Commercial Roof Repair in Charleston, SC

Cooking meat low and slow over an indirect heat source—the only real qualifications for barbecue—is a truly American tradition, going back to indigenous cultures and picked up by early Spanish colonizers who also gave it the name the cooking style goes by now: barbacoa. Today, barbecue is a wildly popular staple across the U.S., with many cities and regions boasting their own take (and all claiming to have the best). Because barbecue meat spends hours upon hours cooking, restaurants are a go-to source for many Americans who would rather not spend all day and all night tending to their flames. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated barbecue restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Some restaurants on the list may have recently closed.

#16. Home Team BBQ

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (441 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: American, Bar– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 2209 Middle St, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482-8780– Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Smokey Bones N. Charleston

– Rating: 3.5 / 5 (182 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: American, Bar– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 7250 Rivers Avenue, Charleston, SC 29406– Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Melvin’s BBQ

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (427 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 925 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464-3448– Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Southern Roots Smokehouse

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (91 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5)– Type of cuisine: American, Barbecue– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 2544 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29414-5325– Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Cumberland Street Smokehouse

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (184 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: American, Bar– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 5 Cumberland St, Charleston, SC 29401-2603– Read more on Tripadvisor

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#11. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (35 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 1622 Highland Ave, Charleston, SC 29412– Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Melvin’s Barbecue

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (132 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 538 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412-3002– Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Duke’s BBQ

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (94 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 331 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412-2548– Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Bessinger’s Barbecue

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (578 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 1602 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407-7869– Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Home Team BBQ – Downtown Charleston

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (134 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 126 Williman St, Charleston, SC 29403-3113– Read more on Tripadvisor

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#6. Rodney Scott’s BBQ

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (552 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 1011 King St Corner of King Street and Grove Street, Charleston, SC 29403-4140– Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Poogan’s Smokehouse

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,207 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: Barbecue, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 188 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401-2123– Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Home Team BBQ – West Ashley

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (476 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: American, Bar– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 1205 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29407-5301– Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Swig & Swine

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,182 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: American, Bar– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 1217 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407-7826– Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Queology

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (1,445 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5)– Type of cuisine: American, Bar– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 6 N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401-2062– Read more on Tripadvisor

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#1. Lewis Barbecue

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (839 reviews)– Detailed ratings: Food (5.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5)– Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, American– Price: $$ – $$$– Address: 464 N Nassau St, Charleston, SC 29403-3828– Read more on Tripadvisor

“When I formed exaqueo 10 years ago, I committed to building the employer brand firm I wanted to hire when I was an HR leader," says Susan LaMotte, Founder & CEO. "Today, we’ve grown into a multimillion-dollar firm with more than 75 global clients, including Google, CBRE, CVS Health and Fannie Mae.”

exaqueo (ex-ack-we-o), an employer brand and employee experience consulting firm and creative agency headquartered in Charleston, S.C., has earned a coveted spot on the annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive list of America’s fastest-growing and most successful private companies. exaqueo, a certified and wholly woman-owned business, joins an impressive roster of well-known brands who have appeared on the list since its formation, including Patagonia, Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour, and Microsoft.

“I’m so proud for exaqueo to be included in such an esteemed list as Inc. 5000, with so many other brands whom I admire,” says Susan LaMotte, Founder & CEO of exaqueo. “When I formed exaqueo 10 years ago, I committed to building the employer brand firm I wanted to hire when I was in-house as an HR leader at a Fortune 500 company. Today, we’ve grown into a multimillion-dollar firm with more than 75 global clients, including Google, CBRE, CVS Health and Fannie Mae.”

With over 80 percent revenue growth, exaqueo is one of 28 companies from Charleston on the list, and one of only six led by women. Of the 61 companies based in South Carolina, it’s the only firm categorized as serving the human resources industry.

“Our shared success is reflective of our values: trust, understanding, honesty, and balance,” says LaMotte, “and our accomplishments are the result of a collective effort.”

According to Inc., companies on the list have not only been successful, but have demonstrated resilience amid supply chain woes, labor shortages, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19.

“The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today.”

