Granite Countertops in West Ashley, SC

While downtown Charleston is known for its fine dining restaurants, fast casual spots, late night dive bars and craft cocktail joints, it isn’t the only area in Charleston with standout menu items. Just over the Ashley River in West Ashley, you’ll discover many locally-owned restaurants that serve quality food for a fraction of the downtown price.

Plus, when you’re hanging at these 13 restaurants, you can escape the hustle and bustle of downtown.

Avondale Wine and Cheese813 Savannah Hwy.(843) 769-5444Avondalechs.comOpen Mon.-Wed. 3-9 p.m., Thurs.-Sat. 12-9 p.m.

Voted Best Wine Bar by City Paper readers this year, Avondale Wine & Cheese currently offers a variety of charcuterie and cheese board options, tapas and, of course, wine. Choose your own combination of meats, cheeses and tapas items for your board, so you can try a little bit of everything. It’s a lot to choose from, and can be daunting for those less educated in all things meat, cheese and wine, but the staff at Avondale is there to help pick the right flavors for you.

Boxcar Betty’s1922 Savannah Hwy.(843) 225-7470Boxcarbettys.comOpen daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Boxcar Betty’s is the perfect place to fulfill a chicken sandwich craving. The fried-to-order chicken sandwiches here can be customized to your desires, with a range of toppings and sauces to choose from. Or, opt for a classic sandwich like the Boxcar with pimiento cheese, house-made peach slaw, pickles and spicy mayo. Even vegetarians can indulge in Boxcar Betty’s offerings with pimiento-stuffed portobello mushrooms as a protein choice.

Early Bird Diner 1644 Savannah Hwy.(843) 277-2353Earlybirddiner.comOpen daily 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Though Early Bird made a name for itself as a spot for late night adventures and a hangover-fueled morning haunt, its hours have shifted to a traditional cafe, but it hasn’t lost its charm. The famous pecan-fried chicken and waffles taste as good as ever. The sweet, crispy exterior of the chicken pairs perfectly with the fluffy Belgian waffles. Pro-tip: Pour the syrup over everything on the plate, get a biteful of chicken and waffle and dip the syrup-coated pair into the honey mustard. It’s a flavor combo unlike any other.

Gene’s Haufbrau817 Savannah Hwy.(843) 225-4363Open daily 11:30-2 a.m.

Gene’s Haufbrau is a West Ashley staple. This year, it celebrated 70 years of serving Charlestonians one of the largest selections of beer. And, the food is stellar too. Gene’s knocks pub fare out of the park with classics like chicken wings and burgers, but ask about the daily blue plate specials, ranging from pork chops and pot roast to fried flounder.

The Glass Onion1219 Savannah Hwy.(843) 225-1717Ilovetheglassonion.comOpen Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

The Glass Onion has been a neighborhood favorite since 2008, serving fine dining quality meals in a casual atmosphere. Chef/owner Chris Stewart combines his native Alabama roots with cooking styles he learned in New Orleans and Charleston, giving the menu a creative Southern flair. Menu items like gumbo brimming with okra and sausage, pan-roasted flounder served over tender braised beans and thick mashed potatoes, shrimp and grits and fried catfish with red rice are part of the reason City Paper readers voted The Glass Onion as the Best West Ashley Restaurant in 2022.

Home Team BBQ1205 Ashley River Road(843) 225-7427Hometeambbq.comOpen daily 11-12 a.m.

Chefs Aaron Siegel and Taylor Garrigan started their acclaimed barbecue empire, Home Team BBQ, in West Ashley. The meats here, like pulled pork, smoked chicken, ribs and a superb salt-and-pepper brisket, are all cooked over wood on offset metal pits. Siegel and Garrigan’s fine dining roots show up in an array of creative snacks and tacos, like chopped brisket sliders on brioche buns and smoked shrimp tacos with white bean puree. And, don’t miss out on Home Team’s smoked chicken wings with tangy white Alabama-style sauce.

Old Li’s1662 Savannah Hwy. Unit 105(843) 640-3994Oldlisrestaurant.comOpen Thurs.-Tues. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Old Li’s is a hidden gem in West Ashley tucked in the Indigo Village shopping center on Savannah Highway. It first opened in 2021, serving Chinese cuisine, but not the standard Chinese American takeout dishes like General Tso’s. Instead, Old Li’s offers more adventurous meals like squirrel fish and griddled pork intestines. Of course, you can also stick to some favorites like pork fried rice, Yuxiang (or shredded) pork and Kung Pao Chicken.

