South Carolina is a hotspot for great breakfast/lunch offerings and splendid scenery. From the coast to the Upstate and points in between, pick your preferred backdrop and sit down to a delicious brunch.
Here are some great choices for relaxed midday dining with a view. Call ahead to confirm times or to make reservations as brunch tables tend to quickly fill up.
Local on the Water
1525 13th Avenue N, North Myrtle Beach; 843.281.0643
Sip a mimosa and dig into decadent Coastal Eggs Benedict and Crab while you take in the Intracoastal Waterway views. Perhaps Kahlúa French Toast is calling you or a tender, juicy prime rib sandwich. Head to North Myrtle Beach and discover this favorite of locals and visitors.
Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.
Gulfstream Cafe
1536 S. Waccamaw Drive, Murrells Inlet; 843.651.8808
If you've ever dined in Murrells Inlet, you know about the views of the marshes and inlets and the quiet sound of the tides coming in. Gulfstream has those, especially from its rooftop deck, and its voluminous Sunday brunch buffet is a great way to complement those views. There's even a kids' brunch menu.
The Watch Rooftop Kitchen
79 Wentworth Street, Charleston; 843.518.5115
For an eagle's-eye view of Charleston's historic district, The Watch Rooftop Kitchen at The Restoration Hotel is hard to beat. The cityscapes are breathtaking and make for a truly elevated brunch experience.
The Sunday brunch is equally stunning, with wonderful options like caramelized bread pudding french toast, buttermilk pancakes with cinnamon and vanilla braised peaches, and, of course, there's shrimp & grits.
Complement your dining with mimosas or Bloody Marys by the glass or carafe.
Fin & Crab
17 Lockwood Drive, Charleston; 843.723.6325
Settle in and enjoy great views of Safe Harbor Marina and a breakfast worthy of the nautical vibe. Once the site of longtime local favorite, Marina Variety Store, the new owners wisely preserved the morning menu with deeply revered staples like Lowcountry Hash Browns, Crab Benedict and the Broad Street Omelette.
Comfortable and low-key "like a pair of boat shoes," with Lowcountry dishes and fresh, local seafood.
Passerrelle Bistro
601 South Main Street, Greenville; 864.509.0142
Not all the water views in South Carolina are along the coast. This Paris bistro-style eatery is located at the Main Street entrance to Greenville's lovely Falls Park with views of the waterfall rapids and the city's landmark suspension bridge, Liberty Bridge. Brunch choices (weekends 10 a.m.-3 p.m.) include croissants and fruit, French toast, and quiche and croquet monsieur.
Afterward, stroll across the bridge or explore Greenville's vibrant downtown.
Lost Dog
106 West Huron Street, Folly Beach; 843.588.9669
Another Folly favorite (named after the owners' dog briefly disappeared while the building was being constructed) bills itself as the perfect weekend brunch start for a day at the beach, with "something for everyone" on the menu.
Like Mexican food? Try their Huevos Rancheros. Want something lighter? The fresh fruit parfaits are popular.
The Obstinate Daughter
2063 Middle Street, Sullivans Island; 843.416.5020
This Sullivan's Island rustic favorite is just short walk to the beach, so indulge than plan to take a stroll to work off the delicious dishes by Italian-influenced chef Jacque Larson. The special is the Sea Island cassoulet (part casserole, part omelet) and it tastes even better when eaten overlooking the restaurants shady, pretty foliage.
High Thyme Cuisine
2213 Middle Street, #C, Sullivans Island; 843.883.3536
Two blocks from the Obstinate Daughter is another Sullivan's Island beach place that Charleston's City Paper once declared "the best-kept brunch secret" in this foodie city. Enjoy the beach views and dig into unique-but-classic dishes like their chicken hash.
Links, An American Grill
Harbour Town Clubhouse
Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island; 843.363.8380
Whether during the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing each April, or just while on vacation at Hilton Head Island, it's hard to top Links for both food and view - assuming, of course, you enjoy the sight of Harbour Town Golf Links, one of the PGA Tour's favorite stops each year.
The weekend brunch features such standards as classic eggs Benedict, the three-egg omelet, buttermilk pancakes, brioche French toast and the Breakfast BLTE (a classic BLT with over-medium egg and cheese).
Poseidon
38 Shelter Cove Lane, No. 120, Hilton Head Island; 843.341.3838
Located in Hilton Head's Shelter Cove Resort, Poseidon is mostly known for its seafood, but the Sunday brunch has a lineup of traditional and nontraditional dishes. The Coastal Breakfast has eggs, meat (including andouille sausage) and potatoes or grits, there's the Chef-Cut Brick Steak and Eggs, and house-made biscuits and gravy.
Then there are such novelties as the Big Sur Burrito, pastrami hash and eggs, and the New England crepe with lobster, brie cheese, truffle mushrooms and Mornay sauce.
For waterway views, dine on the covered Front Porch, conveniently adjacent to the Nauti Bar.
The Atlantic Room
Kiawah Island Resort (Ocean Course); 800.654.2924
A warning for those who like to sleep in: The Ryder Cup Bar and Atlantic Room on Kiawah Island serve breakfast daily, but only from 7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
We include it here because of a) the fabulous view of The Ocean Course's 18th green and the Atlantic Ocean, and b) a terrific menu including steel-cut Irish oatmeal, yogurt-and-fruit parfaits, a variety of breakfast sandwiches, pancakes and egg dishes, and the Ryder Cup Benedict: a crabcake, poached eggs and lemon-Hollandaise sauce served on a buttermilk biscuit.
The Jasmine Porch
The Sanctuary; Kiawah Island Resort; 800.654.2924
Kiawah Island Resort's five-star accommodation, The Sanctuary, has a restaurant to match in the Jasmine Porch, so naturally its Signature brunch on Sundays is something special. With sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and a lineup of seafood specialties, house-made charcuterie and other unique items from chef Jeremy Holst's kitchen.
Chilled Champagne mimosas and soft background music are the perfect way to cap off a weekend on Kiawah Island.
