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Softie on a doughnut
Bar George

The Ultimate Guide to Finding Soft Shells in Charleston, 2021

An extensive list of every restaurant offering the seasonal softie

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Softie on a doughnut
| Bar George

Soft shell season is finally upon the Lowcountry. Charleston residents and visitors go absolutely mad for softies each year, whether they be fried, pan seared, or on a sandwich with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. As the short-season delicacy makes it to local restaurant menus, we’ll put them on this map, along with a description of the dish. These specials won’t last for very long, so double check with the eatery to see if they’ve sold out. Go forth and crunch into a few crabs around town — legs and all.

Serving softies? Send a note to carolinas@eater.com; Eater will periodically update this guide throughout the season.

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Fat Hen

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Chef Fred Neuville will sauté a soft shell for you at the Fat Hen.

Fat Hen/Facebook

The Royal Tern

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Johns Island seafood eatery Royal Tern has a fried softie with snow peas, peppers, onions, and a ginger garlic sauce.

Bar George

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Hip James Island bar/restaurant Bar George has its supply of softies in. Look for the crabs served pan fried with rouille, broiled asparagus, and a splash of lemon. The kitchen also makes a sandwich with softies on a sourdough doughnut with rouille, spring onion, and lettuce.

Jackrabbit Filly

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Jackrabbit Filly offers a tempura soft shell crab served on fried rice with short grain rice, Sea Island red peas, local green tomatoes, sweet soy, peanuts, and crispy shallots. 

Florence's Lowcountry Kitchen

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Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen serves a buttermilk-fried crab, with tomato, lettuce, and lemon dill aioli on a brioche bun, served with slaw and red rice.

Rebel Taqueria

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Rebel Taqueria puts its deep-fried sofites in a taco with crema and slaw.

Gillie's Seafood

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Soul food spot Gillie’s announced that it has soft shell crabs.

Bohemian Bull

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Burger spot Bohemian Bull has a fried soft shell crab with a roasted garlic aioli, arugula, and fried green tomatoes served on a toasted sesame bun.

Edmund's Oast Brewing Co.

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Instead of beef patties, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. uses soft shell crabs in its ode to the McDonald’s Big Mac with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. 

Estadio

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Tapas restaurant Estadio offers a softie on the menu.

Estadio Robert Donovan

Xiao Bao Biscuit

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Asian comfort food spot Xiao Bao Biscuit plates up springtime softies.

Xiao Bao Biscuit
Xiao Bao Biscuit
Xiao Bao Biscuit

Home Team BBQ

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Home Team serves a softie on a Hawaiian bun with red chili remoulade with tomato and lettuce.

Bistronomy By Nico

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French/Asian restaurant Bistronomy has a softie with sambal and lemongrass ratatouille.

Pink Bellies

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Open Thursday through Sunday for takeout, Pink Bellies offers a soft shell bun mi served on a house-made milk bun, shrimp pate, tartar sauce, bread and butter pickles, and dill.

The Grocery

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The Grocery is the king of the soft shell preparation. There’s sandwiches, plus the three-way set up that the restaurant is known for.

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

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French restaurant Félix currently offers a buttermilk-fried soft shell crab from Abundant Seafood. The special changes daily. Yesterday, the lunch special came with lemon herb aioli, arugula, and tomato on a toasted bun, with a side of truffle fries.

The Ordinary

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Oyster emporium the Ordinary serves a softie with ramp scampi, celery root, and capers.

The Ordinary
The Ordinary
Audra Rhodes

Italian eatery Indaco serves a crispy softie with black maltagliati pasta, Calabrian chili, Castelvetrano olive, caper, lemon, and basil.

Indaco (not the location of the ramen)
Indaco
Provided

The Darling Oyster Bar

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Popular King Street eatery the Darling has its shipment of softies.

The Darling
The Darling
Erin Perkins

Halls Chophouse

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There have been reports of soft shell sandwiches at fancy steakhouse Halls.

Le Farfalle

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Italian restaurant Le Farfalle offers a fried soft shell with a broccoli rabe panzanella, spring onion, and tomato vinaigrette.

