Fringe Events to Attend During Charleston Wine + Food

With the whole food world caught up in Charleston Wine + Food mania, some fringe events have caught on, not officially associated with the festival, but just as intriguing. Most of these don’t involve pricey tickets and could be a good chance to catch a favorite chef if you didn’t score seats to any of the dinners.

Wednesday, March 1

PARK CIRCLE — Slick bar Stems and Skins teams up with Slow Food Charleston for a night of salinic coastal wines of the Mediterranean (Salty Ass Wines) paired with tinned seafood and other snacks. Stop by from 9:30 p.m. to midnight for a late night happy hour atmosphere and raise money to support the grassroots initiatives of Slow Food Charleston

Thursday, March 2

LOWER KING — Kitchen store Williams Sonoma invites chefs from across the country for a meet and greet with a sampling of small bites, cocktails and wine on Thursday, March 2 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Chefs Gavin Keysen (Spoon and Stable), Ashley Christensen (Poole’s Diner), Joshua McFadden (Ava Gene’s), and Matt Bolus (Kitchen 404) will be in attendance. Guests are encouraged to RSVP online prior to attending.

NOMO — Home Team BBQ’s downtown location will host a late night happy hour full of dry smoked wings and rosé from Wolffer Estate Vineyards on Thursday, March 2, starting at 9:30 p.m. The special menu will offer $5 dry rosé cider, $5 cocktail guest bartender Freddy Schwenk, and $10 for six wings and a glass of rosé or cider available at the bar.

UPPER KING — Blue Bicycle Books welcomes James Beard Award-winning writer Matt Lee to the shop on Thursday, March 2, at 5:30 pm to chat about the reissue of Princess Pamela’s Soul Food Cookbook by Pamela Strobel. This event is free and open to the public. Samples will be available. Strobel owned the legendary Little Kitchen in New York’s East Village.

ANSONBOROUGH — Market Street eatery 5Church hosts Top Chef alum Katsuji Tanabe to cook with fellow cheftestant Jamie Lynch on Thursday, March 2. Starting at 6:00 p.m., the dinner will be five courses plus wine pairings for $150. This is a chance to get a Top Chef experience without the camera crews. Proceeds benefit MUSC Shawn Jenkin’s Childrens Hospital. Reservations can be made online.

Friday, March 3

HARLESTON VILLAGE — Chef John Currence steps in the kitchen at Marina Variety Store on Friday, March 3, starting at 10:00 p.m. for Big Bad Breakfast Takeover. Limited spaces are still available.

Starting at 11:00 p.m., on Friday, March 3, BevCon will host a bar pop-up at dive Salty Mike’s . Bartenders Jayce McConnell, Jerry Slater, Gary Crunkleton, Alba Huerta, and Megan Deschaine will mix all. Entrance is $10 and include late night snacks. Drinks are available for sale and proceeds from the bar and the Big Bad Breakfast benefit Move Up Foundation (Currence’s foundation) and Lowcountry Street Grocery.

EAST SIDE — Join Bar Mash as Bourbon Ambassador Adam Harris of Beam Suntory teams up with bartender Kyle DeGolyer for a Jim Beam-inspried happy hour menu on Friday, March 3, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 4

LOWER KING — Food and lifestyle influencer Colu Henry will stop by Charleston on Saturday, March 4, for a book signing at the Le Creuset store from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Her book Back Pocket Pasta comes out next Tuesday. Stop in for wine, bites, and books.

NOMO — Podcast pioneers effinbradio stop by goat.sheep.cow.north for trivia night on Saturday, March 4, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. McCarus Beverage Company will be on hand to pour wines and the cheese will also flow. Compete against other industry insiders to test your food and beverage knowledge.

HARLESTON VILLAGE — Italian restaurant Le Farfalle and pop-up 2Nixons team up for late-night izakaya featuring ramen, snacks, and surprise dishes on Saturday, March 4, from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

NORTH CENTRAL — Cool kid hangout Faculty Lounge and beer superstar Edmund’s Oast partner to host a Let’s Go Crazy party on Saturday, March 4, starting at 10:00 p.m. Bartender Miles Macquarrie from Kimball House and Edmund’s Oast Jayce McConnell will offer special cocktail menu. Smith Street Pizza will have pies for the hungry.

NOMO — Nashville-based celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan (Chauhan Ale & Masala House) will stop by Butcher & Bee on Saturday, March 4, for a dinner service collaboration with B&B chef Chelsey Conrad. Items are available a la carte.

Sunday, March 5

NOMO — If you haven’t died from festival-related consumption yet, La Morra will pop up at goat.sheep.cow.north on Sunday, March 5, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with lots of wine and pizzas developed using GSCN product.