Best Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving in Charleston (2026)
Southern prix fixe dinners, grand hotel buffets, waterfront meals and island feasts
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Charleston does Thanksgiving well. You can have turkey and Lowcountry sides in a historic downtown dining room, spend the afternoon at a hotel buffet, or make the holiday feel like a beach trip with a meal on Shem Creek, Isle of Palms or Kiawah Island. This guide covers the best Charleston restaurants open on Thanksgiving, with prices, hours and what each one does best.
For a classic downtown Thanksgiving, start with Poogan's Porch. The Crossing at The Cooper is the newest waterfront table on the peninsula, Edmund's Original has one of the best-value buffets, and Hotel Bennett's Crown Ballroom is the biggest spread downtown. For dinner on the water outside downtown, look at Mill Street Tavern on Shem Creek. For the biggest family celebration, including a separate kids' party, there's The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026. Middleton Place has already sold out, so book soon.
Charleston Thanksgiving Restaurants at a Glance
| Restaurant | Area | Format | Adult | Kids | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poogan's Porch | Historic District | 3-course prix fixe | $75 | $16 (12 and under) | 11 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Tempest | Market Street | 3-course prix fixe | $75 | $30 (12 and under) | 11 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Church and Union | Market Street | 3-course prix fixe | $80 | $35 (12 and under) | From 11 a.m. |
| The Crossing at The Cooper | Waterfront | Prix fixe | $185 | Not yet posted | Noon–8 p.m. |
| Edmund's Original | NoMo | Buffet | $65 | $30 (12 and under) | Not yet posted |
| Hank's Seafood | French Quarter | Specials and full menu | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | 1–7 p.m. |
| Sorelle | Broad Street | Italian Thanksgiving menu | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | Not yet posted |
| Slightly North of Broad | French Quarter | Thanksgiving menu | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m. |
| Frannie & The Fox | Historic District | Thanksgiving menu | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | 9 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Pelato | NoMo | Full menu and specials | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | Not yet posted |
| Bourbon N' Bubbles | Upper King | Thanksgiving menu | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | From noon |
| Hotel Bennett Crown Ballroom | Marion Square | Buffet | $145 | $70 | Varies |
| Gabrielle at Hotel Bennett | Marion Square | Plated prix fixe | $115 | $65 (12 and under) | 3–9 p.m. |
| The Dewberry | Marion Square | Buffet | $145 | $70 (under 12) | 1–5 p.m. |
| Iron Rose at The Mills House | Historic District | Buffet | $115 | $40 (under 13) | 11 a.m.–7 p.m. |
| The Palmetto Cafe | Historic District | Holiday feast | $150 | $75 | From 12:30 p.m. |
| The Swamp Fox | Upper King | Buffet with live music | $95 | $45 (12 and under) | 11 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Leeward at The Lowline | Upper King | Buffet | $85 | $40 | Varies |
| Harborview | West Ashley | Buffet | $53 | Not yet posted | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Mill Street Tavern | Mount Pleasant | 3-course dinner | $65 | $20 | 3–8 p.m. |
| The Boathouse at Breach Inlet | Isle of Palms | Thanksgiving menu | Not yet posted | Not yet posted | 11 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| The Refuge | Isle of Palms | Plated feast | $99 | $59 (12 and under) | 2–8 p.m. |
| The Feast at Wild Dunes | Isle of Palms | Buffet | $104 | $52.50 (4–12) | Varies |
| Sanctuary Thanksgiving Banquet | Kiawah Island | Buffet | $194 | $108 (4–12) | From noon |
| Jasmine Porch | Kiawah Island | Buffet | $184 | $98 (4–12) | Noon–8 p.m. |
| The Ocean Room | Kiawah Island | Steakhouse dinner | Not yet posted | Kids' menu | 5–8:30 p.m. |
Downtown Charleston Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving
Most downtown Thanksgiving tables are a short walk from the Market or King Street. Several serve only their holiday menu that day, so check the card if someone in your group wants the regular menu.
Poogan's Porch
72 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
The most Charleston way to do Thanksgiving downtown: a Victorian house on Queen Street, a three-course holiday menu and service from late morning into the evening. Kids choose turkey, chicken tenders or mac and cheese, with sides and a sundae, at the lowest children's price on this list. Details: $75 per adult, $16 for kids 12 and under. 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Thanksgiving menu only.
Tempest
32 N Market St Ste C, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
A prix fixe that works for a group where not everyone wants turkey. Mains run from a traditional turkey plate to wagyu steak, snapper and spaghetti aglio e olio, with steak tartare or butternut squash soup to start and a s'mores-style dessert alongside pumpkin cheesecake. Details: $75 per adult, $30 for kids 12 and under. 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Thanksgiving menu only; extra family-style sides can be added.
