You can find dozens of variations on this classic Southern dish in restaurants across the country. But there’s something special about eating shrimp and grits in the Lowcountry, where the main ingredients are so close to home.
Shrimp and grits have been a staple in coastal Southern kitchens for generations, but when and where did the dish originate? Sources like the Levine Museum of the New South suggest shrimp and grits was likely the result of a convergence of Gullah Geechee, Indigenous and European cooking traditions that started centuries ago. An early recipe for “Shrimps and Hominy” appears in the 1930 cookbook, Two Hundred Years of Charleston Cooking. Over time, the dish was eventually popularized (and fancied up) by restaurants like Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Husk in Charleston, South Carolina.
Our list of standout shrimp and grits highlights crowd-favorite versions of this dish, both traditional and creative, where local ingredients like these are always the focus. That’s thanks to farmers who still grow heritage-variety grains, like the Sea Island Yellow Guinea Flint Grits from Rollen’s Raw Grains in Hardeeville, South Carolina, and purveyors like Tarvin Shrimp of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, who catch shrimp off the Lowcountry coastline.
Blackstone’s Cafe, Beaufort, SC
In historic downtown Beaufort, Blackstone’s Cafe has been going strong for more than 35 years thanks to its dedication to classic Lowcountry dishes like shrimp and grits. Blackstone offers two versions: traditional and cajun. The latter is made with a rich demi-glace, roasted red and green bell peppers and onions, then topped with shrimp and chorizo sausage.
Lowcountry Produce, Beaufort, SC
This restaurant does a slight riff on the classic, offering fried flounder in addition to grilled or fried shrimp. And the setting is equally enticing: the Beaufort location is housed in the former city hall building, circa 1917, with majestic windows overlooking Carteret Street.
Common Restaurant, Savannah, GA
A Savannah native is at the helm of this elegant Broughton Street restaurant, where the shrimp and grits are anything but typical. Executive chef Sean Freeman takes creative license with his version for the brunch menu, topping stone-ground gouda grits with salmon, pancetta lardons and hondashi aioli. Or try the handheld version — the Crispy Gouda Grit Croquettes — as an appetizer.
Glass Onion, Charleston, SC
On Savannah Highway in West Ashley, Glass Onion’s menu is a reflection of what’s grown, caught and farmed in the Lowcountry region. And its shrimp and grits is no exception, made with Carolina-caught Shrimp, andouille sausage, creole tomatoes and grits from Marsh Hen Mill on Edisto Island. It’s a favorite of Charleston locals, including Proof owner Craig Nelson: “In my living will,” he says, “I have requested that, if possible, their grits would be the last thing I taste.”
Acme Lowcountry Kitchen, Isle of Palms, SC
There’s not one but seven grits-based dishes on offer here, ranging from the Lowcountry — shrimp and smoked sausage over grits with Tasso ham gravy — to the bougie Isle of Palms version, made with truffle cheese grits, blackened shrimp and smoked sausage. Whatever you choose, expect to eat Carolina-caught shrimp — the restaurant serves local shrimp year-round.
Grace & Grit, Mount Pleasant, SC
No surprise here, but grits are the center of attention at this popular Mount Pleasant restaurant. Choose from 14 types of grits as a side or go all out with the classic entree version made with Sea Island shrimp and smoked gouda grits, topped with bacon, red-eye gravy, peppers, onions and scallions. For those who can’t decide, order the “Grit Flight” — including pimento cheese, brussels pesto, blueberry, sweet potato casserole — as an appetizer.