There’s a place tucked away in the foothills of Travelers Rest that will transport you far from the daily grind of everyday life in the Upstate. Hotel Domestique’s Restaurant 17 is the place where you can pour yourself into a seat on the patio, and just breathe in the surrounding beauty. The menu is carefully curated, utilizing ingredients supplied by local farmers, cheese artisans, beekeepers, and more.
A meal at Restaurant 17 is more than just nourishment, it’s an experience. Paired with a weekend getaway stay at Hotel Domestique, you’ll forget you’re less than an hour from home.
Restaurant 17 in Travelers Rest, SC
Owner’s Name: Rich Hincapie
Do you have a kids menu? Yes What are your contactless delivery options? Curbside pickup
Do you offer outdoor dining? Outdoor dining – covered, open & heated What makes your spot unique? Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Restaurant 17’s beautiful setting is the clear root for the restaurant’s modern, place-driven perspective. It all adds up to an experience that brings people together over tables of authentic, thoughtful food and drink. Where old-world hospitality meets familiar European views, the cuisine reveals an elevated twist on classic Italian and Mediterranean favorites. Chef Haydn Shaak marries classical training with his dedication to local farms and ingredients to craft a truly unique menu inspired by the seasonality of the Upstate.
What dish is the most popular? Southern Fried Chicken Padano
What dish are you the proudest of? Chef Haydn’s Southern Vegetable plate features local and seasonal vegetables from our local farmers, and we are proud to showcase the produce of our region in a unique, fresh way.
It’s my first time at your restaurant, what do you suggest we order? The Cheese & Charcuterie Board and House Made Ricotta Dip are must-haves for snacks to start. For Small Plates, the Purple Gnocchi and Grilled Octopus are house favorites. Finally, for entrees, the Duck Breast and Shrimp Puttanesca are fan favorites!
Looking for a new restaurant to try? Our very own CAMP restaurant in Greenville is one your whole family will enjoy! But this isn’t the kind that will require an overnight stay. We have all the information you need to know before you visit CAMP.
CAMP | Tostada
The location that formerly housed the Greenville News offices is now one of the newest social hubs of Downtown Greenville. The AC Hotel, Insomnia cookies, and CAMP offer guests to Camperdown Plaza fine dining, cocktails, warm cookies & entertainment on the outdoor stage.
About CAMP
CAMP restaurant in Greenville is newest member of the Table 301 family, and just like its siblings, is another local favorite. Bringing on Executive Chef Diego Campos, who is bringing his experience at The Lazy Goat, Soby’s, and Passerelle Bistro, with Sous Chef Matthew Ballero at The Lazy Goat is quite the coup for the restaurant. His love for locally sourced ingredients and his Mexican heritage shine through in the dishes that are set before guests.
With his talent, and experience, Chef Campos could very easily be the screaming caricature of a chef you see on reality shows; but nothing could be further from that than this. He interacts with patrons and takes great pride in the food he’s sending out. His Executive Sous Chef, Matthew Ballero brings his unique passion, and we couldn’t be happier about that. The talent and creativity that these two chefs bring to the “Table (301)” will shine through, no matter what items you decide to order.
The menu might sound intimidating and meant for special date nights only, but CAMP is family-friendly right down to the sourcing of its ingredients. The Upstate family that owns Colonial Milling is fostering a young entrepreneur in the family. Their young son, Grant, has created his own side business selling the fresh eggs from the chickens on the farm he loving refers to as “His Girls”. It’s these eggs that CAMP uses for their Mixed Green salad.
Imagine the look on your children’s faces when you are enjoying your meal at CAMP, and you lean over and share that story with your child! I think it’s pretty impressive to have to supply a fine-dining restaurant with the main ingredient on your resume at the age of ten!
The restaurant is center stage in Camperdown Plaza and offers outdoor dining and a walk-up bar. Families are able to visit the plaza for an event and grab a drink to enjoy. I can’t wait to head back and sample more off of the menu at CAMP.
