FOR THE HIDDEN GEM SEEKERS Greenville , South Carolina
When I told my friends and family I was headed to South Carolina for a long weekend , most assumed I meant Charleston . “ Greenville , actually .” “ Oh . What ’ s there ?” I honestly wasn ’ t too sure at the time , but I did know Breeze Airways ’ ( flybreeze . com ) new direct ( and cheap !) flight from T . F . Green to a new-to-me destination was too good to pass up .
As it turns out , Greenville is a charming city nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains , complete with an idyllic downtown area . To take advantage of said footprint , my friend and I opted to stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites Greenville Downtown ( hilton . com ) — a walkable distance from nearly every item on our jam-packed itinerary for the days ahead .
With that it in mind , it was important to get a good lay of the food scene to ensure we were properly fueled . For breakfast , we couldn ’ t resist options like Old Europe Desserts ( oldeuropedesserts . com ) and Southern Pressed Juicery ( southernpressedjuicery . com ) — the former delivers on pastries like the cruffin ( think croissant meets muffin ) while the latter provides healthy acai bowls and cold-pressed juices perfect for when you ’ re on the go . One of our favorite lunchtime endeavors , meanwhile , was Sully ’ s Steamers ( sullyssteamers . com ). We were suspicious of the “ steamed bagel ” concept at first , but one chomp into the hearty , Dorito-laden Nacho Maximus had me eating my words .
When it came to dinner , we had two standouts . The first was Juniper ( junipergvl . com ), a rooftop restaurant where the hanging gardens of the Babylon-esque interior rival the panoramic views of the city and are only elevated more by menu items like the filet mignon and stuffed artichoke . The other is Soby ’ s New South Cuisine ( sobys . com ), a cozy icon chock full of Southern charm . We managed to indulge in the fried green
tomatoes , crab cakes , shrimp and grits and Joyce Farms fried chicken with Jambon de Paris mac and cheese all in one sitting and didn ’ t regret a thing .
We also found ourselves at a few nightlife venues and quickly realized every type of vibe was represented . Just a stone ’ s throw from our hotel , the People ’ s Tap ( peoplestap . com ) became our go-to due to its well-rounded tap list , chic look and welcoming staff . Yee- Haw Brewing Co . ( yeehawbrewing . com ) is ideal for those looking to sip a brew and catch the latest game , while Southernside Brewing Co . ( southernsidebrewing . com ) is the place to go for a flight , pretzel bites with beer cheese and corn hole . Group Therapy ( grouptherapy . fun ), meanwhile , is a perfect rainy day ( and family-friendly ) alternative with its mini golf course , ax-throwing station , duckpin bowling lanes and more . Our coolest find , however , was Entre Nous ( insta gram . com / entrenousgreenville ). Call ahead for a secret code that will open a bookcase to reveal a moody speakeasy with live music and excellent cocktails .
During our stay , we were lucky to be in town for two downtown traditions . On Friday evenings , NOMA Square ( greenvillesc . gov )
60 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2024