Chez Nous
Charleston is filled with gorgeously restored old houses, many of which have been turned into restaurants, but none so beautifully as Chez Nous. Tucked down a side alley in a narrow antebellum home, it’s worth a visit for the ambience alone, from the crumbling brick hearth and salvaged-wood bar downstairs to the intimate second floor, with exposed rafters, a cathedral ceiling, and, at lunchtime, light streaming in across the bare wood tables and spindly chairs. That the food lives up to the decor makes a meal here feel like you’ve discovered a secret. There are dishes from southern France, northern Spain, and northern Italy—with nary a miso-cured egg in sight. Chef Jill Mathias handwrites a new menu each day in enviably elegant script (posted daily to @cheznouscharleston), which might include milk-braised veal atop creamy polenta, a spicy Catalan seafood stew, or roasted lavender chicken. The options are few but straightforward and well-executed, bound to please your mom or your date (your partner in a committed relationship, not that Tinder find).
PRO TIP: A stellar Old World wine list makes you want to skip after-dinner coffee; spring for an extra glass of steep-slope Nebbiolo with your canelé.
THE DETAILS: Closed Mondays. They don’t take reservations, so it’s worth a shot for dinner for those who didn’t plan ahead (but note that the same menu is served at lunch).
