Looking for restaurants in Downtown Greenville, SC? Greenville, South Carolina, has made its mark on the culinary map with a selection of well-respected restaurants. This is a list of Downtown Greenville restaurants, sorted by meals and occasions. Plus, a list of restaurants along Main Street downtown.
Diners have no shortage of choices regardless of what they might be craving! From a casual lunch to a romantic dinner date, every kind of meal can be found in downtown Greenville.
Need a unique date night idea? How about a great night out with friends? Or maybe you just love good food. Today KAG contributor Kristina Hernandez is telling us about a unique tour you can take in Downtown Greenville, called At the Chef’s Table Culinary Tour. On this tour, you’ll enjoy great food, learn about the food and people who prepare it, and hear unique tidbits of Greenville’s history.
Thank you to John Nolan for providing this tour in order to allow us to share a review with you.
Just. One. More. Bite. My eyes were fighting with my full stomach as I stared down the dark chocolate tart at The Lazy Goat, the last of what amounted to a five-course meal of Table 301 restaurants in downtown Greenville. Over two hours earlier, I had met other excited participants for John Nolan’s At the Chef’s Table Culinary Tour at Soby’s on the Side, ready and willing to experience the highly-rated walking food tour.
I made it this far and just gave in, savoring just one last bite of the delicious dessert.
Are you looking for kid-friendly restaurants? Greenville, SC has several with play areas so your kids can burn off some steam while mom and dad might even be able to enjoy the food on their plates! We are sharing our list of family restaurants in Greenville, SC, and the surrounding area, including ones where your kids can make art while you eat, watch planes take off and land, or even get into a game of bowling.
If you don’t have time for a meal in a restaurant but still want to feed your family a healthy dinner, then these healthy restaurants Greenville, SC has to offer will complete your dinner menu! Believe it or not, you can get a fast, yet healthy, meal right here in Greenville.
Local Mom Lindy put together this list of local spots for a quick and healthy meal that even your kids will like.
Taco from Papi’s Tacos
I recently wrote up a list of alternatives to the fast-food drive-thru’s and it was so popular that Kidding Around Greenville readers wanted a list of even more quick-service restaurants with healthier food options. So below are some of your favorite spots for a quick bite with kids (a couple of these even have a pickup window!). Note: We did not relist the places that made our first list of healthy drive-thru spots. Be sure to check that out too as almost all of the places on that list offer dine-in too.
Healthy Restaurants: Greenville, SC Quick Places for Dining In With Kids (that don’t have drive-thrus)
Located off Wade Hampton, Asada is an authentic Mexican joint that gets rave reviews from our community for everything from the more familiar burrito to the exotic yucca balls. Their brunch looks tempting too!
Clean Eatz
3608 Pelham Road Suite C, Greenville, SC 864.605.7999
Want something quick, super duper healthy, but also full of flavor? Then Clean Eatz is a place you HAVE to try. They have burgers, wraps, build-your-own bowls, and more. I highly recommend building your own bowl, because there are so many options to make your meal. Their Chocolate Covered Strawberry protein smoothie is the perfect amount of sweet. They even have a healthy kid’s menu, with things like pizza rolls and turkey burgers.
Farm Fresh Fast
860 South Church Street, Greenville, SC 864.518.1978
As one of the most highly recommended healthy restaurants Greenville, SC has to offer, Farm Fresh Fast is where it is at! Busy families can subscribe to a meal plan with delivery, so you’ll always know where dinner (or lunch or breakfast) is coming from. If you just need something quick one night you can call ahead to order a single meal for pick-up, or just drop by their restaurant on Church Street for a meal. You don’t have to be a subscriber to eat here. Farm Fresh Fast uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients, for farm-fresh food, fast.
We loved Farm Fresh Fast, simply because the food was quick, healthy, and tasty! Learn more in our KA review of Farm Fresh Fast.
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Multiple Locations
Ironically based out of Atlanta (aka the South EAST), Moe’s is nonetheless pretty good as far as this born and raised Southwesterner is concerned. Much like Chipotle, there are many build-your-own options, but you get unlimited chips and a free salsa bar. So not as good for dieting, but delicious! You can also get birthday freebies and welcome free queso when you sign up for their email club.
