Summer Guide 2017
ON A BUN
New Dish: The iconic ballpark dog gets a grand-slam twist at The Joe this season with the RiverDog’s New Awlin’s Dog, an all-beef Hebrew National topped with crawfish, peppers, onions, and Cajun-style brown gravy. Or just stick to the namesake with coleslaw, mustard-barbecue sauce, and pickled okra. riverdogs.com, (843) 577-3647
Still Delicious: For some three decades, customers have been pulling up to Skoogie’s no-frills café counter on Mount Pleasant’s Coleman Boulevard for Chicago-style dogs on a poppy-seed bun. Order the snappy Vienna beef with the joint’s homemade chili or go “all the way,” which buys you mustard, relish, onions, sauerkraut, pepper, pickles, cheese, tomatoes, and celery salt. www.originalskoogies.com, (843) 884-0172
ON WHEELS
New Dish: Aboard a retrofit charter bus, Sushikon riders nosh on creative Asian cuisine (think sushi nachos) in between stops at two or three local breweries. In addition to these “Brewshi” tours, the company plans to roll out a “Brews and Butts” barbecue tour early this fall. www.sushikon.us, (866) 618-6877
Still Delicious: For six years, suds sippers have been drinking in the Lowcountry’s craft beer scene with Charleston Brews Cruise. On these three-stop tours, which rotate brewery destinations such as Coast, Westbrook, Holy City, and Frothy Beard, riders learn about the brewing process and different styles of beer while enjoying generous tasting pours. www.charlestonbrewscruise.com, (843) 860-9847.
TASTER’S CHOICE
An upscale food court on uptown King Street, the Butcher & Bee-curated Workshop fired up its six kitchens in May, offering patrons a rotating selection of cuisines, including Pink Bellies, Vietnamese bites from a locally loved food truck; Juan Luis, Tex-Mex from pitmaster John Lewis; and Kite Noodle, veggie-forward Korean bowls. www.workshopcharleston.com
IN A CONE (OR CUP)
New Dish: Slushy meets snow cone at Pelican’s Snoballs, where patrons can chill out with fluffy New Orleans-style shaved ice boldly flavored with any of 100-plus options, from childhood faves like Dreamsicle and Tutti-Frutti to wacky oddballs like Toothpaste and Dill Pickle. Try it stuffed with a scoop of ice cream. www.pelicanssnoballs.com, James Island & West Ashley: (843) 291-7343, Mount Pleasant: (843) 864-5489
Still Delicious: For some retro chill, grab a booth at Ye Ole Fashioned Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop, then dip into a waffle cone piled high with scoops of pistachio, pecan praline, or another of the vintage diner’s 32 flavors. Or go all out with a loaded banana split, loved by locals since 1972. www.yeolefashioned.com, seven locations
OFF THE DOCK
New Dish: Pier 101, operated by neighboring oceanfront hotel Tides Folly Beach, serves up a flip-flop vibe and casual seafood eats 23 feet above sea level, with live music on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Though they’ll do nothing for your bathing-suit body, the fried deviled eggs are worth the indulgence. www.pier101folly.com, (843) 633-0246
Still Delicious: Named for a hurricane-ruined trawler, The Wreck of the Richard & Charlene doesn’t gussy up for patrons—the bare-bones seafood shack serves dinner on paper plates in an un-air-conditioned screen-porch dining room—but the fresh-off-the-boat seafood and stellar Shem Creek view have called to tourists and locals alike for 25 years. www.wreckrc.com, (843) 884-0052
Photographs by (snow cone, the wreck, & workshop) Margret Wood & (Pier 101) Melinda Monk & courtesy of (Sushi Bus) Sushikon