To qualify, companies must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent with a minimum 2021 revenue of $2 million. Companies are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About exaqueo, LLC exaqueo (ex-ACK-we-o), is a premier employer brand and employee experience consulting firm and creative agency helping companies better compete for and retain talent. Since 2011, exaqueo has worked with dozens of Fortune 500 clients around the world, including Montage Hotels, T-Mobile, General Dynamics IT, Baxter, and many others. exaqueo builds impactful employer brands, talent strategies, and candidate and employee experiences. exaqueo was founded by Susan LaMotte, a 20+-year career employer brand and talent strategy leader. exaqueo is proud to be a certified, woman-owned business, headquartered in Charleston, S.C., USA. For more information, visit http://www.exaqueo.com and follow @exaqueo on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

CONTACT: Stephanie Hampton stephaniehampton@onpurposecomms.com

Fall is fast approaching, and it is one of the most delightful times of the year in the Lowcountry. For anyone trying to decide when to visit Charleston, South Carolina, the return of the local oyster season ticks another box for planning an autumn escape.

Charleston's flat coastline, an extensive network of tidal creeks, and bountiful natural reefs, combined with water temperatures conducive to a long spawning season, create an ideal oyster habitat. The harvests are in-demand nationwide, and the area has even been dubbed the 'Napa Valley of Oysters'. Whether it's fine dining, trendy raw bars, or rustic shuck-your-own outdoor roasts that float your boat, Charleston's oyster scene has it all.

THETRAVEL VIDEO OF THE DAY

When Is Oyster Season in South Carolina?

The steadfast yet unofficial rule when it comes to oyster consumption is to stick to the 'r' months. Shellfish aficionados have long followed this well-established norm and only eat oysters from September - April, and evidence shows this practice dates back thousands of years!

Originally, there were several layers to avoiding oysters during the summer months. As they spawn when the water is the warmest, restricting oyster harvesting during this season was a sustainability practice so that they could be given time to reproduce each year. Furthermore, spawning oysters do not have a nice taste or texture; they tend to be small, watery, and flimsy.

The other factor stemmed from food safety. The waters around Charleston (and the southeast in general) get very hot in the summertime, raising algae and bacteria levels that could be absorbed by wild oysters and cause food poisoning if consumed. With the scorching air temperatures, reliable refrigeration (especially during transportation) was also a concern in the past.

Yes and no. With the surging popularity of oysters and aquaponics advancements, restaurants and suppliers are no longer relying solely on wild harvests. Cold water oyster farms safely produce tasty harvests all year round. Warm water farms have triploid breeds, which are sterile and therefore avoid any issues relating to reproduction.

Another thing to remember is that ocean temperatures vary significantly from location to location. While local oysters may be out of season in Charleston in the summer months, restaurants often source them from somewhere else in the country (or even the world) at this time of year. Those in the know come to appreciate different varieties of oysters in much the same way as one would with wine from different regions. Water quality and transportation are closely monitored, and all fresh oysters must be stamped with origin information.

With all of that said, if one is really looking for the most authentic experience of sampling fresh, wild, locally-harvested Charleston oysters, then sticking to the 'r' months is the best idea. More specifically, the official shellfish harvesting season in Charleston opens annually on October 1st.

What Is An Oyster Roast, And Where To Attend One?

Oyster roasts originated in the Charleston area, and they continue to be a much-loved seasonal tradition. Bushels of fresh oysters are steamed over hot coals in a kettle or fire-pit using a burlap sack. They are then served family-style in the middle of a large, communal table stocked with the standard accompaniments of saltine crackers, lemon wedges, and hot sauce (oh, and plenty of cold beer too). Guests gather around with special shucking knives and help themselves to oysters as freshly-steamed batches continue to be piled onto the table.

There are large-scale oyster roasts frequently held at Charleston area plantations, with Boone Hall Plantation annually hosting the largest oyster festival in the world. More low-key oyster roasts pop up frequently at local breweries, parks, bars, and literally anywhere else with a bit of outdoor space. Here are a few other favorites worth checking out:

The Best Restaurants To Eat Oysters In Charleston

Raw oysters and oyster-based dishes grace many a menu across the Charleston peninsula, and its surrounds, but below are a few tried and true favorites to get started. These restaurants have withstood the test of time and have solidified their reputation for serving up a fresh and delicious oyster selection year after year.

The DIY Approach To Eating Oysters In Charleston

For anyone feeling particularly adventurous, there is also the option to harvest your own oysters. There are three recreational shellfish grounds that are open to the public; just be sure to first obtain a South Carolina Saltwater Fishing license. Head out around low tide with a sturdy pair of boots for the pluff mud, and don't forget a hammer, gloves, and bucket. Regardless of the bounty, it's certain to be a fun experience!

The World Is Your Oyster

Charleston has been a go-to foodie destination for years with its wide range of culinary offerings and countless award-winning chefs and restaurants. Oysters are yet another highlight to add to the roster, and whether visitors are experienced aficionados or just dipping their toe into the world of oysters for the first time, they won't be left disappointed! With the oyster season right around the corner, now is the perfect time to start planning the next (or first) Charleston getaway.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Throughout the state, animal shelters are seeing an all-time high in animal intake numbers, causing shelters to declare a state of emergency for the second time in history.

