7 Essential Charleston Cornbreads

Get the butter ready

by Erin Perkins Jan 11, 2018, 3:00pm EST

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Cornbread at Husk

| Andrew Cebulka

by Erin Perkins Jan 11, 2018, 3:00pm EST

To add sugar or to not add sugar — that is the question that could start a war in the South when it comes to cornbread. Throughout town, carb lovers will find different versions of the side. From a bacon-laden version at Husk to a sweetened hunk at Rodney Scott’s BBQ, here’s a selection of the top slices in town.

Note: Map points are listed in geographical order and are not ranked. Did we miss your favorite spot? Show it some love in the comments or send us an email.

Workmen's Cafe

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What would soul food be without cornbread? Pair a fluffy square with chef Angie Bellinger’s famous lima beans and fried chicken in her homely dining room at Workmen’s Cafe.

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1837 Grimball Rd, Charleston, SC 29412

(843) 406-0120

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Bertha's Kitchen

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The dense, slightly sweet Jiffy mix cornbread at Charleston institution Bertha’s Kitchen is quintessential for sopping up the remains of okra soup.

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2332 Meeting Street Rd, Charleston, SC 29405

(843) 554-6519

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Rodney Scott's BBQ

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The crumbly cornbread with sweet butter is the perfect foil for vinegar-tinged whole hog barbecue or smoky ribs at Rodney Scott’s BBQ.

1011 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

(843) 990-9535

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Hominy Grill

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Instead of squares, the Hominy Grill cornbread comes in slices and acts as a wonderful addition to any plate of sides. It’s not as sweet as some of the others on this list, but there’s always jam on the table for those looking for a hit of sugar.

207 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

(843) 937-0930

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Martha Lou's Kitchen

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It’s the tried-and-true trinity of butter, buttermilk, and sugar that makes the cornmeal sing in Martha Lou’s cornbread. Don’t fill up on fried chicken without having a bite.

1068 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403

(843) 577-9583

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Spero

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Burnt honey miso butter isn’t the typical accoutrement to cornbread, but the guys at Spero aren’t about the ordinary. Try the bread flight to sample this Southern-meets-Japanese goodness.

616 Meeting St A, Charleston, SC 29403

(843) 203-3255

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Husk

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Baked in a cast iron pan, chef Sean Brock’s cornbread uses the finest Anson Mills yellow cornmeal and crumbles of Benton’s bacon. The dish is pulled straight out of the wood-burning oven for patron’s consumption. Don’t look for any sweetness here, but do cover it in the bacon fat butter.