25 Famous Foods of South Carolina That Locals Love!

What food is South Carolina known for? What are the South Carolina dishes that South Carolinians love? What distinguishes the food of South Carolina from the southern food in neighboring states? If you are looking for the answers to these questions, you’ve come to the right place.

I’ve travelled extensively in the American South, and when I’m there I love to enjoy the biscuits, fried chicken, corn bread, fried green tomatoes, and so many other of the Southern dishes the region is known for. But the food in South Carolina has a special place in my heart.

The Charleston culinary scene is legendary. Nearby Mount Pleasant certainly shouldn’t be missed, and Columbia’s culinary appeal is growing even stronger every day. Even Myrtle Beach can dazzle with its diversity. Not to mention, the charming little town of Greenville was recently highlighted in a Food & Wine Magazine article on America’s next great food cities.

But while the dynamism of certain sectors of the South Carolina food scene is something for locals to celebrate and visitors to explore, South Carolinians throughout the entire state know that food from South Carolina is impressive, with a rich history, a focus on local ingredients, and rich flavors that consistently satisfy.

These popular foods are not only proudly served in top-notch restaurants, they are also lovingly prepared by home cooks, cheerily rustled up at humble eateries, offered at roadside stands—and enthusiastically embraced by all those lucky enough to enjoy the food South Carolina calls its own.

Foods of South Carolina

So, let’s dig into the foods South Carolina is known for and learn more about how South Carolina cuisine carved out such a special place of honor within the food culture of the southern United States and continues to win over fans from near and far.

1. Frogmore Stew

This iconic South Carolina food is absolutely one of the dishes you must try if you’re ever in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. Although not a stew, the dish was first created in an area known as Frogmore on St. Helena Island. Located close to Hilton Head Island and Charleston, St. Helena is one of the Sea Islands just off the state’s southern coast.

The main ingredients include fresh seafood like shrimp and crab mixed with corn, potatoes, and sausage, flavored with Old Bay seasoning, and boiled together in a large pot. When everything’s ready, the pot is drained, with all the contents traditionally served in a big pile on the table.

The dish is so popular throughout South Carolina’s Lowcountry coastal region that variations abound, and even the name differs from place to place. One of the most famous of South Carolina’s foods, this hearty specialty is also known as a Lowcountry Boil, Beaufort Stew, and Beaufort Boil. Regardless of the name, one thing is always the same: The taste is delicious!

Frogmore Stew, one of the top not-to-miss South Carolina foods

2. Shrimp and Grits

Although among the most popular of southern dishes, food historians pin the American origins of Shrimp and Grits to South Carolina’s Lowcountry. The recipe was almost certainly transported there in the memories of those Africans who arrived in the region as a result of the slave trade. The dish survived the Civil War, the end of slavery, and a whole lot more.

Grits are made from ground corn, or corn meal, that is boiled into a creamy porridge. Grits are usually served as a breakfast side, and so it was with shrimp and grits long ago, but today this classic dish featuring fresh shrimp cooked up in a variety of ways sitting atop a bed of grits can be enjoyed any time of day by anyone visiting South Carolina.

Shrimp and grits, one of the famous South Carolina dishes from the Lowcountry — Shrimp and Grits, one of the famous South Carolina dishes from the Lowcountry

3. She-Crab Soup

From Portland, Oregon to San Francisco to Berlin, Maryland, if crab is a local specialty, I’m eating it. I love all things crab, and this crab soup is no exception. This incredibly creamy bisque-like wonder gets its name from the fact that the blue crab meat that is used is expressly from female crabs, which although smaller than the males are also sweeter.

Using female crabs is also critical because in addition to the key ingredients of crab meat, cream, and sherry, reddish-orange crab roe is added to provide a unique flavor and lend the slight orange hue characteristic of the soup. This is a must-try South Carolina food!

She-Crab Soup, a must-try South Carolina food for crab lovers

4. Gullah Red Rice

Also known as Charleston Red Rice, Gullah Red Rice is another dish that originated in Africa and was kept alive by the descendants of the Gullah people brought to America as slaves from West and Central Africa. Gulla cuisine has long been a part of South Carolina culture.

The dish is made from Carolina Gold rice boiled in crushed tomatoes or tomato-paste-suffused water and combined with onions, bell peppers, bacon, sausage, sugar, spices, Worcestershire, and cayenne pepper, then simmered until a perfect consistency is reached. This tasty treasure is one of the unique foods to try from the Gullah culinary repertoire available in South Carolina.

