Classic Italian dishes, pizza and pasta foremost among them, provide the focus for this casual, approachable destination in the neighborhood of Cannonborough-Elliotborough.  

Website: julietchs.com

Address: 654 King St.

Phone number: 843-329-7543

Number of seats: 54

Entrée price range: $11-$17

Popular dishes: Prosciutto and arugula pizza with tomato and burrata; braised short rib agnolotti with Parmesan, tomato ragù and sofrito; carbonara with fusilli, prosciutto cotto, fava beans and mushrooms

What others say: “I thoroughly enjoyed my dinners at Juliet, which were distinguished by vivid flavors and sophisticated plating. Most crucially, though, the starring pizza is adroitly made, and the wines served by the glass are so well matched to the pies that diners are bound to feel like they’re breaking up some kind of yeasty communion.”  — Hanna Raskin, The Post and Courier

The interior

Meatballs

With a sense of seaside Southern hospitality, this favorite on King Street celebrates “the bounty of the sea, the rhythm of the seasons, and the joy of savored moments shared daily.”

Website: thedarling.com

Address: 513 King St.

Phone number: 843-641-0821

Number of seats: 99

Entrée price range: $21-$27

Popular dishes: Creole shrimp with Anson Mills rice cakes, mustard and bacon; lobster and king crab roll with split-top bun, scallion and mayonnaise; shrimp and cheddar grits with crispy Brussels sprouts, country ham and fennel

What others say: “It’s clear from The Darling Oyster Bar’s menu that the new restaurant paid careful attention to the featured players at its counterparts farther up King Street: Seafood towers, fish toast, baked oysters and fried chicken are already performing nightly at The Ordinary and Leon’s Oyster Shop. But what’s not immediately apparent from the list is the kitchen’s debt to Quebec.”  — Hanna Raskin, The Post and Courier

Shrimp and grits

The dining room

Small plates serve as sustenance for creative cocktails at this inviting beacon for wining and dining devoted to a spirit “all with the flare of today's Paris.”

Website: felixchs.com

Address: 550 King St.

Phone number: 843-203-6297

Number of seats: 51

Entrée price range: $7-$19

Popular dishes: Raclette Burger with Brasstown grass-fed organic beef, caramelized onion, Dijonnaise and raclette on a sesame bun; Gnocchi à la Grand-Mère with chicken confit, pâte à choux gnocchi, squash, Brussels sprouts, fìnes herbes, brown butter and chestnut honey; Petit Steak-Frites with Brasstown grass-fed organic sirloin, beurre rouge, delicate local greens and fries.

What others say: “Chef Elizabeth Schultenover has worked at the James Beard nominated Table (Asheville, N.C.), Knife & Fork (Spruce Pine, N.C.) and Cucina 24 (Asheville, N.C.). She graduated from Johnson and Wales and also did some time working at Thirteen Restaurant in St. Thomas.”  — Kinsey Gidick, Charleston City Paper

Gnocchi à la Grand-Mère with chicken confit, pâte à choux gnocchi, squash, Brussels sprouts, fìnes herbes, brown butter and chestnut honey

The bar at Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

This new addition to an Edmund’s Oast mini-empire (the namesake restaurant featured in a previous “Trending Tables” column in 2014), this 20,000-square-foot outpost serves as a production brewery with a taproom and eatery integrated within.

Website: edmundsoast.com/brewing-co

Address: 1505 King St.

Phone number: 843-718-3224

Number of seats: 110 inside, 30 outside

Entrée price range: $10-$13

Popular dishes: Pork and peanut stew with white rice, pickled peanuts, cilantro and green onions; Reuben sandwich with corned brisket, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing; hot dog with chili, slaw and mustard.

What others say: “Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company slid into downtown with a full menu of killer bar snacks, like pork and peanut stew or dry-aged steak, and lots of booze.” — Erin Perkins, Eater Charleston

Dry sausages

The interior

Part of the Owens Dining Group (including Opal and Langdon’s, under the charge of chef Patrick Owens), this welcome addition to Mt. Pleasant focuses on seafood and pizzas licked by the flames of a wood-fired grill.

Website: owensdininggroup.com/woodandgrainmtp

Address: 778 South Shelmore Blvd. 102, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

Phone number: 843-971-6070

Number of seats: 59

Entrée price range: $14-$21

Popular dishes: Roasted octopus with romesco and butter beans; local wood-roasted mushrooms with kale, lemon Reggiano and thyme; Opal pizza with garlic oil, smoked duck ham, goat cheese, arugula and peppers.

What others say: “The roasted octopus is an exercise in sublimity. Beautifully charred, yet still tender, the two tentacles are plated on a bed of soft, lustrous butter beans. Rich yet still delicate, baby lima beans —  not to mention your mouth —  never had it so good.”  — Vanessa Wolf, Charleston City Paper

Roasted octopus with romesco and butter beans; local wood-roasted mushrooms with kale, lemon Reggiano and thyme

The Wood & Grain dining room