Restaurant in Charleston, United States
Charleston's most credentialed dinner, off the tourist strip.
Vern's is Charleston's clearest case for serious contemporary American dining right now, carrying a 2025 Michelin star and a Resy Best of the Hit List nod. At the $$$ price point on Bogard Street, it delivers nationally competitive cooking at a regional cost — but book 4–6 weeks out minimum. Post-Michelin demand has made this one of the harder reservations in South Carolina.
If you're deciding between Vern's and FIG for your next serious dinner in Charleston, book Vern's — particularly if you want the city's most credentialed contemporary American cooking right now. Vern's earned a Michelin star in 2025 alongside a spot on Resy's Leading of the Hit List, making it the clearest signal of where Charleston's dining scene is producing work at a nationally competitive level. FIG has long been the benchmark for refined New American cooking in this city, but Vern's is the name with fresh momentum and independent recognition behind it.
Vern's sits on Bogard Street in the upper peninsula, away from the tourist corridor of the French Quarter and the King Street strip. The address puts it in a neighbourhood that reads as local rather than performative, which shapes the energy of the room. Visually, expect a considered, restrained interior — the kind of space where the plate is meant to be the focal point, not the décor. If you're coming from a previous visit and wondering what's changed, the 2025 Michelin recognition has almost certainly tightened demand and booking windows, so your approach needs to adjust accordingly.
The cuisine sits at the $$$ price point for American Contemporary, which in Charleston's current context means you're paying for technique and intention rather than theatre. Compared to a destination-level experience like The French Laundry in Napa or Le Bernardin in New York City, Vern's delivers Michelin-calibre cooking at a regional price point , that gap is part of the value case for travelling to Charleston specifically to eat here.
Contact the restaurant directly to ask about private or group dining options , the venue database does not confirm a dedicated private room, and this is one detail worth verifying before committing a group. What's relevant here is that Michelin-starred restaurants at the $$$ tier in similarly sized American cities (think Smyth in Chicago or Lazy Bear in San Francisco) typically accommodate private events on a request basis with advance notice of several weeks. For a special occasion with a party larger than four, reach out well in advance and ask explicitly about group seatings , don't assume the main room will flex easily around a large party on short notice, especially post-Michelin recognition.
For smaller groups of two to four, the main dining room is the right choice. Vern's format , contemporary American with clear technical ambition , suits celebratory dinners, significant anniversaries, and milestone occasions where the food is expected to do real work. It is a stronger fit for those occasions than The Ordinary, which leans seafood-forward and festive rather than refined and precise.
Smart casual is the right call. A Michelin-starred, $$$ contemporary American restaurant in Charleston will not enforce a strict dress code, but the room and price point signal that you should dress for a considered dinner , not a night at Rodney Scott's BBQ. Think: clean, put-together, nothing beach-adjacent. If you're unsure, err toward the nicer end.
Possibly, but verify directly with the restaurant before planning around it. The venue data doesn't confirm a private room, and at a $$$ Michelin-starred restaurant in Charleston, group seatings typically require advance notice and coordination. For parties larger than four, contact Vern's as early as possible , weeks, not days, in advance. For smaller groups, the main room should handle two to four without issue.
Plan for 4–6 weeks minimum. The 2025 Michelin star and Resy Hit List placement have put Vern's on a national radar, which compresses availability. If you have a specific date in mind , an anniversary, a visit window , book the moment the reservation opens, which at most restaurants of this tier means checking at exactly 30 days out. Don't wait until you arrive in Charleston.
Yes, it is one of Charleston's clearest choices for a milestone dinner. The Michelin star gives the occasion the weight it needs, and the $$$ American Contemporary format fits celebratory dinners better than a casual or seafood-forward room would. For comparison: The Ordinary is festive and great for groups but doesn't carry the same precision; Lowland is a strong runner-up if Vern's is unavailable. For a similar occasion-dining experience at a national level, consider how Vern's positions against Zasu in New Orleans or Motor Supply Company in Columbia , Vern's carries more formal recognition than either.
FIG is the most direct alternative , established New American cooking with serious credentials and a loyal local following. Lowland is worth considering if you want something slightly less formal at a comparable price point. For a completely different register, 167 Raw is excellent for oysters and a casual seafood lunch, and Malagón Mercado y Taperia gives you Spanish-inspired small plates at $$ if you want to come down in spend. The Establishment is another option worth checking if the occasion calls for something more lounge-adjacent.
Contact the restaurant directly , specific menu details and dietary accommodation policies are not confirmed in available data. What's typical of Michelin-starred contemporary American kitchens at this price point: most will accommodate common restrictions with advance notice, but the more specific the requirement (severe allergies, multiple exclusions), the more critical it is to communicate clearly before you arrive. Don't rely on in-service flexibility at a tasting-oriented restaurant. Call or email ahead.
If Vern's is part of a broader Charleston trip, use our guides to build out the rest of your visit: our full Charleston restaurants guide, Charleston hotels, Charleston bars, and Charleston experiences. For context on how Vern's sits within the wider American contemporary dining category, see how similar kitchens operate at Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg or Emeril's in New Orleans.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vern's | $$$ · American Contemporary | Resy Best of the Hit List (2025); Michelin 1 Star (2025) | Hard | — |
| Rodney Scott's BBQ | Barbecue | Unknown | — | |
| Xiao Bao Biscuit | Chinese | Unknown | — | |
| The Ordinary | New American - Seafood | Unknown | — | |
| FIG | New American | Unknown | — | |
| Lewis Barbecue | Barbecue | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Dress as you would for a Michelin-starred dinner: put-together without being formal. Think collared shirts or neat casual for men, equivalent for women. Vern's Bogard Street address and contemporary American format suggest a relaxed but intentional crowd — overdressing is as out of place as showing up in gym clothes.
check the venue's official channels about group bookings. The venue database does not confirm a dedicated private dining room, so assume standard table constraints apply until you hear otherwise. For larger parties at a Michelin-starred spot, early outreach is worth the effort.
Book at least three to four weeks out, more if your date is a Friday or Saturday. A 2025 Michelin Star and a Resy Hit List placement in the same year means demand has outpaced availability. Don't wait until you're already in Charleston.
Yes — a Michelin Star and Resy's 2025 Hit List recognition give it the credentials to carry a birthday, anniversary, or celebratory dinner. The $$$ price point means it's a considered spend, not a casual drop-in, which works in its favour for occasions where the setting needs to feel like a deliberate choice.
FIG is the closest comparison for serious American contemporary cooking with local sourcing credentials. The Ordinary is the better call if shellfish and a seafood-forward menu are the priority. For a lower-stakes but still respected meal, Xiao Bao Biscuit offers more casual, flavour-driven cooking at a lower price point.
check the venue's official channels before booking if you have dietary restrictions — the venue database does not document specific accommodation policies. At a Michelin-starred contemporary American kitchen, advance notice is standard practice and gives the kitchen the best chance of adjusting.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