Church and Union
32B N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
The dramatic dining room gives the meal a sense of occasion, and the menu leaves room for people who'd rather have ribeye or swordfish than turkey. Start with scallops or chicken and dumpling soup; finish with pecan tart or buttermilk cake. Details: $80 per adult, $35 for kids 12 and under. Opens at 11 a.m. Thanksgiving menu only.
The Crossing at The Cooper
176 Concord St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
The signature restaurant at The Cooper, the new hotel on the harbor next to Waterfront Park, opened this spring, so this is its first Thanksgiving. It's the splurge: a prix fixe-only meal in a second-floor dining room looking out over the water, best for couples or a small group marking an occasion. Details: $185 per person. Noon–8 p.m. Thanksgiving menu only.
Edmund's Original
1081 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
The Morrison Drive brewpub that used to be Edmund's Oast puts on one of the best-value buffets in town: turkey, prime rib, salmon and ham plus stuffing, collards and mac and cheese. The covered patio is kept for walk-ins if you didn't book. Details: $65 per adult, $30 for kids 12 and under, gratuity added. Dining room by reservation; covered patio first come, first served. Hours not yet posted.
Hank's Seafood
10 Hayne St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
The pick for a mixed group: holiday specials run alongside the regular seafood menu, so one person can have turkey while someone else orders oysters or fish. The old warehouse dining room by the City Market feels festive without being formal. Details: 1–7 p.m. Holiday specials and the full menu. Pricing not yet posted.
Sorelle
88 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
Skips the standard Southern plate and builds Thanksgiving around Italian cooking: caviar zeppole, chestnut agnolotti and tajarin with Alba truffle, then heritage turkey and porchetta with rapini-and-sausage stuffing. The one for a food-focused table. Details: Menu is out; pricing and seating times not yet posted.
Slightly North of Broad
192 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
A downtown standby for Lowcountry cooking in a room that's polished but relaxed, and an easy walk for anyone staying near the French Quarter or Waterfront Park. The dining room is small, so book early. Details: 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Menu and pricing not yet posted.
Frannie & The Fox
181 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
The Italian restaurant at Hotel Emeline is open from breakfast through dinner, which helps if you're arriving on Thanksgiving Day or want to eat off-peak. Expect a holiday menu built on fall ingredients, mimosas and a seasonal punch bowl, in a livelier room than the hotel ballrooms. Details: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Pricing not yet posted.
Pelato
1085 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
Keeps its Brooklyn-style Italian menu of shareable plates and adds Thanksgiving specials. It suits couples or a small group who'd rather order for the table than sit through a set menu. Details: Full menu plus holiday specials. Hours and pricing not yet posted.
Bourbon N' Bubbles
570 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
The Upper King option for a later, livelier Thanksgiving. A dedicated holiday menu is coming, so check it before you book. Details: From noon. Menu and pricing not yet posted.
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Thanksgiving Buffets and Hotel Feasts in Downtown Charleston
Downtown's hotels put on the biggest spreads in the city, from ballroom buffets with carving stations to plated dinners. Prices run higher and seating windows are set, so book a time early.
Hotel Bennett Crown Ballroom
404 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
The biggest feast downtown, with stations for seafood, pastries, breakfast dishes, carved turkey and prime rib, salmon, ham, sides and desserts. Built for a large, multigenerational group, and adults get a glass of Prosecco. Details: $145 per adult, $70 per child, plus tax and service. Seating times vary; families with a 12-year-old should confirm which rate applies.
Gabrielle at Hotel Bennett
404 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
Hotel Bennett's plated alternative to the ballroom, running later into the evening. Turkey is the main course with family-style sides for the table, and filet, salmon or cauliflower steak are available as upgrades. Details: $115 per adult, $65 for kids 12 and under, plus tax and service. 3–9 p.m.
The Dewberry
334 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
A buffet that's more edited and stylish than a ballroom spread, which suits couples and smaller groups. It opens with local shrimp, oysters and clams, then carving stations for turkey, chateaubriand, Southern ham and salmon. Details: $145 per adult, $70 for kids under 12. 1–5 p.m.
Iron Rose at The Mills House
115 Meeting St #174, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
One of the longest buffet windows in the historic district, so reservation times are easier to find. Expect Joyce Farms heritage turkey, salt-crusted prime rib and fennel-crusted pork loin, plus breakfast earlier in the morning. Details: $115 per adult, $40 for kids under 13, gratuity added. Buffet 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; breakfast 8–10 a.m.
The Palmetto Cafe at The Charleston Place
205 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
The garden-style dining room at The Charleston Place is a classic luxury-hotel Thanksgiving in the middle of downtown, and the natural choice if you're staying there. Service is afternoon-only, so the best times go fast. Details: $150 per adult, $75 per child, plus tax and gratuity. From 12:30 p.m.