O-CHA Tea Bar
300 River Street Ste 122, Greenville, SC 864.283.6702
Though their focus is tea, their dining menu is delicious with many vegetarian options in addition to some amazing pastries. O-CHA Tea Bar is very kid-friendly – when I nursed my baby there a while back, the owner personally came over to thank me for nursing my child and let me know nursing mothers are always welcomed there.
Tamale from Papi’s Tacos
Papi’s Tacos
300 River Street, Greenville, SC 864.373.7274
Downtown along the Reedy River, this “stationary food truck” is owned by fine dining experts at the above Lazy Goat. Kids will love the gelato and enjoy watching the geese in the Reedy River. Papi’s Tacos also has a location in Easley.
Find out why Papi’s Tacos is the place to go in Greenville when you are craving authentic Mexican tacos that are fresh in our KA review!
Sun Belly Cafe
1409 West Blue Ridge Drive, Greenville, SC 404.309.7791
Have dietary restrictions and want something vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free? Sun Belly Cafe has a menu loaded with special diet items, but they do not skimp on the flavor! They have a variety of salads and unique, protein-loaded dishes to try out. If you like spicy, they have a savory Ethiopia Stew Plate that my husband always gets when you go here and literally salivates over. This place is probably not the best for families with picky eaters because they have a more adventurous menu, but there are options on the menu for everyone.
Swamp Rabbit Cafe
205 Cedar Lane Road, Greenville, SC 864.255.3385
It’s a popular local spot, but because of its delicious selections of soups, sandwiches, salads, and most recently pizza, all made with fresh, local ingredients, Swamp Rabbit Cafe deserves a spot in the realm of healthy eating out. We just won’t mention those fantastic scones, cookies, or cinnamon rolls.
Learn why the stecca is the best and you’ll never find cleaner, locally sourced products than at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe in our KA review!
Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
3604 Pelham Road Ste A, Greenville, SC 864.501.0450
Delicious gyros, salads, platters with chicken or lamb, and great side choices are available for dine-in or call ahead for pick-up. Taziki’s has some unique children’s meals, like chicken pitas. They also have great family to-go meal deals available.
Tropical Grille
Multiple Locations
With several locations in the area, Tropical Grille is perfect for any meal and super convenient. They have enough variety with their Cuban-themed menu to suit everyone in the family, no matter what they like, and the prices are very good for what you get.
Their sauces are also fabulous and they have lots of healthy options. Call ahead for pickup or drop-in for a quick, but delicious, dinner. They have a family option for dinner as well, which can last for a couple of meals.
A couple of the Tropical Grilled locations have drive-thrus, but the majority are dine-in or carry-out.
Viva Chicken
3624 B Pelham Road, Greenville 1139 Woodruff Road, Greenville
With meals built around delicious, farm-raised chicken, Viva Chicken is an excellent choice for a healthy quick meal. They even have sandwiches, wraps, salads, vegetarian options, and vegan options! They are known for their Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, so you know it’s juicy.
You can grab a quarter chicken with two sides for only $10.25, or grab a whole chicken with sides for the entire family. You’ll find sides like plantains, yuca, or cilantro rice in addition to several signature sides you can choose from. Don’t forget the sauces! They are house-made daily and full of flavor.
Yum Bai SC
Food Truck: Schedule frequently changes
This is an excellent food truck option if you are looking for healthy restaurants. Greenville, SC’s own Yum Bai SC offers fusion Asian cuisine, and their consistently parked at some pretty awesome locations and breweries. You can find out where they are going to be located through their regular Facebook posts of their upcoming schedule.
Read our KA review of Yum Bai SC to learn more about their delicious Asian cuisine and get your hands on some of those Lemongrass steaks!
As always let us know if you have any other recommendations. We love hearing from our readers!
Ever get so busy you don’t have time to cook? Farm Fresh Fast wants to be there when those days hit, as a quick but healthy (and tasty) meal option. Kidding Around Greenville contributor and local mom, Kristina Hernandez visited Farm Fresh Fast and now she’s telling you just what to expect. File it away in the back of your brain, because you know that “too busy to cook” day is coming soon!
