Opened in 2011 by Chef Kevin Johnson and his wife Susan, The Grocery has always been committed to regional ingredients executed in innovative ways. Operating under a philosophy of respect for ingredients and their origins, the menu is made to harmonize and surprise. Through their canning program, produce is savored and integrated into dishes in unexpected ways across the seasons.
At the bar, classic favorites are served alongside inventive cocktails and considered wines. Whether it's a cocktail and a small plate, or a table full of shared entrees among extended family, The Grocery looks forward to welcoming you. It all started with a healthy dose of curiosity and a genuine love of flavors.
At the bar, classic favorites are served alongside inventive cocktails and considered wines. Whether it's a cocktail and a small plate, or a table full of shared entrees among extended family, The Grocery looks forward to welcoming you. It all started with a healthy dose of curiosity and a genuine love of flavors.
Services
The Grocery is honored to share our space with you for your private dining events. Depending on our availability, we can offer a private room, which seats 32 people, or the entire restaurant, which accommodates up to 120 people. We will be in touch with you very soon to answer any questions and begin the planning process.
Reviews (26)
Diana L.
Jan 29, 2022
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Great service, nice ambiance. The roasted winter roots for an app was great as well as the mushrooms for an app. They were very fresh and tasty. The Bianca Bolognese was extremely tasty. It was unique with more of an Alfredo VS red sauce, but was even better than the traditional. Johnny cakes (corn bread) with liver mouse was good. The only downside was the liver pâté was a bit too mild and the drinks were weak. For the cost I would think they should have a more robust martini and highball. Thanks
Evan G.
Jan 29, 2022
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Dana L.
Jan 23, 2022
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I love this place. The food and service gets an A+ from me. I am a vegetarian and they had plenty of options. I ordered from the produce list and every thing was amazing. They have a very creative way of cooking and combining the vegetables. We ordered the Winter Roots, Cabbage, Maitake, Agnolotti and the bread all excellent options. Our waitress Blanca was great! She was so sweet and welcoming and very attentive. She was very knowledgeable about the menu. We had such a positive experience here we wish we had more time so we could've come back. Will definitely be back next time we are in
Trish McQuillen
Jan 19, 2022
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Neil Z.
Dec 29, 2021
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A. Dean
Dec 12, 2021
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Jenna L.
Dec 10, 2021
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Wow. Just wow. If you are visiting Charleston and looking for an amazing spot for dinner, this is it. Be sure to book a reservation in advance.
Ambiance - this restaurant is sexy, ok? Like dim lighting, beautiful decor, simply, yet super appealing. The staff are all super nice and friendly.
Drinks - we got a few bottles of wine and they were divine. Wait staff reserves the bottles and pours the wine for you.
Food - everything is pretty much tapas style, which the exception of a few dishes, which they explain to you. The menu is relatively small, which is great for those who get overwhelmed
Ambiance - this restaurant is sexy, ok? Like dim lighting, beautiful decor, simply, yet super appealing. The staff are all super nice and friendly.
Drinks - we got a few bottles of wine and they were divine. Wait staff reserves the bottles and pours the wine for you.
Food - everything is pretty much tapas style, which the exception of a few dishes, which they explain to you. The menu is relatively small, which is great for those who get overwhelmed
Steve T.
Oct 29, 2021
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First, the food was excellent... going down. But first, you have to run the parking gauntlet, unless you Uber or walk. You do get clear instructions along with the reservation confirmation on how to park with a complicated cell phone procedure, but no warning that the lot [not owned by them] will charge a $25 minimum, four-hour fee. Later, the restaurant comps the parking, but that should have been MADE CLEAR in the instructions.
Next morning, mild diarrhea, clearly from my meal there. I had a light meal previously that day with zero loose stools so the diarrhea clearly came from The Grocery
Next morning, mild diarrhea, clearly from my meal there. I had a light meal previously that day with zero loose stools so the diarrhea clearly came from The Grocery
Josh Binder
Oct 01, 2021
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Alan B.
Sep 19, 2021
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Would like to give The Grocery 4.5 stars but not allowed. Four of us enjoyed our meal and the service (thank you Abbie). We enjoyed the tomato tartine and fried oysters as starters. The oysters were a bit on the small side (a theme you will see repeats which is why we are not giving 5 stars). The bread was delicious (we had two) but they did charge $4.00 for each small round loaf. Abbie told us that a lot of guests share entrees and that seemed like a great idea to us. We shared the grunt, lamb shoulder and pork loin. All were really tasty and all were a bit on the small side. We all agreed that
Ed B.
Sep 07, 2021
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Yet another great dinner at The Grocery!
