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Softie at The Mills House
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Where to Find Soft Shells in Charleston, 2018

‘Tis the season

by Erin Perkins Updated
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Softie at The Mills House
| Provided
by Erin Perkins Updated
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Spring is here, and 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 charleston@eater.com; Eater will periodically update this guide throughout the season.

Note: Map points are listed in geographical order and are not ranked. Did we miss your favorite spot? Show it some love in the comments, send us an email, or start a forum thread in its honor.

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On Forty-One

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A box of softies landed at Southern-influenced restaurant On Forty-One.

1055 South Carolina 41 #600, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466
(843) 352-9235
(843) 352-9235

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Pier 41

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Pier 41’s spring dish includes crispy tempura fried soft shell crabs, green curry coconut sauce, charred shishito peppers, sugar snap peas, baby bok choy, boiled peanuts, and radishes.

100 1039, SC-41, Mt Pleasant, SC 29466
(843) 388-4229
(843) 388-4229

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Congress

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Congress has a softie taco with avocado cream and jicama slaw.

1035 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 654-9210
(843) 654-9210

Kanpai Japanese Restaurant

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Chef Sean Park serves softies a number of ways at Kanpai: on top a daikon salad, on a bun with kimchi sauce, and in a spider roll.

1035-B9 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 388-8001
(843) 388-8001

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Edmund's Oast

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At Edmund’s Oast, chef Bob Cook will serve fried soft shell crab, with gochujang spaghetti, fermented black bean, sesame, and garlic chives.

1081 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-1145
(843) 727-1145

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Home Team BBQ

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Get a softie on brioche bread and kimchi mayo at Home Team BBQ.

126 Williman St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 225-7427
(843) 225-7427

Soft shell | kimchi mayo | brioche | BOOM! #downtown

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Grace & Grit

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Mount Pleasant newcomer Grace & Grit changes the soft shell dish nightly. A previous special was a pan-fried version over a Bibb salad tossed in a basil-coriander vinaigrette.

320 Wingo Way Suite 100, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 698-4748
(843) 698-4748

Bacco

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Bacco has a soft shell sandwich with lemon pepper aioli and sun-dried tomatoes.

976 Houston Northcutt Blvd O, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 884-6969
(843) 884-6969
Bacco

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Finz Bar & Grill

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At Finz, softies are served on a bun with lettuce and tomato and fries with a side of roasted red pepper and garlic sauce.

440 W Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 654-7296
(843) 654-7296

Red Drum Restaurant

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Visit Red Drum for a fried ancho-seasoned softie with wilted spinach, corn, poblanos, red onion, and a garlic avocado cream.

803 Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 849-0313
(843) 849-0313

Purlieu

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French brasserie Purlieu serves a dish of roasted soft-shell crab tossed in lemon/chervil vinaigrette, served with sweet potato fingerling salad, herbs, and watercress.

237 Fishburne St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 300-2253
(843) 300-2253

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Tavern & Table

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Tavern & Table serves a buttermilk and cornmeal-crusted softie on Texas toast with pickled green tomatoes.

100 Church St, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 352-9510
(843) 352-9510
Poke Around the Interiors at Shem Creek's Tavern & Table

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Nana's Seafood & Soul

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It’s softie season at Lowcountry favorite Nana’s Seafood & Soul.

176 Line St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 937-0002
(843) 937-0002

It’s Softshell Crab Season!!!!!

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Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

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Stop by French brasserie Felix for a softie crusted with Geechie grits, and served with aioli Provençal on a Browns Court Bun.

550 King St Suite #100, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 203-6297
(843) 203-6297
Erin Perkins

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The Ordinary

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Seafood emporium The Ordinary has a cornmeal-dusted soft shell crab with asparagus, ramp coulis, and brown butter.

544 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 414-7060
(843) 414-7060

Cornmeal Dusted Soft Shell Crab | Asparagus + Ramp Coulis, Brown Butter

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The Grocery

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The Grocery will offer soft shell crab as an appetizer with a cornmeal-dusted softie with butter bean chow chow, and green garlic sauce and then as trio: Old School, Old South, and Old World (Old School is sautéed in lemon butter sauce, Old South is dusted in cornmeal and deep fried, and Old World is roasted in the wood-burning oven).

4 Cannon St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 302-8825
(843) 302-8825
The Grocery

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Indaco

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Starting March 22, Italian restaurant Indaco will plate semolina-fried soft shell with black spaghetti in an arrabbiata sauce.

526 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-1228
(843) 727-1228

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NICO | Oysters + Seafood

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At Nico, find a flash-fried softie with smoked tomatoes and eggplant, confit radish, and a harissa vinaigrette. 

