Credit @cudaco (Instagram)
The highly anticipated “softie season” has arrived in Charleston for 2026. Here’s where you can find soft-shell crabs in and around the Holy City. Be sure to check with restaurants for availability, as quantities are often limited throughout the season:
- Tempura-fried softie sandwich with pickled cabbage and yuzu koshu butter
- Offering a soft shell sandwich (per Cooter Soup)
Bohemian Bull
- Salt and pepper style softshell crab with preserved green chilies
- Softie sandwich with cheese (per Cooter Soup)
- Crispy soft-shell crab served over their classic Caesar salad
Panko-breaded soft shell crab with Carolina Gold Rice, tarragon aioli, asparagus, radish, herbs, and lemon (Courtesy Félix Cocktails et Cuisine)
Félix Cocktails et Cuisine
- Lunch: Softie Sandwich with baby red Russian kale, and pickled ramp gribiche, served with cucumber salad. Click here to see.
- Dinner: Panko-breaded soft shell crab with Carolina Gold Rice, tarragon aioli, asparagus, radish, herbs, and lemon
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Fleeting Landing
- Spring Fling Banh Mi, a toasted po’boy layered with shad roe pâté, nước chấm, a fried soft-shell crab, and finished with a savory, umami-rich aioli.
- Click here for more info
Husk
- Tempura Fried soft-shell with ginger chawanmushi, sorghum glaze, wood-fired spring onion, and watermelon radish
- Crispy soft shell crab bucatini with english peas, lemon, basil
The Kingstide (32 River Landing Dr., Daniel Island)
- Breaded soft shell crab with Marsh Hen Mill Jimmy Red cornmeal, deep fried, smoked street Corn salad, King Tide pea tendrils
- Sweet and sour crispy softshell crab with cucumber salad, pickled chili, daikon, garlic, cilantro
- Champagne tempura softie with caviar beurre blanc
- Click here to see
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- BLT - Crispy softshell crab, bacon, tomato, lettuce, Duke's Mayo, and Red Clay hot sauce
Marbled & Fin
- Pan-fried soft shell-crab with Vietnamese fish sauce caramel, shaved asparagus salad with charred spring onion and orange vinaigrette, finished with pea shoots and micro herbs from King Tide Farms
- CudaCo pan-seared soft shells with grilled asparagus, crispy garlic, and a leek green garlic soubise
- Fresh soft shell crab Temaki that is buttermilk marinated, cornmeal fried, with pickled red cabbage, crab fat aioli, scallions, furikake, masago
- Sautéed soft shell crab with fresh soft shell, bok choy, mixed bell peppers, sesame soy ginger dressing
Pink Bellies
- Soft Shell Crab Bun Mi - Annie Mae’s Bakeshop milk bun, fried soft shell crab, shrimp pate, tartar, B&B pickles, and dill
- Fried soft-shell crab with amazu cabbage, fennel, nikuman, and chili oil