“Here are the duck eggs,” said Daniel Leyman of Lilac Acres Farmstead. He walked into Farm Fresh Fast when I did and was presenting the large eggs to Jonathan Willis, who owns the popular restaurant. Jonathan had found Daniel right before he opened Farm Fresh Fast and was buying the eggs to use for duck omelets.
When Jonathan talked about working with small farmers to source local ingredients for the new fast-food farm-to-table restaurant, he wasn’t joking. Daniel’s farm consists of two acres at his home in a subdivision in Taylors that houses some ducks, chickens, goats, and pigs on his property. So far, Jonathan has found 15 local farmers and works closely with them to ensure he gets the best possible ingredients. We can’t all go looking for great ingredients at local farms but we can eat them at Farm Fresh Fast.
The concept behind Farm Fresh Fast
Jonathan Willis created a meal planning and delivery service in January 2016 in Greenville that catered to busy families and professionals. As a certified nutritionist and trainer, he had the knowledge to create healthy and tasty food and saw a market in Greenville that would embrace it. And they did.
He accomplished his two-year plan in only eight months and was ready to expand the business to the next level: a fast food restaurant with the convenience of a pickup window and the taste and food straight from the farm.
Healthy and fast food are pretty much never mentioned in the same sentence and Jonathan set out to change that. He also knew that charging high prices for good food wasn’t the way to go and attract a base of customers that would regularly be able to enjoy the restaurant.
With the immense help of his then-fiancée Kaylee Gonzalez, who loves creating healthy alternatives and is a fitness buff herself, he set out to do what no one in the Greenville area has done: start a healthy, true farm-to-table fast food restaurant.
The Food at Farm Fresh Fast
Farm Fresh Fast sources 80% of its ingredients from local farmers and their goal is 90%. If tomatoes aren’t in season, they aren’t serving them. When lettuce is in season, the restaurant will have a killer salad in the works.
Jonathan started planning his menu back in the fall and worked with local farmers to start planting then so that he can have what he wants now – spaghetti squash, zucchini, and cauliflower.
A West Virginia native, Jonathan’s own background shines through in the Almost Heaven Fat-Free Cheddar-Stuffed Burger, which uses lean ground beef and pork ($14.99). The bun is made by Upcountry Provisions in Travelers Rest (which my oldest child devoured before I could get to it) and gluten-free options are available. The Seasonal Stir-Fry is another highlight, using only local vegetables to create a satisfying meal ($15.49).
The meals are portion-sized yet filling. After having the Almost Heaven burger, I didn’t feel awful or too full. It was a perfectly sized dish with really good ingredients. Oh, and it was fast too – our meal was out in about 10 minutes.
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are all available and thoughtfully cooked and prepared.
“What you think about fast food – I want to flip it on its head,” said Jonathan. “Often you order something at a fast food place and don’t expect it to be right. You expect it to be mediocre. We want to be different, efficient, and we want people coming back for more. We are setting high standards for farm-to-table food.”
Vegan Options Are Super Popular
Since it’s opening, Farm Fresh Fast has created a “No Kill Menu”, featuring and Greek Pita Wrap and Buffalo “Chicken” Wrap.
Willis has taken steps to work specifically with the Greenville vegan community, attracting the attention of local news even for his creative menu options that even meat lovers enjoy and that the vegan community are happy to support.
Farm Fresh Fast is food for the whole family
I needed to ask Jonathan the question “will kids like the food?” He answers with a resounding ‘yes’!
Jonathan and Kaylee reiterate that the restaurant is kid-friendly and the pick-up window is especially geared towards busy parents just trying to get their kids something healthy to eat and to do it quickly.
My kids really loved the chicken and my youngest pointed to the cauliflower in the open kitchen, wanting to try it (she ate it all and took some to-go). The restaurant felt homey and welcoming.
“I want to show people what food is supposed to taste like,” she said.
The menu has a rotating list of 20 grab-and-go items available for sale at the counter and at the pick-up window, including Hickory BBQ Pizza, General Tso’s Chicken over Rice, Chicken and Whole Wheat Waffles, Southwest Burrito Bowl, Turkey Chili, and the Spicy Chicken Wrap.
