The Holy City has been named the South’s Best City: 2022 by Southern Living Magazine for the fifth year .
Recognized for its commitment to reinvention , historic sites, row homes, and cobblestone streets, Charleston landed the No. 1 spot with a special shoutout to Melfi’s, Chubby Fish, and Leon’s, joined by Waterfront Park and The Battery promenade.
Life was really different five years ago. In 2017, we were pre-pandemic, the city was preparing to experience the 2017 solar eclipse , and the Charleston metro area population rang in at around 775,000 .
Through all of the change, the love and appreciation for our city has remained constant — and we’ve got five years of awards to show for it.
Let’s be honest: most people feel that Charleston is one of — if not the best — places to live in the South. We have relatively warm weather year round, like yesterday, when the high was 79 degrees, a phenomenal food + bev scene , and we’re surrounded by views of the city, the water, and hundreds of years of history .
But it’s a whole different feeling seeing our name at the top of the list. A form of confirmation, if you will.
So who else received a special shoutout
?
- The Ryder + Emeline hotels for their attention to engagement and sociability. The recognition includes each hotel’s respective bar or restaurant: Little Palm and Frannie & The Fox.
- Chubby Fish, acknowledged for its atmosphere + servers.
- Lo-Fi and Revelry Brewing as the city is appreciated for its flourishing beer + brewery scene. The article even included a callout to the Charleston Brewery District trolley .
- Lenoir restaurant by award-winning chef + author Vivian Howard .
There are plenty of other local spots ranking in various categories for The South’s Best awards, including Lowcountry favorite Rodney Scott’s + Palmetto Brewing Co. Check ‘em out
.