Queen Street Grocery

“…The Cuban is bomb,

The people are hot;

And if you ain’t there, you’re not.”

I don’t know many restaurants that have their own anthem; but then, I don’t know any restaurants quite like Queen Street Grocery. A quaint corner store that dates back nearly a century (to 1922), this Charleston treasure is as casual and laid-back as an eatery can be. It is open for three meals a day, although what you can have for dinner is no different from lunch and breakfast, and breakfast is served all day.

The vibe is easy-going granola culture, but food prep and presentation are immaculate. The house specialty is crepes, made on a trio of appliances that are as clean and modern as the store is creaky. Four-star, blue-ribbon, world-class crepes they are, light gold in color and as tender as a sigh. Alone and buttered, they’d be just swell. But they’re even better as the medium for fillings, sweet and savory, that make them a Charleston breakfast (or lunch or dinner) best bet. Among sweet options are the Scorpion (Nutella & powdered sugar), the Wentworth (bananas, brown sugar, maple syrup, walnuts), and the Dune (berries & Greek yogurt). Savory crepes come with just about any sandwich ingredient and/or pizza topping you can imagine. I have swooned over the Kiawah (tomato, pesto, mozzarella) and the St. Helena (ham, raspberries, brie).

In addition to crepes the menu includes such hot pressed sandwiches as a Cuban, an all-veggie, an Italian, and an exotic-flavored “Egypt 80,” which is turkey, roasted peppers, sprouts, goat cheese, and coconut curry sauce on a crisp-crusted ciabatta roll. There are plenty of classic and build-your-own omelets, breakfast sandwiches, and lovely salads

For coffee, choose regular or masterfully brewed cold-press. For something very substantial in liquid form, the Grocery offers intense smoothies, from salubrious (Bee Street: berries, yogurt, acai, honey) to indulgent (Moultrie: peanut butter, banana, chocolate soy).

Informality rules: place your order at the counter and pay there, then find a seat at one of the miscellaneous wooden tables arrayed on the worn wood floor of the old store. House etiquette is to bus your own table when you’ve finished eating,

Note that a large back room is filled with wines and beers for sale.

Click here to hear the complete Queen Street Grocery anthem.