Gullah Red Rice, one of the traditional foods of South Carolina

5. Carolina Gold Rice

Not long after European settlers realized that the climate and soil of coastal South Carolina were ideally suited for growing rice, rice became a major crop in the region. An imported African strain did particularly well and came to be called Carolina Gold.

Besides growing nicely in its new home, the rice also became prized for its nutty flavor, firm texture, and versatility. In the minds of many South Carolinians, there is no substitute for Carolina Gold when it comes to cooking rice. Luckily, it is one of several heirloom grains Anson Mills is working hard to protect and keep available for generations to come.

6. South Carolina Barbecue

Sure, you can enjoy a perfectly prepared pork chop or indulge in crunchy pork rinds in the Palmetto State, but the most cherished type of pork in South Carolina is barbecued. And as South Carolina BBQ aficionados say, the state goes whole hog, with pork being the meat of choice, and pulled pork especially popular.

There is a serious rivalry between North Carolina and South Carolina over who has the best BBQ (and let’s not even get started on what the folks in St. Louis, Nashville, Memphis, or Texas have to say). But when it comes to the Carolinas, it’s beyond dispute that South Carolina has more types of barbecue sauce.

In fact, among lovers of American barbecue, South Carolina is well known as the nation’s barbecue hotspot with the greatest diversity of BBQ sauces. There are 4 recognized styles, and they vary according to the part of the state you’re in. The types are light tomato, heavy tomato, vinegar and pepper, and mustard.

I think it’s a sin to visit any southern state and not try the barbecue; it’s a signature southern food. But with the amazing flavors and varieties of sauces available in this particular state, you’d be making a serious mistake indeed if you didn’t treat yourself to this South Carolina famous food.

If you now have a hankering for BBQ ribs, try our bbq rib recipe! But first, read about the difference between St. Louis and baby back ribs.

South Carolina barbecue is one of the highlights of South Carolina cuisine.

7. Carolina Gold Sauce

This is the mustard sauce that sets South Carolina BBQ apart from every other state’s BBQ. This blend of mustard, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and various other ingredients chosen at the discretion of the gold sauce maker originated in the Midland part of the state, where it was created by German settlers. With its trademark tangy and sweet blend, this golden yellow sauce is a favorite accompaniment to pulled pork, a hallmark of the local cuisine.

8. Collard Greens

No list of southern foods would be complete without collard greens, but to leave this king of southern comfort foods off a list of South Carolina famous foods would be absurd! After all, collard greens are the official state vegetable of South Carolina.

The green, leafy vegetable with thick leaves, tough stems, and bitter taste is completely transformed by its traditional southern preparation. When simmered low and slow in a broth with ham hocks, pork jowls, or other pig part of choice, collard greens take on a silky texture and the broth becomes a luscious nectar.

Served alongside barbecue, cornbread, or any other number of southern favorites, the unique taste of homemade collard greens prepared according to the family recipe is a comfort food without compare and a welcomed part of so many good southern meals.

Collard greens, one of the most famous South Carolina foods, are a common side dish.

9. Oyster Roast

Oyster roasts have long been a way of life in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. These social gatherings are a perfect way to celebrate some of the best food pulled fresh from the local waters with friends, family, and neighbors. In that sense, they’re similar to a New England clam bake.

Traditionally, fresh oysters are loaded into large pots and cooked over toasty coals. When perfectly steamed, the oysters are tossed onto newspaper-lined tables set up with shucking knives, saltine crackers, lemon wedges, horseradish, cocktail sauce, and hot sauce. The tasty bivalves are most often washed down with cold beers.

Oysters are in their prime during the cooler months of September through April, which are peak season for oyster roasts too. There are numerous roasts held throughout South Carolina this time of year, but if you can’t make it to any, you could experience an excellent restaurant version at laid-back Bowens Island Restaurant in Charleston, winner of the James Beard Award.

One of the best ways to enjoy oysters in South Carolina is at an Oyster Roast.

10. Crab Cakes

I’m most familiar with the Maryland crab cakes that I was introduced to by my magnificent Maryland mother-in-law, but even though I still look forward to having those tasty beauties in some of the best crab houses in Ocean City, MD, I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed the South Carolina crab cakes I’ve had in Charleston.

Both versions are made from delicious blue crab meat. But whereas the Maryland cakes are made with Old Bay Seasoning, mustard, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley, Charleston cakes are a freer breed, with no set-in-stone recipe but typically including some combination of mayo, tarragon, dill, and parsley, with a spike of hot sauce. Luckily, you don’t have to pick a favorite; I love both styles!

Charleston crab cakes are one of the foods from South Carolina whose recipe varies.

