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Best Italian Restaurants in Charleston, SC

From housemade pasta to wood-fired pizza, Charleston's Italian dining scene punches above its weight. These are the best Italian restaurants in Charleston, SC right now.

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Best Italian Restaurants in Charleston, SC

85% Confidence
#1

Wild Olive

$$-$$$ Johns Island
Why #1 Johns Island institution with exquisite handmade pasta and a 98% local clientele

The benchmark for Lowcountry Italian — 15 years of consistency under Chef Brad Grozis, with handmade pasta as the soul of the menu and local farms and waters as the anchor.

#1 restaurant on Johns Island (TripAdvisor)Consistently cited by Eater Carolinas as one of Charleston's best Italian restaurants15+ years of unbroken operation and community loyalty
#2

Sorelle

$$$-$$$$ South of Broad / Broad Street
Why #2 Broad Street buzzy upstairs dining — Michelin-listed, Michael Mina backed

Grand, swanky Southern Italian ristorante opened 2023 by Beemok Hospitality (the Peninsula Grill group) and chef Michael Mina's Mina Group — a tasting menu destination with handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and Lowcountry Italian fusion.

Michelin Guide Recommended (2025 American South debut)Beemok Hospitality (Peninsula Grill pedigree) + Michael Mina's Mina Group partnershipChef Nick Dugan helming the kitchen
#3

Indaco

$$-$$$ Cannonborough / Upper King
Why #3 Handmade pasta in a King Street industrial space — the original modern Italian

Rustic Italian institution from Indigo Road Hospitality (James Beard SF Steve Palmer) — wood-fired oven for pizzas and seasonal pastas; the beloved tagliatelle with Storey Farms egg is iconic.

Opened 2013 — a Charleston institution with proven longevityPart of Indigo Road Hospitality (Steve Palmer, James Beard SF multiple times)Confirmed OPEN as of March 2026 (Yelp, website, OpenTable)
Full Ranking
#4
Le Farfalle $$$ Modern regional Italian in a quaint Harleston V…
Eater Carolinas Best Italian map staple for multiple…
↓ 2
#5
Costa $$$-$$$$ Sleek coastal Italian from Easton Porter Group …
2024 Eater Carolinas 'Best New South Carolina Restau…
↑ 1
#6
Coda del Pesce $$$-$$$$ Ken Vedrinski's all-Italian seafood restaurant …
Zagat-ranked among Charleston's Best Restaurants
#7
The Obstinate Daughter $$-$$$ Sullivan's Island institution helmed by two-tim…
2025 Michelin Recommended (American South debut)
↑ 1
#8
Melfi's $$-$$$ Grown-up, clubby Italian with a long wooden bar…
Eater Carolinas Best Italian map
↑ 1
#9
Renzo $$ Wood-fired pizza and natural wine bar in a hand…
Eater Carolinas Best Italian map
New
#10
Volpe $$$ Ken Vedrinski's 2025 Charleston peninsula return
Opened March 21, 2025 — Charleston Magazine August 2…
↓ 2
#11
Laura $$-$$$ Rustic Italian by Chef Nico Romo, inspired by h…
Best of Charleston 'Best Chef' (Nico Romo) and Best …
#12
Frannie & the Fox $$-$$$ Wood-fired hotel restaurant with Italian sensib…
USA Today 10Best 'Best Hotel Restaurant' 2024
↓ 2
#13
The Italian Boy After Dark at The Pass $$$$ Chef Anthony Marini's intimate prix-fixe Italia…
Charleston Magazine 'New & Notable' feature June 2025
↑ 3
#14
Cuoco Pazzo Trattoria $$-$$$ Old-school Northern Italian trattoria serving c…
#29 of 246 restaurants in Mount Pleasant (TripAdvisor)
#15
Cane Pazzo $$-$$$ New neighborhood osteria (opened June 2025) fro…
Eater Carolinas coverage — 'First Look at Cane Pazzo…
↑ 1
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Top 3 Charleston Food Voices

The writers and creators shaping how Charleston thinks about food. Follow them for the deepest coverage of the local dining scene.

#1 Food Journalist

Hanna Raskin

@hanna_raskin

James Beard Award-winning food journalist and founder of The Food Section, an independent publication covering food and drink across the American South. Formerly the food editor and chief critic at The Post & Courier.

James Beard Award The Food Section Post & Courier
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#2 Food Writer & Photographer

Jai Jones

@jaieats

Charleston-based food writer and photographer whose work appears in The Infatuation, Food & Wine, Conde Nast Traveler, Garden & Gun, Resy, and The Post & Courier. Creator of the Jai Eats platform covering Lowcountry dining.

The Infatuation Food & Wine Conde Nast Traveler Garden & Gun
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#3 Food Content Creator

Tara Bannon

@charleston_foodie

The largest Charleston-focused food account on Instagram with 42,000+ followers. Covers restaurant openings, local favorites, and hidden gems across the Lowcountry with a focus on what's worth eating right now.

42K+ followers #charleston_foodie
@charleston_foodie on Instagram →