More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends, and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? What are the new restaurants? What's everyone talking about? While the Eater 18 is a crucial resource covering old standbys and neighborhood essentials across the city, it is not a chronicle of the "it" places of the moment. Enter the Eater Heatmap, which will change continually to highlight the spots crowds are flocking to at the moment or generating a big buzz. Folks are asking, "Have you been yet?" Try one of these newbies today.

New to the list:

December: Blanca EstradaNovember 2024: Legami, Chef Loong Dim SumOctober 2024: Linnette’s September 2024: the Archer August 2024: the SelectJuly 2024: Marbled & Fin, MakanJune 2024: Downtown Co-OpMay 2024: Sissy Bar, CoterieApril 2024: Da Toscano Fugazzi, XO Brasserie March 2024: Bodega Mount PleasantFebruary 2024: Cleats, Lowland Dining Room, Palmira BarbecueJanuary 2024: the Harlow, Da Toscano Porchetta ShopDecember 2023: the Quinte, Lowland Tavern, Lost Isle, Costa, BearcatNovember 2023: King BBQOctober 2023: Honeysuckle Rose

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

The team from downtown bar Dalila’s opened a fun new spot in Park Circle. Sissy Bar takes inspiration from Southern California, from mezcal drinks to breakfast burritos to a massive barbacoa taco platter. Bring friends to sample all the sharable plates.

Slow-cooked brisket and whole hog meet Puerto Rican flavors at Palmira Barbecue. Pitmaster Hector Garate has been popping up around the Lowcountry for several years, but now he has a permanent address in West Ashley.

The crew from hip breakfast spot Daps opened a sports bar with better food and drinks found at typical sports bars. Find pit beef sandwiches, Thai-flavored hot dogs, green hatch chili wings, and waffle fries.

Herman Ng grew up working in his family’s Chinese restaurant, and now he owns his own with the opening of XO Brasserie. The menu focuses on Cantonese and Sichuan cooking, including XO lobster, mapo tofu, and garlic pepper beef. Don’t miss the fun cocktails or the desserts.

The couple behind Wagener Terrace hangout Berkeley’s recently opened their second restaurant, the Archer. They want it to have the same neighborhood vibes but raise the stakes with a full bar and fine dining-level comfort plates. Chef Paul Farmer (formerly of Three Sirens), puts out plates like duck frites, baked oysters, beef stroganoff, chicken liver mousse, and chilled crab dip.

Legami is a new Italian restaurant boasting a chef brought in from Rome by a family with roots in Turin, Italy. Washington Street Hospitality, which controls three Pasta Beach restaurants in New England, thought the King Street building would be another location for Pasta Beach, but decided to switch it up once they got into the historic building. Chef Andrea Congiusta cooks modern Italian fare with some influences from France. “We took inspiration from the classic fine dining, but we also want to have something fun, something that looks very fancy, and something you can crave,” says Congiusta. Dishes include king crab tagliolini, beef Wellington, and veal Milanese.

Modern steakhouse Marbled & Fin is giving all the other steakhouses a run for their money. The expansive dining room fills nightly with well-heeled customers ready to see and be seen. On the menu, chef Eucepe “Cepe” Puntriano includes all the steakhouse classics plus an emphasis on seafood dishes for non-meat eaters. Look for seafood towers, wedge salads, wagyu beef, bone marrow with oysters, creamed spinach, and more.

D.C.-based Malaysian restaurant Makan now has a second location in the Lowcountry. Chef James Wozniuk wanted the South Carolina location to feature local seafood. The ikan asam pedas, a Malaysian hot and sour fish curry, is a must-try if you like spice. There’s also rendand daging (dry beef curry), curry mee (noodle soup with chicken sausage), and kerabu mangga (mango salad).

Charleston is going crazy for soup dumplings, and newcomer Chef Loong Dim Sum delivers. The restaurant offers four flavors (pork soup, chicken soup, pork tomato soup, and truffle pork soup). The rest of the menu is quite extensive as well, with selections ranging from Sichuan mala chicken, crab rangoon, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, and more.