11. Chicken Bog

Chicken Bog is one of the many traditional one-pot rice dishes that are South Carolina staples. It originates in the Lowcountry and begins with boiling a whole chicken until it’s tender. Once the bones and skin are discarded, rice is added to soak up the broth.

While there are many variations, a typical Chicken bog contains smoked sausage, onions, and various spices in addition to the chicken and rice. The name “bog” either comes from the boggy nature of the wet rice mixture or from the boggy nature of much of the Lowcountry that gave birth to the dish. Either way, Chicken Bog is a tasty, relatively easy way to feed a lot of people at one time and have them all leave the table happy.

The tasty South Carolina dish, Chicken Bog

12. Hoppin’ John

Long enjoyed by African Americans, Hoppin’ John is another rice-based South Carolina favorite that continues to expand its appeal to a wider segment of the state’s population.

Most likely of Lowcountry origin, this hearty dish combines stewed black-eyed peas, ham hocks or thick bacon, celery, green peppers, onions, and Carolina Gold Rice seasoned with various herbs and spices.

Although there are several theories on the name’s origin, there is no consensus. That hasn’t stopped anyone from loving this meal.

Many South Carolinians make a point of having this dish on New Year’s Day since it is said that when Hoppin’ John is served with collard greens and cornbread on January 1st, prosperity and good luck is assured for the rest of the year.

Hoppin’ John, one of the most traditional Southern foods

13. Benne Wafers

“Benne” is the Bantu word for “sesame,” and sesame seeds were yet another culinary import brough to America by enslaved Africans. As long ago as colonial times in the Lowcountry, sesame seeds were incorporated into local recipes, and benne wafers have remained a local favorite ever since.

Small, crisp, and light, with a nutty flavor, benne wafers are also said to bring good luck. For this reason, hosts would long ago give them as parting gifts to party attendees. Today, they are the go-to foodie souvenirs to take home from a visit to Charleston.

Benne wafers, a South Carolina food said to bring good luck

14. Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese is such a hallmark of southern cuisine, it may surprise some that its origins trace back to—New York.

From its beginnings as a spread made in the Northeast U.S. from cream cheese and canned pimentos, pimento cheese has been transformed into a beloved Southern food proudly served at both the Kentucky Derby and golf’s Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

The versions popular in the South today are made from cheddar, mayonnaise, and pimentos. The new recipe began to become popular in the early 20th century when pimentos began to be farmed in great numbers in Georgia and incorporated into regional dishes.

Used as a spread for crackers, as the marquee ingredient in a Pimento Cheese Sandwich, or as a trusty hamburger sidekick in a Pimento Cheeseburger, pimento cheese nowadays is simply thought of by South Carolinians as a yummy Southern traditional food.

Pimento cheese is a popular food in South Carolina that can be added to most anything.

15. Deviled Eggs

Although deviled eggs can in no way be confined to a Southern food list, these appetizers are highly popular in the Palmetto State. Classic deviled eggs are, of course, hard-boiled eggs that have been shelled, cut in half, and filled with a mixture typically consisting of the egg’s own yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, and seasonings.

South Carolina versions that put a distinct local twist on the dish include topping the eggs with crab, fried oysters, or shrimp and grits, and/or dusting them with cayenne pepper or the state’s own fiery Carolina Reaper.

Since the “deviled” in deviled eggs originally referred to any food that was considered spicy, you really can’t ask for anything more appropriate than the piquant South Carolina approach.

South Carolina takes their deviled eggs seriously, with interesting toppings and sometimes fiery spices.

16. Carolina Reaper

What better time to discuss the Carolina Reaper than now? This pepper was developed in Rock Hill, South Carolina, by pepper breeder Ed Currie. Red, gnarled, and bumpy with a pointy tail, the pepper was recognized as the world’s hottest in 2013.

Although it has since been dethroned by new pepper varieties, the Carolina Reaper is still one of the world’s hottest peppers, averaging a heat level of 1.6 million Scoville Heat Units. With that intensity, it smokes the famous spicy peppers from Colorado and New Mexico.

Hot sauce fans and taste-test daredevils can attest to the Reaper’s flaming properties, and there are Reaper-spiced chips, cheese curls, Cheetos—even almonds—available at grocery stores in South Carolina for fans of the hometown hottie.

Developed in SC, the Carolina Reaper is one of the world’s hottest peppers.

17. Hush Puppies

Hush puppies are without a doubt a beloved item on the list of Southern classics of comfort food. They are one of the traditional Southern foods that are nowadays found from Florida to Maryland, but there’s a strong case to be made that they originated in South Carolina.

In the late 1800s through the early 1900s, an African American man by the name of Romeo Govan would host locally renowned fish fries on his property by the Edisto River. Along with freshly caught fish, Govan began to fry up cornmeal balls crispy golden brown on the outside, soft in the center, and tasty throughout.