Red Orchid’s China Bistro1401 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. (843) 573-8787redorchids.com

City Paper readers have voted Red Orchids Best Chinese for many years — and for good reason. Not only are the dishes affordable but also delicious. Tucked away in the back of the Ashley Landing Mall parking lot, Red Orchids is the perfect place for a quiet lunch or dinner out. Pro-tip: As the temperatures in the Lowcountry drop, stop by Red Orchids for a bowl of wonton soup. It’s savory, warm and served with delicious pork dumplings. It also comes with crispy wonton strips that add extra crunch.

R Kitchen1337 Ashley River Road(843) 789-4342Rutledgekitchen.comOpen Wed.-Sat. Reservation Only.

R Kitchen is a different dining experience than the traditional sit down, order and eat. R, is reservation only and the menu changes every night, offering a five-course menu based on seasonal ingredients and the chefs’ creativity. Reservations can be made by texting (843) 789-0725.

Swig & Swine1217 Savannah Hwy.(843) 225-3805Swigandswinebbq.comOpen daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Swig & Swine specializes in fresh-smoked meats with ice-cold drinks. Its extensive drink menu includes local draft beers as well as signature cocktails. Try the St. Louis ribs or the pork rind nachos for a messy good time.

Three Little Birds65 Windermere Blvd.(843) 225-3065Threelittlebirdscafe.comOpen Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Located near the Earth Fare in the South Windermere Center, Three Little Birds is a quaint dining space wrapped in lush greenery. big breakfast and lunch meals. Serving big breakfast and lunch meals, some classics standout like Tom’s Plate offer two eggs any style, toast, a side and the choice of bacon, ham or sausage. Or, you can try the lox bagel, topped with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers or the Carolina Scramble with eggs, andouille sausage, shrimp, peppers and onion.

Triangle Char & Bar828 Savannah Hwy.(843) 377-1300Trianglecharandbar.comOpen Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11-12 a.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Triangle Char + Bar is a family-friendly neighborhood restaurant with a cozy vibe and delicious food. Highlights of the menu include a selection of grass-fed burgers like the Hot Sh*t, a blackened burger with jalapeno-bacon jam, an over easy egg and pepper jack cheese. Or if you don’t feel like getting your hands a little messy, Triangle has “fork and knife” options like the retro bowl made with quinoa, sweet corn, spinach, bacon and white onion, all tossed in a parmesan cream sauce.

Zen Asian Fusion2037 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.(843) 766-6331Zenasianrestaurant.comHours vary

Zen is the perfect spot to relax after a long day or hang out with a group of friends. The dim lighting and calm ambiance adds to the delicious sushi rolls and entrees offered at this Asian fusion restaurant. Traditional Chinese dishes like Mongolian beef share the menu with chef specials like crispy roasted Mandarin duck or noodle dishes like pad thai and mei fun. But Zen shines in its abundance of delicious and well-crafted sushi rolls. Take, for example, the Holy Moly Roll, made with King crab, tuna, avocado and spring mix, then deep fried and topped with a creamy sauce.

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WEST ASHLEY, S.C. (WCIV) — Today marks a new chapter in the turf war between two cities, as the City of Charleston and the City of North Charleston will go to court to over a plot of land in West Ashley, which could shake up the landscape of the town.

It all started back in 2017 when the City of North Charleston annexed the Runnymede property next to the Ashley River and Magnolia plantations. The owner of this property also owned land at the Whitfield Tract plantation and gave permission to the city to annex a one-acre property adjacent to it.

With this land it would open the door for North Charleston to take control of nearly 2,500 acres of land at Whitfield Tract.

But the problem is the city’s current lines do not touch this property, which is an argument the City of Charleston will hammer in at court on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

The City of Charleston and the National Trust for Historic Annexation sued the city of North Charleston in 2018 over this dispute. In the first hearing the court ruled the City of North Charleston did not have the right to jump over Charleston for this land, however Charleston did not have “standing” to sue (which can be a big hurdle to cross in civil cases.)

Read More: Annexation debate continues on "national treasure" area in Ashley River historic district

On Tuesday, there’s two appeals-- one for the one-acre of land and one for the remaining 2,500 acres on Whitfield Tract.

In 2018 the City of Charleston annexed the 2,500 acre property at Whitfield tract as purely a conservation measure just a week after the City of North Charleston annexed the one acre property next to it.

In 2018 the City of Charleston annexed the 2500 acre property at Whitfield tract as purely a conservation measure just a week after the City of North Charleston annexed the one acre property next to it.

Turf war between Charleston, North Charleston continues over property in West Ashley. (WCIV)

Conservation experts are worried Tuesday's decision could be a slippery slope for land acquisition in the future.

