Soft Shell Crabs Finally Crawl Onto Charleston Menus

It looks like Home Team BBQ won the soft shell crab race this year. The Lowcountry barbecue mini-empire posted a photo of a softie sandwich at 11:42 a.m. on Wednesday, March 31. The fried crustacean is seen resting on a fluffy bun with its claws hanging off the edge — tomato and lettuce come along for the crispy ride.

This is the first local soft shell Eater Carolinas has seen from any South Carolina restaurants in 2021. Home Team BBQ owner Aaron Siegel says that he sourced these softies from Livingston’s Bulls Bay Seafood in McClellanville, South Carolina.

A quick read of other menus around town and we found that seafood house the Ordinary has a soft shell crab dish with ramp scampini. Hello, spring.

Charleston residents and visitors go absolutely mad for softies each year, whether they be fried, pan seared, or on a sandwich with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. As the short-season delicacy makes it to local restaurant menus, we’ll put together an extensive map, along with a description of the dish. If you see a softie, send a note to charleston@eater.com.

• All Home Team BBQ Coverage [ECAR]
• All The Ordinary Coverage [ECAR]