He called the treats Red Horse Bread, because they would accompany the Red Horse fish served at his suppers. Folks marveled at this new great addition to seafood feasts, and its popularity spread.

In neighboring Georgia, however, the name Hush Puppies came to describe the same kind of cornmeal creations, and that name soon became the prevailing moniker for these fried balls of goodness.

Today, hush puppies accompany meals of all sorts and traditional recipes still rule, because something so simple that’s so good really doesn’t need any improvement.

Hush puppies are a food invented in South Carolina but named in Georgia.

18. Okra

Okra was another ingredient that arrived in the Southeastern United States with the enslaved Africans who brought it with them on their journey. It adapted well to the long, hot summers of South Carolina and has remained an important part of local agriculture and cuisine to this day.

The parts of the flowering okra plant that are edible are the seed pods. In South Carolina, they are served every which way: boiled, fried, split and grilled, stewed with tomatoes, and tossed in soups are just some of the ways they’ll end up on the table.

Okra Soup is one of the traditional dishes of the Gullah people. The rich vegetable-filled soup changes with the seasons but is always a hearty delight.

It shares some characteristics with the famous gumbo of New Orleans, but there is a good reason for that. The Gullah term for okra is “gumbo,” and the South’s love of okra is not confined to South Carolina.

Fried okra, a food South Carolina locals love

19. Sweet Potatoes

Native Americans were the first people to grow sweet potatoes in what became the Southeastern United States. The starchy root vegetables were well suited to the warm climate of the South, and today, sweet potatoes are the biggest cash crop of South Carolina.

So, it’s no wonder that the versatile veggies find their way to the plate in so many different forms. In the morning, they can be found in pancakes and waffles, or, like one of the famous foods of Virginia, grace the table as sweet potato biscuits. Later in the day, they show up mashed, baked, roasted, fried, or candied. And don’t think about a South Carolina Thanksgiving without a sweet potato pie being offered up as dessert.

A number of festivals celebrate the nutritious, delicious, colorful, local tuber throughout the year, and in Lancaster, SC, Benford Brewing even incorporates hand-cut sweet potatoes in the mash they use to create their Southern Tater Sweet Potato Ale. I can think of no better way to toast SC’s favorite spuds.

When in South Carolina, you’ve got to try a slice of sweet potato pie.

20. Chow Chow

Chow chow is a relish that you’ll find in almost every home in South Carolina—and it’s almost always homemade. Recipes vary widely, lean sweet or spicy, overlap but never replicate ingredients, and are typically kept a family secret.

Chow chow’s history is tangled and disputed, but what’s beyond question is that harvesting, finely chopping, seasoning, and pickling veggies before winter was a great way to preserve summer flavors throughout the year.

Cabbage and/or tomatoes are a common base, with open season on everything else.

Chow chow is often served alongside corn bread, but it’s become a condiment that South Carolinians use as a topping on just about anything to add a comforting crunch and unique flavor that’s something akin to an edible family heirloom stowed away in a pickling jar.

21. Boiled Peanuts

To many fans of roasted peanuts, the idea of boiled peanuts may sound less than appetizing, but among the people of the palmettos, they are among the most beloved South Carolina foods. So much so, they’ve been designated as the South Carolina State official snack.

They have been enjoyed in the state for a long time. Back in the 1800s, when peanuts were already a plentiful crop in the South, they were boiled while in season so that they could be preserved and enjoyed later in the year.

Boiled for several hours in salt-soaked water, peanuts turn soft and salty in their shells, which are easily peeled when ready, revealing the addictive snack within.

Today, they are ubiquitous. You can find them in fancy South Carolina food places as a starter or incorporated into creative upscale dishes, but they are also sold at roadside stands, grocery stores, even convenience stores and gas stations where you can see people munching on them in the parking lot before even getting back to their cars.

Be sure to try this South Carolina classic when visiting so you can find out for yourself what all the fuss is about.

Preparing some boiled peanuts, the official snack of South Carolina

22. Biscuits

Although biscuits may not be a food invented in South Carolina, locals seem certain that they are a food that has been perfected in the state. And coming from someone who almost always orders biscuits when they’re offered on any menu, I think South Carolinians make a strong case.

Southerners know to use a flour made from soft wheat with a lower protein and gluten content than most flours, because the results are biscuits that are lighter and fluffier than elsewhere.

Sweet or savory, South Carolina biscuits are always buttery and delicious.

Although you’ll find reliably good versions almost anywhere you go, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit in Charleston is famous for serving an amazing array of this favorite Southern food finely made in Southern Carolina.

