Updated October 2026 · 15 picks
Greenville's food scene has gone from secret to Michelin-recognized. Here are the Upstate restaurants that define it right now, from tasting-menu destinations to barbecue joints and family-run taquerias.
The only Upstate restaurant with a Michelin star, Scoundrel is a chef-driven French bistro that makes classics like roast chicken and Caesar salad feel new. Reservations go fast, so plan ahead.
18 N. Main St., Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 283-0095 · scoundrelgvl.com
View listingJianna's handmade pastas and raw bar have earned it a Michelin recommendation and a spot on Southern Living's Greenville list. Its second-floor setting above Falls Park is hard to beat.
600 S. Main St., Ste. 200, Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 720-2200 · jiannagreenville.com
View listingSoby's helped kick off downtown Greenville's dining boom and still earns Michelin recognition for upscale Southern dishes like its fried green tomatoes with pimiento fondue. It's the classic pick for first-time visitors.
207 S. Main St., Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 232-7007 · sobys.com
View listingA Michelin-recommended, wine-first restaurant in the Village of West Greenville, The Anchorage keeps its menu short, local and seasonal. Hand-rolled rigatoni and steak over Carolina Gold rice show off its style.
586 Perry Ave., Greenville, SC 29611 · (864) 219-3082 · theanchoragerestaurant.com
View listingTravelers Rest's Michelin-recommended farm-to-table restaurant runs a seasonal three-course menu with dishes like seared pork belly and ricotta cavatelli. It's well worth the short drive up from Greenville.
13 S. Main St., Travelers Rest, SC 29690 · (864) 400-5424 · topsoilrestaurant.com
View listingHalls is Greenville's marquee steakhouse, known for prime and wagyu steaks, she-crab soup and a 600-bottle wine list. Hospitality is the calling card, from the first greeting to the Sunday gospel brunch.
(3,593 reviews) · 550 S. Main St., Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 335-4200 · hallschophousegvl.com
View listingSet in the old Tommy's Country Ham House building, Lewis brings Central Texas-style barbecue to the Upstate with standout brisket, beef hot guts sausage and green chile corn pudding. Southern Living counts it among Greenville's best.
214 Rutherford St., Greenville, SC 29609 · (864) 513-6045 · lewisbarbecue.com
View listingThis underground Belgian beer hall serves mussels and frites, carbonnade stew and a signature Flemish onion soup alongside a huge Belgian beer list. It's a cozy, one-of-a-kind downtown staple.
(2,513 reviews) · 23 W. Washington St., Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 451-7490 · trappedoor.com
View listingComal 864 is a family-run Mexican spot best known for its birria, whether in tacos, quesadillas or birria ramen. Southern Living called it out as one of Greenville's top restaurants.
219 W. Antrim Dr., Suite C, Greenville, SC 29611 · (864) 236-7586 · comal864.com
View listingA cafeteria-style soul food landmark in the Pendleton Street area, OJ's draws a weekday lunch line for fried chicken, Friday ribs and sweet potato cobbler. It's Greenville comfort food at its most authentic.
907 Pendleton St., Greenville, SC 29601 · (864) 235-2539 · ojs-diner.org
View listingAsada blends Mexican and Latin American flavors in a small, colorful space, with fans raving about the shrimp tacos in mole, churrasco steak and empanadas. Southern Living named it one of Greenville's must-try restaurants.
903 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, SC 29609 · (864) 770-3450 · asadarestaurant.com
View listingFork & Plough combines a restaurant with a butcher-and-market counter, cooking from local farms with a menu that changes often. Its burger and weekend brunch make it a neighborhood favorite on Southern Living's list.
(1,310 reviews) · 1629 E. North St., Greenville, SC 29607 · (864) 732-6802 · forkandplough.com
View listingThe restaurant at Hotel Domestique serves European-inspired dishes built on Carolina farm produce, like grilled octopus and braised short rib. The mountain setting makes it one of the Upstate's most memorable dinners.
10 Road of Vines, Travelers Rest, SC 29690 · (864) 516-1254 · restaurant17.com
View listingThe Kennedy pairs an Art Deco-style room with inventive cocktails and New American small plates made from local ingredients. Grilled carrots and duck and dumplings are the dishes Spartanburg talks about.
221 E. Kennedy St., Spartanburg, SC 29306 · (864) 586-5554 · thekennedysc.com
View listingAnderson's favorite barbecue joint smokes pork, brisket, ribs and chicken over wood and piles them into sandwiches, nachos and platters. It's a laid-back, crowd-pleasing stop on the north side of town.
3320 N. Main St., Anderson, SC 29621 · (864) 231-7447 · pompouspig.com
View listingHow we picked: places that show up again and again in local and national coverage (Michelin Guide, Southern Living, Visit Greenville SC and others), cross-checked to make sure they're open in 2026.
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