10 South Carolina Mediterranean Restaurants You’ll Be Glad You Added To Your Dining List

Belly dancers perform on certain nights at one of the restaurants on this list, and Moroccan mint tea arrives in a teapot packed with fresh mint.

Then the surprises kept coming. One South Carolina kitchen opens at 7 in the morning for Turkish breakfast.

Another serves fried goat cheese drizzled with honey on a patio that overlooks a river.

It’s hard to resist a state where Greek, Lebanese, Turkish, and Moroccan flavors show up in so many surprising corners.

You’ll find lamb shank, grilled octopus, Damascus bread, and baklava across beach towns, college towns, and foothill cities.

What makes this so memorable is the range. A quick gyro at lunch and a romantic plate of branzino can both earn a well-deserved spot on your list.

1. Stella’s, Charleston

Yia Yia’s Fried Potatoes might be the most comforting menu name in Charleston.

Any dish named after a Greek grandmother sets a high bar, and these thick-cut potatoes come with oregano and grated Greek cheese.

Stella’s blends the look of an old-fashioned diner with a Greek meze tradition.

Counters and booths give this South Carolina dining room an intimate character, while the menu encourages ordering several small plates to pass around.

Greek-inspired pottery and softly lit details help set the scene for an unhurried evening. Spanakopita brings spinach and feta inside crisp phyllo; dolmades wrap seasoned rice and herbs in grape leaves.

For something different, try the grilled octopus with oregano or a plate of zucchini fritters and tzatziki.

Larger dishes include Pastichio, baked pasta layered with spiced beef and creamy béchamel, and Artichoke Moussaka, which swaps in vegetables beneath a cheese-topped sauce.

Lamb Frites combines fried potatoes, sliced lamb, and Greek cheeses. The Cypriot Salad adds fennel, halloumi, pistachios, and grapes for a brighter bite.

The restaurant occupies 114 St Philip St, Suite A, Charleston, SC 29403, in the Upper King area. Dinner service begins at 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with later hours on Friday and Saturday; Sunday is closed.

A rear patio offers another seating option when conditions permit. Finish with baklava or semolina custard in phyllo if there’s room.

2. Arabesque On Devine, Columbia

Bread named after one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities deserves your attention.

At Arabesque on Devine, Damascus bread accompanies an appetizer sampler filled with Lebanese favorites, from hummus to stuffed grape leaves.

Near the Shandon neighborhood, its dining room at 2930 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205, is colorful, with patterned textiles and cushioned seating that give it a distinctive look.

Begin with baba ghanouj, the smoky eggplant spread, or try batata harra, potatoes seasoned with garlic and spices.

Cheese rolls wrapped in delicate pastry offer a crisp contrast to creamy dips, and fried kibbeh comes with cucumber yogurt. Fatayer pastries offer another way to sample spinach, cheese, or beef fillings before the main course arrives.

Grilled specialties stretch from chicken shawarma and kafta to lamb kebabs and mixed platters. The lunch menu also includes bowls with rice, chickpeas, vegetables, and a choice of protein.

Mujadara provides a meat-free combination of lentils, rice, fried onions, and pickled cabbage.

Freshly baked bread makes it easy to sample several flavors together, while Lebanese coffee flavored with cardamom offers an aromatic finish.

It serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, closing on Monday. A covered patio offers outdoor seating when the weather is suitable.

Families can choose familiar grilled dishes or explore a variety of small plates, and reservations are available for larger gatherings.

3. The Lazy Goat, Greenville

Goat cheese, fried and finished with honey, might be the best reason to visit a river.

The Lazy Goat in Greenville serves it with pistachio dust, black pepper, and vanilla honey, right along the Reedy River.

The patio overlooks the waterfront, while the dining room brings together warm lighting and an open view of the surroundings.

South Carolina evenings give the riverfront setting a particularly lovely backdrop as the sky changes color. Mediterranean flavors arrive in portions designed for sharing.

Whipped feta comes with cucumbers, olives, dill, and pickled peppers; hummus adds preserved lemon and crispy chickpeas. Khobz, a Moroccan-style bread, is another way to begin.

On the main menu, chicken tagine combines dried fruit, olives, pine nuts, and saffron rice. Grilled lamb and fish dishes give the selection a more substantial side.

At lunch, the kitchen serves chicken or lamb pita sandwiches with tzatziki, alongside truffle fries. Desserts include baklava cheesecake and Turkish coffee crème brûlée, two endings with entirely different personalities.

The address is 170 Riverplace, Greenville, SC 29601, in the downtown riverfront district. Dinner is offered nightly, while lunch runs Friday through Sunday. A lighter afternoon selection bridges those meals on weekends.

