In keeping with Eater tradition, our closeout of the year is a survey of friends, industry types and bloggers. To kick it off in Charleston, Eater asked the group eight questions, ranging from the restaurants they frequent most to the biggest surprises of the year. Responses are in no particular order, and readers are encouraged to leave answers in the comments.
Q. What are your headline predictions for 2014?
Timmons Pettigrew, Eater Charleston contributor and author of Charleston Beer:
National movers & shakers will still keep an eyeball on the South, but attention will start to naturally shift away from Charleston.
Downtown restaurateurs will continue moving further and further north, making the word "Upper" utterly meaningless.
Husk will put fried chicken on the regular bar menu, no matter what they say.
The Xiao Bao Biscuit crew will return from Asia and quietly re-blow everyone's mind.
The city will start to incorporate, welcome and then hipster-ize more international cuisine, much to the delight & chagrin of everyone.
Eric Doksa, writer and restaurant critic for City Paper:
The Charleston Brown Water Society will make a big splash.
Angela Hanyak, writer and restaurant critic for City Paper:
Restaurants' march up the Peninsula continues into Hampton Park Terrace and Wagener Terrace
Rémy Thurston, Eater Charleston contributor and photographer:
In a turn of events, allergy-conscious restaurants stop being so boring.
Jeff Allen, restaurant critic for Charleston Magazine:
So long Lower East Bay, Midtown is the new spot for fine dining.
Charles Powell, author of Foodmancing The Girl:
Niche Ethnic Invades Charleston