Charleston Food Festivals

Lowcountry Oyster Festival
Held final Saturday in January at Boone Hall Plantation
(843) 452-6088
www.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com
The “world’s largest oyster festival” is a two-day tribute to the mighty mollusk so many of us know and love. The Lowcountry Oyster Festival has been the cure for Charleston’s “January doldrums” for the past 27 years. For 21 consecutive years, the festival has been named one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeastern Tourism Society. Sponsored by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association, this “rain or shine” main event includes the legendary Oyster Shucking & Eating Contest, a selection of domestic and imported beers, live musical entertainment, and a Kids’ Corner complete with pony rides and a jump castle.

Gourmet & Grapes Weekend at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Held in the spring at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
(800) 654-2924
www.kiawahresort.com
Kiawah Island’s premier golf resort, The Sanctuary provides guests with a weekend of luxurious indulgence during Gourmet & Grapes, a three-day event featuring fine wines, receptions, cooking classes and cuisine crafted by renowned celebrity and local chefs. Best of all, Gourmet & Grapes supports a charitable cause through ticket sales and live silent auctions.

Chefs' Feast
Held the last weekend in February
(843) 747-8146
www.lowcountryfoodbank.org/chefsfeast.asp
The Lowcountry Food Bank, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting childhood hunger, hosts this annual oversized dinner party featuring the cuisine of the Lowcountry’s most acclaimed chefs who join together to fight childhood hunger and celebrate an evening of exquisite food and quality entertainment.

BB&T Food and Wine Festival
Held the first weekend in March at various downtown locations
(843) 727-9998
www.charlestonfoodandwine.com
A four-day festival featuring more than 50 events that celebrate Lowcountry and national fine cuisine, with cooking lessons and classes, appearances by celebrity chefs, food and wine tastings, charity auctions and plenty of gastronomical indulgence.

Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival
Held final Sunday in April at Alhambra Hall and Park
(843) 884-8517
www.townofmountpleasant.com
The area’s hardworking shrimp boat captains gather each spring to have their boats blessed for the season, and everyone’s invited to the party. This family-friendly event combines live beach music, an arts-and-crafts fair and the star of the whole shebang: shrimp. In addition to a shrimp-eating contest, local restaurants serve up heaping helpings of the tasty crustaceans and much more.

Taste of Charleston
Held the second weekend in October at Boone Hall Plantation
(843) 452-6088
www.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com
Food is the centerpiece of the Taste of Charleston, a three-day fest that includes a local Iron Chef-style competition, gallery walk/canapé-tasting evening and the highly competitive Waiter’s Wine Race, in which local servers dash through an obstacle course designed like a dining hall. The main event, held on Sunday, features food from more than 40 Charleston restaurants, cooking demonstrations from the Lowcountry’s most talented chefs, food and wine pairings, and much more.

Get a complete list of Charleston's restaurants.

Visit the DiscoverCharleston.com events page to find more food-related events in and near Charleston. Just click on Cuisine, then Search.

Photos by (from top to bottom): Matthew Scott (2) and Rick McKee/Cypress Cookbook (2).

Oak Steakhouse Housed in a spectacular setting on Broad Street which features arched doors, eighteen foot ceilings, mahogany paneling and 150 year old heart of pine floors. The menu, composed of traditional items such as Steak Tartare, Shrimp Cocktail, Porterhouse and New York Strip, appears to offer classic steakhouse fare. At second glance, it weaves Italian flavors and dishes throughout. Serving dinner Monday through Saturday, 5pm until 11pm. Sunday Brunch 11 am until 3pm.

McCrady's Inventive cuisine. Fresh from the farm. Named one of the Top Ten Restaurants in North America by Opinionated About Dining. McCrady's Restaurant, located in an historic 1778 Georgian public house, offers an award-winning dining experience with the best of new Southern cuisine. Chef Sean Brock's (2008 James Beard Rising Star Chef Nominee) sensationally presented dishes one of Charleston's most extensive wine lists. Private dining available in the spectacular Long Room, Gallery, Chef's Room, and Cypress Room.

High Cotton Restaurant Welcome to pure Charleston. An atmosphere rich in Lowcountry high-life since antebellum times. A hearty, southern menu, featuring regional favorites, steaks, game and fresh seafood – all prepared with the famous Maverick artistry. Also known for our award-winning wine selection and irresistible desserts. Don’t miss the High Cotton bar, one of the area’s most popular watering holes. Downtown Charleston. Tel: 843-724-3815. Dinner nightly. Lunch Saturday. Brunch Sunday.