The Farm Fresh Fast vibe
The vibe at Farm Fresh Fast is just really cool – the décor is well-thought out, featuring tons of reclaimed wood (that Jonathan went and picked up himself from old barns in the area), hand-laid concrete counters, and lots of repurposed farm items.
There is an abundance of natural light and guests can get an up-close look at the way everything is prepared because the kitchen is entirely open to the dining room through the bar area.
The restaurant is aiming high.
“We want to be a company of the community,” explains Jonathan.
“It’s all about the fiscal eco-system – by eating here and eating local food where we purchase from area farmers, it’s a cycle that benefits the local economy. No one is doing this on a fast food scale.”
And consumers are ready for this. Nationally, mom and pop restaurants are growing faster than chain restaurants. Bloomberg reports that some big-time restaurant chains are shutting down and Americans want something that feels more like home: “Large chains seem rooted in the American experience. But times, and tastes, are changing. Customers these days believe locals have better food, service, deals and even decor, the Pentallect report said.”
Greenville is a good example of this trend as innovative, creative spots are popping up all around town, seeking to make eating out a community experience, which is exactly what Farm Fresh Fast is aiming for.
Plan your visit to Farm Fresh Fast
Farm Fresh Fast is open from Mondays-Thursdays 11 am – 8 pm and Saturdays 11 am – 3 pm.
Farm Fresh Fast 860 S. Church Street, Greenville 864.518.1978
Have you ever visited a farm to table fast food restaurant?
Wanting a healthy drive-thru in Greenville, SC? Sometimes a quick dinner is a must but less than healthy fast food chain food isn’t what you want to feed your family. Thankfully there are some healthier options, many even offer a drive-thru so you don’t have to get the kids out of the car! Here is a handy list of places to head to the next time you need a fast, yet healthy, meal for your family.
Healthy Drive-Thru Options Near Greenville, SC
Tropical Grille
While currently only the Woodruff Road and Mauldin locations of Tropical Grille have a drive-thru, at around $28 for a family meal, it’s a huge hit and a local business to boot. They offer Cuban-inspired meals, including yellow rice, chicken, Cuban sandwiches, and the most delicious sauces ever! Their South of the Border is so delicious, with a combination of guacamole, sour cream, salsa, chicken, yellow rice, tomatoes, and delicious garlic sauce. Yum!
Farm Fresh Fast
One of the most popular fast food places in the area, Farm Fresh Fast has amazingly healthy and delicious meals to go. They have some delicious options like the Korean BBQ Chicken Quesadilla and the Crispy Thai Pork Wrap. They even had a vegan plant-based menu with several options. You can order online and pick up a number of healthy options at either the Greenville location or the Simpsonville location.
Panera Bread
While not all Panera Bread locations have a drive-thru, the Haywood Mall location, the Pelham Road location, and the Greer location all have a drive-thru. The majority of their additional locations have drive-thru’s as well. Their menu items include paninis, soups, and salads at Panera Bread, with healthy options for sides like fresh fruit. Be sure to sign up for their rewards program too!
PDQ
The Pelham Road location of PDQ offers a simplified menu featuring grilled chicken tenders and a delicious blueberry coleslaw (sure to make you forget your longings for that other place’s discontinued slaw). The quality of their chicken tenders is much better than many fast food contenders, so that is always a plus when it comes to feeding your kids. You’ll find PDQ off Pelham just before the 85.
Chicken Salad Chick
Chicken Salad Chick has a location off Pelham, another Augusta (no drive-thru), and another off Garlington near Woodruff Rd. There is also an Easley location. They have various salads, soups, and sandwiches with, you guessed it, chicken salad. They offer comfort foods that are fresh and healthy.
Chicken Salad Chick makes their meals from scratch, so you do not have to worry about your food coming from a little premade bag. Plus, their Little Chicks menu for kids will give your children more variety than the traditional chicken nuggets and fries you get from a fast food place.
Clean Eatz
This is the place for super healthy eating out. Located off of Pelham Road, you can order ahead at Clean Eatz and pick up super healthy and tasty meals. Clean Eatz meals are very clean, with fresh vegetables, delicious protein portions, grilled chicken, and more. They offer burgers, wraps, flatbreads, smoothies, and protein-rich options. They also have meal plans.
