Pressure Washing in North Charleston, SC

There’s something to be said about an eatery that strives to do the humble hamburger justice — which explains why it finds its way onto the menus of both dive bars and fine dining establishments. There’s purists looking for the classic ground beef with yellow American cheese, but many restaurants mix it up the burger blends with short rib, brisket, and even bacon. There are always new places popping up in Charleston, but these are the 12 Lowcountry establishments that have and continue to serve the best burgers in town.

If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Dive bar with famous food Tattooed Moose offers a classic example of two thin patties, onions, lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and special sauce between toasted kaiser rolls. Don’t leave without ordering a side of duck fat fries.

Edmund’s Oast chef Bob Cook knows his meats, so it should be no surprise that he puts out not one but two superior burgers. Cook brings the Artisan Meat Share burger, from his former restaurant, with a slightly sweet bacon jam and spicy jalapenos for a fun balance. The Edmund’s Oast version is the classic bread and butter pickles, special sauce, onion, and tomato with patties and bun.

Herd Provisions is a Wagener Terrace neighborhood favorite. The regular menu offers an all-American burger with pickles, lettuce, onion, plus secret sauce, but on Mondays, the restaurant tries out new versions, like a recent special with barbecue sauce, crispy onions, arugula, pickled peppers, provolone, and burger patty mixed with Neuske’s ground bacon.

Moe’s has flipped burgers for over 20 years, making this dive a go-to destination any time a craving strikes. The well-worn griddle puts out expertly seared thick beef patties at an astonishing pace. The menu offers a ton of topping variations — try the goat cheese and poblano combo or the more traditional fried green tomato BLT option.

During most days of the week, Maison puts out stunning plates of classic French flavors, but on Wednesdays, chef Vandy Vanderwarker releases a burger that is simply a work of art. The kitchen builds everything from scratch, including the duck fat bun. This burger is house-ground beef, house-made duck sausage, melty caramelized onions, a rich Gruyere sauce, and a bordelaise that takes the umami levels up to 100. After the first bite, you will need a knife and fork to finish this masterpiece.

The smoke masters at Home Team BBQ always have a burger on the menu, topped with harissa mayo and a King’s Hawaiian roll, but you should look out for the on-off burgers, usually posted on Instagram. A recent special included a thick, pit-smoked patty with bacon and jalapeno mayonnaise.

Spring Street restaurant Bistronomy by Nico offers a French take on the burger on Monday nights. Made in limited numbers, the patties are formed from North Carolina-raised wagyu beef and topped with a generous amount of Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and cornichon ketchup. It’s best enjoyed with a glass of French red wine.

Tully’s offers the ideal version of a late-night burger. It’s got all the definitive markers of a classic: sesame bun, griddled patties, shredduce (shredded lettuce), American cheese, and thinly sliced tomato and onions. Find the walk-up window on the side of the Music Farm.

Customers only have one chance to devour the celebrated Ted’s burger each week. Stop by on Saturday for this Charleston staple, which is made using Painted Hills natural beef and grilled in the Big Green Egg. It’s one of the thickest patties on the peninsula.

Posh hotel the Dewberry isn’t the first place you’d look for a big meaty burger, but its stunning midcentury modern bar, the Living Room, offers a great example of the usually humble offering. The high-quality beef is topped with onions, bordelaise, Emmenthal cheese, a potato bun, and a tiny cornichon on top. Pinkies up.

Dive bar/punk rock venue Big Gun specializes in burgers and excels at the classic with American cheese, onion, pickles, and special sauce. It’s an easy stop to squeeze in on the way to, or from, the bars on King Street. Though, if you want to stay put at Big Gun, check out the extensive collection of craft beers and whiskeys.

Battle the South-of-Broad crowds for a seat at the bar at classic steakhouse Oak if you want to try a prime example of a burger made with Certified Angus Beef. The patty is a combination of New York Strip, filet, and brisket (which could be why it rings in at $21). The burger is topped with Nueske’s bacon and served with truffle fries. Feel extra fancy and start the night with a dirty martini and oysters before tucking into the burger.

Dive bar with famous food Tattooed Moose offers a classic example of two thin patties, onions, lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and special sauce between toasted kaiser rolls. Don’t leave without ordering a side of duck fat fries.

