Butcher & Bee

We follow a painted yellow bee to the entrance of Charleston’s Butcher & Bee, which is busy on a beautiful, sunny Saturday. What started as a sandwich shop now boasts a full-blown menu of goodies made with ingredients sourced locally, from meat (butcher) to honey (bee). Even though it’s on a high-traffic road, the setting is serene, surrounded by gorgeous flowers and succulents. A few umbrellas are in hot demand, and diners snag them as soon as a table with one empties.

We start with the whipped feta dip, which is the best thing on the menu. If they sold it to go, I would get three pints. It’s served like humus, whipped with black pepper and served with a huge indent in the middle, which is filled with honey. We rip off pieces of warm pita and dunk them in the thick dip, which has the consistency of pimento cheese, but a very different, tangy sweetness. It also arrives with a few fresh veggies. Honestly, I would dip anything in this dip. And I dipped most of our meal in it. 

The avocado crispy salad is a fresh symphony of textures and flavors: leafy massaged kale, crispy Carolina Gold rice, spicy peanuts and serrano chiles. I opt to add some well-spiced chicken shawarma.

We also get a breakfast sandwich. It’s huge. The house sausage is thick, like a burger, and nicely seasoned. Folded scrambled eggs from Storey Farms are stacked on top, then smothered with pimento cheese and capped with a soft house English muffin that manages to soak up the juices but hold its own against the heft of the sausage and cheese.

I’m tempted to get the bake-at-home chocolate cookies, but settle for a cinnamon bun and ham and cheese croissant. The bun is lighter than most, both in the dough and the frosting, and, yes, it’s good dipped in the feta. The croissant is a bit dry and doesn’t have enough ham and cheese, but when you top it with the feta, it comes together well.

Cocktails are also lovely; my favorite is the elegant Tequila Rose with tequila, cointreau, fermented honey made in house, lemon and rose, with a rim of dried rose petals and salt. It has just enough rose flavor to be noticeable, but is not too floral.

You don’t feel rushed here, even if there’s a line to get in. If only they sold the feta dip to go.