McAlister’s Deli
You can order your food online and pick up from the drive-thru window at McAlister’s Deli in Greer on Wade Hampton Blvd. They have a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads, and a few options for a loaded baked potato (yum!).
Smoothies: Healthy Drive-Thru Options for Drinks
Smoothie King
If liquid nutrition hits the spot or it’s just too hot for anything else, Smoothie King is an awesome choice, and no need to leave your car. Smoothies are an insidious way to hide fruits and veggies in your kids’ diet and have them ask for more! You can make your smoothie even healthier by asking for no added sugar to your fruit smoothies. Go higher calorie and add some protein to round it out for a meal. Locations off Woodruff Road, Pleasantburg (next to Fresh Market), Greer, Simpsonville, Easley, and Clemson!
Liquid Highway
So you need caffeine and the kids need a snack? Try a local coffee place like Liquid Highway. We like their Green Goddess smoothies and profits go towards their foundation.
Starbucks
Alright, for those times more artisanal coffee houses can’t be found, Starbucks offers a decent amount of snacks that do not include fries but do include a quad espresso for you along with a rewards program.
Any other healthy drive-thru options we missed? Please let us know in the comments!
Looking to explore the Upstate? Why not go on one of the many tours in Greenville, SC? Learn about the history and architecture of Greenville. Ignite your taste buds and inner foodie by going on a culinary tour. Explore the mountains, trails, and waters through a nature tour. There’s something for everyone. And because there are so many Greenville tours, we’ve rounded up some of the best for you… all in one place.
West End Walking Tour begins at Falls Park and explores Greenville’s West End, including the ruins of an 1816 grist mill, Huguenot Mill, Riverplace, and more.
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: $18 for 11 years and older and $9 for 10 years old and younger
Historic Neighborhood Architecture explores the different neighborhoods in downtown Greenville, including the current downtown condos, Pettigru, Augusta Road, Mills Mill village, and more.
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cost: $25 for all ages
Greenville Driving Tour is a great way to experience more of Greenville. This is a great option for those looking to relocate to Greenville!
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: $20 per person in a Greenville History Tour-supplied 15-passenger van
A Photographic Journey of Old Greenville allows you to look at Greenville’s evolution through photos, maps, drawings, and paintings as you ride in a 13-passenger van. You’ll be able to see the changes from the vantage point of of where they were taken.
Learn about the former residents of Greer, SC- some who may have never left- on the Greer Ghost tour. Several tours are offered near Halloween annually.
Greenville BBQ Trail Tour takes you on a drive to visit (and taste) some of the best BBQ around! Locations visited include Bucky’s Bar-B-Q, Henry’s Smokehouse, and Mike & Jeff’s BBQ.
At the Chef’s Table (Tuesday and Saturday) is one of the more popular food tours and takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These are walking tours where you get to taste food from some of the best restaurants in Greenville, talk to the chef, and learn about drink pairings. The Tuesday night version usually includes Nose Dive, Soby’s, The Lazy Goat, and Spill the Beans. The Saturday night version usually includes Nose Dive, Soby’s, CAMP, and The Lazy Goat.
The Carolina Countryside Tour allows you to drive through the upstate on a Sunday afternoon, exploring the beauty of the local farms, vineyards, pioneer homes, mountains, waterfalls, and more. Locations include Aunt Sue’s Country Corner or Hester General Store, Table Rock Tea Farm, Core 450 Restaurant, and three different mountain view overlooks of Table Rock.
Duration: 5 hours
Cost: $75
Greenville Breakfast Tour is a way to experience breakfast 3 times in one day! Current locations include Southern Pressed Juicery, Biscuit Head, and Papi’s Tacos or Le Petit Croissant.
Greenville Coffee Tour is for the coffee lovers. There are several local roasters and coffee shops, and this tour will take you on tasting and learning experience. The tour includes a rotating choice of three local coffee shops.
New Restaurants of the Upstate helps highlight some of the newer restaurants in Greenville. This tour itinerary changes regularly to keep up with the many new restaurants in Greenville.
