Hominy Grill

Hominy Grill
207 Rutledge Ave., Downtown
(843) 937-0930
http://www.hominygrill.com/

Robert Stehling's top-notch "neighborhood restaurant," which features classic southern recipes cooked from scratch with fresh local ingredients. This may well be the best Southern cooking in the world. Stehling took home the 2008 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southeast.

The Glass Onion

The Glass Onion
1219 Savannah Hwy., West Ashley
(843) 225-1717
www.ilovetheglassonion.com

The Glass Onion serves up good, solid Southern cooking with a slow-food sensibility. Top-quality items like Anson Mills grits and Benton's bacon are regulars on the menu. From the authentic New Orleans-style po-boys to the massive braised Pork Shank, you won't be disappointed.

For more: my Charleston City Paper review.