Oh, and save room for dessert! Trust me.
CAMP | Crispy 6 Minute Egg & Mixed Green Salad
CAMP Restaurant in Greenville, SC
Owner: Carl Sobocinski Chefs: Executive Chef / Diego Campos & Executive Sous Chef / Matthew Ballero
Do you have a kids menu? Yes
What are your contactless delivery options? Not currently offering delivery
Do you offer outdoor dining? Yes
What makes your spot unique? At CAMP we hope you find it’s your home away from home. We want our guests to feel comfortable while also enjoying dining in a beautiful space with incredible service. From our rooftop space to our chef’s counter and indoor/outdoor bar seating, we hope to provide our guests with a sense of comfort, fun, whimsy, and (of course) satisfaction from a diverse selection of good food and beverages.
Inside: Greenville locals enjoy a peanut butter chocolate cake at Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar in Downtown Greenville, SC. Learn about the cafe, the menu, and what they loved.
Carmella’s Café & Dessert Bar brings a slice of Old World culinary delight to the heart of Greenville, South Carolina, morning, noon, and night. This charming café, an extension of its original Charleston location, has quickly become a favorite among locals and visitors.
Quick Summary: Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar
🍰 Chocolate + peanut butter + cake = YES, please.
We stopped by Carmella’s Café in Downtown Greenville and fell hard for their Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. Think rich brownie base, moist cake, and a dreamy peanut butter-honey layer… 🤤
During our recent visit, we indulged in their decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. This dessert features a chocolate brownie base layered with rich chocolate cake and a luscious peanut butter and honey filling.
Despite a fairly stout evening crowd with a long line, we actually didn’t wait long. The line moved quickly. So, we recommend that you don’t let a long counter line deter you from enjoying something delicious when you visit.
Carmella’s offers both indoor and outdoor seating options, allowing guests to choose their preferred dining atmosphere. The outdoor seating provides a pleasant spot to enjoy the vibrant surroundings of downtown Greenville, especially after a leisurely stroll through the area.
Beverage Highlights
Beyond desserts, the café boasts an impressive selection of coffee drinks. Guests love the variety of flavors, like the lavender vanilla iced latte. Their menu includes unique offerings such as the Shakerato—a blend of four espresso shots, simple syrup, and half-and-half, shaken and strained. Additionally, the Wide Awake Shake combines cold brew with espresso gelato and whipped cream, catering to those seeking a caffeinated treat.
Savory Selections
For those craving savory options, Carmella’s serves breakfast items like the Breakfast Sandwich—featuring egg and cheddar on an English muffin or bagel with choices of bacon or sausage. Their lunch and dinner menu includes gourmet sandwiches such as the Turkey Asiago, made with house-made ciabatta, roasted turkey, asiago cheese, and fig jam.
What Do Our Readers Think About Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar?
Here’s what our readers like to order when they visit Carmella’s Cafe, check out all their opinions on our Facebook Community Page!
Carmella’s Café & Dessert Bar welcomes guests daily from 8 am to midnight, making it the perfect spot for early breakfasts, leisurely lunches, or late-night dessert cravings.
Whether you’re in the mood for a sweet treat, a hearty sandwich, or a specialty coffee, Carmella’s offers a diverse menu in a delightful setting.
355 South Main Street, Greenville
Find more delicious things to enjoy in Downtown Greeville.
Have you tried Southside Smokehouse & Grill? We are very fortunate in the Upstate to have so many little towns with hidden gems, sprinkled around to discover. Southside Smokehouse & Grill in Landrum, just south of the NC border is one such gem!
Chef Sarah McClure creates delicious menu items to lure diners to the smokehouse. You’ll find her husband and co-owner Robert Hall behind the bar mixing cocktails that will be the envy of all your friends on social media when you tease them with photos.
Are you looking for vegan restaurants in Greenville, SC? Or maybe you’re looking for vegetarian restaurants in Greenville?
