Brown liquor bar Paddock & Whisky now has a second location for fans of the original James Island address. The new outpost has an expanded food menu with more grown-up items selected by Home Team BBQ chef Taylor Garrigan, like broiled oysters with sofrito butter, fish of the day in a lemongrass broth with Carolina Gold rice, and a massively meaty cheeseburger.

The team from renowned wine bar Stems & Skins recently opened seafood restaurant Three Sirens in Park Circle. Co-owners Justin Croxall and Matt Tunstall wanted to bring all things oceanic to the neighborhood. Chef Julian Lippe puts out dishes like grilled Spanish octopus, swordfish with field pea ragout, and a potato rosti with creme fraiche and smoked trout roe. The romantic back dining room has already become a go-to date night spot for couples in the area.

Waterfront restaurant the Kingstide offers two stories of seafood dining to Daniel Island residents and visitors. The kitchen serves classic raw bar items like oysters and stone crab claws, appetizers from smoked fish dip to seafood sausage, lobster rolls, shrimp po’ boys, fisherman’s stew, local trout, shellfish pasta dishes, a steak for that one friend that doesn’t like seafood, and more.

Neighborhood restaurant Berkeley’s wants to be the go-to spot for relaxed dinners and patio hangs. The menu features a French dips, cheesesteaks, a wedge salad, fried calamari, braised short rib, chicken parmesan, roasted salmon, and more. 

Vietnamese restaurant Pink Bellies is officially full-on open — dining room and all. Chef/owner Thai Phi did the takeout game for a few months, but now customers can eat inside the handsome space. The classics are there, like the garlic noodles, but don’t overlook new dishes like the squid ink banh xeo or the beautiful Herring Under a Fur Coat, Phi’s take on a Russian layered salad.

Newcomer the Tippling House offers a cozy spot to drink esoteric wines in an old Charleston home. The super knowledgable staff makes choosing a glass or carafe easy, as they can guide you through the bottles. Don’t overlook the food from chef Alex Yellan (formerly of Tu and Minero). The sesame-topped shrimp toast has to be tried to believed — it’s crispy, ocean-y, and full of just the right amount of fattiness to make it a great snack with wine.

Mexican restaurant Maya is King-Street-meets-Tulum chic. The in-house tortillas, with corn sourced from Mexico, are the backbone of Maya. The menu is heavy on tacos, with each taco having its own identity — for example, the duck carnitas version takes on a Veracruz style with escabeche, chicharrons, and salsa verde.

The building at 161 Rutledge Avenue has gone from space-themed pizzeria Nimbo’s to sleek new pintxo spot Laurel. The new eatery offers a menu of Spanish and Portuguese fare, like lamb meatballs, grilled octopus, and marinated mussels. Plates range from a few bites to full entrees. The wine list is heavy with bottles from Spain and Portugal, and the restaurant has a full bar.

Celebrity chef Vivian Howard recently opened her second restaurant in Charleston. Lenoir draws from Howard’s home of Lenoir County, North Carolina, but also from the mind of executive chef Tyson Detzler (previously of the Obstinate Daughter). Menu items include Howard’s signature blueberry barbecue chicken wings, local crudo with buttermilk nuoc cham, butterbean agnolotti in a country ham broth, cornmeal-dusted catfish, and more. Reservations fill up fast.

Located in the former Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. space, new food hall Port of Call offers an easy stop for hungry visitors near the Market. The stalls include up-and-coming names like smoked meats spot Palmira BBQ, Asian fusion setup Bok Choy Boy, Greek grill house Bapkó, acai place Iaca Bowls, and raw bar Empire Oyster.

The Indigo Road Hospitality Group is finally able to welcome customers into the handsome dining room at Brasserie la Banque. The French eatery is open for dinner nightly, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. with a menu full of classics like foie gras torchon, poulet rouge, bouillabaisse, steak frites, and dry-aged duck. The restaurant was slated to open back in July, but issues with ventilation created a delay, so Francophiles are eager to check it out.