10 of the best food spots in North Charleston’s Park Circle neighborhood

Our top food items spots in North Charleston’s Park Circle neighborhood — Picture courtesy of Brian Cicioni

It is really no key that the walkable streets of downtown Charleston are lined with historic homes as nicely as effectively-recognized restaurants and bars. There looks to be a charming resort and inviting seafood cafe on each individual block. But just a 20-minute trip from downtown boutique hotels like The Ryder and Emeline, there’s a relatively under-the-radar neighborhood in North Charleston with a walkable key street, stunning road art and, most importantly, a thriving food scene.

We have picked 10 of our favourite food places in Park Circle, North Charleston.

Azul Mexicano

Shrimp and tilapia ceviche from Azul Mexicano — Photograph courtesy of Brian Cicioni

This laid-again, superior-ceiling Mexican restaurant caters to seafood enthusiasts without having alienating carnivores or vegans. As the identify Azul implies, the chairs, tables, ceiling and dozens of small agave decorations alongside the wall are blue. Most of the fare is on the heartier facet, with smaller parts available for lunch.

For anything lighter, attempt the ceviche. While it’s not on the lunch menu, the workers can prepare it upon request. Each the shrimp and tilapia variations arrive with all fresh new ingredients finely chopped to the stage wherever it truly is far more simple to eat with a spoon. They provide this citrusy dish with 4 packs of Saladitas crackers. You can request for a blend of shrimp and tilapia, which we remarkably advocate.

Basil Thai Park Circle

Yum nea (beef salad) and basil rolls from Basil Thai — Picture courtesy of Brian Cicioni

A person of Basil Thai’s 6 Carolinas places is situated in the heart of Park Circle’s unofficial cafe row. Those people Korean barbeque tables that line the outer pink brick partitions remind guests that this classy place near the intersection of Chateau and Montague was at the time the nearby location for grilled beef and kimchi. The interesting lounge new music put together with artfully framed photographs of floating marketplaces and elephant statues from the motherland give the Park Circle area a refined sense.

When the menu manages to perform the hits like most Thai restaurants do, crispy purple curry duck is the signature dish. If you’ve got never ever tried out barramundi, you can uncover it right here, deep-fried with your choice of basil or curry sauce. They also have a comprehensive bar.

For dessert, attempt the fried banana topped with coconut ice cream. Basil Thai’s twist on this standard Thai dessert is the property-made raspberry jam, which mixes properly with the coconut ice cream. And it is really the same jam they use in their raspberry bourbon jam cocktail.

Basil Thai Park Circle is closed on Sunday.

EVO Pizzeria

The margherita from EVO Pizzeria — Image courtesy of Brian Cicioni

EVO stands for Further Virgin Oven. And from this further virgin oven, Executive Chef Zach Turner and his team change out six diverse pies in addition a calzone and day by day featured pizza.

Even though savoring your wooden-fired pie on 1 of the EVO’s wood tabletops, you are going to discover that the dough is chewy to the level in which you will find no excuse for not eating the crust. And while the margherita could be the common by which any establishment referring to by itself as a pizzeria is measured, the meat-centric pies definitely have a southern twist. For purists, the margherita might be selection a single, but EVO’s pistachio pesto is a pretty near next.

After dining at the pizzeria, look at out EVO Craft Bakery, which is their sister location on the rear of the property. Below, you can appreciate espresso and dessert on their elevated back again deck 7 days a week.

Fratello’s Italian Tavern

Pomodoro e mozzarella from Fratello’s Italian Tavern — Picture courtesy of Brian Cicioni

There are waist-higher basil vegetation on every single facet of the entrance to Fratello’s Italian Tavern. The menu is traditional Italian, with pasta dishes like penne alla vodka and lasagna getting the most well-liked. The ravioli specific improvements every single other working day.

As Charleston is a coastal town, we suggest purchasing a pasta dish with seafood. If you like garlic and clams, consider the linguine alle vongole. And operating backwards, start your meal at Fratello’s with either the well-liked namesake salad or pomodoro e mozzarella. The latter is a very simple, nevertheless mouth watering combine of house-pulled mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and clean basil taken straight from the crops at the main entrance.

Fratello’s is shut on Sundays.

Jackrabbit Filly

Karaage & seared scallops from Jackrabbit Filly — Photo courtesy of Brian Cicioni

Jackrabbit Filly is the most present day restaurant in Park Circle. The truth that this Asian fusion place is positioned next to an antique keep a block from Montague Avenue makes it sense all the extra unique. The moment you go the ceramic jackrabbit and action inside of, you could effortlessly come to feel like you’re in possibly Manhattan’s West Village or West Hollywood.

