Blind Tiger Pub
If you weren’t familiar with earlier versions of this Broad Street watering hole, you might be shocked to learn that the current perfect-for-lunch space also saw plenty of nefarious nights with cheap drinks and boozy shenanigans. (Its name, after all, is a reference to those sneaky locales that shirked the laws of Prohibition.) Yet when the original pub shuttered in early 2016, crowds flocked before a “final” last call. The joint reopened some seven months later—after a change in ownership, a quick reno, and sleek re-branding—this time with a tasty new menu, craft beer, and a cocktail list. You might start with the smoked wings or avocado toast with pickled shrimp before ordering a hearty duck sandwich with a side of crispy and tangy Brussels sprouts. Or take a seat in the courtyard and opt for a fresh tomato and burrata salad and wash it down with the rosé on tap. www.blindtigerchs.com
Sermet’s Southernterranean Cuisine-Bar
Those who’ve missed the “old Sermet’s” on King Street (before new ownership transformed the once-cozy corner eatery into a white-tablecloth establishment) should run to its namesake chef’s new venture on James Island. In place of the former Heart Woodfire Kitchen, Sermet’s offers quality fare in a familiar setting full of quirky art (by the chef and others) and friendly locals. The food’s a marriage of Mediterranean and Southern flavorings—take, for example, the perfectly seared scallops atop risotto punctuated with she-crab and saffron, or the charred romaine starter (pictured). A word of advice? Don’t leave without dessert, like a slice of the Nutella cheesecake. www.sermets.com