Edmund’s Oast chef Bob Cook knows his meats, so it should be no surprise that he puts out not one but two superior burgers. Cook brings the Artisan Meat Share burger, from his former restaurant, with a slightly sweet bacon jam and spicy jalapenos for a fun balance. The Edmund’s Oast version is the classic bread and butter pickles, special sauce, onion, and tomato with patties and bun.

Herd Provisions is a Wagener Terrace neighborhood favorite. The regular menu offers an all-American burger with pickles, lettuce, onion, plus secret sauce, but on Mondays, the restaurant tries out new versions, like a recent special with barbecue sauce, crispy onions, arugula, pickled peppers, provolone, and burger patty mixed with Neuske’s ground bacon.

Moe’s has flipped burgers for over 20 years, making this dive a go-to destination any time a craving strikes. The well-worn griddle puts out expertly seared thick beef patties at an astonishing pace. The menu offers a ton of topping variations — try the goat cheese and poblano combo or the more traditional fried green tomato BLT option.

During most days of the week, Maison puts out stunning plates of classic French flavors, but on Wednesdays, chef Vandy Vanderwarker releases a burger that is simply a work of art. The kitchen builds everything from scratch, including the duck fat bun. This burger is house-ground beef, house-made duck sausage, melty caramelized onions, a rich Gruyere sauce, and a bordelaise that takes the umami levels up to 100. After the first bite, you will need a knife and fork to finish this masterpiece.

The smoke masters at Home Team BBQ always have a burger on the menu, topped with harissa mayo and a King’s Hawaiian roll, but you should look out for the on-off burgers, usually posted on Instagram. A recent special included a thick, pit-smoked patty with bacon and jalapeno mayonnaise.

Spring Street restaurant Bistronomy by Nico offers a French take on the burger on Monday nights. Made in limited numbers, the patties are formed from North Carolina-raised wagyu beef and topped with a generous amount of Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and cornichon ketchup. It’s best enjoyed with a glass of French red wine.

Tully’s offers the ideal version of a late-night burger. It’s got all the definitive markers of a classic: sesame bun, griddled patties, shredduce (shredded lettuce), American cheese, and thinly sliced tomato and onions. Find the walk-up window on the side of the Music Farm.

Customers only have one chance to devour the celebrated Ted’s burger each week. Stop by on Saturday for this Charleston staple, which is made using Painted Hills natural beef and grilled in the Big Green Egg. It’s one of the thickest patties on the peninsula.

Posh hotel the Dewberry isn’t the first place you’d look for a big meaty burger, but its stunning midcentury modern bar, the Living Room, offers a great example of the usually humble offering. The high-quality beef is topped with onions, bordelaise, Emmenthal cheese, a potato bun, and a tiny cornichon on top. Pinkies up.

Dive bar/punk rock venue Big Gun specializes in burgers and excels at the classic with American cheese, onion, pickles, and special sauce. It’s an easy stop to squeeze in on the way to, or from, the bars on King Street. Though, if you want to stay put at Big Gun, check out the extensive collection of craft beers and whiskeys.

Battle the South-of-Broad crowds for a seat at the bar at classic steakhouse Oak if you want to try a prime example of a burger made with Certified Angus Beef. The patty is a combination of New York Strip, filet, and brisket (which could be why it rings in at $21). The burger is topped with Nueske’s bacon and served with truffle fries. Feel extra fancy and start the night with a dirty martini and oysters before tucking into the burger.

Why visit North Charleston when you’re already so close to its more glamorous neighbors?

The best answer is Riverfront Park — 12 acres that offer views of dolphins, giant ships and the future.

Located on the former Charleston Naval Base along the Cooper River, the park is dotted with sculptures among its live oaks and open terrain. There’s a dog park and restaurant on-site, and a splash pad area for kids in the summer.

But the boardwalks and new bridge that gained international attention for its design are the main attractions.

Starting on the south end, you’ll see Navy ships and others awaiting repairs at the shipyard next door. And massive containerships sail by so close you could hit them with a rock. (Don’t do this.)

