If an abundance of great restaurants is a prerequisite to moving here, start packing your bags. Charleston rivals many, much larger cities, especially in the fine dining category. This is owed in large part to the steady stream of visitors the city enjoys. And while many restaurants offer upscale menus, you'll find the dress code to be mostly "come as you are." We've compiled a list of local favorites, by area, below:

Downtown

Cypress

167 East Bay Street Charleston., South Carolina 29401

Ph:

843-727-0111

Web site:

www.magnolias-blossom-cypress.com

Chef Donald Barickmann, now widely recognized for popularizing upscale Lowcountry Cuisine at Magnolia's, helped to develop and deliver a more cosmopolitan experience at his newest restaurant Cypress.

The new place delivers and then some. The food is whimsical and serious at the same time. The ambience is both comfortable and chic - and the wine wall (a two story wine cellar with glass walls) is a dramtic invitation to sample the extensive wine list.

What we like best, however, is the suspended second story bar - perfect for dropping in for the superb appetizers and a glass of vino.

Southern Living Magazine Writers Choice
Favorite Romantic Restaurants-February 2004 issue

Isle of Palms

The Boathouse

101 Palm Blvd Isle of Palms, SC 29451

Ph:

843-886-8000

Web site:

www.boathouserestaurants.com/

Awards
Wine Spectator Magazine - Award of Excellence, two years in a row - Breach Inlet & East Bay
Voted Best Waterfront Dining in the Charleston Readers Poll
Voted Best Seafood in the Charleston Readers Poll
Best of Charleston Award - Post and Courier Newspaper
Voted Best Isle of Palms Restaurant in the Charleston Readers Poll.

Mt. Pleasant

Old Village Post House

101 Pitt Street Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Ph:

843-388-8935

Web site:

www.oldvillageposthouse.com

Lowcountry cooking with a twist, welcoming service and a light-filled dining area grace this historic inn and restaurant.

Read Charleston Post & Courier's Review: Old Village Post House Review

Pattaya

607-C Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Ph:

(843) 856-1808

Web site:

None

If the Charleston restaurant scene lacks anything it is in Ethnic cuisine. Pattaya, a hugely popular Thai restaurant East of the Cooper, begins to remedy this. Absolutely authentic.