“I think that you have some catastrophic impacts that could happen across this state if cities, leapfrogging over other cities. I mean, just imagine, like, Sullivan's Island, leapfrogging over the town of Mount Pleasant to get Cainhoy Road or something," Senior Program Director for the Coastal Conservation League Jason Crowley said.

The City of North Charleston gave ABC News 4 this statement ahead of the court hearing:

The City of North Charleston prevailed at the trial court level and looks forward to moving through tomorrow’s appeal hearing stage as well.

Read More: Lawsuit filed against North Charleston over West Ashley annexation

Conservation experts also warn about the environmental impacts this decision could have. The one acre of land in question is right next to the Church Creek River Basin. The property currently acts like a sponge, stopping flooding to the basin from the Ashley River.

But if this property is developed, this could flow downstream into neighborhoods in West Ashley and only increase flooding problems in the City of Charleston.

The City of North Charleston has not confirmed any plans for the property, but certain zoning requirements could leave the door open for developments. The property falls outside the City of Charleston’s urban growth boundary, which prevents them from making any developments.

Read More: Charleston City Council unanimously votes to annex portion of land near Highway 61

However, the City of North Charleston does not follow those rules.

While conservation experts argue for the historic nature of these plantations, they say the ecological impacts could be much worse.

“Any sort of change in hydrology change and development in this vast undeveloped area will have catastrophic effects downstream in the communities that are already dealing with some pretty major flooding,” Crowley said.

Read More: Charleston votes to annex 2,000+ acres along Hwy 61, 1 week after North Charleston vote

"And then you add on traffic and all the other things that everyone loves to talk about. And you will just completely destroy this area that people have fought so hard to protect over the last several decades,” Crowley continued.

The City of Charleston provided ABC News 4 with this statement ahead of the court hearing:

Fixing flooding in Church Creek is a top priority for the city of Charleston-- and to do that, we have to prevent overdevelopment of this area at the top of the drainage basin. That's our goal here, and it's why we'll be in court again on Tuesday morning

Tuesday's hearing is an appellate court hearing, which will purely focus on the legality of these annexations. But it also means if the City of Charleston loses, they could appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, which could take years to be heard.

WEST ASHLEY, S.C. (WCSC) - Neighbors in a West Ashley community say they are frustrated and anxious after floodwater crept up to their homes, and a potential solution could be a few years away.

Bennett Barton and Rachel Brunette said Thursday’s rainstorms flooded both the road and their backyards, almost getting into their houses. They said as cars passed by, the wake would go up and slap against their front doors.

“This is my first house; I didn’t know what to expect,” Barton said. “I started panicking. I couldn’t leave to get sandbags or any preventative measures because the road was flooded, too.”

They said as cars passed by, the wake would go up and slap against their front doors.

“At one point, I even got pitchers and just was pouring them into my sink from my screened-in porch,” Barton said. Didn’t do anything, but it made me ease my mind a little bit.”

The Woodlands neighborhood is part of the Dupont Wappoo Watershed, which consists of around 1,000 acres of West Ashley surrounding the Citadel Mall.

The City of Charleston said they are spending $5 million on four out of the 10 scheduled projects to improve downstream water flow under Interstate 526. Once that is done, the city will be increasing the size of pipes and canals near the Woodlands neighborhood to get the water out faster.

“There’s not a lot of elevation change to make that water flow very quickly,” Charleston Director of Stormwater Management Matthew Fountain said, “so those very small ditches don’t work for how much pavement, how many buildings we have in the basin now.”

Brunette said it is not uncommon for her to have to check the weather radar before she leaves for work.

“So, when I’m away for the day, I have to be prepared that whether my windows are open, whether the dog is in or out, and like you said if the vehicle is in the right place in case it does flood,” Brunette said. “There’s been a couple of cars that have been flooded out. The landscaping, you can’t keep decent landscaping. It washes away.”

The city said they are optimistic construction on the projects will start in 2025, but until then, Barton said his anxiety will continue.

“If it had rained for two more hours or it was going into high tide, I think my living room would have been underwater,” Barton said. “Who knows how much that would have cost?”

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A Nashville-born restaurant made a new home in Charleston with what it calls “simple, delicious food and warm Southern hospitality.”

Hugh-Baby’s BBQ & Burger Shop has opened its first Lowcountry location on St. Andrews Boulevard. Restaurateur and founder Pat Martin says Hugh-Baby’s is a loving tribute to the small-town eateries he frequented in his childhood.

“We’re thrilled to share our plans to bring Hugh-Baby’s to Charleston,” Martin says. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to serve the Charleston community for the past four years at our Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint on James Island. The city’s incredible natural beauty and rich culinary landscape makes it a natural next home for Hugh-Baby’s, and, most importantly, Charleston is a place where our team wants to live, work, and grow.”

