The Most Delicious Street Food In Charleston, South Carolina

If you live in or visit South Carolina, Charleston in particular, you’ll soon find out the meaning of good cooking. In The Carolinas, food is not just sustenance; it is as good as a religious experience. The bounty of the land and the sea along the Carolina coast offers up every ingredient that one could possibly want to experience. Freshly caught crabs, still salty from the sea; grains milled on islands off the mainland. The bounty of “the lowlands” is overflowing, and the good people of Charleston, South Carolina, make excellent use of it. 

Food tours around the globe know that the Carolinas are places of culinary delight, from fine dining to weekday restaurants to street food vendors. The culinary landscape here is like no other. The influences from West Africa, Europe, the West Indies, and of course, the Americas all meet here to create a melting pot of tastes that have to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

Carolina Cuisine

Charleston is a quaint city; things move slowly there, and you can feel the history all around you as if it has seeped into the very air and ground. Cooking here was once the work of enslaved people whose artistry in the kitchen laid the foundation for the culinary culture that Charleston has today. Time has thankfully moved on, but the secrets passed from father to son and mother to daughter have remained. Rich spices, homegrown ingredients, and a passion for gathering over a meal are some of the hallmarks of the food you’ll find in Charleston. Oysters, okra, grits, rice, and crab have been staples here since before any of us were even a twinkle in our parents’ eyes. New cooking techniques meet old ingredients in a riot of flavors: chicken liver pate, roasted oysters, okra soup, whole hog, and slow cooked BBQ brisket done over open coals.

Food Neighborhoods

South of Calhoun, you’ll find well-traveled and historic neighborhoods like the French Quarter, South of Broad Ansonborough, Harleston Village, and Lower King. You can enjoy meals on the water or underneath gorgeous old architecture and also find a noisy bar for some beers or a more sophisticated spot for evening cocktails. North of Calhoun, you’ll find a slightly “trendier” environment full of young cooks and chefs with big new ideas. Radcliffeborough, Cannonborough, Eastside, and Mazyck-Wraggborough offer hotspots where you can eat and drink to your heart’s delight late into the evening. Above the Crosstown, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, West Ashley, Folly Beach, Johns Island, James Island, and Kiawah all offer their own culinary treats, well worth discovering.

The Best Street Food

Blackenese Soul Food Hibachi Food Truck

Soul food is the food to beat all foods, and Creole soul food is the best in its category, bar none. Using only the highest quality, seasonal ingredients to create their hibachi dishes, the truck also only serves in recyclable containers to contribute to their sustainability rating. Dishes like BBQ Bourbon Street pot stickers, Collard green egg rolls, blackened steak Hibachi, and crab rice are what you can expect.

Bangin Vegan Eats

For those who stay clear of animal products, there’s Bangin Vegan Eats. Find a selection of healthy options but also some vegan junk food. This little food truck is so popular that its Instagram advises you to pre-order if you want a specific dish, or you may be disappointed. Crinkle-cut french fries drowned in sauce, veggie burgers, and wraps are what you can expect.

Holy Roly Ice Cream

Dessert is an essential part of any meal, and the good people at Holy Roly ice cream can take care of that for you. This organic, premium rolled ice cream chain was started in Los Angeles but has found favor in Charleston. Organic means stabilizer, preservative, and emulsifier-free deliciousness. Cookies and cream, fresh fruit, teas, and coffees are what make up the flavor palette here, along with other natural flavorings.

Image by Kampus Production via Pexels

The Immortal Lobster

It is a little-known fact that lobsters are, in fact, immortal if left to their own devices. The Immortal Lobster brings succulent Maine lobster to the streets of Charleston and supports as many local businesses as they can while doing it. With its well-known red and white wrappings, this bright red truck offers classic lobster rolls, lobster mac and cheese, lobster grilled cheese, and even whoopie pies for dessert.

Roti Rolls

One of the earliest popular food trucks to roam the streets of SC, Roti Rolls’ bright green exterior makes it easy to spot. It has been voted the best food truck more times than you can count. The truck operates on a farm-to-table basis, so all its ingredients are sourced locally to create genuinely outstanding Asian fusion cuisine.

Wrap Up

If you make a food pilgrimage to Charleston any time soon, be sure to check out these culinary delights!

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