BEST ISLAND
THE BEACH STRETCHES as far as the eye can see, with the evening tide lapping up more of the sandy shore with each passing minute. A lone great blue heron patrols the waters, and a playful pod of dolphins causes the occasional splash. Hilton Head Island might be a bustling resort town and a world-class golfing destination, but at its core, it’s still the same wild escape it’s always been. In 1956, Charles Fraser, whose family owned much of the island, sparked the creation of the area’s first resort, then called Sea Pines Plantation. The same year, Hilton Head Island was connected to the mainland via bridge, and visitors—and now 38,000 locals—have been shuttling to and from the offshore oasis ever since.
Today, The Sea Pines Resort is still at the center of life in this community. Harbour Town Yacht Basin is a microcosm of the area at large. Million-dollar crafts and humble fishing skiffs alike glide into the harbor to be greeted by the iconic red-and-white striped lighthouse. Tourists stroll the rows of boutiques, have dinner at a rooftop oyster bar offering panoramic views of Calibogue Sound, and board cruises that depart from the docks.
Perhaps the best example of Hilton Head Island’s past and present is the Liberty Oak, a massive, moss-draped tree that has been around for centuries, surviving storms, wars, and development. In 2002, Fraser was laid to rest there. Today, it serves as a stunning backdrop for celebrations and live-music performances under the Lowcountry stars.
—Tara Massouleh McCay
BEST BBQ JOINT
In a state filled with acclaimed barbecue, this year’s winner is something of a sleeper, but it’s a worthy pick. The sandwiches at Henry’s in Greenville are made from pork butts cooked for 12 hours over hickory logs then chopped fine and piled on soft buns. The hand-cut fries are perhaps the best to be found in any barbecue spot, and the slabs of smoky ribs and a rich version of the state’s signature hash and rice round out the impressive offerings.
—Robert Moss
2. Lewis Barbecue Charleston and Greenville 3. Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ Multiple Locations 4. Swig & Swine Multiple Locations 5.Maurice’s Piggie Park Multiple Locations 6. Bessinger’s Barbeque Charleston 7. Scott’s Bar-B-Que Hemingway 8. Melvin’s BBQ Charleston and Mount Pleasant 9.Carolina Bar-B-Que New Ellenton 10. Hite’s Bar-B-Que West Columbia
BEST SHRIMP AND GRITS SOBY’S SOBY’S, a modern Southern restaurant in the heart of downtown Greenville, has been paving the way for the city’s culinary revolution since 1997. Like its ever- growing hometown, Soby’s shrimp and grits recipe is constantly evolving. Over the years, it has appeared on the menu in several distinct versions, each reflecting the personal taste of the chef at the helm and providing something new to love. Past iterations have been done in the style of New Orleans barbecue shrimp and included additions like kiwi and Watauga County ham. The current recipe by executive chef Kyle Swartzendruber has a cream sauce flavored with piquillo peppers, tarragon, Grana Padano cheese, and andouille sausage. —Tara Massouleh McCay
PETER FRANK EDWARDS
