A few days after Christmas, Z, myself, and his immediate family flew down to Hilton Head, South Carolina for Z's aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary celebration. I met a lot of Laheys who couldn't make it to our wedding, and we had a great time hanging with them as well as scoping out the area. We rode bikes on the beach, played miniature golf, and even got to meet up with one of my friends from 8th grade (small world!).
But, as always, the food and drink we consumed were the highlights of the trip for me/us. Z, per usual, wanted to find great beer bars, and I, per usual, was happy to come along for the ride. We even had a few family dinners that weren't centered around beer, but still ended up being pretty fantastic meals.
So, if you ever find yourself in Hilton Head, here's where I recommend eating (and/or drinking):
We went here for a round of drinks twice during our time in Hilton Head. I don't recommend going on a Friday evening (hello, college crowd), but I do highly recommend going on a Monday/more low-key evening. We had a great time sampling a few beers from their lengthy beer list while enjoying the laid-back vibe, but there were also plenty of families eating dinner. Oh, and in the way back there's pool and other fun bar games to play!
This is actually the only place I got photos at (hey...I was on vacation!), but the beer list here is incredible. They have a lot of local brews, including the one Z tried: Orange Bliss Stout from Westbrook Brewing Co. It tasted exactly like those chocolate oranges (you know what I'm talking about?). So good.
We also tried a few appetizers at Bombora's, which were just as good as the beers...if not better. The dishes we tried were the fried green tomatoes with mango salsa and fried pickles.
I loved the fried tomatoes paired with the fresh, light salsa, and the fried pickles were fried in an almost tempura batter - a nice change from the usual heavy, breadcrumb-drenched fried pickles.
This tiny, dimly light restaurant doesn't even have a website, but it really doesn't need one. We came here for a family dinner earlier in our trip, and the menu seriously had something for everyone. We all loved the quirky yet tasteful decor, impressive wine and cocktail list, and the accommodating, knowledgeable staff. I'd definitely recommend coming here for a special occasion dinner, or even for a romantic evening out.
On our last night in Hilton Head, Z wanted to find a nicer restaurant that specialized in seafood for the rest of us pescatarians/omnivores. ELA's came highly recommended via online reviews, so we decided to check it out. Located right on the water, this cozy, intimate space was the perfect setting for our final family meal in Hilton Head. I had never had grouper before, so I decided to try their Pan-Roasted Grouper ($29), which came with lobster butter, truffle potato puree, and local baby vegetables. Every bite was flavorful and well-seasoned - this was the best dish I had on our trip by far.
Did you have any good eats during your holiday travels?
Those fried pickles are calling out to me. Sounds like a fun trip!
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