Beneath the Spanish moss and antebellum architecture of Charleston lies a culinary scene that has successfully resurrected the profound, complex history of Southern food. Filming Parts Unknown in 2015 alongside chef Sean Brock, the mission was to dig deep into the lowcountry soil and explore the fiercely protected ingredients of the region. Charleston is famous for its heirloom grains, magnificent coastal seafood, and the unparalleled tradition of whole hog barbecue. The angle here was to celebrate the obsessive historians and pitmasters who are saving native ingredients from extinction, bridging the gap between old-world Gullah Geechee traditions and modern fine dining. It was a look at how Southern hospitality can be delivered with both a Michelin-level precision and the greasy, comforting perfection of a Waffle House patty melt. To understand the true taste of the American South today, you have to eat in Charleston. Here are the essential, deeply rooted stops.
The great Anthony Bourdain left his mark everywhere he went. When his death was announced to the world in June 2018, media throughout the globe chimed in and listed all the great things he had done for their respective city. Whereas before, tourists would shy away from exotic foods, thanks to him, travellers now go the extra mile to find and try local bites. With this in mind, here are all the restaurants Bourdain visited and the dishes he tasted when he shot Anthony Bourdain Charleston, SC for his show, Parts Unknown Season 6 Episode 9 (originally aired November 15, 2015):
DISH – Pecan Waffle, Patty Melt, Green Salad with Thousand Island Dressing and T-Bone Steak – Anthony Bourdain Charleston
WHAT IS IT?
Pecan Waffle – waffle with pecans in it; Patty Melt – sandwich of burger patty, cheese and caramelized onions; Green Salad with Thousand Island Dressing – salad of leafy vegetables with Thousand Island dressing; T-Bone Steak – steak from the short loin.
READ MORE: FOOD AND DRINK GUIDE: THE BEST WAFFLES IN BRUSSELS AND MORE!
WHERE IS IT?
Waffle House
325 Savannah Hwy
Charleston, SC, United States
ANTHONY BOURDAIN CHARLESTON NOTES
In Parts Unknown Charleston, Anthony Bourdain had a “tasting menu” of Waffle House classics, where the Patty Melt was split into two triangles.
DISH – Country Ham, Oyster Pot, Grits, Pit Peas and Rice, Grilled Whiting, Roasted Suckling Pig, Creamed Corn, and Cornbread – Anthony Bourdain Charleston
WHAT IS IT?
Country Ham – cured and smoked heavily salted ham; Oyster Pot – oysters, blanched then sautéed with in a clay pot; Grits – made from boiled cornmeal; Pit Peas and Rice – peas slow-cooked in a pit and rice; Roasted Suckling Pig – suckling pig cooked on a spit, roasted; Creamed Corn – whole corn pieces in a soup of milky residue from corn kernels that have been scraped off the cob; Cornbread – quick bread from cornmeal.
WHERE IS IT?
Husk
76 Queen St
Charleston, SC, United States
ANTHONY BOURDAIN CHARLESTON NOTES
The Country Ham at Husk is aged for 3 years and comes from the Ossabaw pig. It is often served with bread and butter pickles. Their Old-Fashioned Oyster Pot follows a recipe from the 19th century. Their Pit Peas and Rice are made of red peas from Africa and Carolina Gold Rice. The Roasted Suckling Pig is Ossabaw mixed with Mulefoot.
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN SOUTH CAROLINA : ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON NO RESERVATIONS
DISH – Soft-Shell Crab with Pasta and Shaved Bottarga, Slow-Baked Black Bass, and Heirloom Rice and Peas – Anthony Bourdain Charleston
WHAT IS IT?
Soft-Shell Crab, topped with pasta and shaved bottarga: Slow-Baked Black Bass – black bass, slowly baked; Heirloom Rice and Peas – rice mixed with peas.
WHERE IS IT?
FIG
232 Meeting St
Charleston, SC, United States
ANTHONY BOURDAIN CHARLESTON NOTES
At FIG, the Slow-Baked Black Bass is served with fennel, ramps in season and lettuces. Here, Anthony Bourdain also had suckling Ossabaw pig and chicken confit with Carolina Gold rice and peas.
DISH – Whole Hog Barbecue – Parts Unknown Charleston
WHAT IS IT?
Slow-roasted whole hog..
WHERE IS IT?
Scott’s Bar-B-Que
2734 Hemingway Hwy #5420
Hemingway, SC, United States
READ MORE: NORTH CAROLINA HAS A CERTAIN SOUTHERN CHARM … AND BARBECUE
ANTHONY BOURDAIN CHARLESTON NOTES
Scott’s Bar-B-Que is a rundown-looking takeout that is about 2 hours from Charleston by car. It is famous for its Whole Hog Barbecue that is slow-cooked in the pits for about 12 hours.
Bourdain was captivated by the South’s complicated history and its undeniable culinary brilliance, often noting that it is the region with the most deeply ingrained, original food culture in America. He respected the meticulous obsession of chefs like Sean Brock, who treated heirloom ingredients with religious reverence. This episode is historically significant for beautifully juxtaposing the high-end revival of lowcountry cuisine with the poetic, democratic perfection of Waffle House—a place Bourdain famously dubbed an ‘irony-free zone.’ It served as a reminder that great food doesn’t always need a white tablecloth. The legacy left behind is an invitation to explore the history on your plate. Book a trip down South, respect the ingredients, and eat the grits.
