years working for others, David Santos decided to launch his own business. He was always into fashion and now he's bringing his decade old collection and new vintage finds to Charleston. Read more [...]
New in town: Isabella Adkins
Isabella planned on moving to Charleston, and when the opportunity felt right, she made the move. Between the relationships she’s built and the routine she has, the Lowcountry already feels like home. Read more [...]
Steel City Pizza Co. to open next week
The pizza place will open its Mount Pleasant location at 401 Faison Road (Carolina Park) on April 23. Steel City has two other locations – in North Charleston and Summerville.
Dutch Bros Coffee opens in Mount Pleasant
The coffee chain has opened a drive-thru at 1173 Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant, taking over and remodeling the former Clutch Coffee Bar. The Oregon-based company, which operates more than 1,000 locations in 25 states, entered South Carolina last summer and has been expanding rapidly across the state, with another Charleston-area location planned at 3678 Ladson Road.
Coming soon to Tanger Outlets
Tanger Outlets in North Charleston is adding several new tenants in 2026. Abercrombie & Fitch (7,000 sq ft, near Kay Jewelers), Simply Southern (4,500 sq ft, next to The Gap), and Swarovski (1,400 sq ft, near Sunglass Hut) are all opening this summer, with Swarovski arriving in the next few weeks. Palmetto Clayground will open a 2,300-square-foot ceramics, canvas and glass art studio, and Spring Step, a European-inspired footwear brand, will debut in a 2,400-square-foot store in May. Shake Shack is under construction in a 3,500-square-foot space near Palmetto Moon and is slated to open in 2027, while First National Bank will take a parking lot outparcel in 2028. The additions follow 2025 openings including lululemon, Auntie Anne's|Jamba Juice and The Children's Place, along with a new playground.
New art: Run Until It Blooms
Artist: Demetrius Bing.
Size: 10*10.
About the piece: "Run Until It Blooms" explores identity as layered and constantly shifting. Fragmented faces capture the tension between who we are, who we've been, and who we're becoming, while a bridge anchors the composition—a symbol of transition between phases of life. Scattered words like "RUN," "NEW VIEW," "I'M NEXT," and "HIKE" reinforce the pull forward.
Expressive line work echoes internal pressure and self-awareness, while the blooming flower introduces growth and resilience—a reminder that even in chaos, there's still space to open up.
Residence Inn hotel opens
Mount Pleasant's first new hotel in five years, a 100-room Residence Inn by Marriott, has opened in the Ferry Wharf development near Patriots Point. Developed by Bennett Hospitality, it features suites with full kitchens, an outdoor pool, fitness center, and an on-site restaurant called The Cleat. It's part of a 20-year master plan that includes three more luxury hotels, with the first phase of the company's Patriots Annex development – The Sefair Hotel – expected to break ground later this year.
Newlyweds: Jessica Phillips and Darren Fallon
The owners of a hospitality group sent Jessica and Darren to walk through a new restaurant being built in Cincinnati. They ended up walking down the aisle together. Read more [...]
Grain bins and garlic tattoos: Meet Devon Knight
Originally from a small village in Illinois, Devon started working in kitchens at age 14. He attended one of the most respected culinary schools in the country and worked at popular restaurants in Texas and California. Now he's in Charleston, at a restaurant where people wait an hour and a half to get into. Read more [...]
V Modern opens today
The new Italian restaurant from European-based Fast Fine Restaurant Group, is opening today at 465 Meeting St., Suite 120 in downtown Charleston. The restaurant group, founded in 2017, operates venues across Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, and brought its first U.S. location to Nashville last spring.
Bloom & Bean Flower Cafe opens tomorrow
The floral-inspired coffee shop is set to open tomorrow at 1421 Shucker Cir, Suite 1122, Mount Pleasant.
New rooftop restaurant is coming to North Charleston
Indigo Road Hospitality Group will open Riva Mare later this year atop Storehouse Nine at Navy Yard Charleston, the 85-acre redevelopment of the former Charleston Naval Base along the Cooper River. The mostly outdoor, waterfront Italian restaurant will focus on local seafood – crudos, whole roasted fish, and wood-fired dishes – diverging from Indigo Road's existing Italian concept, Indaco. A culinary team and opening timeline will be announced later.
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Life Raft Treats' Not Fried Chicken – an ice cream dessert disguised as a fried chicken drumstick – is coming to Yankee Stadium this season, along with Boston's TD Garden and other arenas to be announced. The Charleston-based company, founded in 2018 by James Beard Award semifinalist Cynthia Wong and her husband John David Harmon, landed the deal after Legends Hospitality spotted the dessert at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Not Fried Chicken is also available nationwide via Goldbelly and at Charleston restaurants including Chubby Fish.
The new chapter of the New Castle couple
When Elizabeth and Rich finally visited Charleston in 2024, they looked at each other and said they could live here. After spending most of their lives in New England, they're making the move this year – and bringing Kensington Design House with them. Read more [...]
Pubfare is back
After nearly five years since their last pop-up, the food truck will serve burgers and fries tomorrow from 12-6pm at Westbrook Brewing.
Epic Hospitality to open new restaurant in Charleston
Lou Lou's Tavern on the Tracks is opening this spring at The Refinery development at 1640 Meeting Street Road, joining The Whale craft beer bar near the open-air music venue. The restaurant is owned by Dave and Chrissy Lorenz of Epic Hospitality, the couple behind Islander 71 and Mex 1 Coastal Cantina. Taking over the former Cleats space, Lou Lou's will offer a small-plates menu with vegetables, seafood, and land-based options including burgers, along with curated cocktails, kegged wine, and local craft beer. The concept is built around The Refinery's concert schedule, with ticket holders able to book dinner tables and move between the venue and restaurant. Weekends will feature a kid-friendly brunch and lunch. An opening date and full menu are expected in the coming weeks.
Parking lot used for Charleston RiverDogs and MUSC staff to be converted to affordable housing
The City of Charleston plans to replace a 1,200-space parking lot at Hagood Avenue and Fishburne Street with affordable housing as part of Project 3500, its initiative to add 3,500 units by 2032. The lot currently serves RiverDogs fans, Citadel event-goers, and MUSC commuters. The city says changes are at least a year out and is exploring options including a new parking structure, expanded transit, and underutilized downtown garages. The RiverDogs, who lease the lot for $155,000 annually, say they support the housing effort but called the potential loss of their primary parking a "significant challenge." [Post and Courier]
Maya Del Sol Kitchen is now open
The Mexican restaurant owned by Raul Sanchez has opened at 3225 Rivers Ave. in North Charleston. Sanchez, who has cooked in the Charleston area for over 15 years, relocated from his previous spot near the former Charleston Naval Base. The restaurant serves tacos, burritos, and daily specials for lunch (Wed–Sat), a five-course chef's tasting menu for dinner (Thu–Sat), and brunch on Sundays. The tasting menus draw on Sanchez's time at R. Kitchen and feature dishes beyond traditional Mexican fare, including Indian and Chinese specialty nights.