Prepare for even more Italian fare in Charleston this year
Are we seeing the finish line on this trend?
Just when you thought Charleston reached its capacity for Italian cuisine, two newcomers entered the conversation this week
Riva Mare comes from the Indigo Road Hospitality Group (Indaco, O-ku, Oak Steakhouse, and so on). This will be a rooftop restaurant at the Navy Yard. According to What Now Charleston, the menu will combine Italian and Lowcountry flavors. Indigo Road has found success with the local + Italian formula in Asheville at Luminosa, which features a menu of Appalachian and Italian cuisine. The Navy Yard doesn’t have a ton of dining options (but you should really try the wings and beef-tallow fries at Coast Brewing Co.), so Riva Mare could be a draw for workers in the area to happy hour with views of the water or for people to stop in for a post-festival meal when they get stuck at Riverfront Park because the Uber driver can’t find you and cell service is down.
Fast Fine Restaurant Group, based in Stockholm and Madrid, will bring V Modern Italian to Charleston this year (though they are hosting a hiring fair this week, so perhaps sooner rather than later). V Modern has locations in Sweden, Belgium, Spain, and Saudi Arabia, but recently broke into the United States market with a spot in Nashville. The Lowcountry location takes over the former Select space at 465 Meeting Street. Here’s how the press release describes the vibe:
The Roman numeral V reflects the brand’s dedication to all five senses, reinforcing its guiding philosophy: Feed Your Senses. From the scent of the stone oven to the rhythm of a DJ-curated soundtrack, every detail is intentionally layered to create a fully immersive experience that transports guests beyond the table.
Joyland closed, but Sean Brock will return soon
By now, you’ve heard that chef Sean Brock’s Joyland shut down its Calhoun Street location. I was a fan of the Crustburger, but looking at the comments about the closure, the internet had different opinions (people are passionate about their ground beef). Brock isn’t gone for long, as he will join chef Daniel Humm at his year-long Charleston Place pop-up for two nights of prix fixe meals featuring Lowcountry ingredients. Humm got dinged in a few early reviews for his lack of Charleston-centric dishes, so maybe this is the response? Tickets are $195. The Humm experiment also recently switched to an à la carte menu.
This might be the best new spot for oysters in Charleston
I’ll have a fact sheet on Street Oysters tomorrow — the chargrilled-oyster trailer has taken over my FYP on TikTok, and for good reason.
Charleston Wine + Food is here
It’s the 20th year of the Charleston Wine + Food festival, and it’s looking like a great weekend for it. There are a few tickets left, but also fringe events to consider, like the Garden & Gun dinner with chef Noam Bilizer of the acclaimed Louisville restaurant MeeshMeesh. For more events, check out Weekly Specials CHS — Maddie Cleland stays on top of pop-ups and other fun happenings.
If you have any news or gossip for me, please reach out to erin@cootersoup.com.
One more Italian joint - wow - I didn’t know we had any more room!