Our taste-and-tell guide to some of the latest food-and-beverage openings in Charleston
Doar Bros.
Jonathan and Adam Doar own this petite, 35-seat Meeting Street bar, which is outfitted in moody panache, bold hues, and tropical flora. While a selection of palate-teasing bites are available (try the lush tufts of burrata served with North Carolina apples and prosciutto), cocktails shine brightest, showing skill through measured but playful risks—the way one masters the old canon to then thoughtfully reimagine it. The Mary Moultrie (vodka, Aperol, rosemary soda) and the Burnt District (mezcal, pineapple shrub, black walnut bitters) highlight house-made ingredients while paying tribute to local history. Stylish but not precious, Doar Bros. is a welcome, modern addition to neighboring Ansonborough institutions FIG and Charleston Grill, perfect for a pre-dinner cocktail or nightcap. doarbros.com
Tu
Tu, the experimental sister restaurant to Xiao Bao Biscuit, has revamped its menu, shifting from a roving international inspiration to focus solely on the subcontinent of India. It’s not an easy task, capturing the flavor of the most populous democracy in the world and its myriad regional cuisines. But chef Josh Walker is up for the challenge. Street food snacks, curries, and bread service comprise his menu. One version of chaat—a casual hors d’oeuvre typically served at roadside food trucks throughout South Asia—is vibrantly composed with beets, purple-eyed peas, dill, and cashew chutney. The vada pav, essentially a potato fritter slider, is slathered with sweet and spicy chutneys and worth a visit alone. Conventional comforts, like the makhani murgh (butter chicken), will satisfy your cravings for the South Asian flavors sparsely represented, though highly desired, on the peninsula. tu-charleston.com
Photographs (4) by Aleece Kingsley-Taylor
