Circa 1886 Restaurant is a highly rated Charleston, SC restaurant known for romantic fine dining, seasonal local menus, and elevated Lowcountry cuisine served in a cozy, historic setting. Located at 149 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401, this upscale Charleston dining destination is a favorite for dinner, dessert, table service, and special occasions.
Guests enjoy an extensive wine list, great cocktails, great beer selection, great coffee, great tea selection, and standout local specialties, along with small plates, healthy options, happy-hour drinks, alcohol, and private dining room options.
With dine-in, delivery, and on-site service available, Circa 1886 Restaurant also offers wheelchair-accessible parking, entrance, seating, and restroom access, plus gender-neutral toilets, Wi-Fi, and free Wi-Fi for added convenience. Known for its romantic, quiet, trendy, and upmarket atmosphere, this Charleston restaurant is ideal for couples, solo dining, and reservation-only dinner plans.
With a 4.80-star rating from 987 reviews, Circa 1886 Restaurant remains one of the best restaurants in Charleston, SC for refined Lowcountry dining. To experience one of the top romantic restaurants in Charleston, SC, call +1 843-853-7828 or reserve a dinner table at Circa 1886 Restaurant in Charleston, SC today.
Popular Items
Frequently ordered and highly recommended items at Circa 1886 Restaurant
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
Open Face Brioche Lobster "Roll", Chives, Lobster Bisque
English Peas, Poached Garlic Bechamel, Fingerling Potato Chips, Meyer Lemon
Caviar, Gold Leaf, Preserved Roma Tomato, Pickle Buttermilk Dressing
French Onion Potato Napoleon, Asparagus, Black Garlic Demiglace, Butterless Hollandaise
House-made Ice Cream and Accompaniments
Hear from our valued guests
Ok. In the many restaurants I have had the pleasure of dining in, I would say Circa 1886 is by far the best. Not only was the food delicious and tasty, it was presented so well and each course came out with the chef's son describing what the items were. We also had a very knowledgeable and pleasant waiter in Brian, who we would highly recommend if you go there. Don't miss this history rich restaurant with its elegant setting. I don't think you will be disappointed. PS: Also an amazing wine list.
One of the top two best meals of my life (the other being the Chef’s Table at The Appalachian in Sevierville, TN). Everything was perfect, from food, to service, to atmosphere. If you’re looking for a top tier fine dining Charleston experience, look no further. Even the amuse bouche had us wow-ed. Do yourself a favor and get one of each of the tasting menus and share to experience it all. Nothing fell short. Can’t wait to come back in the future!!
Everything was fantastic, Bryan was an amazing server. This was my first time trying fine dining and I can’t thank everybody at Circa 1886 enough for making my birthday special. The food was fantastic my favorites were the sweet potato gnocchi and the desert - a touch of vanilla and I’m normally not a dessert person. I can’t wait to go back.
Chef Marc is an exemplary talent! Absolutely magical experience from the environment, servers and attention to detail let’s not forget mixologist Dennis Whoza! Super talented group! This was my ultimate culinary experience I felt completely satiated, nourished and so surprised with the impact of flavors and combinations of pure beautiful ingredients Chef Marc’s execution is sublime! Thank you thank you! We live in Western Colorado but are contemplating returning to Charleston for another meal at Circa 1886 it’s that wonderful!
I only had the breakfast as a guest of the mansion/hotel. But oh my goodness... this place should have a Michelin star or two. Phenomenal... absolutely Phenomenal. I will stay at the mansion again just to eat breakfast here.
We were first in the door Friday evening and were greeted by friendly staff. My boyfriend and I each got a tasting menu + wine pairing to celebrate Mother’s Day before the crowds. I got the Ashley and the sommelier was very informative and an excellent story teller. Our waiter (I wish I could remember his name) was attentive and such a pleasure to be served by him. One of our favorite things of the whole menu was the soup right at the beginning. If I could have that soup everyday I would. I would buy it in Costco sized tubs it’s so good. The chef did an excellent job and every bite was delicious. 10/10 would get the tasting menu with wine pairing again.
We have lived in Charleston for the past five years and this was by far the most amazing dinner experience we have had. We had the pleasure of having Bryan and Francesco wait on us and they provided us with top notch service. The menu was to die for and I personally went with one of the taste menus (Cooper) coupled with the wine pairings. The food was beyond delicious. The sea bass, wagyu, and Soufflé were three of the five courses which were my absolute favorite. Anne was our Sommelier and had so much knowledge of the wines and paired them really well. Throughout the dinner, the general manager, Mark Severs, was amazing. He had the entire restaurant in complete control and would walk the floor during service. He would check on tables as well to ensure everyone was well taken care of. After dinner, Francesco was kind enough to go outside and take our picture so we could remember this special night. We had an amazing time and can’t wait to go back!
Amazing experience! I ordered staters because I wanted the soufflé for dessert. The chef/staff made an alteration to one of the dishes because of my allergies. Dennis at the bar is fantastic!! Go out of your way to come here. Service and food are amazing! Also, the wine list is quite extensive.
An exquisite dining experience in Charleston. If you have time for a special experience, don’t miss dinner here. It was a birthday celebration for my lady. We indulged in the both the offered tasting menus. If you can, enjoy the experience. I did not see the Michelin star that this chef and his staff deserve.
Oh, I'm so glad we came here! Francisco was our waiter amazing service. He knew we had reservations for something else at 9:15 and he just sped us through not too fast but the perfect pace of our tastings we tried both different tastings and shared each entrée, not one thing was less than amazing. We did the Ashley and the Cooper and oh my goodness that croissant roll with the lemon cello butter. I mean I need to figure out how they do that so I can have that more often! If you want some fine dining, make it here!
Common questions about Circa 1886 Restaurant
Circa 1886 Restaurant is located at 149 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States, Charleston, SC, United States.
You can reach Circa 1886 Restaurant by calling +1 843-853-7828.
Circa 1886 Restaurant has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 based on 987 customer reviews.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible car park, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Wheelchair-accessible seating, Wheelchair-accessible toilet.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following service options: Dine-in, Delivery, On-site services.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following highlights: Great beer selection, Great cocktails, Great coffee, Great dessert, Great tea selection, Great wine list, Serves local specialty.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following popular for: Dinner, Solo dining.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following offerings: Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, Coffee, Happy-hour drinks, Healthy options, Private dining room, Small plates, Spirits, Vegetarian options, Wine.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following dining options: Dinner, Dessert, Table service.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following amenities: Bar on site, Gender-neutral toilets, Restroom, Wi-Fi, Free Wi-Fi.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following atmosphere: Cozy, Historic, Quiet, Romantic, Trendy, Upmarket.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following crowd: Family friendly, Groups, LGBTQ+ friendly, Tourists, Transgender safe space.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following planning: Dinner reservations recommended, Accepts reservations.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following payments: Credit cards, Debit cards, NFC mobile payments.
Circa 1886 Restaurant features the following parking: Free parking lot, Free street parking, On-site parking, Paid parking lot, Paid street parking, Plenty of parking.
Business Features
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