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

Our prime foods places in North Charleston’s Park Circle community — Photo courtesy of Brian Cicioni

It truly is no key that the walkable streets of downtown Charleston are lined with historic houses as very well as well-set up dining places and bars. There seems to be a charming resort and inviting seafood cafe on each individual block. But just a 20-minute trip from downtown boutique resorts like The Ryder and Emeline, there is certainly a reasonably below-the-radar community in North Charleston with a walkable main street, gorgeous street artwork and, most importantly, a flourishing food items scene.

We have picked 10 of our preferred foodstuff spots in Park Circle, North Charleston.

Azul Mexicano

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

This laid-back again, large-ceiling Mexican cafe caters to seafood lovers without alienating carnivores or vegans. As the identify Azul indicates, the chairs, tables, ceiling and dozens of small agave decorations together the wall are blue. Most of the fare is on the heartier aspect, with lesser parts obtainable for lunch.

For a little something lighter, try the ceviche. Though it truly is not on the lunch menu, the staff members can prepare it upon request. Each the shrimp and tilapia variations appear with all fresh new elements finely chopped to the position where by it is really extra sensible to take in with a spoon. They serve this citrusy dish with four packs of Saladitas crackers. You can check with for a mix of shrimp and tilapia, which we very suggest.

Basil Thai Park Circle

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

One of Basil Thai’s six Carolinas spots is located in the coronary heart of Park Circle’s unofficial cafe row. People Korean barbeque tables that line the outer pink brick partitions remind company that this stylish spot around the intersection of Chateau and Montague was after the nearby place for grilled beef and kimchi. The great lounge audio combined with artfully framed photographs of floating marketplaces and elephant statues from the motherland give the Park Circle place a refined sense.

Although the menu manages to engage in the hits like most Thai eating places do, crispy pink curry duck is the signature dish. If you’ve got never ever tried out barramundi, you can find it in this article, deep-fried with your selection of basil or curry sauce. They also have a complete bar.

For dessert, check out the fried banana topped with coconut ice product. Basil Thai’s twist on this common Thai dessert is the dwelling-built raspberry jam, which mixes very well with the coconut ice cream. And it truly is the exact jam they use in their raspberry bourbon jam cocktail.

Basil Thai Park Circle is shut on Sunday.

EVO Pizzeria

The margherita from EVO Pizzeria — Photo courtesy of Brian Cicioni

EVO stands for Further Virgin Oven. And from this excess virgin oven, Govt Chef Zach Turner and his team change out 6 diverse pies in addition a calzone and daily showcased pizza.

When savoring your wood-fired pie on a single of the EVO’s wood tabletops, you will recognize that the dough is chewy to the position the place you can find no excuse for not ingesting the crust. And although the margherita may possibly be the typical by which any establishment referring to itself as a pizzeria is measured, the meat-centric pies undoubtedly have a southern twist. For purists, the margherita might be variety a person, but EVO’s pistachio pesto is a extremely close second.

Immediately after dining at the pizzeria, check out EVO Craft Bakery, which is their sister area on the rear of the residence. Right here, you can enjoy espresso and dessert on their elevated again deck seven days a week.

Fratello’s Italian Tavern

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

There are waistline-significant basil crops on each facet of the entrance to Fratello’s Italian Tavern. The menu is regular Italian, with pasta dishes like penne alla vodka and lasagna remaining the most preferred. The ravioli special changes every other day.

As Charleston is a coastal city, we suggest purchasing a pasta dish with seafood. If you like garlic and clams, try out the linguine alle vongole. And doing work backwards, start off your food at Fratello’s with either the popular namesake salad or pomodoro e mozzarella. The latter is a uncomplicated, yet tasty blend of house-pulled mozzarella, refreshing tomatoes and new basil taken straight from the vegetation at the principal entrance.

Fratello’s is shut on Sundays.

Jackrabbit Filly

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

Jackrabbit Filly is the most present day cafe in Park Circle. The actuality that this Asian fusion place is found subsequent to an antique shop a block from Montague Avenue will make it feel all the more exclusive. After you move the ceramic jackrabbit and phase inside of, you could easily feel like you are in both Manhattan’s West Village or West Hollywood.

