Fans of cookbook author and restaurateur, Chef Vivian Howard, will not want to miss the chance to taste her wares when visiting Charleston. A five-time James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southeast semifinalist and star of PBS’s “A Chef’s Life” and “Somewhere South,” Howard has established a presence at the Lindy Renaissance Charleston Hotel, where her coffee shop and bakery, Handy + Hot, and upscale restaurant, Lenoir, serve as hubs of Southern food comfort for hungry locals and visitors. The Wentworth Street locale makes either establishment a convenient and delicious destination for memorable snacking, lunching and relaxed, but sublime dining.
Handy + Hot
From homemade biscuits to flaky hand pies to salads and snacks, this vibrant bakery and coffee cafe is the perfect place to either start your day in Charleston or refuel after a morning of King Street shopping.
Biscuits are a huge draw here and come layered with things savory or sweet and sometimes both. For a toothsome mash-up, try the country ham, apple preserves and cheddar on a warm, fresh-from-the-oven biscuit.
Hand pies are another specialty of the house and just right for a snack or lunch on the go. Fill that empty spot in your belly with a hand-held version of rib-sticking chicken pot pie. The cheeseburger hand pie is another satisfying option with a filling of ground beef, onions, pickles and cheese. Honey bun lovers will go for the hand pie version studded with spiced pecans.
There is also an array of house-made spreads, like hummus, pimento cheese and even onion dip, as well as cool, crisp salads and such. Order your favorite coffee drink, hot or cold, a craft soda, fresh-pressed juice or the vanilla bean lemonade—just right for cooling off on those hot Charleston days.
Keep in mind that biscuits and hand pies come by the dozen, too—pretty handy if you want to feed a crowd something hot and delicious.
Lenoir
Chef Howard hails from the rural community of Kinston, North Carolina, and Lenoir pays homage to her agrarian roots with a few modern twists. Hues of green and yellow give the interior a bright and cheery feel. The bar is an inviting spot for cocktails and conversation with its leafy plants, lamps, stacks of cookbooks and friendly bartenders who know their craft. A wall of family photos adds a homey vibe as does the tobacco stick wall grid lined with old-fashioned butterbean pans. The feel is a mix of vintage and contemporary, past and present, old and new.
The same can be said of the inspired menu, which rotates seasonally and relies heavily upon local producers. This is where Howard’s culinary chops really shine, with a range of thoughtfully curated small plates and entrees. Expect Southern goodness with surprising Asian and Mediterranean touches, all prepared with a focus on farm-and-sea-to-table freshness.
For starters, try a bowl of Fried Collards, a familiar Southern staple that arrives glistening, crispy and dusted with Japanese furikake seasoning. If you like kale chips, you’re going to adore this dish. If you’re craving something meatier, order up the Blueberry BBQ Chicken Wings that come sprinkled with benne seeds and crisp slices of celery. But be forewarned: This is a dish everyone will want to sample, so order extra for the table.
Tuck into Lenoir’s version of lettuce wraps with grilled shrimp, lentils, ginger-apples and pickled onions you can tuck into little gem lettuce boats. Fulfill your tomato pie fantasies with Lenoir’s interpretation of this Southern classic. Roasted Tomato Pie, with its caramelized onions, mayo, herbs and mix of fontina and mozzarella, is heavenly and rich.
The Sage Brined Peculiar Pig Pork Chop will meet all your carnivorous expectations: tender, juicy and full-flavored. It is filling, too, served over roasted sweet potatoes, beets and broccoli rabe with a sage-tahini honey drizzle for a tastebud surprise.
Or how about some fish and grits? Think creamy, collard-flecked grits topped with a spicy tomato sauce and fried flounder.
Warm Asparagus Caesar Salad features grilled asparagus dressed in “Kitchen Sink” mayo and topped with shredded parmesan and a dusting of toasty garlic breadcrumbs. Four white anchovies, which have little in common, flavor-wise, with their super salty, darker counterpart, are the crowning touch.
The cocktail program at Lenoir features a crafty line-up with names that will tickle your fancy: Hush Your Mouth (vodka, apricot, lime, mint, sparkling wine); Tight as a Tick (spicy tequila, blackberry basil agave, chartreuse, lemon) and Spittin’ Image (bourbon, blueberry BBQ shrub, lemon) are some of the concoctions to consider when it’s hotter than the blazes outside and you get a hankering to sip something cool.
On Sundays, Lenoir offers a meat-and-three menu starring fried chicken and tomato pie with comforting accompaniments like collards, peas and rice and country ham biscuits.
Lenoir and Handy + Hot are located inside the Lindy Renaissance Charleston Hotel at 68 Wentworth Street. You can secure reservations at Lenoir up to four weeks in advance at http://www.dineatlenoir.com
