The 12 Best Restaurants in Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville, South Carolina , is a great destination for its breweries, museums, and access to the outdoors, but it’s also popular among food lovers. From causal spots slinging Texas-style barbecue, eclectic pizzas, and Low Country boil to fine dining restaurants offering steak dinners with a view, the city’s restaurants offer a variety of options for every budget and palate. Try seasonal, shareable small plates at the acclaimed The Anchorage, sip on Italian aperitivi while eating house-made pasta at Jianna, or settle into a basement pub for Belgian beers and comfort food at The Trappe Door. Read on to discover the best restaurants in Greenville.

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The Anchorage

Tim Robison/The Anchorage

Address

The Village of,

586 Perry Ave

Greenville

29611-4852

USA

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Phone

+1 864-219-3082

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A “Best New Restaurant” semifinalist in the 2018 James Beard Awards, The Anchorage offers a concise menu of shareable small plates that highlights local, seasonable vegetables and lean proteins. Indulge in the $65 four-course tasting menu, which features a sampling of all the restaurant’s dishes (think green garlic farro with Black Pearl mushrooms, slow-cooked and bronze fennel, and turmeric vinaigrette). The restaurant’s menu includes craft cocktails, beer, and sustainable wines, many of which are available for purchase in the adjacent bottle shop, Taxi House Wines.

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Sidewall Pizza Company

Sidewell Pizza Company

Courtesy of Sidewell Pizza Company

In addition to its original Traveler’s Rest location, this casual pizza shop has outposts on Cleveland Street and Pelham Road. Build your own pie with a house-made thin or gluten-free crust; a range of cheeses and sauces; and toppings such as prosciutto and Italian sausage, arugula, roasted red peppers, and Kalamata olives. Or opt for one of the specialty pizzas, like the Greenville Goddess, which comes with basil pesto, chopped bacon, artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella, and goat cheese. Save room for dessert: The restaurant makes its own ice cream, made with either local dairy milk or vegan coconut milk.

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UP on the Roof

Courtesy of UP on the Roof

Address

250 Riverplace #800

Greenville

29601

USA

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Phone

+1 864-242-4000

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Located on the top of the Embassy Suites downtown, this appropriately named restaurant offers the city’s best views—and some of its best food and drink. Soak in the Reedy River, downtown skyline, and the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains while dining on Southern-inspired fare. Try menu items like “Humpty Dumpties” (deviled eggs), grouper ‘n grits, or a fried seafood basket with your choice of shrimp or oysters (or both). Shareable snacks—think rabbit tacos, drunken mussels, and fried chicken lettuce wraps—are great for groups, and the drink menu includes local craft beer, wine on tap, and bottled cocktails. With $25 bottomless mimosas, challah French toast, and a pimento cheese and bacon omelet, the weekend brunch (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) is not to be missed, either.

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Golden Brown & Delicious

GB&D

Courtesy of GB&D/Facebook

Address

147 Welborn St Suite B1

Greenville

29601-1270

USA

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Phone

+1 864-608-9513

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While the menu changes seasonally at this Village of West Greenville restaurant, its much-lauded burger—made with local grass-fed beef and served on a benne seed bun—is a must-order whenever it makes the list. Other items on the rotating menu include bibimbap, ramen, pizza, fancy bagels and toast, sandwiches, soup, and donuts. They’re open every day of the week, with breakfast available on Saturday and brunch on Sunday.

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Soby’s

Soby's

Courtesy of Soby’s

Address

207 S Main St

Greenville

29601

USA

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Phone

+1 864-232-7007

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One of the city’s original fine dining establishments, Soby’s is known for its modern, Southern cuisine. They offer starters like pimento cheese with pickled okra, steamed mussels, and she-crab soup, plus entrées such as slow-smoked beef short ribs, fried chicken, and shrimp and grits. In addition to being open seven days a week for dinner, the restaurant offers Saturday and Sunday brunch. Go for one of the evening staples or try morning favorites like New Orleans-style French toast, pecan sticky buns, and pulled pork hash. Enjoy a special event or group dinner in the large wine cellar, which has an extensive selection of Old and New World varietals.