Reserving a table is sensible if you’re hoping to enjoy the outdoor area. After eating, the nearby riverfront paths make a pleasant setting for a short stroll.

4. Jerusalem Mediterranean Restaurant & Bar, Myrtle Beach

Belly dancers on certain nights, low seating, and mint tea in a decorative pot. Jerusalem Mediterranean Restaurant in Myrtle Beach knows how to turn dinner into a full evening.

The dining room at 7211 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572, features ornate lamps, warm lighting, and Moroccan-inspired details that suit an unhurried meal.

Belly-dancing performances are scheduled on Wednesdays and Saturdays, usually from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

If the performance matters to your plans, arrange your table around those hours. The low seating and elaborate lamps give the room plenty of personality even on quieter evenings.

Begin with hummus, baba ganoush, or a fresh salad. The menu moves across several Mediterranean traditions: chicken shish tawook comes from the grill, while Moroccan beef tagine cooks slowly with onions and apricots.

Lamb shank offers another rich option, and vegetable couscous gives the table a colorful meat-free choice. A shared platter brings together kebabs, shawarma, falafel, dips, and rice for anyone eager to sample a little of everything.

Moroccan tea is available, making a fitting companion for the layered flavors. For dessert, baklava and knefe offer flaky pastry in two styles, the latter layered with sweet cheese and pistachios.

It opens at noon on most days; Saturday service begins at 5 p.m. The setting works for a relaxed dinner or a performance-focused visit with friends.

5. Olive & Fig Mediterranean Kitchen, Hilton Head Island

Hummus, baba ghanoush, and stuffed grape leaves make an excellent argument for beginning dinner with a table full of small plates.

Olive & Fig Mediterranean Kitchen builds its menu around Lebanese cooking, with Greek and other Mediterranean influences.

The intimate dining room has a comfortable, quietly decorated feel. Start with mezze, then move to wraps filled with grilled meat, falafel, or halloumi cheese.

Kebabs and shawarma offer heartier options, while a Greek-style salad brings cucumber, tomato, olives, and feta to the table.

A warm flatbread is another useful choice when several dips are involved. Sharing these starters gives a small group room to compare tangy, savory, and herb-filled flavors.

The food fits a leisurely lunch just as readily as a special dinner. Vegetarian diners can assemble a meal from falafel, vegetable preparations, and mezze.

Arabic coffee and house-made desserts provide a simple ending, with the particular sweets varying by day. Ask about the day’s selection rather than assuming a specific pastry will always be available.

Despite its Hilton Head Island mailing address, the restaurant is in Moss Creek Village on the mainland side of the bridges. Its Moss Creek Village address is 1533 Fording Island Rd, Suite 326, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926.

Service runs Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., with Sunday closed. Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner in the relatively small dining room.

6. Taverna Philosophia, Mt Pleasant

A restaurant named for philosophy had better give you something to think about.

Taverna Philosophia in Mount Pleasant answers with saganaki, seafood, and an unusually tempting selection of house-made pasta.

The Greek-inspired dining room at 976 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Suite O, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464, has a polished but comfortable feel, and the menu is built for sharing a few starters before a larger plate.

Saganaki brings warm Greek cheese to the table. An order of keftedes adds Greek meatballs, offering another familiar starting point before the more elaborate seafood plates.

Kataifi shrimp arrive wrapped in fine, crisp strands of pastry, paired with roasted pepper hummus and harissa aioli. Greek onion soup brings caramelized onion together with a cheese-topped brioche.

Seafood deserves attention here. Half Spanish Octopus is served with piquillo hummus, and seared scallops come with whipped feta, cucumber, tomato, and olives. Whole branzino offers another way to explore the grill.

The lamb porterhouse, finished with mint gremolata, gives meat lovers a substantial alternative. Finish with baklava if a little sweetness sounds right.

Lunch operates Tuesday through Friday and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with Sunday and Monday reserved as days off. Friday and Saturday evenings run later than the midweek schedule.

Reservations can help when planning an occasion, while the menu’s combination of mezze and larger dishes makes it easy to arrange a shared meal.

7. Ali Baba, Spartanburg

Gyro Pizza and Mediterranean Nachos sound like a dare, but they’re real. Ali Baba in Spartanburg has fun with the classics while keeping the gyro front and center.

This casual downtown restaurant sits at 201 Wall St, Suite B, Spartanburg, SC 29306. The menu is playful without forgetting familiar Mediterranean staples.

It is an easy South Carolina downtown stop when you want a flavorful lunch rather than a formal occasion.