The majority of dishes have an East Asian influence. Both equally karaage versions are well-known, with the Sichuan edition being a great deal spicier thanks to the chili oil. Regardless of which edition you buy, you would not have to be concerned about having your initial chunk only to discover that you just requested a bowl of the all-way too-popular mix of excessive breading and fatty dim meat that much too a lot of Japanese and Taiwanese restaurants serve. Almost everything below is prime excellent.

And the menu improvements often. If it’s on the menu, you ought to consider the seared scallops dish. Exact same with the Xi’an shrimp.

Sunday is dim sum brunch only. They are closed Monday and Tuesday. Reservations are hugely proposed.

LoLA

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

Thanks to LoLA, you can get pleasure from Louisiana recipes in the Lowcountry. The extensive menu is divided into 6 sections, with appetizers and sides currently being abundant enough for a different site. Bayou classics like etouffee, jambalaya and shrimp creole will consider you on a culinary journey to the Louisiana swamps, however LoLA seems and feels like a seaside bar that transpires to provide unapologetically hefty Cajun and Creole food items.

The festive environment is pure New Orleans, but right after a Creolepolitan or two, 1 could be excused for wondering that the Myrtle Seaside Promenade is just all-around 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-plus flavors are made in-household. The ice product listed here is superior more than enough that it can be well worth skipping dessert at a person of the neighborhood places to eat just so you can consider a scoop or two. Inside of, you can obtain a common stand-on your own ice cream parlor experience.

If you’re on the lookout to conquer the warmth, seize a bar-design and style stool reverse the ice cream counter. Flavors range from the well-liked lemon crunch to the nostalgic cereal-inspired Fortunate Charms. Although you can obtain the different flavors listed on their site, they do run out of some, in particular by night. Coconut Oreo is the vegan solution.

Southern Roots Smokehouse

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

Southern Roots Smokehouse may perhaps search like a sports bar from the outdoors, but it truly is also the most effective barbeque location in Park Circle. Almost nothing is on a compact scale below. The portions are great, and two rooms put together make Southern Roots Smokehouse 1 of the larger sized dining places in the place.

Even the salads are a total food. The bar is outstanding, but the signature hickory smoked meats are the principal culinary attraction. You can make your possess plate with a single to 3 meat possibilities additionally sides, or you can buy the smoked meats a la carte and insert them to a salad. Irrespective of which meat you choose, you will not need a knife. The Southern Roots smoked meats are tender ample to cut with a weak plastic fork.

The Tattooed Moose

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

The Tattooed Moose is that sort of area the place you can devote a lazy afternoon ingesting, drinking and reliving your childhood at the pinball device. Even if you transpire to just be passing by alongside Chateau Avenue, it is unachievable not to see the Patch Whisky street art that adorns the 1-story former rehearsal area.

In the dining area, a wall-mounted moose heads jut out over the tables, every of which will come with a tiny bucket of crayons and markers. The room is super informal to the point the place patrons are welcome to produce regardless of what they want on the tables or partitions. But inspite of the crayons, markers and mini arcade in the vicinity of the most important entrance, this is no Chuck E. Cheese.

The menu leans towards hearty pub fare, which fits perfectly with the dozen or so beers on draft. The duck club sandwich is their best vendor. You may also see duck excess fat fries on each and every other table. When Guy Fieri arrived to Charleston to film “Diners, Generate-Ins and Dives,” he experienced the blue cheese fries. While he visited the downtown locale, the menus are the exact same at each spots. The fries are cut super thin and garnished with salt to the issue exactly where the garlic aioli that arrives on the aspect can be optional.

Three Sirens

Butter shrimp and corn from 3 Sirens — Picture courtesy of Brian Cicioni

Park Circle’s latest seafood cafe opened in early 2022. Inside of, A few Sirens is as blue as the sea alone. All the things from wallpaper to the electrical retailers is a shade of blue. As all components are sourced regionally, the menu variations every day.

The just one thing you require to get is the butter shrimp and corn. The shrimp (from close by Crosby’s) are treated with sugar and salt and served above a bed of charred corn in a cream reduction that includes milk from the cobs. The dish’s reasonable spice stage will come from the pickled fresnos.