The cheery counter service restaurant on Wade Hampton offers every variation of birria (note: the dipping broth is an extra order). A loaded nacho comes with nearly a $17 price tag but is topped with enough pork, steak, seared chicken, and whole shrimp to feed two to three. There’s also birria ramen and fried rice and seasonal specials. Layered drinks, in massive cups, offer a Mexi-Cali dining experience in the Upstate.

Lewis Barbecue says Greenville will be its only expansion market. Its location just outside of downtown, on Rutherford Road, edging towards Stone Avenue, seems to support the claim. The redesign of the landmark Tommy’s Ham House left a good bit of the footprint and feels like a nice homage to its origin story. Two cuts of brisket continue to be the hallmark order at Lewis, but daily specials include massive beef back ribs on Tuesdays— they are rather delicious in their sticky state— and short ribs on Saturdays.

Small-batch ice cream made locally now has two locations — and neither are downtown. The first location is in Historic Overbrook and the second, which is brand new, is in the Parkins Mill neighborhood, not far away. The honey lavender ice cream feels instantly classic and affordably priced scoops are a tenant of the company. Owner Caitlin Clare went to ice cream school at Penn State and started with an ice cream bike just a couple of years ago.

The pop-up doughnut company found a brick-and-mortar store in Historic Overbrook in the same strip center as Harry’s Hoagies. They call their super-fluffy, many-layered cronuts “doughnuts” and often sell out. The remedy is to pre-order a dozen of 13 online for pickup.  A cinnamon sugar base donut is delicious by itself, but varieties can be glazed, filled, or topped. Store hours are Wednesday through Saturday mornings only.

The dim sum spot next door to Fire Forge Brewery on East Washington is the brainchild of proprietor Khailing Neoh. Her handmade shumai is offered in more variations from her pop-up days and other dishes have been added to the menu such as char siu pork, egg custard tarts, Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce, and blistered green beans. The sustainable restaurant offers no take-out and during the day transforms into Coffee Coffee, an exquisite coffee counter run by Jermiah Romo, which opens at 7 a.m.

And Greenville makes eight. O-Ku is now in Charleston, Charlotte, Atlanta, DC, Nashville, Raleigh, Jacksonville Beach, and in the heart of Greenville’s Main Street district, sharing a footprint with its sibling restaurant Indaco. Beautiful precise sushi, both traditional and avant-garde, is paired with sake offerings and cocktails. The Reedy River roll is a fun play with torched salmon, kimchi, and lemon zest. Chef Masatomo Hamaya is spot on tailoring each location’s menu to its clientele, making O-Ku its own experience to visit in each market.

The Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland-themed bar in West Greenville includes a covered front porch as well as an intimate back bar that can be reserved for parties. Travis Giarratana, a beloved member of the Urban Wren team, has recently moved over to the Rabbit Hole. A limited menu has kept the focus on drinks — like the Morning Mahogany comprised of Elijah Craig, Borghetti espresso, and Montenegro — but the addition of Giarratana could mean interesting changes to the menus soon. Picturesque interiors and clever bathroom decor keep cameras popping.

Bringing fine dining to Greenville’s Eastside is Patterson Kitchen + Bar, part of the new Hotel Hartness. Executive chef Tanner Marino and chef de cuisine Gianna Smutzki present updated Southern plates such as crab-stuffed ahi tuna and duck cavatelli. There’s also beet salad, cioppino, filet, and gluten-free desserts. The 73-room boutique hotel sits within a 467-acre urban village. The Captain is the property’s intimate cocktail-driven bar and sits inside the original manor home.