The Swamp Fox at the Francis Marion Hotel
Francis Marion Hotel, 387 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
A buffet that covers a lot of ground, from she-crab soup and shrimp and grits to turkey, prime rib and swordfish, with live music in the room. Adults get a Bloody Mary or mimosa, and it costs well under the top hotel buffets. Details: $95 per adult, $45 for kids 12 and under. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Leeward at The Lowline
560 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
The restaurant at The Lowline hotel keeps it traditional: turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, mac and cheese, green bean casserole and four kinds of pie, with coffee, tea and soft drinks included. One of the more affordable hotel buffets on Upper King. Details: $85 per adult, $40 per child. Seating times vary.
Thanksgiving in West Ashley and Mount Pleasant
Two options a short drive from the peninsula, both with water views.
Harborview Restaurant & Lounge
301 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407, USA
On the top floor of the round Holiday Inn on the Ashley River, looking back toward downtown, with the lowest posted buffet price around. The 10 a.m. start makes it a brunch-style Thanksgiving if you want the afternoon free. Details: $53 per person. 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Mill Street Tavern
504 Mill St, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA
Thanksgiving on Shem Creek at a reasonable price. Start with she-crab soup or fried green tomatoes, choose turkey, ham, shrimp-and-andouille red rice or a vegetarian harvest plate, and finish with pecan pie or banana pudding. Details: $65 per adult, $20 per child. 3–8 p.m., last seating at 7 p.m.
Thanksgiving on Isle of Palms and Kiawah Island
If you're spending the holiday at the beach, the islands have Thanksgiving tables of their own. The Kiawah meals give priority to resort guests, so check access before you plan around one.
The Boathouse at Breach Inlet
101 Palm Blvd, Isle of Palms, SC 29451, USA
Right at Breach Inlet between Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island, with afternoon hours that leave time for a beach walk before or after. The holiday menu isn't out yet, so compare it with the island buffets once it is. Details: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Menu and pricing not yet posted.
The Refuge
1517 Palm Blvd Ste a, Isle of Palms, SC 29451, USA
Keeps it simple: one Thanksgiving feast plate per person, then dessert, with no stations to work through. The 2–8 p.m. window makes it one of the easier island picks for a normal dinner time. Details: $99 per adult, $59 for kids 12 and under. 2–8 p.m. Thanksgiving menu only.
The Feast at Wild Dunes
5757 Palm Blvd, Isle of Palms, SC 29451, USA
Wild Dunes' buffet in the Osprey Ballroom at Sweetgrass Inn is the most family-oriented meal on Isle of Palms, mixing holiday classics with seasonal dishes, and kids 3 and under eat free. The easy choice if you're staying anywhere in the resort. Details: $104 for ages 13 and up, $52.50 for ages 4–12, free for 3 and under. Seating times vary.
Sanctuary Thanksgiving Banquet
1 Sanctuary Beach Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, USA
The biggest family production around Charleston, in the Grand Oaks Ballroom: seafood displays, chef-attended stations, holiday meats, desserts and live entertainment, plus a separate kids' banquet next door with games and crafts. Open only to Kiawah Island guests and residents. Details: $194 per adult, $108 for ages 4–12, under 4 free; tax and gratuity included. Seatings from noon. Purchases are final.
Jasmine Porch
1 Sanctuary Beach Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, USA
A full holiday buffet in a restaurant setting instead of the ballroom, with house-made desserts, live entertainment and a long noon–8 p.m. window. Sanctuary guests get priority, so off-property diners may find fewer times open. Details: $184 per adult, $98 for ages 4–12; tax and service included. Noon–8 p.m.
The Ocean Room
1 Sanctuary Beach Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, USA
The Sanctuary's steakhouse is the Kiawah pick for a quieter evening dinner instead of an afternoon buffet, serving its seasonal menu plus Thanksgiving dishes, with a kids' menu. Details: 5–8:30 p.m. Pricing not yet posted. Reservations by phone.
Sold Out, but Worth Watching
Two of the area's most distinctive Thanksgiving meals are already full. Both are worth a call in case of cancellations.
Middleton Place Restaurant
4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
Pairs a Thanksgiving buffet with admission to the gardens, so you can walk the grounds before or after you eat. This year's meal is sold out, but there's a waitlist. Details: $119 per adult, $50 for ages 5–12, 4 and under free, including admission; lower rates for members and inn guests. 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Sold out; waitlist open.
The Atlantic Room
1002 Ocean Course Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455, USA
Thanksgiving with seatings overlooking the Ocean Course is fully booked. If you're already staying on Kiawah, ask about openings. Details: $95 per adult, $45 per child. Fully booked.
Before You Book
- Check whether the regular menu is available. Tempest, Church and Union, The Crossing and The Refuge serve only their Thanksgiving menus. Hank's and Pelato keep their regular menus alongside holiday specials.
- Confirm the kids' age cutoff. It varies between 12 and 13, and the Kiawah and Wild Dunes meals price ages 4–12 separately.
- Read the cancellation terms. Many restaurants take a card, deposit or prepaid ticket, and resort meals can be nonrefundable.
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