The team behind Italian favorite Le Farfalle has an enticing new cafe in Charleston. The focus of Da Toscano Porchetta Shop is the housemade focaccia and everything that can be sandwiched between the airy bread. Chef Michael Toscano serves a filling chorizo and egg sandwich in the morning and a sumptuous porchetta sandwich in the afternoon. There’s also choices like prime rib, roast chicken, marinated eggplant, and so much more.

Chef Micheal Toscano recently opened a taco shop next to his Italian restaurant Le Farfalle. Blanca Estrada is Toscano’s ode to his Mexican mother and grandmother, whose cooking was an early influence on his culinary journey. The kitchen offers a selection of tacos, from cochinita pibil to lengua, several specials, like a lamb neck burrito, and several tequila drinks and pineapple vinegar soda.

Charming new hotel the Dunlin offers sweeping views of the Kiawah River, abundant hospitality, and coastal Southern fare in its signature restaurant, Linnette’s. Chef Michael DeCicco puts out dishes like a pressed and pickled watermelon salad, wood-fired oysters, cornmeal-crusted flounder, and a sorghum-benne lacquered steak with charred okra.

The team from downtown bar Dalila’s opened a fun new spot in Park Circle. Sissy Bar takes inspiration from Southern California, from mezcal drinks to breakfast burritos to a massive barbacoa taco platter. Bring friends to sample all the sharable plates.

Slow-cooked brisket and whole hog meet Puerto Rican flavors at Palmira Barbecue. Pitmaster Hector Garate has been popping up around the Lowcountry for several years, but now he has a permanent address in West Ashley.

The crew from hip breakfast spot Daps opened a sports bar with better food and drinks found at typical sports bars. Find pit beef sandwiches, Thai-flavored hot dogs, green hatch chili wings, and waffle fries.

Herman Ng grew up working in his family’s Chinese restaurant, and now he owns his own with the opening of XO Brasserie. The menu focuses on Cantonese and Sichuan cooking, including XO lobster, mapo tofu, and garlic pepper beef. Don’t miss the fun cocktails or the desserts.

The couple behind Wagener Terrace hangout Berkeley’s recently opened their second restaurant, the Archer. They want it to have the same neighborhood vibes but raise the stakes with a full bar and fine dining-level comfort plates. Chef Paul Farmer (formerly of Three Sirens), puts out plates like duck frites, baked oysters, beef stroganoff, chicken liver mousse, and chilled crab dip.

Legami is a new Italian restaurant boasting a chef brought in from Rome by a family with roots in Turin, Italy. Washington Street Hospitality, which controls three Pasta Beach restaurants in New England, thought the King Street building would be another location for Pasta Beach, but decided to switch it up once they got into the historic building. Chef Andrea Congiusta cooks modern Italian fare with some influences from France. “We took inspiration from the classic fine dining, but we also want to have something fun, something that looks very fancy, and something you can crave,” says Congiusta. Dishes include king crab tagliolini, beef Wellington, and veal Milanese.

Modern steakhouse Marbled & Fin is giving all the other steakhouses a run for their money. The expansive dining room fills nightly with well-heeled customers ready to see and be seen. On the menu, chef Eucepe “Cepe” Puntriano includes all the steakhouse classics plus an emphasis on seafood dishes for non-meat eaters. Look for seafood towers, wedge salads, wagyu beef, bone marrow with oysters, creamed spinach, and more.

D.C.-based Malaysian restaurant Makan now has a second location in the Lowcountry. Chef James Wozniuk wanted the South Carolina location to feature local seafood. The ikan asam pedas, a Malaysian hot and sour fish curry, is a must-try if you like spice. There’s also rendand daging (dry beef curry), curry mee (noodle soup with chicken sausage), and kerabu mangga (mango salad).

Charleston is going crazy for soup dumplings, and newcomer Chef Loong Dim Sum delivers. The restaurant offers four flavors (pork soup, chicken soup, pork tomato soup, and truffle pork soup). The rest of the menu is quite extensive as well, with selections ranging from Sichuan mala chicken, crab rangoon, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, and more.

