SC has one of the best restaurants in the US for 2025, New York Times says. Here’s why it’s great
The New York Times’ 50 best restaurants in America for 2025 have been released, with one South Carolina seafood location making the ranks.
The list compiles the top 50 best restaurants in the U.S. based on 14 Times reporters’ opinions and reviews. There is no particular type of cuisine or price range needed to make the list, and the list changes each year.
Dining locations across 29 states are highlighted, with California boasting six restaurants on the list, the highest number of featured spots. New York and Texas both follow with four.
To curate the list, the reporters and editors traveled to 33 different states and tried more than 200 meals. Similar to the Michelin Guide, reporters showed up to each restaurant unannounced, paid for each meal themselves and did not accept any special treatment or “freebies.”
For 2025, dining locations range from a Kansas City turkey leg shack all the way to Michelin-rated fine dining, with about half of the locations on the list opening within the last year.
Here’s which South Carolina dining location made the cut.
Chubby Fish in Charleston
Selected from over 200 meals, the “dock-to-table” seafood concept of Chubby Fish made it a standout location on this year’s list.
The Times’ Deputy Food Editor, Patrick Farrell, praised the restaurant’s dynamic use of fresh local catch and unexpected flavor combinations that “smack you like an ocean wave you didn’t see coming.”
Led by Charleston native and chef-owner James London, Chubby Fish hit the city’s food scene in 2018.
Known for dishes like house-smoked fish curry, fish tempura, caviar sammich’ and an extensive raw bar, the menu is constantly evolving based on the day’s catch.
Chubby Fish was also honored in 2019 as a best new restaurant by Bon Appétit, ranked #7 in the U.S. by Food & Wine Magazine in 2024 and earned James Beard Award finalist recognition for Best Chef: Southeast in 2024.
Located at 252 Coming Street, Chubby Fish is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m., but lines begin forming around 4 p.m.
To see the full NYT list, click here.
