On my recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, I had the opportunity to dine at several new-to-me restaurants.

On our first night in town, we went to Costa. Situated on the waterfront, the restaurant specializes in coastal Italian cuisine. My husband, friend and I decided to share everything family-style so we could sample more of the menu. We started with Hamachi crudo, tuna crudo and prosciutto with melon. Next, we shared house-made mortadella, beef cheek tortelli and candele with anchovy. We finished the meal with a halibut special and pork chop Milanese. Each bite was truly delicious, though my favorites of the night were the tortelli and candele. Costa was a standout meal!

For a classic southern meal, a group of us went to dinner at Anson Restaurant on the second night of our visit. The staple near Charleston Market offers seasonal Southern cuisine. We all shared oysters, smoked trout dip and fried green tomatoes to start. I ordered scallops with corn risotto as my main course. My husband and I split a decadent slice of pecan pie for dessert.

On our last night in Charleston, we visited O-Ku. Much like our Costa experience, my husband, friend and I decided to share the meal family-style. We wanted to experience a variety of sushi and cooked Asian dishes. To start we shared small plates including tempura shrimp, spring rolls and salmon crudo. We selected a variety of sushi rolls at the recommendation of our waitress, and beef short ribs from the hot plate section. My favorite dish of the night was hakozushi, a box-style sushi. The version we ordered was made with squid ink rice, tempura fried lobster salad, crispy onion, masago, spicy aioli and chives. The indulgent dish was one of the most unique bites of sushi I’ve experienced.

The Charleston food scene does not disappoint! I’m looking forward to trying more new spots on my next visit.

— Katie Skrzek, vice president/digital director