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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.