allow ’s get something neat : shrimp & sand is no light dinner . But then again , Charleston does n’t do anything midway . It ’s hot than a mould - iron skillet here in the summer , and even our magnolias and jasmine are some powerfully - scented flora . So it ’s no admiration we go big or go home with our most iconic dish . Shrimp & grits traditionally consists of tender shrimp in a dark bonanza over creamy hominy grits , but there are just as many variation in the Holy City as there are hoi polloi complaining about the parking orenjoying a one shot of golf game . And that ’s a lot of the great unwashed . Like , a slew .
Poogan’s Porch
The half-pint & grits here is almost as traditional as it get , with a copious , chocolate-brown gravy that proves it ’s hard to puzzle the classic edition . The fact that this option is offer up at Poogan ’s makes sense because the place feels just like grandma ’s house … and not your bingo - playing , scotch - drinking granny who hums along to protrude radio set . We ’re talking the one who has doyly on the back of the couch and get laid how to manipulate a proper meal . And just like at her place , elbows off the board !
Magnolias
Magnolias is white - tablecloth fine dining at its dependable , and is all about showcasing some updated Southern classic . With that in mind , the chefs have up the ante with this graceful version of shrimp & grits . The shrimp is but one lead of the show in magnolia ’ mollusc over grits , which also include crenation and a lobster butter sauce . If you ’re in Charleston , it ’s a definite must - try .
Hominy Grill
talk of waiting , Hominy Grill ’s ancestry is almost a Charleston institution . But why do all the locals endure the postponement ? Well , a couple of reasons : 1 ) we ’ve got to take our out - of - Ithiel Town invitee here for the Charleston Nasty Biscuit ( fried chicken with American cheese and blimp gravy ) , and 2 ) the pinnace - shrimp - meet - buttery - gritstone dish is too good to give-up the ghost up . This rendering is the real wad : the peewee is sauteed with mushroom , scallions , and bacon , and placed over some cheesy grits .
Early Bird Diner
This wondrous rendering of shrimp & moxie come two ways : sauteed with tomato gravy , or electrocute with common pepper jelly . Either way , it ’s stay - to - your - rib good , which is something you need after being famish as a result of the farseeing wait for breakfast on the weekend . But do n’t get discouraged ; the parking lot is compact for a reason .
Middleton Place Restaurant
Dinner here is a goal movement , but what you get for the gas money is an iconic dish in an iconic setting . Tasso jambon and a little cheddar round out this version , served atop famously inclined gritrock that are smoothed into perfection by copious amounts of butter . ( Seriously , butter is always better . ) Plus , the restaurant sits in the middle of a national historic landmark caparison some of the oldest gardens around , so you best think you ’ll have some great opinion to match the food .
Page’s Okra Grill
Chef Ashleigh Page ’s version is beloved , but it ’s believably because she adopt the already - deep dish and gives it a great twist by serving the shrimp with andouille sausage and a emollient sauce atop fry sand patty . And just in case that ’s not enough for your daily caloric inlet , the meal comes with either cornbread or a cookie . have ’s trust you ’ve got some stretchy pants …
Slightly North of Broad (SNOB)
Green Allium cepa , country ham , and house - made sausage are included in chef Frank Lee ’s version of the Lowcountry classic . That is , in addition to unfermented , local half-pint . He was a proponent of local seafood long before it was voguish , and he unquestionably machinate it better than almost anyone else in the region .
Acme Lowcountry Kitchen
The stretchy pants are a prerequisite at this passing island blot . In fact , there is an full section of the carte du jour dedicate to shrimp & sand . you’re able to get them with pimento cheeseflower if you please , BBQ sauce if you ’re the boss , or smoke Gouda cheese if you woulda - coulda - shoulda . See where we ’re going with this ? Acme ’s pick is basically a veritable Dr. Seuss - style invitation to deliciousness .
The Glass Onion
This systematically effective slur offers Lowcountry - sports meeting - Louisiana menu , and it ’s actually a favorite of chefs on their off days . Why ? Because the menu is Comfort Food 101 , with a little touch of elegance and seasonal fixings . example in tip : the shrimp & grits . It ’s often on the carte , but not always the same . Chef Chris Stewart shut down in yummy rotating specialization – from root veg in the wintertime to anything dark-green for outflow – to make this peach stand out .
Jasmine Porch
turn up inside The Sanctuary hotel , Jasmine Porch direct to convey that upscale Lowcountry feeling with a view of the gorgeous pocket billiards and the beach . But even with the sights , it ’ll be hard to take your center off the plate if you get this version of peewee & grits , which includes perfumed peppers and onions . The shrimp are plump and local , and the gumption the perfect creamy backup .
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Poogan’s Porch | jwkpec
Peter Frank Edwards
Peter Frank Edwards
Courtesy of Middleton Place
Courtesy of SNOB
Courtesy of Glass Onion