The team behind Italian favorite Le Farfalle has an enticing new cafe in Charleston. The focus of Da Toscano Porchetta Shop is the housemade focaccia and everything that can be sandwiched between the airy bread. Chef Michael Toscano serves a filling chorizo and egg sandwich in the morning and a sumptuous porchetta sandwich in the afternoon. There’s also choices like prime rib, roast chicken, marinated eggplant, and so much more.

Chef Micheal Toscano recently opened a taco shop next to his Italian restaurant Le Farfalle. Blanca Estrada is Toscano’s ode to his Mexican mother and grandmother, whose cooking was an early influence on his culinary journey. The kitchen offers a selection of tacos, from cochinita pibil to lengua, several specials, like a lamb neck burrito, and several tequila drinks and pineapple vinegar soda.

Charming new hotel the Dunlin offers sweeping views of the Kiawah River, abundant hospitality, and coastal Southern fare in its signature restaurant, Linnette’s. Chef Michael DeCicco puts out dishes like a pressed and pickled watermelon salad, wood-fired oysters, cornmeal-crusted flounder, and a sorghum-benne lacquered steak with charred okra.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Friday because of winter weather expected to affect much of the state.

The state’s Emergency Operations Center moved to Operation Condition, or OPCON, 2 as of Friday morning. OPCON 2 means a disaster or emergency is considered “likely” to effect the state and emergency operation plans are put into place.

While most of the Lowcountry will see only a light dusting of sleet or brief snow flurries before temperatures rise and rain moves in, snow, sleet and ice is expected to affect much of the rest of the state.

Click here to download the free Live 5 First Alert Weather app.

“Our state’s emergency teams are fully prepared, and this State of Emergency will provide them additional support to respond to the winter weather moving across our state,” McMaster said. “Forecasts predict significant snow, sleet, and ice, with conditions intensifying earlier than anticipated, creating dangerous road conditions today and into tomorrow. I urge all South Carolinians to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary, take appropriate safety measures, and stay informed by following local weather updates.”

McMaster’s executive order will allow state agencies to better coordinate any needed resources because of the winter storm, Emergency Management Division Director Kim Stenson said.

“We’ve faced snow and ice storms in the past, and we are fully prepared to respond to any requests for assistance from our local emergency managers,” Stenson said.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation began pretreating roads and highways Wednesday and has stationed equipment and personnel in strategic locations across the state.

The state’s Department of Public Safety urges drivers to frequently check the weather forecast and stay informed, as conditions can change quickly. Unnecessary travel is discouraged. Troopers will be closely monitoring roadways for hazardous conditions during weather events and will work with our partners to respond as swiftly as possible.

Residents should remember the following winter safety precautions:

The Live 5 Weather team declared Friday a First Alert Weather Day earlier this week because of the threat of a wintry mix for parts of the Lowcountry from the early bands of the winter storm as it moves in from the west.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Decisions made because of threat of wintry weather

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - School districts in South Carolina are preparing for potential impacts from a winter storm that is forecast to bring rare wintry weather to the south.

Below is a list of school districts that have announced early dismissal ahead of the storm.

The Williamsburg County School District became the first Lowcountry district Wednesday afternoon to announce schedule changes ahead of a winter storm’s possible effects on the Lowcountry.

District officials announced on Facebook the district would operate on an early dismissal day Friday, citing the safety of students, faculty and staff led to the decision. The announcement did not specify the time the school is expected to dismiss on Friday.

All extracurricular activities and after-school activities will be canceled for Friday. The district’s job fair will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Elementary schools will be dismissed at 11:15 a.m., middle schools at 11:30 a.m. and high schools at 12:30 p.m.

Williamsburg County will be under a cold weather advisory from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday, a day ahead of the winter storm’s anticipated arrival, because of wind chills as low as 15 degrees.

The Orangeburg County School District opted Thursday afternoon for an early dismissal Friday ahead of forecast winter weather.

