Off the Beaten Path in South Carolina

Take the road less traveled for culinary delights across the Palmetto State

The next time you find yourself driving through South Carolina, get off the highway, roll down the windows, and opt for a scenic drive along the state’s back roads instead. You’ll amble through tiny towns and wide stretches of farmland, and you’ll also encounter some of the best classic Southern dishes and hospitality the state has to offer.

THE HUNGRY DROVER

Travelers Rest

Originally a Gulf gas station and mercantile, this landmark situated at the intersection of Highway 290 and Tigerville Road just outside of Travelers Rest is now a bustling Southern diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a spot that locals and visitors flock to for their pimento cheese. Current owner Don Chase says the secret to his popular version is dried parsley and a dash of Texas Pete mixed together with cheddar, pimentos, and “of course, Duke’s mayonnaise.”

FISHCAMP ON 11TH STREET

Port Royal

You’ll need to take Highway 21 deep into the Lowcountry to find Fishcamp on 11th Street in Port Royal, a restaurant in the home of a former crabbing factory. The docks in front of the restaurant still serve the shrimping community today. Breathe in the salty ocean air at this waterfront spot known for its fresh local seafood, like the blue crab they source from nearby Daufuskie Island. They’re also known for their Lowcountry boil, a one-pot dish that originated in South Carolina, with corn, potatoes, sausage, and shrimp seasoned with a fair amount of Old Bay. fishcampon11th.com

MARTHA’S ICE CREAM SHOP

Florence

En route to Myrtle Beach from most other parts of the state, there’s a good chance you’ll take Highway 501 and pass through Florence. It’s home to the annual South Carolina Pecan Festival that draws in more than 50,000 attendees each year, a nod to the role pecans have played in state agriculture since the late 1800s. It’s also home to Martha’s Ice Cream Shop, a small confectionary tucked behind an outdoor supply company. Their brown butter pecan ice cream, made with browned butter made in house, is their top selling flavor and a tasty midtrip treat.

GULLAH GULLAH FISH

Manning

Gullah Geechee history and culture run deep in South Carolina, a product of enslaved West Africans blending languages and traditions many moons ago. Off Highway 301 in Manning, Gullah Gullah Fish owner Craig Levy has been honoring his family’s heritage by serving traditional Gullah cuisine for the past 10 years. One such time-honored dish on the menu is the Charleston crab rice, a simple but delicious blend of “well-seasoned rice” mixed in with blue crab meat that’s somewhat the equivalent of Southern fried rice. facebook.com/gullahgullahfish

SARA’S FRESH MARKET

Trenton

Georgia is known as the Peach State, but South Carolina produces more than three times the number of peaches as its neighbor. Peaches have been sold along Highway 25 in Ridge Spring for 40-plus years, initially out of the back of a Cadillac before eventually becoming Sara’s Fresh Market roadside stands. The fresh markets are named after Sara Powell, who sold her stands to local peach grower Titan Farms nearly 17 years ago. You’ll find peaches as well as their award-winning peach salsa, plus a range of seasonal produce during the summer months.

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