The lifestyle of eating meat-free isn’t new, but it has become more mainstream in recent years. The days of going out to eat as a vegetarian or vegan and eating a dinner of side dishes are gone, as restaurants cater to a new fanbase. You know a plant-based diet is mainstream when traditionally meat-heavy BBQ places offer a meat-free alternative!
We’re here to clarify some things and then help you find the delicious meals you’ll want to seek out with a list of vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Greenville, SC.
Coastal Crust | Green Salad & House Marinated Olives Appetizer
Vegetarian, Vegan, & Plant-Based Diets – What’s The Difference?
Growing up with a Godmother who was a vegetarian, I quickly learned to read labels and ingredients before offering her things. Items I had never thought of included animal by-products, and even to this day, some things surprise me. Once, someone pointed out that one of the fruit-filled pastries in the grocery store bakery contained a pork by-product (and it wasn’t lard). So what’s the difference between Vegan, Vegetarian, and Plant-Based diets lifestyles?
Vegetarian VS Vegan: A vegetarian diet is the most flexible of the options. There are several sub-categories of vegetarianism; most eliminate meat from their diet and retain some animal-sourced items, such as eggs, cheese, honey, or other non-meat)
Vegan VS Plant-Based: The critical difference is that veganism includes avoiding animal products of all kinds, including clothing, while plant-based usually refers strictly to the diet. So vegan would be the most extreme of the three, with no consumption of animal-derived products at all.
Bar Margaret – Greenville, SC Vegan/ Veggie burger option
Blue Moon Specialty Foods – Spartanburg, SC Veggie lunch plates, veggie wraps (omit the cheese for vegan), and a large selection of prepared meals in their market.
Core Life Eatery – Greenville, SC It offers several “build-your-own” menu items that can very quickly be made vegan. The pasta used is rice noodles, and they offer roasted tofu as an alternative meat option.
V. V. Spot – Serving The Upstate, SC V.V. Spot offers Vegan food restaurant tours and is a great way to learn how you can make small changes in your current eating habits to be healthier. You might be surprised! If you want to learn more about what V.V. Spot offers, check out our Review of The Vegan Restaurant Tour Of The West Village.
Are you looking for a great place to enjoy some Nashville Hot Chicken on the west side of Spartanburg? If you haven’t been to Flavorshack Hot Chicken and Ribs in Duncan yet, you have no idea what you are missing! This locally owned chicken shack offers patrons huge servings of chicken and more! Find out why Spartanburg residents have fallen in love with this family-friendly restaurant.
It took longer than I care to admit for my kids and me to make our way to the hot chicken place that people were talking about on social media. Then one night I was craving fried chicken, so I thought of Flavorshack, and called in an order. I couldn’t wait to get the food home. The car ride was torture because it smelled so good!
One of the problems I think we can all agree on when it comes to fried food is that it doesn’t travel well. I’m not sure if the owners have employed some sort of wizardry or witchcraft, but after a 15-minute car ride home, getting the kids situated, and finally sitting down to eat my own food – It was SO crunchy! I even had friends comment that they could see the crispiness in the photos I posted to Instagram!
A few weeks later, it was time to decide how to celebrate my son’s birthday. His current favorite meal is chicken pot pie, and that’s what he wanted to eat for his birthday dinner. I asked our awesome Kidding Around Spartanburg community group members to find a delicious chicken pot pie, and several people mentioned Flavorshack Hot Chicken & Ribs. Once again, they hit it out of the park! The chicken pot pie was full of chicken breast chunks and topped with a flakey pastry. He loved it.
They honestly have something on the menu for everyone, including frozen margaritas for thirsty parents.
Flavorshack Hot Chicken & Ribs in Duncan, SC
Owners name: David Robertson
Do you have a kids menu? Yes
Do you offer outdoor dining? No
What makes your spot unique? The finest handcrafted Nashville hot chicken and ribs this side of the Tennessee. Everything is cooked to order.
