Multiple Charleston Restaurants Earn Michelin Star

The MICHELIN Guide on Monday announced the inaugural selection of the MICHELIN Guide American South, featuring multiple Charleston restaurants and one in Greenville. The awards will be presented at a ceremony at The Peace Center in Greenville on Monday evening, Nov. 3.

The MICHELIN Guide is an internationally recognized restaurant and hotel rating system founded in France by the Michelin tire company in the early 1900s. It evaluates establishments based on the quality of their food, mastery of technique, personality of the cuisine, value, and consistency.

Restaurants can receive one to three MICHELIN stars:

  • One star — "High quality cook, worth a stop"
  • Two stars — "Excellent cooking, worth a detour."
  • Three stars — "Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey"

The American South guide is the first regional MICHELIN Guide, covering six states: Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Here are the South Carolina restaurants that have earned a MICHELIN Star, along with inspector notes for each:

Malagón Mercado y Taperia (Charleston; Spanish cuisine)

"Don't be fooled by this unassuming spot off King Street; Malagón is a find. It's a small space with an appealing old-world ambience, where shelves are stocked with wines and imported produce and an open kitchen offers a peek at the goings-on. Chef Juan Cassalett's tapas-focused, Spanish menu has a clear spark. Nothing is overcomplicated, and there is beauty in the precision in dishes like fried rabbit leg with a savory crème fraîche dipping sauce and la bomba de la Barceloneta, with diced pork stuffed inside mashed potato and then fried. It's all deceptively simple and deliciously surprising, as in the arros con cangrejo, a paella-style dish tossed with crab that delights with each bite."

Scoundrel (Greenville; French cuisine)

"Chef/owner Joe Cash's upscale French bistro charms with an elegant dining room with hardwood floors and brick walls, a full-service bar and an engaging staff who make everyone feel well cared for and welcomed. It's the hottest table in town, and reservations are a must, though seats at the bar feel far from a consolation prize. High-quality ingredients are prepared with care and finesse here, where familiar favorites like Caesar salad are leveled up. Roasted half chicken is tender and juicy with a perfectly crispy skin, then topped with gnocchi Parisienne and a moutarde sauce for an extra flourish. For dessert, the upscale comfort food trend continues with cronuts served with a pistachio anglaise sauce and crème fraîche."

Vern's (Charleston; American Contemporary cuisine)

"The husband-and-wife team of Daniel and Bethany Heinze have created one of Charleston's most coveted spots. Reservations at Vern's are highly sought after, though some may try their luck at the handful of bar seats saved for walk-ins. Lowcountry ingredients are championed on a menu that reflects Chef Daniel Heinze's travels. It all shifts with the seasons, but items like charred sourdough with allium butter or raw yellowfin tuna with Calabrian chili are dynamic starters. Pasta is made in house—campanelli with rabbit and vacche rosse cheese in a cacio e pepe sauce is silky-smooth. It's perfectly paired with a selection from Bethany's expertly curated wine list."

Wild Common (Charleston; American Contemporary cuisine)

"Chef Orlando Pagán's tasting menu is far from common, and while upgrades like caviar eggs Benedict and wagyu are indeed available, there's nothing standard here. From the price (less than $100) and the focus on local ingredients to the wildly creative dishes with a global bent, this is fine dining injected with a bit of fun. Pho with carrot kimchi or hamachi crudo with coconut and kumquat may kick off the meal before roasted carrot and walnut tortelli with carrot fondue and browned butter whey foam, and entrees like dry-aged New York strip with a polenta cake and king trumpet mushrooms. In yet another twist, an aged cheddar sundae offers a savory take on the final course."

In addition, MICHELIN Guide inspectors awarded 50 restaurants the Bib Gourmand distinction, which recognizes eateries for “great food at a great value.” The list included the following Charleston-area restaurants:

  • Leon's Oyster Shop
  • Lewis Barbecue
  • Rodney Scott's BBQ

Here are some additional MICHELIN honors for South Carolina:

American South’s 2025 Recommended Restaurants – South Carolina

The 2025 American South Guide also features a distinguished selection of South Carolina restaurants celebrated for their creativity, consistency, and contribution to the region’s vibrant culinary landscape:

  • Chubby Fish – Charleston
  • Di Vino Rosso – Columbia
  • FIG – Charleston
  • Husk – Charleston
  • Jianna – Greenville
  • Lowland – Charleston
  • Motor Supply Company – Columbia
  • O.A.K. Prime Kitchen and Bar – Myrtle Beach
  • Soby’s – Greenville
  • Sorelle – Charleston
  • The Anchorage – Greenville
  • The Establishment – Charleston
  • The Obstinate Daughter – Sullivan’s Island
  • The Restaurant at Zero George – Charleston
  • Topsoil Kitchen & Market – Travelers Rest
  • Xiao Bao Biscuit – Charleston

MICHELIN Key Hotel

Highlighting exceptional hospitality and accommodations.

You can see the full list here.