Honey butter and bacon jam accompany these delicious biscuits.

23. Peaches

If someone asks you what fruit is South Carolina known for, don’t let Georgia fool you. The answer is peaches. The South Carolina peach is not only the official South Carolina state fruit, the state is also the largest peach producer in the South.

In addition to being available at grocers and roadside farm stands throughout the May-to-August growing season, peaches can be found in a myriad of preparations throughout the year all over South Carolina.

Peach tea, barbecued peaches, peach ice cream, and peach slushies are just a peek at the possibilities. And at peak peach freshness, it is hard to do better at dessert time than a peach cobbler, peach crisp, or peach crumble.

South Carolina is known for peaches; try them any way you deem fit.

24. Lady Baltimore Cake

Another classic among South Carolina desserts is the Lady Baltimore Cake. And despite its name, this is not some famous food of Maryland that made its way down the coast. No, this Palmetto State native was created in Charleston’s Lady Baltimore Tea Room over a century ago.

The multilayered sponge cake filled with fruits and nuts and topped with meringue frosting exploded in popularity when author Owen Wister described the cake in a book he titled “Lady Baltimore” and published in 1906.

The managers of the Tea Room allegedly sent a Lady Baltimore Cake to Wister to thank him for making their creation so famous. It remains famous in South Carolina and elsewhere in the South to this day.

Lady Baltimore Cake, a famous dessert in South Carolina

25. Huguenot Torte

The Huguenot Torte is a famous food made in South Carolina, but its origins lie elsewhere. Today, one of the most popular desserts in Charleston is based on Ozark Pudding, a specialty from, well, the Ozarks.

Evelyn Florence is said to have tasted the dish at a family reunion in Texas and brought the recipe back to South Carolina. After reworking the recipe to her liking, Florence created a version that she called the Huguenot Torte, naming it for the Charleston restaurant in which she worked at the time, the Huguenot Tavern.

However, neither “pudding” nor “torte” aptly describes the creation. It’s most reminiscent of a cobbler, with a thin flour-and-eggs batter that barely holds together the treasure inside. The treasure is a filling rich with Granny Smith apples, pecans, and sugar that celebrates the ingredients of autumn. A generous dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream completes the picture nicely.

Drinks To Enjoy With Foods of South Carolina

You didn’t think I was going to let you loose in South Carolina to enjoy all these wonderful foods and then worry that you might go thirsty, did you? My conscience will rest more easily if I at least give you these three South Carolina classics that you can use to wet your whistle or try as a tipple during your visit.

Sweet Tea

South Carolina sweet tea is so popular, you couldn’t avoid it on a visit to the state even if you wanted to. But why would you want to? This delicious drink is an excellent thirst quencher and an iconic symbol of Southern hospitality.

Summerville, SC, is the birthplace of sweet tea and, not coincidentally, the location where tea plants were first cultivated in the United States. It was there that tea was first steeped with generous amounts of sugar and then allowed to cool before it was served. Today, ice and lemon are added as well.

If you’re looking for something with a little more kick, South Carolina’s own Firefly Distillery makes a Lowcountry Sweet Tea Vodka. It’s made from tea grown at a nearby plantation and sugarcane—and a little extra something-something.

Drink some sweet tea when tasting the foods of South Carolina. — Drink some sweet tea when enjoying the foods of South Carolina.

Charleston Fizz

Although not the same story as Firefly’s concoction growing up as teetotaler’s tea before going rogue, the Charleston Fizz was also inspired by a South Carolina soft drink. This wonderfully refreshing cocktail is an ode to one of the fresh fruit sodas made by Charleston’s Cannonborough Beverage Company.

Gin’s floral notes flow throughout a mixture that also features elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and club soda. A sprig of tarragon lends a hint of anise flavor. It’s the perfect potable for counteracting the clutches of a sultry summer evening.

Planter’s Punch

Although Planter’s Punch is mistakenly believed by many to have been created at Charleston’s historic Planters Hotel—which no longer exists—the legend lives on and the drink is still poured aplenty.

The original almost certainly hails from Jamaica, and the mix of rum, citrus, sugar, and spice is purported to have helped Jamaican cane cutters make it through their grueling workdays.

Today, Charlestonians can still put their workday behind them and visitors can unwind with an upscale Planter’s Punch served at the Peninsula Grill at Planters Inn. There, dark rum comingles with fresh orange and pineapple juices joined by a splash of grenadine.

However, there is no definitive recipe for an official Planter’s, so the answer might be to try versions at different spots throughout your stay in South Carolina and decide which punch to the kisser tastes best to you.