The summer is always the busiest time for shelters, but this summer specifically, a combination of different factors has created an influx of dogs overcrowding shelters.

Some reasons for the influx could be the increasing population, home rental problems, kids going back to school, moving problems and flooding.

Joe Elmore, Charleston Animal Society President and CEO, brought Bo, a shelter dog since the beginning of August, to an interview to show how this emergency can really affect the animals.

“The state of emergency means that dogs such as Bo, don’t have a place in shelters because we’re all so overcrowded right now and they need homes,” Elmore said. “Well, what is the risk? The risk is that animals like Bo may not make it out alive at shelters across our entire state. We need people that come in and make room for one more in their homes and in their hearts for animals.”

Being the largest animal shelter in the state, the Charleston Animal Society has over 700 animals in the system at the moment with 60 dogs available for adoption right now.

“My heart is breaking for these animals,” Kay Hyman, director of community engagement, said. “They’re sitting in a cage. They want to be at your house, on your couch, in your backyard. They don’t want to be sitting in a kennel.”

Shelters like the Charleston Animal Society and Berkeley County Animal Center said more dogs are coming in than being adopted, which is where the problem stems from.

If unable to adopt, both shelters ask people to consider fostering. Tiffany Hoffman, Berkeley County Animal Center Event Coordinator, and her family are on their 28 foster dog.

“Fostering is so rewarding,” Hoffman said. “It’s like anything, you try it once and you are hooked.”

Using social media to promote is also very helpful in getting the word out about animals in shelters. The Charleston Animal Society is waiving all adoption fees and providing potential owners with $250 worth of food and supplies.

“We need to get 100 adoptions out this weekend,” Elmore said. “Cats and kittens also, but the ones that are most risk are the dogs because they don’t do well when they stay in shelters for a long time.”

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On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration authorized an Omicron-specific booster, marking the first redesign of coronavirus vaccines since they were rolled out nearly two years ago. The Omicron variant has been the dominate strain since early this year, with the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants being especially transmissible.

It is anticipated that on Friday, Sept. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will sign off on the authorization. After that, it’s all systems go.

“Once it’s given the OK, we’ll put in an order, and it should ship pretty quickly. The entire process should take about a week, meaning we should have it available to anyone who wants it the week of Sept. 12, maybe sooner,” said Danielle Scheurer, M.D., MUSC Health System chief quality officer.

The new booster comes at a point in the pandemic when approximately 90,000 infections and 475 deaths are being recorded daily in this country. Though hospitalizations have become much rarer, COVID-19 is still the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Though this targeted booster should help to slow the spread of the virus, Scheurer is skeptical that it will fly off the shelves.

“My guess is the uptake will be low. So many people have gotten COVID at this point, and many just aren’t getting that sick. I think people are just over it. I hate to say it, but I think a lot of folks are going, ‘I’ll just take my chances,’” she said.

But Scheurer cautioned that people who are at higher risk, such as older Americans or those with preexisting health conditions, should seriously consider getting this booster. And for those who aren’t in the higher-risk category, one motivator to get this booster might be to avoid getting long COVID, when virus-related symptoms can linger indefinitely beyond an infection.

As for the science behind the new booster, Scheurer said it was synthesized in the same way the first vaccine was, only it’s bivalent, meaning the encoded messenger RNA targets two spike proteins, instead of one: the original virus and Omicron and its known subvariants. Additionally, the dosage for this one is a little lower.

“I think it’s important that people know that this is intended to act as a booster, not a stand-alone vaccine,” she said. “Meaning that for people who haven’t been vaccinated, the course of action is to get your original two doses and then this.”

Two boosters will be available: one by Pfizer BioNTech, for use in people age 12 and up, and the other by Moderna, targeted to those 18 years and up. MUSC expects to receive the Pfizer booster.

Though MUSC is in the process of decommissioning all of its stand-alone vaccine sites, the new booster will be offered at the MUSC Health Pharmacy at Rutledge Tower as well as by most, if not all, MUSC Health affiliated primary care physician sites.

Though things seem to be trending in the right direction in this country, Scheurer still remains vigilant.

“Given the volume of people who have gotten Omicron, I’m kind of surprised we haven’t had another rapidly evolving variant,” she said. “I think we’ve been pretty lucky. But then again, this might just be the new normal – a world where we coexist with COVID and life goes on.”