Keep your eyes on the water as you walk. Dolphins often pop up from the river, while egrets and other birds explore the shallow areas near the bank.

As you cross the raised bridge over Noisette Creek, it doesn’t take much imagination to see what’s next. Another boardwalk is being built along the waterfront. And those abandoned warehouses won’t stand the test of time. The city is looking for a developer to reimagine these 70 acres as a place where people can work, play and live.

Today, this end of the park feels like a ghost town. If plans work out, it’s destined to be a popular destination in North Charleston.

Go now and you can brag that you were there before it went mainstream.

And before you go, check the events schedule: The park regularly hosts festivals and concerts on weekends.

Explore

Park Circle

A short walk or drive from Riverfront Park will land you in North Charleston’s downtown, centered along Montague Avenue and dotted with shops and restaurants. The large park inside a traffic circle that gave this area its name has been getting a $20 million facelift, but it’s scheduled to reopen in 2023.

North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center

Alice Cooper played here in May. So did Zach Bryan. The venue also hosts a variety of musicals, comedy acts and other events, including pro wrestling and monster truck shows. It’s also home to the local hockey team, the Stingrays.

Firefly Distillery

Firefly has one of the best outdoor music venues in the region. Bring a blanket and sit on the grass next to the marsh while the band plays onstage. Food trucks ring the seating areas. Some summer 2023 performers included My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Two Friends and Lupe Fiasco.

The distillery also hosts local acts on its porch from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

North Charleston Farmers Market

The city’s farmers market runs from May through October on Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m. It’s a smaller operation, but you’ll find a good variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Eat and drink like a local

The Codfather

Fish and chips, done well and fast. Pour a little malt vinegar on everything and order a side of the mushy peas, which taste better than they sound.

Dashi

Try the duck quesadilla or bahn mi wrap at this Asian and Latin fusion restaurant on Remount Road.

Holy City Brewing

Whether you’re here for a drink or a meal, make your way out to the back patio overlooking the marsh.

Shopping

Tanger Outlets

This outdoor mall has a variety of name-brand stores selling their goods at a discount.

H & L Asian Market

This store is stocked with Asian foods and products you’re not likely to find at Piggly Wiggly or Harris Teeter.

Welch’s Seafood

This tiny market has a variety of fresh fish, crabs and oysters. Buy your fish whole or pick a few filets. Grab a pound of shark meat and make yourself a top-of-the-food chain dinner.

Choice’s Gourmet Market and Deli

The market is stocked with meals made daily in the kitchen. Check out the homemade desserts at the front counter, where you can also order a pizza or sandwich. The shelves are stocked with fancy pastas and wines. Near the back, you can find fresh pesto and frozen treats.

When one thinks of wood, the ideas of life, structure and shelter come to mind. Our readers this week showed these aspects and more.

This week’s winner is Paul Stone with a photo of wood that, at first glance, looks like a turtle. The honorable mentions are Denise Chastain with an image of dead tree that once stood at Broom Hall Plantation in Berkeley County, and Ken Robichaux with a photo of a walkway on Jekyll Island, Ga.

Next week’s topic is movement, which will be a challenge to capture in a photograph but stunning when done correctly.

The rules: Send your best photo to yourphotos@postandcourier.com by noon Thursday. Include your name, town and where the photo was taken. Add your name and the topic to the file. If you want your photo to be eligible to run in the newspaper, it must be at least 1,500 pixels, not have a commercial watermark and not have been published in another publication.

On Fridays, we first announce the editors’ pick of the week at postandcourier.com/yourphotos and declare a topic for the next week. On Saturdays, we publish an online gallery.

On Sunday, the photo pick of the week will appear in this section, Life.

All photos submitted will be considered for publication in The Post and Courier’s yearly magazine, My Charleston. Some images may be selected for other editorial or noncommercial use.

We reserve the right to not publish any photo for any reason.

North Charleston may soon have a grand new park on the Ashley River, with walking and biking trails, open spaces and water access.

Or it may not.

See, for the past year there have been competing plans for the former Baker Hospital site, which sits on the riverbank just a mile south of the North Bridge. Alas, neither plan may pan out because … well, politics.

