Can you pass up a storefront window with shining caramel apples lined up in a row?


I know that I can't.


Charleston's Candy Kitchen is a magical spot full of goodies.


The shop has even been on The Food Network.


Whether you want gummies, weird suckers with scorpions or barrels full of taffy, this place has it all.


Of course, I went for caramel apple.


But look at all these goodies:

Sometimes, a quiet lunch alone, overlooking a busy street while dining on delicious food is exactly what I need.

At Magnolias, you can experience upscale southern cuisine in a lovely atmosphere.



"In 1990, Magnolias ignited a culinary renaissance when it opened in Charleston, S.C. paving the way for countless other restaurants across the South. Today, led by chefs Don Drake, Samantha Blagg and team, Magnolias remains a forerunner in upscale Southern cuisine, blending traditional ingredients and cooking techniques with modern flair for artful presentations. The soul of the South meets the spark of innovation in dishes such as the Down South Egg Roll stuffed with collard greens, chicken, and Tasso ham, served with red pepper purée, spicy mustard sauce, and peach chutney and Shellfish over Grits with sautéed shrimp, sea scallops, lobster, creamy white grits, lobster butter sauce and fried spinach."


I had two of my favorite of my favorite meals: appetizers and dessert.

But first - there's ALWAYS bread. Always. And you'll never hear a complaint from me.

And then I went with the homemade pimiento cheese with "Charleston" flatbread. It was quite the presentation.

And for dessert, I ordered the raspberry sorbet - perfectly refreshing and a sweet last bite.

Hominy Grill was a classic southern restaurant, which had been recognized with a 2008 James Beard Award for Best Chef, among other recognitions.


Unfortunately, it closed between the time I visited and the time I'm writing this post. But I wanted to document its presence.


After waiting for quite a while, I was seated and looked over the menu. I was mostly interested in the chocolate pudding, but they were all out.


So I went with the pecan pie with vanilla ice cream.


And, it was definitely delicious!


The restaurant had a great run, and I only wish I had more time to try more of the items.

If I could live off of seafood and soul food, I would.


Nana's Seafood & Soul in Charleston, South Carolina, focuses on Gullah-Geechee cuisine.



"In 2011, Carolyn McNeil went for a routine mammogram and was later diagnosed with breast cancer. This wasn't her first bout with this often life threatening disease. She had an earlier encounter with the same disease fifteen years prior. Kenyatta McNeil, then 14, had no complete understanding of the disease. His only question to his mother was, "Are you going to die?" Carolyn assured her son that she would not leave him and that she was going to fight the disease to the end. Carolyn fought and she survived. Unfortunately. the disease would return but this time Carolyn had reinforced support from her son and daughter, Benia. Kenyatta, a merchant mariner, decided that he could not continue his career at the time knowing that his Mother was in a fight for her life for the second time. He decides its time to invest in a business so that he could still care for his family and be at his mother's side during her ordeal. In that Summer, Carolyn became a two-time breast cancer survivor and Nana's Seafood and Soul was founded. Named in memoriam of Elizabeth McNeil (Deceased), Carolyn's Mother And Kenyatta's Grandmother, who was affectionately called Nana, Nana's Seafood & Soul has grown to become a household name among others in Charleston's seafood, soul, and Gullah-Geechee cusine. We pride ourselves in serving the freshest seafood the waters of Charleston and the surrounding areas have to offer. Daily specials are offered so there is always a spread of delectable goodness. Stop in and give us the opportunity to fill your soul!"




I started with pineapple lemonade - oh my goodness!


And garlic shrimp that were so hot, but I braved it to peel them and taste all that freshness. Absolutely delish!

The Glass Onion focuses on locally grown food and natural ingredients.


This Charleston, South Carolina, restaurant makes simple southern dishes - soups, salads, sandwiches, plates and sides.


This was one of many stops for me on this day, so I wanted to keep it simple. First, you order at the counter, find a seat and wait for your food. You pay afterward.


I went for the fried green tomatoes with pimiento cheese.


You just can't go wrong with this classic dish. I could eat these year-round!


Have you been?

Typically, breakfast is my least favorite meal (mostly because I don't love eggs). But that changes when I can get shrimp & grits for breakfast.



At The Early Bird Diner, I did just that - smokey tomato bacon gravy with sauteed shrimp was calling my name.


This place was like a punk rock diner, and the food had a little bit of kick, too.

The Grocery is a very cool, trendy restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina.


It has a really cool vibe, with lively banter all about and low lighting for intimate conversation.


The menu features really creative produce, seafood and meat dishes.


To start, I had a spring water in the biggest glass bottle ever.


And then, it was some simple bread and butter.


Then onto the main dishes. First: Roasted Beets and Summer Berries with Arugula, Point Reyes Blue Cheese, Spiced Hazelnut.


Then, NC Squid & Spaghetti Nero - Calabrian Chilies, Lemon, Parsley, Spanish Chorizo.


Have you been?