Thirsty Thursday Tour is a walking tour that allows you to experience new cocktail combinations and carefully paired appetizers. Includes 4 full size cocktails and 4 full size appetizers. Must be 21 years old to attend.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: starts at $89
Just Desserts is a Saturday-afternoon walking tour to experience some of Greenville’s best desserts. Locations include The Westin Poinsett, Maestro, and Crepe du Jour.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $65
Date Night Cocktails is a Friday-evening walking tour that’s perfect for date night or a night out with friends. It includes 4 full-sized cocktails and 4 full-sized appetizers. Locations include Sassafras Southern Bistro, Crepe du Jour, and Maestro.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $89
Craft Cocktail Tour is a Saturday-evening walking tour to four different locations for specialty cocktails and appetizers. The tour begins at Bon Jour on Main and continues to Sassafras Southern Bistro, Scoundrel, and Maestro.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $89
Breakfast Tour is a Saturday morning walking tour that allows you to experience not one, but THREE full breakfasts! Locations include Spoonbread inside the Westin Poinsett, Bon Jour on Main, and Roost.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: begins at $65
Six & Twenty
Six & Twenty Distillery Tours give you an opportunity to see the science of distilling spirits. They offer both private and public tours.
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: $20-30
Vicario Farm Tours
Vicario Tasting Room and Farm Tours allow you to experience the farm, greenhouse, and processing facility of Renato Vicario and Janette Wesley. Their family operates two farms – one in Italy near Cortona, and one in Greer, behind their micro-distillery! You’ll learn a lot about the science of making liqueur during your tour.
Afternoon Delight is a three-stop driving tour that plays off a parody of Forrest Gump. The 12-passenger van will take you to Liability Brewing, Thomas Creek, and The 8th State Brewing Co. Birds Fly South and Carolina Bauernhaus can be included by requests for groups.
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cost: $64 per person
Twilight Tour is a three-stop driving tour that also plays off a parody of Forrest Gump. You’ll ride in a 12-passenger van and visit Tetrad Brewing, Liability, and The 8th State Brewing co. Thomas Creek Brewery, Birds Fly South, and Carolina Bauernhaus are available by request for groups.
Duration: 3.5 hours
Cost: $64 per person
Family-Focused Tours
Greenville Explorers: Family Tour is a family-friendly tour that allows you to explore downtown Greenville in a fun, educational way. The tour includes a scavenger hunt, a stop a the Mast General Store’s candy area, quick history lessons, and more!
Jocassee Lake Tours offers a large variety of tours, both public and private, for you to explore all that Jocassee has to offer. Some of their tours include:
Lake Tours during the Warm Season
Duration: 3-4 hours
Cost: starting at $55 for all ages
Private Lake Tours during the Warm Season
Duration: 3-6 hours
Cost: starting at $395 for all ages, up to 12 people per boat
Kayak Tours
Duration: 6 hours
Cost: Starting at $125 per person, ages 10+
Private Fishing Tours
Duration: 4-6 hours
Cost: $395 for the four-hour tour, $595 for the 6 hour tour
Sunset Lake Tours
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: starting at $55 for all ages
Full Moon Rising Tour
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: starting at $55 per person for all ages, but great for adults!
Paris Mountain State Park offers guided ranger hikes for families, giving everyone a chance to learn about the animals and insects that inhabit the park.
We did a ranger-guided hike at Paris Mountain and it was awesome!
Swamp Rabbit Trail to Travelers Rest Bike Tour uses electric assist bikes to get you from downtown Greenville to Travelers Rest, where you’ll grab a quick bite to eat before heading back to Greenville.
I’ve got 4 words for you: Breakfast Tour in Greenville. If there’s anything better than breakfast, it’s having breakfast three times in one morning. John Nolan, owner of Greenville History Tours, feels the same. He’s created a culinary tour of three breakfast-focused restaurants in Greenville that will leave you not only content and full, but yearning to schedule time to go back and spend an entire morning at any of them.
Kidding Around Greenville got to try this breakfast adventure and we cannot wait to share it with you.
Culinary Tours
If you are unfamiliar with John Nolan and his culinary tours, they are easily one of the best events in Greenville. It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting town, have lived here for years, or just moved in. John has mastered the art of delivering the VIP experience to guests of some of the town’s best restaurants, all the while regaling guests with tales from Greenville’s past, complete with photos.