The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission recently approved a long-term lease with Sea Fox Boats as part of a $50 million deal to build a manufacturing plant and dry dock storage on part of the property … along with a 35-acre park that would include docks, kayak and canoe launches, nearly 2 miles of walking trails, picnic areas, an adventure playground, a BMX track, sports fields and an amphitheater.

Out of five proposals, that was the one PRC commissioners found most appealing. But in doing so, they turned down a similar idea from the College of Charleston and the city of North Charleston.

Which, not insignificantly, controls zoning of the site. See where this is going?

The city proposal included three soccer fields, a baseball/softball field — for both community use and intramural play — as well as walking trails tying into the Lowcountry Lowline. Plans suggest the city eventually could add facilities for the College of Charleston’s women’s NCAA beach volleyball team, as well as a ropes course, kayak launch, picnic area and fishing pier.

Most importantly, Mayor Keith Summey says, the city and college’s plan did not include a manufacturing plant in the middle of Union Heights.

“That’s just not the right plan,” Summey says. “We feel like this is an opportunity to get waterfront access to an area that needs some help. City residents don’t want to see any more industry in that area. Let ’em try to move south and put it in the city of Charleston, see how that goes.”

Yeah, North Charleston is playing rough. The city and college eventually partnered with Azalea Green — a nonprofit that had submitted a separate proposal to the park commission, and was set up by the philanthropists who donated the land to the PRC in 2014.

That didn’t move the commission, which said combining proposals wouldn’t be fair to the other applicants.

As that played out, City Council rezoned the Baker Hospital property from general business and light industrial to single-family residential against the recommendation of the city’s Planning Commission. Critics call it a “spot rezoning” ripe for litigation.

The meeting’s minutes say council decided the property would eventually be used “as community and College of Charleston practice fields.”

So, for the moment anyway, Sea Fox can’t build its manufacturing plant … or the park.

Summey says North Charleston — one of South Carolina’s premier hubs for industry and retail — most certainly isn’t anti-business. But the city opposes the PRC’s plan because residents don’t want any more industry in that area. The mayor says various interests are now lobbying City Council, and mayoral candidates, to change the zoning again come January — when he retires.

Of course, the Park and Recreation Commission is unaccustomed to such bare-knuckled local politics. Folks with the commission say Sea Fox simply offered a fully — and privately — funded development plan that costs taxpayers nothing … and includes more money for environmental clean-up needed at the site. And it has design input from Tom O’Rourke, who ran the PRC for nearly two decades.

The commission has been sitting on this strategic land — 12 miles from James Island County Park, 18 miles from Mount Pleasant’s Palmetto Islands and 17 miles from Wannamaker — for a decade. For years, it was tied up in a lease option with a sports training company that never got its funding.

Kevin Bowie, executive director of Charleston County PRC, concedes the Sea Fox proposal can’t work without a zoning change from North Charleston — but it would’ve needed one anyway, as the previous zoning didn’t allow for boat manufacturing.

“We do want to work with the city,” Bowie says. “This is just the first step, and there are partnerships that need to be defined.”

Bowie says the next step is for the public to review and possibly recommend changes before Sea Fox and the Park and Recreation Commission settle on final plans. But there’s still the not-insignificant hurdle of the zoning.

Freddy Renken, president of Sea Fox Boats, says he’s not going to let this stop plans for what he calls a “live, work, play” lifestyle. Not only would the park provide recreation for all county residents, but the plant would bring jobs to local residents.

“I can give your grandmother a job in our upholstery shop, and also give your grandchild a job welding in the aluminum shop or assembling boats in our finishing department,” Renken says. “I think this would help people in the community.”

Most folks, particularly county officials, say a park in that underserved area would be awesome. And they hope this gets settled sooner rather than later, and without a lawsuit.

If that doesn’t happen, the real losers here will be the people of Charleston County.

The North Charleston Fire Department says Ashley Phosphate Road is partially open as crews remain on scene of a fire involving multiple mobile homes.

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The North Charleston Fire Department provided updated information Wednesday on a fire that damaged several mobile homes and required the temporary closure of a major roadway late Tuesday afternoon.

