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Nestled in the heart of South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Bluffton has a vibrant food scene offering diners everything from locally caught seafood and classic Southern comfort food to award-winning barbecue fare. We’ve rounded up ten of the best locally-owned restaurants you’ll find in Bluffton.

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R&D Wine Boutique

R&D Wine Boutique is a wine bar and retail store with one of the largest wine selections in the state of South Carolina. R&D Wine Boutique’s cellar is home to over 400 different wines, with 32 selections available by the bottle, half glass or sample from fine Italian wines to first-rate Californian varieties. The eclectic menu features dishes like crispy seared duck breast and coffee-rubbed filet mignon.

The Cottage

The Cottage is a cafe, bakery and tea room located in a lovely house dating back to the late 1800s in the heart of historic Old Town Bluffton. The Cottage is open for breakfast and lunch, serving a Lowcountry-themed dinner Thursday through Saturday, and offers an award-wining brunch on Sundays. Standout dishes include locally caught shrimp with cheddar stone ground grits, garlic, onions, bacon and scallions and the artichoke, brie and Daufuskie-style crab omelet.

Bluffton BBQ

Bluffton BBQ is a previous winner of the Best of Blufton Awards’ Best Barbecue prize. It’s a casual joint, where diners can enjoy beers and iced teas while waiting for their barbecue – all slow-smoked over the course of 12 hours – in Bluffton BBQ’s laidback dining room or outside on the patio. Choose from pulled pork, baby back ribs and rotisserie chicken and team with sides like mac and cheese, coleslaw and the Lowcountry classic Brunswick stew.

The Bluffton Room

Salmon

Serving classic American dishes in a stylish, intimate space, The Bluffton Room is an award-winning restaurant. Manager Jeff Congdon and Chef Avery Early craft a concise, but impressive menu featuring tempting classic dishes like the Hudson Valley Roasted Duck, finished with a blackberry gastrique, and ‘The Trilogy’ – the restaurant’s best prime cut steaks.

Old Town Dispensary

Located in a lovely cottage in the heart of historic Bluffton, the Old Town Dispensary serves lunch and dinner daily and brunch on Sundays. Old Town Dispensary diners can choose from options like the juicy house burger topped with blue cheese crumbles, caramelized onion, bacon and chipotle mayo or pan-roasted grouper on boursin grits and sautéed spinach with andouille, shrimp and corn au gratin. What’s more, the Bluffton Farmers Market takes place directly in front of Old Town Dispensary every Thursday and features a wealth of locally grown produce.

Cahill’s Market

Serving up authentic Southern comfort food in a barn, Cahill’s Market is a family-owned restaurant, down-home country store and farm all rolled into one. Plenty of Southern classics feature on the restaurant’s menu including blackened catfish and shrimp creole. However, for a true taste of Cahill’s Market diners should opt for some of its famous fried chicken paired with sides like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and collard greens. Make sure you leave room for a delicious dessert of peach cobbler made with Cahill’s very own peaches and served with vanilla ice cream.

May River Grill

May River Grill has a classic American menu with a distinct emphasis on locally caught seafood. You’ll find dishes like baby back ribs and sautéed calf’s liver, as well as oysters, seafood curry and crispy flounder. Try the jumbo shrimp stuffed with Daufuskie crab and drizzled with lemon glaze for a true taste of locally caught produce.

About the author

Helen Armitage lives near Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England where she recently graduated with a Masters in Magazine Journalism. She enjoys writing about culture, pop culture, feminism and film and her favourite destinations are New York City and Dublin. She is about to embark on a three-month placement in Seville, Spain and in the future would love to visit Reykjavik, Vancouver and New York (again).

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