The Most Anticipated Charleston Restaurant Openings, Spring 2017

The weather has already warmed and many of the products associated with spring are already here in Charleston. With the near future in mind, it's time to take a look at the spring tracking guide, running through the most anticipated restaurants set to begin service before summer arrives. While deadlines always shift, this is what we're expecting to see in the next three months. These are listed in alphabetical order.

Erin Perkins

CHUBBY FISH

Location: 252 Coming St., downtown
Key Players: Industry vets Geoffrey Shyatt and James London
Projected Opening: April
The name pretty much gives away the concept, but the restaurant will focus on local seafood for lunch, brunch, and dinner. Shyatt will man the front of house and London will be in the kitchen.

Provided

HEN AND THE GOAT

Location: 869 Folly Rd., James Island
Key Players: Restaurateur/chef Thomas Smith
Projected Opening: Soon
Upscale sandwich shop Hen and the Goat will be a mix of elements found at places like Caviar & Bananas, Butcher & Bee, and Artisan Meat Share. They will sell items like a pork belly grilled cheese and a salad with roasted shrimp, feta, and poblano. Owner Thomas Smith says it’s Northern meets Southern ingredients.

Provided

NICO

Location: 201 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant
Key Players: Chef Nico Romo
Projected Opening: Spring
Billed as a brasserie with a raw bar, NICO will focus on local seafood, wood-fired French classics, and plenty of oysters. After years at Fish, Romo ventures out on his own.

Provided

PURLIEU

Location: 237 Fishburne St., downtown
Key Players: Chefs John Zucker and Jeff Williams and beverage director Jacob Fuhr
Projected Opening: Spring
The menu at Purlieu will include “European-inspired flavors and dishes such as Ouefs en Cocotte, Chicken Liver Mousse with Crème Sherry and Braised Lamb Neck with Herb Dumplings.” Williams and Zucker want to blend traditional European cooking with Lowcountry classics. The setting will be neighborhood brasserie.

RAPPAHANNOCK OYSTER BAR

Location: 701 East Bay St., downtown
Key Players: Co-owners Travis and Ryan Croxton and chef Kevin Kelley
Projected Opening: March 20
Opening in the Cigar Factory in downtown Charleston, the Rappahannock Oyster Bar will offer light seafood dishes, a raw bar, and plenty of cocktails. There will be a market area, a patio, and a very large bar stocked with shuckers.

Provided

RENZO

Location: 384 Huger St., downtown
Key Players: Restaurateurs Erik Hutson and Nayda Freire
Projected Opening: “Hopefully before summer”
From the couple that renovated the Faculty Lounge into a hip cocktail hangout, Renzo will offer wine, wood-fired pizza, and a cool room to enjoy them in.

WORKSHOP

Location: 1503 King St., downtown
Key Players: Restaurateur Michael Shemtov and chef Jonathan Ory
Projected Opening: Spring
Workshop by Butcher & Bee will be a fancy food court full of multiple chef-driven restaurant concepts. There will be a rotating roster of five food vendors with tenancies varying from 1 to 12 months. Early adaptors to the hall include Vietnamese eatery Pink Bellies, Korean-influenced Kite Noodles, Bad Wolf Coffee, and Tex-Mex from pitmaster John Lewis.

Also, keep an eye on:

• The 450 Pizza Joint (Sullivan’s Island)
• Benny Ravello's Pizza (Downtown)
• The Brick (Downtown)
• Cinco Tex-Mex (Mount Pleasant)
• Edison (James Island)
• Farmer & Exchange (Downtown)
• First Name Basis (Mobile)
• Food Truck O Rama (Downtown)
• Frothy Beard Brewing Company/Zombie Bob’s Pizza (West Ashley)
• Gentry Bar & Room (Downtown)
• Herd Provisions (Downtown)
• IHOP (Downtown)
• Ink n Ivy (Downtown)
• Kairo’s (Mount Pleasant)
• Kristen Kish/Brooks Reitz Concept (delayed) (Downtown)
• Melfi’s (Downtown)
• Poulette (Downtown)
• Pour Taproom (Downtown)
• Root + Spiller (delayed) (Downtown)
• Rudi's Caffe e Vino (Downtown)
• Saint Alban (Reopening Downtown)
• Smoke (Mount Pleasant)
• Superica (Unknown)
• Tapio (Downtown)
• Us (Mobile)
• Wahlburgers (Unknown)
• Wild Hare Smokehouse (West Ashley)