A total of nine adults and three children have been displaced by the fire, which damaged five homes on Beret Street, Assistant Fire Chief Chris Rainey said. EMS took one North Charleston firefighter to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The fire department responded to a 911 call at 4:48 p.m. The first crews to arrive at the scene reported heavy smoke and flames coming from a single-family home.

“Crews made entry to extinguish the fire,” Rainey said. “Firefighters encountered heavy fire and heat inside the home. All residents had evacuated the home.”

They spotted fire extending to a second home and Rainey said high-wind conditions hampered efforts to put out the fires and caused flames to spread to three additional homes.

“This fire has been a wind-driven fire,” North Charleston Fire Safety Coordinator Laura Kondor said at the scene Tuesday night.

Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to a sixth home, Rainey said.

Kondor said the homes affected by the fire were either a complete loss or partially damaged.

John Marlowe lives across the street from where the fire broke out. He said he was doing yard work when he looked up and saw his neighbor’s home engulfed in flames.

“I was just weed-eating the yard and I looked across the street and saw a bunch of flames coming out of a house,” Marlowe said.

He said he ran over and grabbed a water hose, trying to put out the fire, but there wasn’t enough pressure in the hose to help.

“A bunch of houses went on fire; six houses went down and all of them my friends. All of them are without a home now,” Marlowe said.

Officials with the North Charleston Fire Department said there was not enough water supply in the area to support the amount of fire trucks on scene.

Officials said several power lines were also affected.

The fire forced officials to shut down a portion of Ashley Phosphate Road near the Cathedral of Praise to extend fire hoses for several hours, Rainey said.

Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.

NORTH CHARLESTON — The city of North Charleston is planning to make a $6 million purchase of about 400 acres of land around Ingleside Boulevard, property that will be used to develop what the city is calling an urban park.

But this recreational amenity that some say will enhance quality of life is raising concerns about livability.

City Council voted unanimously April 27 to move forward with buying the property, currently owned by Weber USA Corp. The tracts of land make up what is known as the Ingleside Weber Park System, located west of Interstate 26.

Most of the property consists of wetlands, though just over 100 acres are highlands, or areas that can be walked or built upon. The idea is to use the 400-acre space to create a passive park that will include boardwalks, walking paths and nature trails.

Instead of having to travel elsewhere to hike or enjoy the outdoors, people in North Charleston will be able to practice that kind of recreational activity essentially in their own backyard, Mayor Keith Summey said.

To pay for the land purchase, $3 million is being provided in Charleston County Greenbelt funds, $1 million in city tax-increment finance district funds, $1 million from the South Carolina Conservation Bank, and $1 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

City spokesman Ryan Johnson said North Charleston is doing the project because the plan is a good use of greenbelt funds, which are designed to help conserve outdoor space. It was also convenient that North Charleston was able to secure additional grant opportunities, Johnson added. There is no timetable yet for the park’s construction.

“Having a big park in an urban core is a very good amenity,” he said.

The idea of a park that could potentially bring more noise to the area alarmed Councilwoman Virginia Jamison, who has been fighting for a decade for a sound barrier to be built along I-26 to protect members of Deerpark, Northwood Estates and other adjacent communities from the blaring sounds of traffic commuting along the highway. Acquiring necessary funding from the city, county or state to build the wall has not been successful.

During a recent Finance Committee meeting, Jamison said her constituents are concerned about the increased levels of sounds emitting from the interstate and they are also worried that more noise will come from the new park. Traffic could also increase soon, as the county’s new Palmetto Commerce Interchange will soon be constructed nearby at Weber Boulevard.

Other development is also on the way to Ingleside Boulevard, which is already home to a few neighborhoods, several churches and a handful of businesses. Developers are planning on the southern end of the boulevard to build a town center that will include retail and restaurant space, a parking deck, hundreds of apartment units, and hundreds of hotel rooms.

Jamison called on City Council to take noise reduction seriously.

“If this body is not concerned about the livability and quality of life in our city, then I have a problem,” said Jamison, who did not attend the April 27 full council meeting.

Councilwoman Dorothy Williams echoed her concerns.

Summey implied that the park will center on passive nature, pointing to its focus on walking trails. The only physical building that will be constructed at the park is a facility to house restrooms and first aid.