At the Chef’s Table Culinary Tour, chefs at the restaurant stops mingle with guests, take them into their kitchens, and share food and drinks. John points out the ruins of textile mills, explains how the town was named, and shows old photos of Main Streets. I got to go on one of these tours and it was incredible. I’ve since taken my husband and the experience was just as good.
So when John reached out and told us at Kidding Around Greenville that he was launching a breakfast tour, I was all in. Breakfast is my ultimate favorite meal of the day. Game on.
Breakfast Tour
The restaurant scene is exploding in Greenville but the breakfast places aren’t getting much love. This tour highlights some of the best places in the area and wow, are they yummy.
Founded and established in Greenville, Southern Pressed Juicery is focused on helping you take care of your health and well-being.
Their menu consists of fresh juices, acai bowls, smoothies, and salads. There’s even a Sweet Treats section with an assortment of doughnuts.
Biscuits Next
We continued on… and before we knew it, John had stopped the van at our next destination, Biscuit Head.
Truthfully, this was the place I was looking forward to the most because…biscuits. I love them. I love making them and I love eating them.
Biscuit Head opened in 2013 and has been busy ever since. Their whimsical design and creative dishes keep guests coming back for more. They even have their own cookbook that patrons can purchase.
We had a divine dish of a poached egg with lime zest, a lime crema, and a grilled chicken biscuit with avocado and mango salsa. The biscuit was so good but what pushed this dish off the charts was the jam bar.
This jam bar was crazy. It was all kinds of homemade jam, like sweet potato chai, peach, and raspberry, plus butters like the s’mores butter. It was just as tasty as it sounds. I can still taste the flavors as I write this. This was my favorite part. I should have asked for another biscuit just so I could try more jams.
And Biscuit Head sells all of their jams to go. Winner.
Oh, and the owners surprised us with a little mimosa to round out the meal. As with everything else they served, it was excellent.
Tacos…or Croissants
The last stop on your tour will either be Papis Tacos or Le Petit Croissant.
Papi’s Tacos has delicious tacos with an incredible view of the Reedy River. Their menu also features nachos and burrito bowls. And for your sweet tooth, you’ll find churros and gelato.
Le Petit Croissant specializes in artisan chocolates and pastries, but they also have a breakfast menu featuring avocado toast, B.E.C. (bacon, egg, and cheese), quiches, and other breakfast sandwiches and croissants.
Want to go?
Tours take place every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9 am.
I’d do this again in a heartbeat… especially as a date. As a working parent, I’d also have no hesitation to reserve a spot for a client coming into town or as a breakfast meeting. It’s such an interesting idea for a creative outing in Greenville whether you are a native or just visiting.
It’s also a great way to begin a Girls Day Out or even a special Moms Morning Out or something similar. It makes a fantastic gift for friends as well.
Breakfast is underrated in my humble opinion. John Nolan and Greenville History Tours elevates breakfast the way it should be and delivers a memorable experience at the same time.
To sign up, go to the Greenville History Tours website (you can also register for John’s other great history and culinary tours as well).
Want more tours?
We have a huge list of all the foodie, history, nature, and family tours (plus a few really unique options).
Thinking about trying Urban Wren in Downtown Greenville? This Greenville restaurant consistently gets rave reviews from locals! For multiple years in a row, they garnered multiple “Best Of The Best” wins locally. So we wondered, what is everyone ordering when they eat at Urban Wren? We thought you might be wondering too. So we asked Kidding Around readers what they recommend off the menu at Urban Wren.
The menu changes frequently, so be sure to check the Urban Wren website for updated menu options.
Photo Credit: Dee Dee Cobble Miller | Paper Bag Salad
Have you the food from the Yum Bai SC food truck in Greenville, SC? Unfortunately, there aren’t very many places, if any, in the Upstate where you can find Vietnamese and Korean food separately. However, now thanks to Yum Bai SC, you can find both in the form of Asian fusion street-style cuisine all over Greenville and Spartanburg in South Carolina! This food truck continues to see a lot of positive feedback from patrons! If you haven’t caught them around town yet, we have all the info to make your mouth water and get you seeking this bright orange food truck out!