What dish is the most popular? Chicken fried chicken
What dish are you the proudest of? Ribs & Tenders
It’s my first time at your restaurant, what do you suggest we order? The ribs and tenders give you the best of both worlds.
Are you looking for a family-friendly place to eat out or a way to have dinner all ready to heat up at home after a long day? Black Sheep Café and Catering can help you no matter which you prefer.
Until this family-owned restaurant popped up on my list of places to feature, I’ll be honest, I’d not heard of it previously. Now, that I have, it’s all I can think about. I started seeing foodie friends, like The Pickens Foodie posting about it, and I knew I had to get to Piedmont to check them out.
The mixture of homestyle American menu items mixed with Hispanic and Caribbean items would have sealed the deal if I hadn’t already been convinced. Then something caught my eye in the info they submitted that impressed me, a technique I don’t think anyone else that caters locally uses.
I am also proud of our whole pig cooked in a Chinese box when we cater.
Black Sheep Owner & Chef – Elizabeth Barrera
No. She’s not talking about one of those origami-style folded white cardboard boxes your fried rice comes in. She’s talking about La Caja China (Lah Cah-Ha Cheena), the Hispanic version of your Big Green Egg. If you’ve ever been to a pig roast where the whole pig is wrapped in a million banana leaves and then buried and topped with coals, you know that – A/ it’s amazing, B/ it’s a LOT of work, C/ you can’t just go digging holes and setting fires in your yard if you have an HOA. That’s where La Caja China comes in. So, the fact that Black Sheep Cafe & Catering uses this to prepare their catering feasts, means they KNOW what’s up.
Black Sheep Café and Catering in Piedmont, SC
Owners name: Cody, Jesse & Elizabeth Barrera (left to right)
Do you have a kids menu? Yes
What are your contactless delivery options? Curbside pickup
Do you offer outdoor dining? No
What makes your spot unique? Chef Elizabeth is from Colombia, and you will see some Latin dishes on our specials and Catering. Chef Cody is born and raised in South Carolina. You will see some good ol’Southern dishes on our specials and catering as well. The fact that we offer take-and-bake dinners for Pickup or delivery is a big deal for Piedmont.
What dish is the most popular? chicken bacon ranch wrap What dish are you the proudest of? It is so difficult just to pick one. I am proud of our Carolina burger from the lunch menu. I am proud of our Gumbo from our take and bake dinners. I am also proud of our whole pig cooked in a Chinese box when we cater.
It’s my first time at your restaurant, what do you suggest we order? Order from the special board, you won’t regret it. Our specialty sandwiches and Salads are very popular. we have regulars that just go straight to our chef’s feature menu
Wondering if you should try Burrito Hub in Spartanburg? Find out all about the owners, the menu and the little things that make this locally owned Spartanburg restaurant special.
Hugo Montanez is bringing the joy of eating authentic tacos to Spartanburg with the food at Burrito Hub. For most people it only takes a single visit to get completely hooked on the delicious street tacos and other menu items.
Burrito Hub sits quietly on a corner, adjacent to the courthouse in Downtown Spartanburg. Just a few blocks from Main Street. It was on my “Taco-to-try” list for a long time, and for that I’m regretful. I usually order enough to enjoy them for lunch the next day, I wouldn’t be able to make them myself for that price!
Inside: A local mom reviews the new PuddN’ Creations pudding dessert spot in Duncan, SC.
If you’re a dessert lover, there’s a brand-new sweet spot in town that you absolutely have to check out—PuddN’ in Duncan, SC. This family-owned business is bringing something truly unique to the Upstate: a pudding shop offering 23 flavors of homemade, creamy goodness, all made from a treasured Grandma’s recipe. The best part is that they have a pudding bar with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry pudding and over 20 toppings to choose from. The possibilities are endless!