“This proactive decision prioritizes the safety of our buses, faculty, staff, and novice student drivers,” the district said in a release.

Elementary schools will dismiss students at 11:30 a.m. with the exception of Dover Elementary School, which will dismiss at 12:30 p.m.

Middle Schools, K-12 schools and middle-high schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m.

High Schools are set to dismiss at 1:00 p.m. with the exception of Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School, which will dismiss at 1:30 p.m.

All afterschool activities, including athletics, are canceled or postponed.

The Live 5 Weather team declared Friday a First Alert Weather Day because of the possibility of wintry weather for portions of South Carolina.

Click here to download the free Live 5 First Alert Weather app.

The winter storm is expected to bring the possibility of wintry weather Friday as it moves east from Georgia. Portions of the Lowcountry, particularly those near I-95 and north of I-26 have the best chance of seeing a brief period of light snow or sleet before the precipitation changes over to rain.

Live 5 First Alert Meteorologist Joey Sovine said the latest forecast models as of Wednesday do not show accumulation likely in the Lowcountry.

Further west, portions of the Midlands have a better chance of seeing snow, but the mountain areas of the Upstate have the best chance, he said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Copyright 2025 WCSC. All rights reserved.

Like many other states, South Carolina found itself in difficulty with its public pension system in the last two decades.

Years ago, the Social Security model of a defined- benefit pension program was widely adopted by states for their own public employees, but many of these state systems were underfunded. South Carolina’s underfunding resulted from a costly retirement incentive program and some serious errors in managing the funds. The 2000 dot-com crash and the 2008 housing crash took more bites out of the fund. Low pay for state workers and the availability of a 401(k) option for some state workers reduced the ratio of workers paying into the fund of retirees collecting benefits. Underfunding slowed down growth of revenue from the system’s assets even as payouts to retirees were rising.

But like at least a few other states, South Carolina has assumed its responsibilities to current and retired state workers. States like South Carolina increased the employee contribution by a moderate amount and the state contribution by a much larger amount until the system’s assets are at least close actuarially to being properly funded. In the last few years, the fund has actually seen revenue from pension fund contributions exceed payments to beneficiaries. Professional management, closely supervised by a commission with suitable professional qualifications, has made significant progress toward full funding. South Carolina does not give cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), but it does provide an annual 1% increase, subject to a $500 cap.

Why am I writing to our U.S. senators about this issue? Because there are close parallels between what is happening in the states and the urgent need to take action on federal Social Security. Like South Carolina’s public pension plan, Social Security is a defined-benefit plan that is not adequately funded. But unlike the S.C. General Assembly, Congress has been all talk and no action. The only cap in Social Security is on the amount of wages and salary subject to the Social Security tax.

We should consider removing the federal cap on income subject to the tax and impose a cap on benefits instead.The average billionaire doesn’t derive much income from something as plebeian as wages and salaries, but rather from profits, dividends, capital gains and other forms of compensation that are not subject to Social Security taxes. So, they have no reason to object. Football coaches, university presidents and others might have a challenge rearranging their income streams to evade some of the tax, but it would still generate considerably more revenue.

Why do we also need a benefit cap? Part of the challenge of increasing the income cap subject to Social Security tax is that it would result in higher future benefits to be paid to those high-end workers, based on their full earnings. A second cap would be needed on benefits to make this proposal work. Most higher income earners have access to additional retirement income from pensions, 401(K) plans and investments. So a benefit cap would not be a serious challenge to their lifestyle.

Social Security was never meant to be the sole source of retirement income, although it is for many Americans. Right now, the maximum possible benefit for a single individual is about $6,000 a month, or $72,000 a year, which should enable someone to survive without depending on the local food bank. A benefit cap of $6,000 a month with an annual COLA should not be too much hardship to bear.

Married? A spouse with limited earnings can claim half her husband’s benefit, raising the family income from Social Security alone to as much as $108,000. (In the South Carolina retirement system, unlike Social Security, retirees can assure survivor benefits for a spouse only by reducing their own monthly benefit to ensure those payments.) Retirees on the lower end of the income spectrum receive a larger percentage of their average wage than wealthier retirees.

