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Located along the middle of South Carolina’s coastline, Georgetown is the state’s second largest seaport and third oldest city. That means that it’s had a lot of time to build up its current charm, and you’ll feel it when you’re walking around the historic downtown area. There’s plenty of fresh seafood to be had, but it certainly doesn’t stop there. Here are our choices for the best restaurants in Georgetown.

Main Street, Georgetown

Alfresco Georgetown Bistro

With its signature blend of Italian classics and seafood delicacies, Alfresco Bistro has made itself one of the premier restaurants in the South Carolina coastal area. The interior and exterior porch space are decorated to make you feel like you’re in sunny Italy, and the menu is designed to do the same. Come at dinnertime for an Italian spread worthy of a Roman table, with your choice of freshly caught fish or any number of other meat options. The lunch menu delves into the cuisines of various other regions, or you can come to the bar to enjoy wine flights and small, tapas-like dishes to go along with them.
Alfresco Georgetown Bistro, 812 Front St, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 344 3869

Front Street Deli

You’ll find Front Street Deli right in the center of historic Georgetown, near the water. What you’ll find inside is the archetypal deli, with a menu chock-full of all of your favorite sandwiches, soups, and side salads, all at very reasonable prices. You can enjoy a chili on a cold day, dig into a Reuben sandwich when you feel like you’d rather be in New York City, or go for the grilled chicken salad when you’re feeling healthy. Their bread is always baked fresh, and the tables are usually full of their loyal customers. Some particular favorites are the hot sandwiches like the Reubens, as well as the corned beef sandwich.
Front Street Deli, 809 Front St, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 546 2008

Atlantic House Restaurant

At first glance, the menu at Atlantic House Restaurant looks pretty standard – sandwiches, salads, burgers, hotdogs. When you take a closer look, however, you’ll see that the chef has turned the basics upside down. You can indulge your childish side with the PB & J burger that comes with lettuce, peanut butter, and strawberry jelly, or take a walk on the classy side with a burger with goat cheese and red pepper jelly. You may expect to find a typical pimento cheese sandwich, but what they actually offer is a delicious pimento cheese BLT with jalapeno.
Atlantic House Restaurant, 109 Screven St, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 520 6918

The River Room

The River Room, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary, is understandably a bit of a tradition in Georgetown. They occupy a building right on the waterfront near a public dock, so guests can even arrive by boat. Their specialty is seafood, and you will regret it if you don’t get a chance to taste their delicious preparations. One of their big favorites is the shrimp and grits, an absolute southern classic that deserves the treatment that it receives at The River Room. The fish they have to offer changes seasonally.
The River Room, 801 Front St, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 527 4110

Old Market Hall, Georgetown

Thomas Cafe

Thomas Cafe is the premier breakfast in Georgetown. You might even find yourself overwhelmed by all of your options, from scrumptious French toast to flavorful omelets, and of course, plentiful biscuits and cornbread to accompany your meal. They are also open for lunch on the weekdays, and change their main course and side specials daily. The one thing you can be sure to expect is that it’s soul food at its very best, whether you happen to come on a day when they’re offering fried chicken with macaroni and cheese, or flounder with fried green tomatoes. The lunch deal, at under nine dollars for a main and three sides, is also quite reasonable.
Thomas Café, 703 Front St, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 546 7776

Big Bill’s Lowcountry BBQ

Big Bill’s Lowcountry BBQ is the only barbecue joint you’ll find in Georgetown, and it fills that niche excellently. The meat is cooked to perfection, and it comes with extremely friendly service too. You can order off a menu or choose to take your fill off their buffet – the only danger there is that once you’ve started eating, it’s very difficult to stop. If you have room when dessert rolls around, their banana pudding is a great way to finish things off. Don’t forget to add some sides to your meat – the mac and cheese is great, as is the barbecue hash, which is one you won’t find outside of South Carolina.
Big Bill’s Lowcountry BBQ, 2041 N Fraser St, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 527 2697

Hopsewee Plantation Tea Room

With a visit to the Hopsewee Plantation Tea Room, you can eat a delicious meal while getting a taste of history all at the same time. The house was built in the 18th century, well before the Revolutionary War, and it’s been privately owned and maintained ever since. Now they’ve added the Tea Room in a separate cottage, where visitors can enjoy English-style high tea with some southern flair added to remind you where you are. For the full experience, order the full southern tea and allow the servers at Hopsewee to surprise and impress you with the range of savories that come with your choice of fine English tea.
Hopsewee Plantation, 494 Hop Sewee Rd, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 546 7891

5 Rivers Tavern & Grill

Sometimes, all you want in life is a relaxed pub to enjoy a cool glass of beer and a good meal – and with 5 Rivers Tavern, you get that in addition to being right on the waterfront in charming downtown Georgetown. They like to have fun with their menu, so you’ll find their own unique twists on many classic staples. Customer favorites include the macaroni and cheese and crab cakes. If you’ve got a game to watch, they have you covered with TVs inside, but you can also sit outside and take in the relaxing scene with the ever-present breeze to keep you comfortable.
5 Rivers Tavern & Grill, 815 Front St, Georgetown, SC, USA, +1 843 833 8181

About the author

Lani is a freelance writer and translator currently living in Prague, Czech Republic. After growing up in Durham, North Carolina, she went to university at Northwestern University in Chicago and then went on to live in Georgia, Scotland, Hungary, and various cities in the Czech Republic.

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