Our Top 5 picks for restaurant staples and dining outside of the Greenville city limits
What is the best thing you have eaten lately in Greenville County?
The county has welcomed 252 new food establishments to the local restaurant scene from the start of January through July, according to the S.C. Department of Health & Environmental Control.
There are so many old and new restaurants it's hard to provide an unbiased food recommendation.
While the dining options are endless, let's not forget those good, old-fashioned Southern restaurants on the outskirts of town. The restaurants remind us why Southern food and dining are some of the best in the country. These restaurants showcase the hospitality, taste, and history that keeps us returning.
Here are some of our favorite dining selections for restaurants on the perimeter of the city and county lines:
Nana's Kitchen, 5 Owens Lane (Mauldin)
In keeping things Southern, "Cooking with love and putting God first" is the mantra of Shontell Walker, executive chef and co-owner of Nana's Kitchen. The longstanding barbecue, breakfast, and lunch staple has been off Butler Road in Mauldin since 2019. It is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The menu includes hamburger steak and gravy, barbecue, chicken, and lasagna. The most popular item is the pork chop sandwich. Also, for those looking for croaker fish and nothing made from a can or a bag – Nana's Kitchen is the place.
For brunch, Nana's Kitchen offers chicken and waffles and salmon patties. Both are on top of their breakfast menu favorites.
"Our goal is to reach everyone, so we try to have a variety," Walker said. "Some people eat heavy and (some eat) light. We want to be welcoming to every community and race."
Created in memory of Shontell's grandmother Bessie, she and her husband Tony Walker also offer catering and are confident to have the best fried pork chop in Greenville.
L'incanto, 117 E. Pointsett St. (Greer)
The restaurant's name translates to "enchanting or to charm" in Italian, and the decor and charm of the interior complement the name and food taste.
What initially began as Di Vinci's Ristorante in September of 2013 has now become a more authentic and intimate experience at the current location on Poinsett Street in Greer since 2018.
L'incanto specializes in Northern Italian cuisine that highlights truffles, veal, seabass, and other fresh fishes on the menu.
"The food speaks for itself," said Kristi Echeverri, owner and manager of L'Incanto. "All of our sauces, dressings and desserts are made from scratch. We're very adamant about that."
Chef Carlos Echeverri brings a salmon al noce dish that has traveled with him since his cooking days in New York City more than 16 years ago. He earned a Michelin Star while serving as a chef in New York. A Michelin Star is presented to restaurants "using quality ingredients and the dishes are prepared at a consistently high level."
Open from 4 to 9 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday, our best recommendations at L'Incanto include the house-made truffle ravioli, bolognese, and the side dish of mascarpone mashed potatoes.
Pro tip: Dip the sourdough bread into the truffle oil from the ravioli.
Black Sheep Cafe, 1413 Highway 86 (Piedmont)
A hidden gem on Highway 86 in Piedmont, Black Sheep Cafe changes a revolving menu of various handheld delights such as the Carolina cheeseburger, a Southern-style cheesy chopped beef, paninis, and wraps.
Elizabeth Barrera and Cody Taplin, co-owners who also are husband and wife, have been at this spot for six years and offer catering on the weekend, plus take-and-bake dinners that feed up to five people. The meals include shrimp, sausage and Shepherd's pie.
The daily menu specials include a Watermelon roasted chicken salad, fried shrimp tacos with mango slaw, and a spin on jalapeño grilled cheese.
Black Sheep Cafe is open from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.
Duke's Sandwich Shop, 1001 Poinsett Highway (Cherrydale)
Alongside beautiful Poinsett Highway is a restaurant where sandwiches remain classic and deluxe paninis have been available with homemade bread since the early 1960s. Nothing fancy or overdone. Duke's is simply good and affordable.
Still, to this day, the prices for the "Duke Spread" sandwich options do not exceed $3.50. The restaurant also offers an original pound cake and homemade cookie for a similar price.
Duke's is the perfect lunchtime treat for those near Travelers Rest.
Bobby's BBQ, 1301 North Main St. (Fountain Inn)
Greenville County has plenty of barbecue restaurants but none quite like Bobby's BBQ in Fountain Inn.
The restaurant has the typical: meat by the pound, brisket sandwiches, and a section on the menu dedicated to barbecue tacos. But the house-made all-purpose seasoning and homemade side dishes set Bobby's BBQ apart from other restaurants.
Bobby's is also known for hosting community barbecues, and grilling classes. The restaurant has received a national fellowship for its culinary skills since its inception in 2018.
The family-owned restaurant is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.
– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and more for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on Twitter @ajhappened.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Here are our top 5 picks for dining on the outskirts of Greenville