My wife and I split three dishes:
Starting with the incredible Roasted Peaches.... Concentrated peach flavor with hints of the shishito peppers that must have been roasted on them. Tasso Ham added the needed salt to the dish, and the goat cheese balanced the slight heat of the pepper, but above all the peach itself was creamy!
Then we were served the Garganelli Pasta with cherry tomatoes, corn, zucchini, ricotta salsa. This dish had so much finesse, the pasta was cooked perfect al dente, a nice intense flavor overall but not at all to heavy.
Lastly we
My wife and I split three dishes:
Starting with the incredible Roasted Peaches.... Concentrated peach flavor with hints of the shishito peppers that must have been roasted on them. Tasso Ham added the needed salt to the dish, and the goat cheese balanced the slight heat of the pepper, but above all the peach itself was creamy!
Then we were served the Garganelli Pasta with cherry tomatoes, corn, zucchini, ricotta salsa. This dish had so much finesse, the pasta was cooked perfect al dente, a nice intense flavor overall but not at all to heavy.
Lastly we
Dee N.
Aug 20, 2021
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We enjoyed a phenomenal dinner this evening. We got two of everything vegetarian in their menu. The eggplant was absolutely unique, the okra was fresh and a wonderful take on southern food, the pasta was made in-house, the peaches with goat cheese was definitely something to write home about. The green tomato dish shouldn't be missed. The service was so on point and lovely. The dessert was so awesome, we ordered another one! I highly recommend this place and can't wait to come back here soon!
Jay R.
Aug 03, 2021
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We have not made the trek to downtown Charleston to the Grocery for several years. The parking was always a pain, but now there is a complimentary lot on premises ( if you can figure out the technology/QR code/text / confirmation code- if not , the wait staff are great help!). Our last visit was just OK, but that was a long time ago. We joined another couple early on a Friday. A tasteful remodel has made the dining area feel more spacious. It was not busy on our arrival which allowed some pleasant conversation over drinks as we perused the menu. Don't be surprised if your online menu is
Ivy H.
Aug 01, 2021
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This restaurant is beautiful the waitress was very knowledgeable and the service was ok let's get to the food . First I started with an appetizer the corn suflee it might be called something else it was amazing on a scale of 1-10 it would receive an 8 the reason being I love texture in my mouth but not purée. It need some crunch the flavor was amazing and at this point I'm waiting on my second appetizer which showed up after the main course was served. it was good but it was to late! Then their was the cocktails now for me, every Resturant that advertises cocktails needs to be familiar
Wes Brogden
Jul 20, 2021
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This was the BEST meal we had in Charleston and one of the best of our lives. We ordered the cabbage gratinée, farm duck rice, squid ink tagliatelle, and the churros for dessert. Everything was amazing and reasonably priced for how good the food was. The service and the atmosphere were excellent. This is a must visit when in Charleston. We were tempted to go back for a second night in a row the food was that good.
Toni Castro
Jul 17, 2021
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Maggie Quinn
Jul 16, 2021
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Everything we ordered in a party of 6 was amazing. Three of us shared the seafood pilau with an appetizer - a refreshing salad, the twice roasted potatoes, and the overnight green tomatoes - and it was amazing. A little light for 3 but doable. The green tomatoes were a dark horse favorite! The service was fantastic and our server Sam was very knowledgeable. He suggested each person get 2 items, which was about right. Good cocktails, wine, and beer. We also ordered one of each of the desserts, and the churros were my favorite. It was a lovely evening and I would definitely return!
Liz W.
Jul 02, 2021
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Best meal we've had in Charleston. Their version of seafood paella was really perfect. The fried fish was crispy perfect. The head on shrimp were fresh and delicious. The clams were sweet. The Carolina gold rice was chewy and flavorful. The portion was perfect for two people. We had a corn pudding as an appetizer which was more like a mousse with sage, but really delicious. The tomato and peach salad was pretty bland; will probably be excellent in a month. The service was good and the atmosphere was hip but not too pretentious.
Miriam C.
Jul 02, 2021
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Drinks were bigger than most places in the area, ruby red slipper, and spray tan were delicious! Decor is beautiful!!!!! So unique!
Bartender was very personable and quick. He really knew his stuff!
We ordered the duck liver mousse with a corn bread, and it was heavenly! First time trying any kind of liver.
Only reason why it's not 5 stars, is the tax at this particular place was higher than anywhere else. Paid $10 on taxes alone on a $60 tab. Nowhere else ended up being that high. Overall great experience and would come back if in the area.
Bartender was very personable and quick. He really knew his stuff!
We ordered the duck liver mousse with a corn bread, and it was heavenly! First time trying any kind of liver.
Only reason why it's not 5 stars, is the tax at this particular place was higher than anywhere else. Paid $10 on taxes alone on a $60 tab. Nowhere else ended up being that high. Overall great experience and would come back if in the area.
