How this laid-back South Carolina city became a trending food destination

In the middle of the morning on a hot Sunday in September, a handful of people are feverishly chopping, dicing, and slicing while a large camera crew and passersby observe their progress. These active culinary wizards are competitors on the reality show “Top Chef,” now in its 23rd season.

Greenville, South Carolina, a Southern city in a part of South Carolina called the Upstate, is the setting for this season's show. It's also where a ceremony celebrating the Michelin Guide’s recipients of awards in the American South, a new focus for the organization, was held in November 2025—Michelin North America’s headquarters are located here.

A city of approximately 74,000 people, Greenville County’s population has increased over 20 percent since 2010, which has introduced a new group of diners to the region.

Soby’s, a local favorite for over two decades, serves traditional Southern classics like shrimp and grits, and Jones Oyster Company is known for its fresh oysters, but there are also newer chefs

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Renowned chefs

Soby’s, a local favorite for over two decades, serves traditional Southern classics like shrimp and grits, and Jones Oyster Company, known for its fresh oysters, are Greenville culinary institutions, and there's also a new wave of chefs bringing new flavors to this city.

"Now is an ideal time for Greenville's food scene because it has reached a critical mass of talented chefs and restaurateurs who are committed to the city [and to] creating a diverse and dynamic environment that is attracting regional and national attention, including mentions in the Michelin Guide,” says chef Nico Abello. Abello, originally from France, has earned six consecutive Michelin stars for Manhattan's now-shuttered L’Appart.

In early 2026, Abello will be opening a restaurant in the city, and he says that his new hometown—he relocated with his wife and young sons several years ago—offers a “quality of life [that has] attracted chefs from larger cities.” Abello says he hopes to cook with more vegetables going forward and raves about the produce he receives from nearby farms.

Diego Campos behind CAMP, a restaurant that characterizes itself as creating modern American fare, says that he and his team “pay homage to the different communities that come to the United States by creating dishes around their cuisines and cultures … using local products and staying true to seasonality.” Campos is a longtime resident of Greenville and says Michelin’s inaugural guide to the South is a motivating factor for his team. Because “receiving stars is a possibility,” he says that “many restaurants [in Greenville] will push themselves.”

Dining in the Upstate

Chef Michael Kramer, owner of Italian restaurant JIANNA, characterizes Upstate cuisine as “just a blend of different places and styles,” while Adam Cooke, the executive chef at Topsoil, adds that he “was attracted to Greenville for the vast community of local growers.” Cooke, a 2020 Semifinalist for the James Beard Best Chef Southeast award, explains that one positive aspect of Greenville’s food scene is that it offers “a deep selection of chef-driven restaurants.”

“Greenville’s food scene in the 80s and 90s wasn’t entirely devoid of local interest, but it certainly wasn’t what it is today,” says journalist Ariel H. Blanchard, a Greenville local. She explains that “there were plenty of local restaurants I recall frequenting as a child–ones that remain open are Corona Mexican Restaurant, Provino’s (now Portofino’s), Saskatoon, The Peddler, Brick Street Cafe, Stax Omega, and Stax Original." She adds that "there were just restaurants open for the locals to enjoy, and the thought of anyone traveling to Greenville with dining as a particular attraction wasn’t exactly on the radar.”

Finally, Greenville’s only recipient of a Michelin star in the new guide is Scoundrel, a French restaurant that Greenville run by chef Joe Cash. Cash notes that Greenville’s food scene when he was younger was simple but that his family made going out to “steakhouse and old school Italian restaurants” a priority.

"It's been incredible to watch Greenville’s love and curiosity for food grow,” says Cash, and points out that when he first started cooking, he “never imagined [he’]d be able to come home and open a place like [Scoundrel]. Back then, many diners weren’t as adventurous or as well-traveled.”

“French food, at its core, is all about honoring the ingredient and there’s a simplicity to it that makes the flavors feel familiar,” says Cash when discussing Scoundrel’s dishes. Cash emphasizes that “one of the best parts of [the] concept is being able to give guests the absolute best version of something they already know—a Caesar salad, a steak, a roast chicken.”

And whenever he's away from Greenville, the hot dogs from The Clock Drive-in is the hometown fare Cash craves the most.

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A welcoming environment

Greenville's mouthwatering fare is reason alone to visit this smaller city, but there's more to it than just food. This walkable city is also known for it's warm, laidback attitude, making it a great destination for a weekend getaway.

The 28-mile-long Swamp Rabbit Trail that Greenville residents walk, cycle, and run on winds through the heart of the city, and the picturesque main street of Greenville’s downtown is the site of a large farmers’ market that takes place each Saturday during the warmer months. Greenville is also home to numerous artists, many of whose works are shown at galleries such as Art and Light, located in a historic farmhouse.

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