A classic gyro folds seasoned lamb, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and tzatziki into toasted pita. Chicken gyro and falafel versions offer different fillings, while a gyro platter turns the same flavors into a fork-and-plate meal.

For something less expected, Mediterranean Nachos combine crisp corn chips with seasoned lamb, feta, vegetables, and tahini. The gyro pizza brings those familiar savory notes to a different base.

Hummus and falafel make easy starters, while manaqish adds a flatbread seasoned with za’atar, tomatoes, and feta. A Mediterranean jacket potato offers another inventive option, filled with lamb and bright toppings.

Outdoor tables are available when the weather cooperates, with indoor seating for a quick lunch.

The schedule deserves attention: Tuesday and Wednesday service is limited to 11 a.m. through 3 p.m., while Thursday through Saturday continues until 8 p.m. The restaurant closes Sunday and Monday.

Baklava provides a familiar sweet finish, especially if lunch has turned into a leisurely afternoon downtown.

8. Zeytin, Myrtle Beach

Turkish breakfast at 7 in the morning is a very good reason to set an alarm. Zeytin, whose name means olive in Turkish, brings that tradition to Carolina Forest.

The contemporary dining room at 224 Fresh Dr, Unit A, Myrtle Beach, blends breakfast classics with Mediterranean specialties, so the menu can move from Turkish eggs to elaborate French toast without changing restaurants.

Menemen is a great introduction: eggs softly scrambled into tomatoes, onions, peppers, and olive oil, served for dipping with bread.

Sujuk and eggs pair a seasoned Turkish sausage with cheese, while the Turkish Breakfast Plate offers simit, eggs, cheese, vegetables, olives, and honey.

Sweet choices have their own personality. The Dubai Dream pancakes bring pistachio flavors and baklava elements, while ricotta crème brûlée French toast makes a dessert-like morning plate.

Turkish coffee offers a traditional finish, served in a small cup. There’s also a selection of savory crepes, omelets, and avocado toast for anyone whose breakfast plans lean in another direction.

Zeytin serves breakfast and lunch daily from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. Dinner is offered Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m., with Turkish and Mediterranean grilled dishes on the evening menu. Reservations are available.

The Carolina Forest setting is away from the main beachfront strip. It’s a different kind of start to a beach day.

9. Hwy 29 Pita Plus, Greer

A restaurant named after the highway it sits on is making its address part of the brand.

In Greer, South Carolina, Hwy 29 Pita Plus keeps things casual on Wade Hampton Boulevard, with warm pita wraps and plates built around Mediterranean flavors.

The family-owned kitchen at 14166 E Wade Hampton Blvd, Suite 2, Greer, SC 29651, prepares gyros, chicken shawarma, falafel, hummus, and grilled specialties.

A classic gyro brings seasoned meat, vegetables, and tzatziki together in pita. Chicken Zorba pairs chicken and rice with vegetables, while a mixed grill provides a choice for diners seeking several savory flavors at once.

The menu also has an unexpectedly broad side. Pizza, calzones, subs, and burgers make it easy for a group with different appetites to share a table.

A gyro-themed pizza takes the Mediterranean influence into familiar comfort-food territory.

For a lighter option, choose a Greek salad with chicken or a plate of falafel and hummus. The emphasis is on simple, satisfying food rather than an elaborate dining ceremony.

The storefront is near the Greer DMV, a convenient landmark on this commercial corridor. Dine-in, takeaway, and catering are available.

Service runs Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., with Monday as the weekly closing day. The straightforward setup works for lunch between errands or an easy dinner on the way home.

10. Ilios Crafted Greek, Fort Mill

Ilios is the Greek word for sun, which feels right for a place built around rotisserie meats. Ilios Crafted Greek in Fort Mill keeps things fresh, fast, and full of flavor.

The Baxter Village restaurant at 951 Market St, Suite 101, Fort Mill, SC 29708, focuses on Greek plates and pita sandwiches, making it convenient for a lunch break or family dinner.

The half Greek chicken plate features the restaurant’s seasoned chicken, while the lamb gyro plate brings sliced meat with complementary sides.

Chicken souvla and pork souvla provide additional grilled options, and roasted salmon offers another route through the menu.

Vegetarian diners can choose falafel or a plate assembled from side dishes. The spinach and feta pie brings a flaky pastry option, while hummus, tzatziki, and red pepper feta spreads provide smaller bites to share.

Salads include a country-style version and the house Ilios Salad, with seasonal selections changing throughout the year.

For dessert, baklava and Greek cookies can finish a meal without a long wait. Takeaway ordering is available, and the counter-service setup keeps the experience informal.

It’s open daily from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., offering a consistent option throughout the week. A pita sandwich or full plate is simply a question of appetite.