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South Carolina, Beaufort, Historic Downtown, Waterfront Park, busy alfresco dining
Alfresco dining in Beaufort.
Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

10 Outstanding Restaurants to Visit in Beaufort, South Carolina

From Lowcountry boil to tomato pie

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Alfresco dining in Beaufort.
| Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The late Pat Conroy, a long-time Beaufort resident, once said, “A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal.” Situated between Charleston and Savannah in the heart of the Lowcountry, Conroy’s beloved Beaufort seemingly has the recipe for a more manageable version of both tasty and tasteful cities. That’s true with the restaurant scene as well, in that the choices are fewer — but equally as interesting and creative.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Fishcamp on 11th Street

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Overlooking the Beaufort River and shrimp boats in nearby Port Royal, Fishcamp on 11th Street — part of the CRAB restaurant group from Hilton Head Island — offers up views and sunsets that are matched by a seafood-focused menu, including “chill-bar” oysters and shrimp, seafood towers, lobster bisque, Lowcountry boils, blackened and fried seafood, and entrees like risotto with lobster tail and Daufuskie Island blue crab cakes.

Boil shrimp, potatoes, and corn.
Lowcountry boil at Fishcamp.
Coastal Restaurants and Bars

Blacksheep

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Beaufort’s Blacksheep is arguably one of the top restaurants to open in the Carolinas since the outbreak of Covid. Though it continues to evolve, the concept has remained the same: offer a fixed-price menu for an extended period (currently a month) with limited choices (currently six, with a choice of three). “Cook/Owner” (his words) Matt Wallace and general manager Krista Duffy (the two comprise Blacksheep’s entire staff) have created something very special in the former Crosta pizza place. Wallace prepares a majority of the dishes in Blacksheep’s black-and-white wood-fired pizza oven.

Tomato salad with onion and cheese.
Tomato salad at Blacksheep.
Blacksheep

Ribaut Social Club

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Located in Anchorage 1770, a premier boutique inn on Bay Street, the Ribaut Social Club is a fine dining destination featuring the cuisine of executive chef Daniel Salazar. The short menu offers creative takes on meats, seafood, and fresh vegetables, including the painterly beet “ravioli,” with roasted beets, ricotta, goat cheese, rainbow carrot ribbons and a pistachio mouse all served up on the massive front porch of the pre-Revolutionary (though, the timeline is often disputed) mansion.

Crab cakes on a white plate.
Crab cakes at Ribaut Social Club.
Visit Beaufort

With an outdoor patio overlooking the Beaufort River, the vibe at Plums is casually coastal and so is the menu, with classic fried shrimp or oyster po’ boys, burgers, and other standards. But, locals know to dig more deeply into the offerings, including shrimp and grits, the signature Lowcountry gumbo, and delectable crab cakes.

Fried seafood on a leaf of lettuce.
Fried seafood at Plums.
Picklejuice

Old Bull Tavern

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Old Bull Tavern’s chef and owner John Marshall will be remembered by many Charlestonians as the former founder of beloved Al Di La. OBT — as locals call it — features lots of creative takes on Lowcountry favorites (like Marshall’s pork chops with collard greens and the Lowcountry Captain), popular wood-fired pizzas, and former Al Di La specialties, including the gnocchi with fresh local shrimp, tomatoes, and basil.

Plate of gnocchi.
Gnocchi at Old Bull Tavern.
Old Bull Tavern

Hearth Wood Fired Pizza

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Situated on busy Bay Street, rustic-styled Hearth Wood Fired Pizza is where unique and classic pizzas reign supreme. With its stunning red domed Marra Forni brick oven taking center stage, pizza faves include the margherita and the ‘Shroomage. There are also interesting starters (like the meat and cheese board), salads, sandwiches (the Italian Hero is seriously stuffed) and pastas, like the wood-fired lasagna. Hearth’s impressive beer and wine offerings make for easy pairings.

Margherita pizza.
Margherita at Hearth.
Picklejuice

Saltus River Grill

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Set on a Waterfront Park overlooking the Beaufort River, Saltus River Grill is where locals and visitors head for a fine dining experience. It focuses on fresh catch and seafood specialties, with raw bar selections and creative sushi as well. The atmosphere is sophisticated but casual, and there’s a bustling bar and a popular patio with a fire pit.

oysters.
Oysters at Saltus River Grill.
Picklejuice

Lowcountry Produce Market & Café

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Lowcountry Produce is a market and cafe that locals love to head to for breakfast, lunch, and interesting gourmet finds. With a focus on fresh, local, and high-quality ingredients, Lowcountry Produce favorites include popular fresh soups, shrimp and grits, varied sandwiches, and a killer tomato pie. The glazed yeast donuts are a delight anytime of day. It also has locations in Seabrook (12 miles north of Beaufort, on the way from Charleston) and Hilton Head Island.

Two tomato pies.
Tomato pie from Lowcountry Produce.
Lowcountry Produce

Breakwater Restaurant & Bar

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Breakwater is a long-time Beaufort favorite for good reason. It focuses on seafood from the Carolinas coast, with she-crab soup, a loaded tuna nicoise, and local blue crab-centric crab cakes all making regular appearances on the menu. The silky butter bean hummus is a great starter for the table.

crab cakes.
Crab cakes at Breakwater
Breakwater Restaurant & Bar

Ideally situated on the way to (or from) Hunting Island State Park and Fripp Island, those in the know stop by in the morning for a breakfast sandwich (like the very popular Brekkie Sando with eggs, sausage or bacon, cheese and caramelized onions wrapped up in chipotle aioli) or grits bowl and come again in the afternoon for a burger, fried bologna, or pimento cheese sandwich. The namesake Beedo burger is a tasty smashburger with griddled onions and the perfect ratio of bun to burger.

