Prices are per person for a main course at dinner.

South Carolinians love to cook and share good food, from dishes marinated in tradition to the creatively contemporary. She-crab soup, sautéed shrimp and grits, variations on pecan pie, and other Lowcountry specialties are served all over the Charleston area -- as are creative contemporary dishes crafted by local chefs. Outstanding eateries, from seafood houses to elegant French restaurants, make Charleston a favorite for gastronomes. Trendy Mount Pleasant, across the East Cooper Bridge, has a number of good restaurants.