The majority of dishes have an East Asian affect. Both karaage versions are well-known, with the Sichuan edition getting substantially spicier thanks to the chili oil. Irrespective of which variation you order, you would not have to fear about taking your very first chunk only to learn that you just ordered a bowl of the all-as well-widespread combine of abnormal breading and fatty darkish meat that also quite a few Japanese and Taiwanese dining establishments provide. Almost everything here is top quality.

And the menu improvements usually. If it can be on the menu, you must test the seared scallops dish. Same with the Xi’an shrimp.

Sunday is dim sum brunch only. They are shut Monday and Tuesday. Reservations are really encouraged.

LoLA

Etouffee with shrimp and crawfish from LoLA — Photograph courtesy of Brian Cicioni

Thanks to LoLA, you can delight in Louisiana recipes in the Lowcountry. The considerable menu is divided into 6 sections, with appetizers and sides being abundant more than enough for a separate place. Bayou classics like etouffee, jambalaya and shrimp creole will consider you on a culinary journey to the Louisiana swamps, however LoLA appears and feels like a beach bar that transpires to provide unapologetically significant Cajun and Creole foods.

The festive environment is pure New Orleans, but just after a Creolepolitan or two, a single could be excused for considering that the Myrtle Beach Promenade is just about the corner.

LoLA is shut Sunday and Monday.

Park Circle Creamery

Present day flavors at Park Circle Creamery — Picture courtesy of Brian Cicioni

All of Park Circle Creamery’s 17-moreover flavors are manufactured in-property. The ice product right here is very good sufficient that it truly is truly worth skipping dessert at just one of the community eating places just so you can attempt a scoop or two. Inside, you can locate a basic stand-on your own ice cream parlor feel.

If you’re searching to defeat the heat, seize a bar-design stool opposite the ice product counter. Flavors array from the well-liked lemon crunch to the nostalgic cereal-encouraged Lucky Charms. Though you can locate the diverse flavors stated on their internet site, they do run out of some, in particular by night. Coconut Oreo is the vegan possibility.

Southern Roots Smokehouse

Smoked brisket and turkey from Southern Roots Smokehouse — Picture courtesy of Brian Cicioni

Southern Roots Smokehouse may perhaps glimpse like a sporting activities bar from the exterior, but it is also the finest barbeque spot in Park Circle. Practically nothing is on a little scale here. The parts are monumental, and two rooms blended make Southern Roots Smokehouse a person of the bigger dining places in the area.

Even the salads are a comprehensive meal. The bar is impressive, but the signature hickory smoked meats are the principal culinary attraction. You can make your own plate with 1 to a few meat alternatives plus sides, or you can order the smoked meats a la carte and insert them to a salad. Regardless of which meat you pick, you will never have to have a knife. The Southern Roots smoked meats are tender ample to cut with a weak plastic fork.

The Tattooed Moose

Moroccan gyro, Southern fried hen sandwich and the popular duck fat fries from The Tattooed Moose — Photograph courtesy of Brian Cicioni

The Tattooed Moose is that sort of place wherever you can spend a lazy afternoon feeding on, drinking and reliving your childhood at the pinball machine. Even if you transpire to just be passing by along Chateau Avenue, it is unachievable not to detect the Patch Whisky road art that adorns the 1-story previous rehearsal area.

In the dining home, a wall-mounted moose heads jut out earlier mentioned the tables, each individual of which will come with a tiny bucket of crayons and markers. The room is tremendous everyday to the point wherever patrons are welcome to generate regardless of what they want on the tables or partitions. But irrespective of the crayons, markers and mini arcade in the vicinity of the most important entrance, this is no Chuck E. Cheese.

The menu leans toward hearty pub fare, which fits perfectly with the dozen or so beers on draft. The duck club sandwich is their top rated seller. You’ll also see duck fat fries on each and every other table. When Man Fieri arrived to Charleston to film “Diners, Push-Ins and Dives,” he had the blue cheese fries. Even though he frequented the downtown locale, the menus are the exact at equally spots. The fries are cut super slender and garnished with salt to the issue where the garlic aioli that will come on the aspect can be optional.

A few Sirens

Butter shrimp and corn from A few Sirens — Photograph courtesy of Brian Cicioni

Park Circle’s newest seafood cafe opened in early 2022. Inside of, Three Sirens is as blue as the sea itself. Every thing from wallpaper to the electrical shops is a shade of blue. As all substances are sourced locally, the menu changes each day.

The a single matter you have to have to purchase is the butter shrimp and corn. The shrimp (from nearby Crosby’s) are healed with sugar and salt and served more than a bed of charred corn in a cream reduction that involves milk from the cobs. The dish’s moderate spice degree arrives from the pickled fresnos.