Hilton Head’s Street Meet turns empty, neighboring storefront into dining room

A Hilton Head Island restaurant known for its urban, 1930s-era decor and tiny dining room just got a lot brighter and roomier.

Street Meet American Takeout and Tavern expanded last week into a 1,000-square-foot space next to the 10-year-old Port Royal Plaza bar and restaurant. Owner Carey Basciano remodeled the vacant space, formerly a beauty shop, into a dining room with a splashy, 1970s backdrop.

A red graffiti design covers an entire wall of the new space, which can seat up to about 75 people for private events. The old restaurant space has been converted into a bar, with high-tops filling the room that previously had only seven tables.

Regulars will be glad to hear that the bar’s classic character and Cleveland Browns memorabilia remain intact, owner Carey Basciano said.

Meanwhile, the dining room’s makeover, which began in December, offers a more contemporary, kid-friendly vibe, and nine TVs to air more sports games.

“Our location, our demographics are the sports teams, the schools on the north end,” Basciano said. “We wanted to keep it casual, (to) encourage people to come in after work, after games.”

The food and drink offerings at Street Meet are unchanged, though the menu got an update of its own about one year ago.

Its healthy alternatives menu is a departure from much of the restaurant’s bar food, from the buttery pretzel bites to deep-friend Twinkies and Oreos.

But the year-old menu has been just as popular, considering Street Meet attracts a wide range of health-conscious diners. The restaurant has been the site of meetings for local triathletes, cyclists and runners and gets frequent visits from members of Beach City Fitness, where Basciano’s wife is a personal trainer.

Diners can turn nearly any item on the menu into a salad or lettuce wrap, and can order chicken, beef, grass-fed bison or tofu in a bowl with black beans, quinoa and grilled vegetables.

“Hilton Head — it’s the perfect community for people who have an active lifestyle,” Basciano said. “Those people still like to go out and have a few drinks; they just want to be more moderate.”

This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Hilton Head’s Street Meet turns empty, neighboring storefront into dining room."