Jacqueline V.
Jun 28, 2021
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Whoa! So I've been in Charleston far too long to have just tried this place for the first time. Everyone in our party was extremely happy with the choice of restaurant. One person in our group has a particular allergy and the server was extremely accommodating of the allergy (gluten free) and was also very knowledgeable about the menu and each items contents. If she was unsure she went straight to the kitchen and came back with an answer. She described everything well and you can tell she's passionate about her work. The restaurant is kept on the darker side for dinner but was a bit dim for me
Ekaterina Ligayi
Jun 21, 2021
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This place is hands down incredible.
They genuinely care about the diner’s experience. Jon, Scott and Megan are so welcoming. They’ll describe the drink and the dish. The excitement is just that much higher after you get a finessed description of the dish you ordered. And once you do, it’s out of this world. The textures, the perfect marriage between salt, fat, acid, sweetness, umaminess - incredible. Please go here and order whatever the staff recommends. It’s truly amazing.
Here’s a picture of peaches, tasso ham with goat cheese crema, basil with blistered shishito peppers and of
They genuinely care about the diner’s experience. Jon, Scott and Megan are so welcoming. They’ll describe the drink and the dish. The excitement is just that much higher after you get a finessed description of the dish you ordered. And once you do, it’s out of this world. The textures, the perfect marriage between salt, fat, acid, sweetness, umaminess - incredible. Please go here and order whatever the staff recommends. It’s truly amazing.
Here’s a picture of peaches, tasso ham with goat cheese crema, basil with blistered shishito peppers and of
Anne O.
Apr 30, 2021
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Our first visit to The Grocery was nothing but stellar.
We were meeting up with family and some friends of theirs from Philly, and we know, during this time period of covid, seating 8 can be a challenge. Reservations were made for pretty early, as they had a lot of spots to visit during their short stay. My husband and I arrived ahead of the group and grabbed a cocktail and enjoyed a friendly chat with the bartender. His recommendations on a gin drink were spot on!
As our guests arrived we were led to a table and given menus. Our server was patient with us as we all introduced ourselves to the
We were meeting up with family and some friends of theirs from Philly, and we know, during this time period of covid, seating 8 can be a challenge. Reservations were made for pretty early, as they had a lot of spots to visit during their short stay. My husband and I arrived ahead of the group and grabbed a cocktail and enjoyed a friendly chat with the bartender. His recommendations on a gin drink were spot on!
As our guests arrived we were led to a table and given menus. Our server was patient with us as we all introduced ourselves to the
Joe B.
Apr 19, 2021
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This spot came highly recommended and therefore I'm not quite sure what happened this past weekend. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, so I actually hope they were short-staffed or something else went awry during service. Our cocktails sounded great but didn't deliver (they were removed from our bill), our server was absent for much of our meal and, while we weren't in a rush, our mains were served a solid two hours into our meal (our first choice was already 86'd at 8:30). Our starters were good, but the portion sizes (especially the carrots) were lacking. Our mains
Kaitlyn M.
Mar 22, 2021
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We were here 3 nights ago....and I'm still thinking about it. I will say, they clearly were backed up. We were 1 of 3 couples awkwardly hanging by the bar for our table that wasn't ready for 20 min passed our reservation. It's a pretty small place so the waiting space was tight. It might sound like this review is going south which might make the 5 star rating confusing....well all of the waiting and slight annoyance was forgiven once we started eating. Actually, come to think of it even our waitress was also slow and it took forever to get a drink (which is probably why there was
Joe L.
Oct 28, 2020
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Great option for "Covid era" dining with tables set far apart under a large tent set up behind the building. Noce memu w great options for plant based folks. Pleasant service (thanks Meghan) in a relaxed atmosphere.
The sampler appetizer is fantastic with fresh hot pita. We ordered 4 different vegetable dishes and ate family style. The Grocery is a keeper.
The sampler appetizer is fantastic with fresh hot pita. We ordered 4 different vegetable dishes and ate family style. The Grocery is a keeper.
Joseph S.
Mar 10, 2020
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After coming here for brunch recently, I was really impressed with everything. The ambiance is very nice with a sort of contemporary warehouse like feel.
The vanilla mascarpone stuffed french toast was absolutely delicious! It's certainly one of the best iteration of french toast that I've ever tried.
The bacon was very good though a bit different that normal.
I wholeheartedly recommend coming by here for brunch
The vanilla mascarpone stuffed french toast was absolutely delicious! It's certainly one of the best iteration of french toast that I've ever tried.
The bacon was very good though a bit different that normal.
I wholeheartedly recommend coming by here for brunch