A Unique Dessert Concept in the Upstate
While ice cream and frozen yogurt spots are easy to find, pudding-focused dessert shops are extremely rare. In fact, New PuddN’ is believed to be one of only two dedicated pudding shops in the entire country. This makes it a must-visit destination for pudding lovers and adventurous foodies alike!
Create Your Own Pudding Masterpiece
At PuddN’, it’s all about customization. You can build your own pudding masterpiece by selecting from an impressive lineup of flavors and then piling on toppings like fresh fruit, crumbled cookies, candies, nuts, and more.
One of the standout creations we tried included: 🍫 A decadent mix of chocolate and vanilla pudding ☕ A hint of coffee for a rich, bold flavor 🍬 Crunchy Heath bar pieces for the perfect texture 🍦 A swirl of whipped cream to top it all off
It was absolutely delicious—smooth, creamy, and full of flavor!
Beyond Pudding: More Sweet Treats to Enjoy
While pudding is the star of the show, New PuddN’ also offers other sweet treats to satisfy your cravings: 🍰 Pair your pudding with a slice of key lime pie for a tangy, refreshing twist. 🍩 Try it with a fresh, warm cinnamon roll for the ultimate comfort dessert. 🍋 Cool off with their infused lemonade, a perfect balance of sweetness and zest. 🍮 Grab a jar of pudding to enjoy later—it makes for a great gift or late-night snack.
And yes, for those wondering—their banana pudding is on the menu! 🍌
A Great Location for Summer Fun
New PuddN’ is conveniently located right near Stoneledge Park and Shipwreck Cove Water Park, making it the perfect post-play treat. After a fun day in the sun, nothing sounds better than a cold, creamy, flavor-packed dessert!
📅 Regular Hours: 🕚 Tuesday – Thursday: 12 – 6 pm 🕚 Friday and Saturday: 12 – 8 pm 📍 Address: 147 W Main Street, Duncan, SC 29334
If you love pudding (or just love discovering unique dessert spots), New PuddN’ is a must-visit. Whether you go for a classic banana pudding, a chocolate overload, or something totally unique, you’re in for a delicious and one-of-a-kind experience.
Have you heard about Dray Bar and Grill in Spartanburg? Bob Munnich has created a wonderful spot for lovers of chef inspired food to come and dine. Dray Bar and Grill is where other restaurant owners go to eat, when they get out of their own kitchens. That speaks volumes!
Creative events, markets & movie nights are an added benefit to compliment the experience, when gimmicks aren’t necessary because the food is good enough to stand on it’s own.
This is going to sound odd as a compliment, but Bob Munnich is the only human alive who can get me to eat cauliflower. Not just eat it, enjoy it. You might not realize what an accomplishment that is but trust me – you should be impressed. You should also try the buffalo cauliflower bites when you visit!
If delicious food isn’t enough to draw you to this favorite of Spartanburg residents, the talent behind the bar isn’t lacking either. Bar manager and mixologist extraordinaire Mike Grantham left the bright lights and big city of Downtown Greenville to come and share his talents with the guests at Dray Bar and Grill.
Unique Events at Dray Bar and Grill
If you are looking for a place to spend a rare night away from the kids, this is the place. Check the Dray: Bar + Grill Facebook for upcoming events, like Dinner and a Movie nights, where the menu is paired along with the theme of the movie. It will make for a unique date night experience, with very little work on your part!
Dray Bar and Grill: Spartanburg, SC
Owner: Bob Munnich
Do you have a kid’s menu? Yes
Do you offer outdoor dining? Outdoor Dining – Open Air, Heated
What makes your spot unique? Live local music nightly, a large open dining room providing substantial social distancing and a beautiful patio with a large fire pit.
What dish is the most popular? Dray Burger, Yardbird Sandwich
It’s my first time at your restaurant, what do you suggest we order? Crab Cakes, 14oz Rib Eye
Where do you love to eat when not at work? The Kennedy
