Charleston Lunch: The Grit Counter

Happy Friday, friends! The Grit Counter might be my absolute favorite lunch spot in Charleston. It's walking distance from my office, and they have so many amazing lunch options.

If you're in Charleston, you might have heard the hype around Grace & Grit in Mount Pleasant last summer. My colleagues and I were so excited to have a new restaurant nearby but were so disappointed when we learned that they wouldn't be open for lunch. The space currently occupied by the Counter (at the back side of the main restaurant) started as a coffee and beer bar for a few months, but when they went out of business this winter, the owners of Grace & Grit jumped in to create this perfect lunch spot.

They opened last month with an array of sandwiches, soups, salads, and the best sweet peach iced tea anywhere, all in the same Lowcountry style as Grace & Grit's dinner menu. Their most popular offering is definitely the grits bowls. I have to admit, I wasn't really a fan of grits before moving to the South (or after, I guess), but they do it right. Those smoked gouda grits could be my favorite thing ever.

On the grit menu, you can choose from signature creations, which is a curated bowl of grits, protein, fixins, and sauce or make your own. If you choose to make your own, here's my go to: smoked gouda grits, grilled shrimp, roasted corn, butterbeans, and red eye tasso gravy. Talk about ultimate comfort food! My other favorites are the pimento grits, fried chicken, house bacon, and southern bbq sauce. 

The whole decor is fantastic, too. Much of it was already decorated by the previous coffee shop, and it's modern, bright, and has the best patio. The Grit Counter added some of their own touches, and it's definitely my happy place.