Highest-rated restaurants in Charleston, West Virginia by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Charleston, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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#30. Five Guys

- Rating: 4.1/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 112 Rhl Blvd. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Burgers, fast food
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Nawab Fine Indian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.1/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 200 35th St. Southeast Ste A Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

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#28. Plaza Maya

- Rating: 4.2/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3112 Chesterfield Ave. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#27. Los Amigos

- Rating: 4.2/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2911 7th Ave. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#26. The Olive Tree Cafe & Catering

- Rating: 4.2/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 333 2nd Ave. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Mediterranean, Sandwiches, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

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#25. Barkadas

- Rating: 4.2/5 (129 reviews)
- Address: 100 Cantley Drive Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Filipino, Salad, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

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#24. Kita Modern Japanese

- Rating: 4.2/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2815 Mountaineer Blvd. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#23. Pepperoni Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4002 Maccorkle Ave. Southeast Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Sandwiches, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#22. China One

- Rating: 4.3/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4218 Maccorkle Ave. Southeast Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Swiftwater Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 405 Capitol St. Ste 105 Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Ellen's Homemade Ice Cream

- Rating: 4.4/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 225 Capitol St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Wraps
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Phat Daddy's on da Tracks

- Rating: 4.4/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 1634 6th Ave. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: American, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. The Empty Glass

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 410 Elizabeth St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Music Venues, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Pies & Pints

- Rating: 4.4/5 (992 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 222 Capitol St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Hale House

- Rating: 4.4/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 212 Hale St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: American, New American, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp

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#15. Lola's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1038 Bridge Road Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Pizza, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Noah's Restaurant and Lounge

- Rating: 4.4/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 129 Summers St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: New American, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. First Watch

- Rating: 4.5/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 164 Summers St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Dem 2 Brothers And A Grill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (437 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 423 Virginia St. West Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Barbecue, Diners, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Barone Bros Pizza

- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2777 Pennsylvania Ave. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Hawaiian Grille

- Rating: 4.6/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3000 Charleston Town Center Charleston Town Center Mall Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Laury's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.6/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 350 MacCorkle Ave. Southeast Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Taylor Books

- Rating: 4.6/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 226 Capitol St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Art Galleries, Bookstores, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Daily Dose Cafe

- Rating: 4.6/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 5206 1/2 McCorkle Ave. Southeast Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Karubees Jamaican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 714 Lee St. East Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Caribbean, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. 1010 Bridge Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1010 Bridge Road Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Chow Thai

- Rating: 4.7/5 (169 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 426 Shrewsbury St. Ste B Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Coco's Kitchen and Cafe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 233 Hale St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Super Weenie

- Rating: 4.8/5 (53 reviews)
- Address: 805 Quarrier St. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Street Vendors
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Best of Crete

- Rating: 4.9/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 816 Beech Ave. Charleston, West Virginia
- Categories: Greek
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.