Earlier this month, my wife Jun and I spent one weekend in Charleston visiting a couple friends we had known since our time in New York City. The weather in the area was surprisingly chilly, so we ended up mostly hanging out at our friends’ house with their 7-year-old son and puppy. Of course, that doesn’t mean we didn’t check out any restaurants in a city well-known for its food scene. For a quick Sunday brunch, we took our chance at a walk-in table at the storied Husk, which had been one of the most influential trailblazers in modern Southern cuisine in Charleston and beyond (the restaurant also have locations in Nashville and Savannah). This was actually our second visit to the restaurant since 2021 (when we had visited our same friends). I remember having a pretty solid brunch then, and while we didn’t have an opportunity to try as many dishes as we would’ve liked this time due to an early dinner that day, our brunch this time also left me quite satisfied.  

We were seated at the heated patio area away from the main dining room, so that might’ve been why our food came out so late. It was a relief, therefore, to get a bite out of deviled eggs and smoked trout roe to get the meal going. Of course, this being in Charleston we had to share some delicious buttermilk biscuits, accompanied by pepper jam. It’s hard to mess up the classic Southern dish shrimp and grits, but I was quite fond of the one from Husk, with its creamy grits and crunchy shrimp just what you would need for a hearty brunch (and a hangover cure if you had a wild night). The best dish of the brunch was the short rib dirty rice accompanied by fried egg. Originated from the Creole cuisine in Louisiana, the dirty rice was addictively delicious, with the texture of soft short rib and chewy rice working so well together and chili crisp providing an unexpected spicy kick that I will think about again.

Husk is still one of the most popular restaurants in Charleston, so if you are looking for a regular dining room seating, advance booking is highly recommended. There is full bar with classic brunch and regular cocktails and wines that would go along well with the Southern dishes from the restaurant. As I mentioned above, the delay in food was a slight mishap, but otherwise service was mostly fine. When you are visiting Charleston, Husk is the type of restaurant you would want to visit to explore its soulful Southern dishes. We haven’t been to the restaurant for dinner yet, but as far as brunch is concerned, it’s hard to beat the proposition of delicious food inside a charming spot in downtown historic Charleston.

Address: 76 Queen Street, Charleston, SC 29401

KenScale: 8.0/10 (Jun’s Score: 8.0/10)

Website: https://huskcharleston.com/

Reservation via Resy