Nearly everything on the Hugh-Baby’s menu is made from scratch and cooked to order. Martin’s menu speaks to his mid-South roots with burgers, Memphis-style barbecue, hot dogs, fries, and hand-spun shakes. The restaurant’s counter-service experience draws inspiration from the old-school barbecue and burger spots of days gone by.

Hugh-Baby’s celebrated burgers feature a proprietary blend of premium beef that is ground fresh daily. The barbecue sandwiches follow time-honored traditions of Memphis-style barbecue, with the restaurant slow-smoking pork, turkey, and bologna onsite, every single day. Menu highlights include Hugh-Baby’s signature Burgers (Classic Single or Double, BBQ Burger, Shroom & Swiss Burger), BBQ Sandwiches (Pulled Pork, Smoked Bologna, Smoked Turkey Club), and Hot Dogs that throw back to the quintessential gas station dogs of Martin’s youth (Ball Park Dog, Slaw Dog, Chili Cheese Dog, and Pickwick Dog). Other standouts include a Fried Chicken Sandwich, a Veggie Burger with a loyal following, crispy golden French Fries, and hand-spun, scratch-made Milkshakes featuring chocolate, strawberry, and seasonal fruit flavors.

The new restaurant will mark Martin’s second Lowcountry restaurant, following the 2019 opening of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint on James Island.

Hugh-Baby’s, located at 1028 St. Andrews Blvd., is open every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for dine-in, drive-thru, take-home, and delivery.

The restaurant is currently accepting applications for good-hearted people who love to serve to join the team at its new West Ashley location. Visit www.hughbabys.com/careers.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

A state-of-the-art dental and oral health center has become the 22^nd specialty in the MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion, a sign of the site’s stunning evolution. The pavilion opened in the former Citadel Mall in late December 2019, a month before the first diagnosed case of COVID in the U.S. – not exactly ideal timing.

But the pavilion has thrived despite that, seeing 64,000 patients last year alone. The addition of the dental clinic brings the expertise of the Medical University of South Carolina’s James. B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine to the most populous part of Charleston.

“This is such an example of farsightedness,” James B. Edwards’ widow, Ann, said at the ribbon cutting.

Charleston’s mayor, John Tecklenburg, agreed. “This is where the customer base is. And although I certainly love and encourage folks to come downtown and enjoy all the things we have there, the concept of bringing our services to the citizens of West Ashley- that’s what this overall center is all about,” he said. “I think you'll be very successful.”

The clinic has four treatment rooms, on-site imaging and a full-time dentist on site, with MUSC faculty members who specialize in dental medicine coming to see patients as well. The dean of the dental school, Sarandeep Huja, DDS, Ph.D., said the clinic will focus on patients’ needs and the needs of the collaborative services dictated by existing MUSC Health patients.

“In addition to outstanding dental care, eventually we'll have all specialties and we'll have all levels of care – faculty, residents, our students, and it's really important for our students to experiences akin to what they would in private practice.”

Paul Davis, DMD and a member of the MUSC Board of Trustees, spoke of the foresight that led to the clinic’s creation. “Today's ceremony represents a milestone that began with a vision from Dr. Huja and his team, a vision that has been shared and supported by Dr. Cole and Dr. Cawley and MUSC Health,” he said, referring to MUSC President David Cole, M.D., and MUSC Health CEO Patrick Cawley, M.D.

“This vision highlights the importance of oral health as it relates to overall health and wellbeing,” Davis said.

Cole focused on the efforts that helped make that vision a reality. “It's an honor to be able to lead so many talented and dedicated people that are working hard to make a difference in people's lives. There's just one example, you know, so those are words from the heart. Thank you for what you do.”

Board chairman James Lemon, DMD, was also on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony, as were Gene Hong, M.D., chief physician executive for MUSC Health and Lisa Saladin, PT, Ph.D., executive vice president of Academic Affairs and provost.

Huja said that while the West Ashley dental clinic is the first one not on MUSC’s downtown campus, and this growth will continue. And it will serve as a symbol of what’s possible for patients. “Why is this clinic important? The connection between systemic and oral health is epitomized in this integrated model of care, which MUSC will offer here at West Ashley Medical Pavilion.”

Ann Edwards said the clinic brings a much-needed option of dental expertise backed by an academic medical center to people who live in West Ashley. “It’s just wonderful that you have come to them. And that is so important. Thank you, each and every one who made it possible.”

To make an appointment at the MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion’s dental clinic, call 843-876-9267.