Sausage sandwich with cheese and eggs.
Breakfast sandwich at Beedos.
Seldon Ink

Fishcamp on 11th Street

Overlooking the Beaufort River and shrimp boats in nearby Port Royal, Fishcamp on 11th Street — part of the CRAB restaurant group from Hilton Head Island — offers up views and sunsets that are matched by a seafood-focused menu, including “chill-bar” oysters and shrimp, seafood towers, lobster bisque, Lowcountry boils, blackened and fried seafood, and entrees like risotto with lobster tail and Daufuskie Island blue crab cakes.

Boil shrimp, potatoes, and corn.
Lowcountry boil at Fishcamp.
Coastal Restaurants and Bars

Blacksheep

Beaufort’s Blacksheep is arguably one of the top restaurants to open in the Carolinas since the outbreak of Covid. Though it continues to evolve, the concept has remained the same: offer a fixed-price menu for an extended period (currently a month) with limited choices (currently six, with a choice of three). “Cook/Owner” (his words) Matt Wallace and general manager Krista Duffy (the two comprise Blacksheep’s entire staff) have created something very special in the former Crosta pizza place. Wallace prepares a majority of the dishes in Blacksheep’s black-and-white wood-fired pizza oven.

Tomato salad with onion and cheese.
Tomato salad at Blacksheep.
Blacksheep

Ribaut Social Club

Located in Anchorage 1770, a premier boutique inn on Bay Street, the Ribaut Social Club is a fine dining destination featuring the cuisine of executive chef Daniel Salazar. The short menu offers creative takes on meats, seafood, and fresh vegetables, including the painterly beet “ravioli,” with roasted beets, ricotta, goat cheese, rainbow carrot ribbons and a pistachio mouse all served up on the massive front porch of the pre-Revolutionary (though, the timeline is often disputed) mansion.

Crab cakes on a white plate.
Crab cakes at Ribaut Social Club.
Visit Beaufort

Plums

With an outdoor patio overlooking the Beaufort River, the vibe at Plums is casually coastal and so is the menu, with classic fried shrimp or oyster po’ boys, burgers, and other standards. But, locals know to dig more deeply into the offerings, including shrimp and grits, the signature Lowcountry gumbo, and delectable crab cakes.

Fried seafood on a leaf of lettuce.
Fried seafood at Plums.
Picklejuice

Old Bull Tavern

Old Bull Tavern’s chef and owner John Marshall will be remembered by many Charlestonians as the former founder of beloved Al Di La. OBT — as locals call it — features lots of creative takes on Lowcountry favorites (like Marshall’s pork chops with collard greens and the Lowcountry Captain), popular wood-fired pizzas, and former Al Di La specialties, including the gnocchi with fresh local shrimp, tomatoes, and basil.

Plate of gnocchi.
Gnocchi at Old Bull Tavern.
Old Bull Tavern

Hearth Wood Fired Pizza

Situated on busy Bay Street, rustic-styled Hearth Wood Fired Pizza is where unique and classic pizzas reign supreme. With its stunning red domed Marra Forni brick oven taking center stage, pizza faves include the margherita and the ‘Shroomage. There are also interesting starters (like the meat and cheese board), salads, sandwiches (the Italian Hero is seriously stuffed) and pastas, like the wood-fired lasagna. Hearth’s impressive beer and wine offerings make for easy pairings.

Margherita pizza.
Margherita at Hearth.
Picklejuice

Saltus River Grill

Set on a Waterfront Park overlooking the Beaufort River, Saltus River Grill is where locals and visitors head for a fine dining experience. It focuses on fresh catch and seafood specialties, with raw bar selections and creative sushi as well. The atmosphere is sophisticated but casual, and there’s a bustling bar and a popular patio with a fire pit.

oysters.
Oysters at Saltus River Grill.
Picklejuice

Lowcountry Produce Market & Café

Lowcountry Produce is a market and cafe that locals love to head to for breakfast, lunch, and interesting gourmet finds. With a focus on fresh, local, and high-quality ingredients, Lowcountry Produce favorites include popular fresh soups, shrimp and grits, varied sandwiches, and a killer tomato pie. The glazed yeast donuts are a delight anytime of day. It also has locations in Seabrook (12 miles north of Beaufort, on the way from Charleston) and Hilton Head Island.

Two tomato pies.
Tomato pie from Lowcountry Produce.
Lowcountry Produce

Breakwater Restaurant & Bar

Breakwater is a long-time Beaufort favorite for good reason. It focuses on seafood from the Carolinas coast, with she-crab soup, a loaded tuna nicoise, and local blue crab-centric crab cakes all making regular appearances on the menu. The silky butter bean hummus is a great starter for the table.

crab cakes.
Crab cakes at Breakwater
Breakwater Restaurant & Bar

Beedos

Ideally situated on the way to (or from) Hunting Island State Park and Fripp Island, those in the know stop by in the morning for a breakfast sandwich (like the very popular Brekkie Sando with eggs, sausage or bacon, cheese and caramelized onions wrapped up in chipotle aioli) or grits bowl and come again in the afternoon for a burger, fried bologna, or pimento cheese sandwich. The namesake Beedo burger is a tasty smashburger with griddled onions and the perfect ratio of bun to burger.

Sausage sandwich with cheese and eggs.
Breakfast sandwich at Beedos.
Seldon Ink

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