201 Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464
(843) 352-7969
(843) 352-7969
Andrew Cebulka

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Prohibition

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Come inThis weekend, Jazz Age bar Prohibition will have a soft shell crab Benedict with country ham and hollandaise.

547 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 793-2964
(843) 793-2964

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The Getaway

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Chef Emily Hahn has her supply of soft shell crabs at The Getaway.

541 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
Emily Hahn

Cannon Green

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At Cannon Green, chef Michael Perez fries up his soft shell crabs in a sourdough starter and serves them with warmed cherry tomatoes and fava beans in a basil parmesan vinaigrette. 

103 Spring St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 817-7311
(843) 817-7311
Be Wonderstruck By the Space at Spring Street Stunner Cannon Green Chloe Gilstrap

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492

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King Street stunner 492 serves a fried soft shell crab with chili pepper and sweet corn mayonnaise.

492 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
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The Darling Oyster Bar

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Swank seafood house The Darling received its supply of soft shell crabs.

513 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 641-0821
(843) 641-0821
A dining room with tile floor.

Long Island Cafe

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At Long Island Cafe, the soft shells are deep fried and served with cole slaw.

1515 Palm Blvd A, Isle of Palms, SC 29451
(843) 886-8809
(843) 886-8809

The Macintosh

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The Macintosh will serve fried soft shell crabs with grilled asparagus and a yuzu vinaigrette.

479 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 789-4299
(843) 789-4299
The Macintosh

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Hominy Grill

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Southern staple Hominy Grill serves its soft shells in a po-boy style.

207 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 937-0930
(843) 937-0930
Hominy Grill

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Halls Chophouse

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For those that can bypass the steaks, Halls Chophouse has a supply of softies.

434 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 727-0090
(843) 727-0090

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Coast Bar and Grill

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Coast Bar and Grill has soft shell crab sliders, served with spicy mayo, heirloom tomato, and pickled red onion.

39 John St D, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 722-8838
(843) 722-8838

Henrietta’s at The Dewberry Charleston

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Fancy hotel restaurant Henrietta’s can serve you a crisp softie.

334 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 558-8000
(843) 558-8000

First of the season softies #dewcharleston #chseats

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Zero Restaurant + Bar

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At Zero Restaurant + Bar, Chef Vinson Petrillo is dresses his Mexican style. The masa tempura soft shell crab is served with Ambrose Farms strawberry “soffrito” tostada, avocado, and koji mayo.

0 George St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 817-7900
(843) 817-7900

167 Raw

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Pass up the lobster roll and go for a Caribbean soft shell crab sandwich at 167 Raw.

289 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 579-4997
(843) 579-4997

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Cru Cafe

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At Cru Cafe, its a fried soft shell crab, with fried rice, Asian slaw, and an orange chili glaze.

18 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 534-2434
(843) 534-2434

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FIG

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Charleston favorite FIG loaded up on early spring produce, which includes ramps, asparagus, and soft shell crabs.

232 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 805-5900
(843) 805-5900
Tour the Stunning Leslie McKellar

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Basic Kitchen

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Basic Kitchen has tempura-fried softies with snap pea slaw and buttermilk herb vinaigrette.

82 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 789-4568
(843) 789-4568
Basic Kitchen soft shell
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Hank's Seafood Restaurant

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Hank’s Seafood Restaurant has softies for as long as soft shell season lasts. The fish house restaurant does sell out occasionally, and the recipe changes nightly.

10 Hayne St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-3474
(843) 723-3474
Christopher Shane​

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5Church Charleston

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Stop into 5Church for a soft shell with frisée, snap peas, avocado, cured egg yolk, strawberry, and orange emulsion.

32b, 32 N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 937-8666
(843) 937-8666
Alejandro Torio

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Peninsula Grill

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Fine dining standard Peninsula Grill has a box of soft shells ready to go.

112 N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-0700
(843) 723-0700

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Le Farfalle

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Find a crispy soft shell crab piccata with fava beans and asparagus at Le Farfalle.

15 Beaufain St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 212-0920
(843) 212-0920

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Pawpaw

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Southern eatery Pawpaw will serve a soft shell crab sandwich for lunch and a softie appetizer for dinner.

209 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 297-4443
(843) 297-4443
Pawpaw
Leslie Ryann McKellar

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Blossom

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Stop in the newly renovated Blossom for a fried soft shell crab, roasted corn, bacon, okra, grits, and roasted red pepper coulis.

171 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 722-9200
(843) 722-9200

Eli's Table

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Eli’s Table has soft shell options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

129 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 405-5115
(843) 405-5115

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The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel

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At The Mills House, chef Justin Hunt serves a soft shell on top of John’s Island radishes, White Acre pea salad, and harissa oil.

115 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 577-2400
(843) 577-2400