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The Seafood Spot

Seafood Spot

Courtesy of Seafood Spot

Address

219 W Antrim Dr C

Greenville

29607

USA

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Phone

+1 864-520-2010

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Get a taste of South Carolina’s Low Country in the Upstate at this seafood-centric spot. Owner Greg Brantley grew up in Beaufort, and the menu is heavy on coastal staples like low country boil, garlic shrimp, and croaker fish sandwiches. You’ll find an extensive list of fried seafood baskets like the oyster Po’boy, each one coming with heaping portions of fries and hushpuppies. And at $10, the “4×4” wing and shrimp lunch special is one of the best deals in town.

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The Trappe Door

Address

25 W Washington St

Greenville

29601-2734

USA

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Phone

+1 864-232-3706

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Located directly underneath Barley’s downtown, this dark basement bar has a rotating list of more than a dozen Belgian and Belgian-style beers on tap. But the bar’s food is also outstanding, with Belgian-style fish and chips, five different varieties of moules frites (mussel pots), house-made pork and cherry sausages, Flemish onion soup, and other Old World fare.

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Jianna

Courtesy of Jianna

Address

600 S Main St #2

Greenville

29601-2505

USA

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Phone

+1 864-720-2200

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Part Italian trattoria, part oyster bar, Jianna is a great stop for a weekend snack after sightseeing (see the abbreviated “piccolo” menu) or a leisurely lunch or dinner. Overlooking scenic Falls Park in downtown Greenville, it’s situated in a gorgeous, airy space. Start with chilled West and East Coast oysters or the honey whipped ricotta crostini. Choose from a range of house-made pasta and large plates like the bavette steak tagliata and several shareable vegetables like grilled asparagus and roasted carrots. For drinks, opt for a Negroni-inspired cocktail or glass of Italian wine.

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ASADA

Courtesy of ASADA

Address

903 Wade Hampton Blvd

Greenville

29609

USA

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Phone

+1 864-770-3450

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Inspired by their time in San Francisco, the husband-and-wife team of Roberto and Gina Cortez started their business serving Mission Style fare out of a food truck. Now a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Wade Hampton Boulevard, they offer quesadillas, tacos, burritos, and nachos, plus several vegetarian and gluten-friendly dishes. Don’t miss Saturday brunch, which has playful takes on global cuisine like Salvadorian pupusas, Latin-style okonomiyaki with ancho-chipotle mayo, and a decadent tres leches bread pudding topped with local strawberries.

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Kitchen Sync

Address

1609 Laurens Rd

Greenville

29607-2906

USA

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Phone

+1 864-568-8115

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Eat with a clean conscience at Kitchen Sync, known for sustainable practices like composting and using compostable straws and take-out containers. Their menu itself is a perfect blend of comfort foods with farm-fresh fare and vegetable-forward dishes. Try the salad pizza—a garlic pie topped with Italian Ranch dressing, arugula, feta, and pine nuts—or the banh mi salad, with rice noodles, Asian slaw, bean sprouts, peanuts, and your choice of protein. Vegans and vegetarians will find plenty of options here, and pizzas are available with a gluten-free crust. For a post-meal activity, head up to the rooftop garden, where Kitchen Sync sources many of the vegetables for its stand-out dishes.

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Bobby’s BBQ

Bobby's BBQ

Courtesy of Visit Greenville

Address

1301 N Main St

Fountain Inn

29644

USA

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Phone

+1 864-409-2379

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It’s worth the short, 20-minute drive to the suburb of Fountain Inn, where owner Tay Nelson keeps the family legacy of barbecue alive. Here, you’ll find Texas-style beef brisket, pulled pork, turkey, and house-made sausage—all wood smoked and seasoned with Bobby’s signature spices. Get the combo, which comes with your choice of sandwich, a drink, and two traditional sides like homestyle coleslaw and baked beans. Grab one of the three house seasonings—all-purpose, citrus, and BBQ rub—to flavor meat and vegetables at home.

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Halls Chophouse

Courtesy of Halls Chophouse

Address

550 S Main St

Greenville

29601

USA

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Phone

+1 864-335-4200

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The Greenville outpost of this Charleston favorite has stunning, two-story glass windows overlooking downtown and the Reedy River—the perfect backdrop for old-school, white-tablecloth dining. Enjoy a Japanese Wagyu filet, 28-day dry-aged steak, lamb chop, and seafood-centric favorites like crab cakes and chilled lobster tail. The restaurant also has an extensive menu of whiskies (including a Scotch tasting flight), wine, beer, and cocktails.