Benefits are also more favorable to households with a single high-earner than those relying on two earners, each with a more moderate income. Certainly there are other challenges to be addressed, such as treatment of two-income families, but time is wasting and the Social Security Trust Fund is shrinking. Let’s do something NOW to increase the revenue and slow the growth of future benefits.

Holley Ulbrich is an alumni distinguished professor emerita of economics at Clemson University.

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Tagged: money

The Charleston (SC) Cougars (13-3, 3-0 CAA) are 6-point favorites as they try to build on a five-game winning streak when they visit the Monmouth Hawks (3-13, 1-2 CAA) on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at OceanFirst Bank Center. The contest airs at 1:00 PM ET on FloCollege. The over/under for the matchup is set at 150.

Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

Who Will Win Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth?

Charleston (SC) is 4-1 against the spread when favored by 6 points or more this season.

Monmouth has a 5-2 record against the spread this season when an underdog by 6 points or more.

The Cougars and the Hawks combine to average 4.2 fewer points per game than the total of 150 set for this game.

Opponents of the two teams average a combined 0.4 more points per game, 150.4, than this game’s total of 150 points.

The average over/under Charleston (SC) has had set in games this year is 2.9 more points than this outing’s point total.

The average point total for the Hawks this season is 6.7 points fewer than this game’s over/under.

The Cougars have an 11-4-0 record against the spread this season.

The Hawks have gone 8-8-0 ATS this season.

Charleston (SC) outscores opponents by 4.9 points per game (scoring 78.9 per game to rank 94th in college basketball while giving up 74 per contest to rank 253rd in college basketball) and has a +79 scoring differential overall.

Charleston (SC) ranks 148th in college basketball at 33.4 rebounds per game. That’s similar to the 34 its opponents average.

The Cougars hit 7.9 three-pointers per game (173rd in college basketball), while their opponents have made 8.1 on average.

Charleston (SC) ranks 156th in college basketball by averaging 97.2 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively is 177th in college basketball, allowing 91.1 points per 100 possessions.

The Cougars put up 84.1 points per game when playing at home, compared to 68.5 points per game in road games, a difference of 15.6 points per contest.

Monmouth has been outscored by 9.5 points per game (posting 66.9 points per game, 333rd in college basketball, while conceding 76.4 per outing, 304th in college basketball) and has a -153 scoring differential.

Monmouth pulls down 29.6 rebounds per game (320th in college basketball) while allowing 33.7 per outing to opponents. It is outrebounded by 4.1 boards per game.

Monmouth connects on 7.4 three-pointers per game (218th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 7.9. It shoots 36% from deep, and its opponents shoot 34.5%.

Monmouth ranks 341st in college basketball averaging 86.3 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively is 333rd, allowing 98.7 points per 100 possessions.

The scoring and rebounding leader for the Cougars is Ante Brzovic, who puts up 19.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

CJ Fulton is Charleston (SC)’s best passer, dishing out 6.1 assists per game while scoring 7.8 PPG.

Deywilk Tavarez leads the Cougars in three-point shooting, knocking down an average of 2.1 shots per game from beyond the arc.

Fulton and Brzovic lead Charleston (SC) on the defensive end, with Fulton leading the team in steals averaging 1.6 per game and Brzovic in blocks averaging 1.1 per contest.

Abdi Bashir Jr. is the top scorer for the Hawks with 21.4 points per game. Bashir also tacks on 2.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

Monmouth’s leader in rebounds is Cornelius Robinson Jr. with 5.3 per game, and its leader in assists is Madison Durr with 3.3 per game.

Bashir averages 3.9 three-pointers per game, the most on the Hawks.

Jack Collins (1.3 steals per game) is the steal leader for Monmouth while Jaret Valencia (1.5 blocks per game) is the block leader.

Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth Prediction

How to Bet on Charleston (SC) vs. Monmouth

And for more CBB game previews, NCAA basketball picks or even how to bet on college basketball check out the latest NCAAB lines on Betsperts.