Le Farfalle Brian Stetson

Charleston Grill

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At Charleston Grill, the kitchen fries the seasonal delicacy in a light batter made with Pellegrino and espelette pepper, then they serve it with ramps and sea beans, dressing it with a sauce made from brown butter.

charleston grill

Delaney Oyster House

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At high-end fish house Delaney, there’s a honey walnut soft shell crab on the menu with grilled broccolini, sour garlic, and orange.

 

At fine dining restaurant FIG, soft shell crabs are sautéed with turnip velouté, asparagus, and grenobloise.

Cru Cafe

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Southern restaurant Cru Cafe features buttermilk-fried soft shell with a warm vichyssoise and a blistered heirloom cherry tomato salad with arugula, red onions, and charred corn tossed in a basil dressing.

Slightly North of Broad Restaurant

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Classic restaurant SNOB serves fried soft shell crabs with curried butter beans, kale, tomato, and Carolina Gold rice middlings.

Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar

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The softie BLT is back at Fleet Landing. There’s views of the water and a crunchy crab here.

The Kingstide

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The soft shell at the Kingstide is served with Vietnamese salsa verde and chorizo carrots.

Nico | Oysters + Seafood

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Of course Mount Pleasant seafood restaurant Nico has soft shell crabs. These guys are served in a sandwich.

Nico/Facebook

Kanpai Japanese Restaurant

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Sushi restaurant Kanpai has its shipment of soft shells.

High Thyme Cuisine

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Sullivan’s Island eatery High Thyme serves soft shell crab over corn and an arugula salad.

Savi Cucina + Wine Bar

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Italian eater Savi Cucina + Wine Bar has its supply of soft shell crabs.

Pier 41

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At Pier 41, chef Brannon Florie tempura fries the soft shell crab and serves it with coconut red curry, boiled peanuts, broccoli, fingerling potatoes, Thai basil, and cilantro. 

Fat Hen

Chef Fred Neuville will sauté a soft shell for you at the Fat Hen.

Fat Hen/Facebook

The Royal Tern

Johns Island seafood eatery Royal Tern has a fried softie with snow peas, peppers, onions, and a ginger garlic sauce.

Bar George

Hip James Island bar/restaurant Bar George has its supply of softies in. Look for the crabs served pan fried with rouille, broiled asparagus, and a splash of lemon. The kitchen also makes a sandwich with softies on a sourdough doughnut with rouille, spring onion, and lettuce.

Jackrabbit Filly

Jackrabbit Filly offers a tempura soft shell crab served on fried rice with short grain rice, Sea Island red peas, local green tomatoes, sweet soy, peanuts, and crispy shallots. 

Florence's Lowcountry Kitchen

Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen serves a buttermilk-fried crab, with tomato, lettuce, and lemon dill aioli on a brioche bun, served with slaw and red rice.

Rebel Taqueria

Rebel Taqueria puts its deep-fried sofites in a taco with crema and slaw.

Gillie's Seafood

Soul food spot Gillie’s announced that it has soft shell crabs.

Bohemian Bull

Burger spot Bohemian Bull has a fried soft shell crab with a roasted garlic aioli, arugula, and fried green tomatoes served on a toasted sesame bun.

Edmund's Oast Brewing Co.

Instead of beef patties, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. uses soft shell crabs in its ode to the McDonald’s Big Mac with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. 

Estadio

Tapas restaurant Estadio offers a softie on the menu.

Estadio Robert Donovan

Xiao Bao Biscuit

Asian comfort food spot Xiao Bao Biscuit plates up springtime softies.

Xiao Bao Biscuit
Xiao Bao Biscuit
Xiao Bao Biscuit

Home Team BBQ

Home Team serves a softie on a Hawaiian bun with red chili remoulade with tomato and lettuce.

Bistronomy By Nico

French/Asian restaurant Bistronomy has a softie with sambal and lemongrass ratatouille.

Pink Bellies

Open Thursday through Sunday for takeout, Pink Bellies offers a soft shell bun mi served on a house-made milk bun, shrimp pate, tartar sauce, bread and butter pickles, and dill.

The Grocery

The Grocery is the king of the soft shell preparation. There’s sandwiches, plus the three-way set up that the restaurant is known for.

Related Maps

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

French restaurant Félix currently offers a buttermilk-fried soft shell crab from Abundant Seafood. The special changes daily. Yesterday, the lunch special came with lemon herb aioli, arugula, and tomato on a toasted bun, with a side of truffle fries.