The Local Guide to Restaurants in Greenville, South Carolina

Located between North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia, and near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville, South Carolina, is perfectly situated as a charming, friendly Southern city. There is a perfect eatery for all of Greenville's food lovers, whether you're new in town or are simply looking for a new favorite restaurant. From classic Southern cuisine to delicious Italian gelato to tasty seafood snacks, these are some of the 10 best restaurants in Greenville, SC!

1. Soby's

As one of the most successful downtown Greenville restaurants, Soby's New South Cuisine is the perfect way to step into Greenville's restaurant scene. Founded in 1997, Soby's was built in a renovated Shoe Mart in a less popular part of downtown. Thanks in part to Soby's delicious food and friendly atmosphere, downtown Greenville was transformed into the thriving cultural hub it is today.

Soby's menu is traditional Southern foods mixed with contemporary cuisine. A few of their dishes include shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes and braised beef short ribs, along with various soups, salads and biscuits.

2. Saltwater Kitchen

Fans of seafood need not look further than Saltwater Kitchen. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner, with happy hour from 4-7 p.m., allowing you to satisfy your seafood cravings whenever they arise.

Along with seafood offerings like crab stuffed flounder, catfish and chips and lobster pot pie, the restaurant also carries Lowcountry options like their chicken fried chicken and crispy chicken sandwich. If you want a truly unique experience, ask your server about enjoying your favorite foods served in a tacklebox!

3. Luna Rosa

You can't go wrong with 24 flavors of homemade gelato! Luna Rosa is a family-owned Italian restaurant in the middle of Main Street, making it the perfect place to stop for a refreshing afternoon snack or a delicious, hearty meal.

Aside from their tasty gelato, Luna Rosa also offers various pizzas, pastas, paninis and specialties like scallops ala romesco and chicken marsala. For Italian food combined with a warm Southern atmosphere, you can't go wrong with Luna Rosa.

4. Grits and Groceries

Though it's a bit of a distance from downtown Greenville, Grits and Groceries is a destination that no Greenville resident should miss. Classic home-cooked Southern food is their specialty, with a menu of po' boys, burgers, ham balls and rotating specials including delicious fried chicken or pasta salad. Be sure to try sweets like fried apple pie and Coca-Cola cake before you leave!

5. Larkin's

With aged steaks, fresh fish and old wine, Larkin's provides fine dining with a Southern flair. From soups to seafood to steaks, they have a high-quality dish for everyone. You can come for brunch, lunch, dinner or a snack at their bar every day of the week.

Some of their tasty menu items include fried chicken and waffles, filet mignon, grilled pork chop, Chilean sea bass and more. 

6. Bacon Bros. Public House

If you like meat, your first stop should be Bacon Bros. Public House. They have everything from fried chicken to barbecue to burgers, and their dessert menu of banana pudding, pecan pie and key lime pie is a tasty bonus. Some of their most popular menu items are their charcuterie boards and barbecue samplers. If a huge platter filled with a diverse assortment of delicious meats sounds like an amazing meal to you, Bacon Bros. is the place to visit.

7. Stella's Southern Brasserie

Stella's Southern Brasserie offers classic cuisine mixed with French and European influences and a Southern flair. Peach-glazed pork chop, crispy seared salmon, duck leg confit and more are numbered in the various offerings at Stella's. Though they're closed on Mondays, you can visit for lunch on Sunday or lunch and dinner every other day of the week. If you're in the mood for a drink, check out their vast array of wines, draft beers, cocktails and more.

8. The Lazy Goat

The Lazy Goat is run by Table 301, the same restaurant group behind Soby's, so you know you're in for a treat when you arrive. The Lazy Goat is a Mediterranean restaurant, with dishes and influences from countries like Spain, Greece, Italy and parts of the Middle East. You can choose from salads, pizzas, pastas and wraps, as well as more specific Mediterranean menu items like Moroccan lamb, tavuk shish and their falafel bowl.

Embracing the atmosphere of their culinary influences, The Lazy Goat is designed for relaxed social dining. With their late hours, outdoor patio and communal tables, the Lazy Goat is a great place to have long conversations, enjoy time with friends and family, and savor the food.

9. Biscuit Head

Biscuits and gravy is a quintessential Southern dish, so much so that Biscuit Head built an entire restaurant out of it. To go with your biscuits, you can choose from a wide assortment of gravies, as well as classic sides like fried green tomatoes, bacon, country ham and fried chicken.

Dessert lovers can try their biscuit donuts and biscuit French toast, and you can even order a fried chicken brunch box with six biscuits and eight pieces of fried chicken for a delicious takeout meal.

10. Kitchen Sync

As the number one Independently Owned Green Certified Restaurant, Kitchen Sync is a great local Greenville restaurant and the perfect stop for those passionate about both food and sustainability. Their ingredients are fresh from the farm, everything is locally sourced, their food is made from scratch and they offer plenty of vegan and gluten-free options.

Whether you want catfish, steak or salads, Kitchen Sync has a tasty dish for you. After dinner, you can't miss their tasty desserts like Miss Betty's Chablis cake and their fruit and sweet tea cobbler.

Make Greenville Your Home With SK Builders

Greenville, SC, food is famously delicious, and the city is known for its amazing restaurants. The 10 spots in this restaurant guide to Greenville certainly don't disappoint. But these restaurants only scratched the surface of what Greenville has to offer. To truly experience all of Greenville's culinary offerings, you have to live here, soaking yourself in the local culture.

At SK Builders, we have over 20 years of industry experience that can help you find or build your dream home in Greenville, South Carolina. We offer a large list of for-sale houses in the area, and we can also provide original, customizable floor plans if you want to build your own new home. You can check out available homes in Greenville now, or you can contact us today to talk to an SK representative!