Another week, another top ten list, and it’s official - Charleston has some of the best restaurants in America. This latest “best of” list is from Tripadvisor. Actually, it’s based on user reviews, so it’s decided by real life people across the globe, who have been to and experienced these places firsthand.
Travelers’ Choice Awards
The Best Restaurants list is part of Tripadvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Awards, which were announced this week. These awards shine a spotlight on the best in travel for 2020, and this is their eighteenth year. Tripadvisor is the largest travel platform on the planet, so they should know of what they speak. Here is how they come up with the rankings: “Winners are calculated based on the quality and quantity of the millions of reviews, opinions and ratings collected on Tripadvisor in 2019, prior to the pandemic. With over 8.7 million businesses listed on Tripadvisor, these awards are a true testament to the outstanding service and quality that winners consistently provide to their guests.” Speaking of the pandemic, Tripadvisor’s Chief Experience and Brand Officer Lindsay Nelson had this to say: "This has been a tough year for our industry, but the global desire to go and explore, whether the destination is an hour away or across the world, remains strong. We're passionate about guiding travelers to the good out there… The Travelers' Choice program is one way that travelers and diners can benefit from the real-life experiences of other people so they can plan their perfect trip that meets their needs, budget and style."
Best Restaurants in America
Charleston has three of the top ten best restaurants (fine dining) in America, according to the Travelers’ Choice Awards list. Here’s the list:
- The French Laundry - Yountville, CA
- Daniel - New York City, NY
- Hall’s Chophouse - Charleston, SC
- Flight Restaurant and Wine Bar - Memphis, TN
- GW Fins, New Orleans, LA
- Geronimo - Santa Fe, NM
- Collage Restaurant - Augustine, FL
- Café Monarch - Scottsdale, AZ
- Charleston Grill - Charleston, SC
- Peninsula Grill - Charleston, SC
Charleston was the only city to appear more than once in the top ten list of best restaurants. In fact, with its three appearances, South Carolina is the only state with more than one of the top ten slots. That’s pretty amazing. You can read the whole list of Best Restaurants in the United States here. Tripadvisor named 2020 Award Winners in several categories, including popular destinations, trending destinations, emerging destinations, beaches, attractions, restaurants, airlines, hotels and experiences. Check out all the lists of winners at Tripadvisor’s website. Also, a quick reminder - this weekend is the 7th annual Ladybug Release at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Read all about it in that last blog. So come to Charleston, and you can try out three of the ten best restaurants in America. Just give us a call at EP and we’ll put you up in a beautiful beach house Charleston for your stay here. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger