2 Unity Alley
Charleston, SC 29401

Additional Features Smoking available Dressy casual cocktail lounge cocktails

In the heart of Charleston’s historic French quarter lies an architectural and gastronomical gem.  Tucked away in the cobblestone and bricked Unity Alley just wide enough for a jitney is the entrance to McCrady’s, a historic landmark and remarkable AAA Four Diamond rated restaurant since 2004. 

In 1778, Edward McCrady built a tavern on East Bay Street that became a meeting place where Charleston’s founders and revolutionary era leaders discussed politics and war.  They, along with Edward McCrady, were imprisoned in St. Augustine for their misplaced loyalties. 

When McCrady returned to Charleston in 1788, he built Two Unity Alley, connecting it to his tavern on East Bay Street via a second-story double piazza.  McCrady’s second floor longroom quickly became a favorite site for many celebrations and musical and theatrical performances.  For history buffs, the most notable event held here was a dinner party thrown for George Washington during his southern tour in 1791.

After its hey-days of the late 18th century and the death of Mr. McCrady, the building was used as a tavern, coffee house, and a warehouse before standing abandoned for many years until 1982, when it was restored to its former glory and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History doesn’t tell us what was on the menu for that presidential dinner in 1791, but George would definitely rave about the atmosphere, AAA Four-Diamond service, quality and presentation of food, and award-winning wine cellar of today. 

As we entered from the alley, we were greeted by a friendly hostess with a warm “welcome to my home” attitude.  Walking into the dining room through the original brick arches, I was stunned by the beauty of the 218 year old brick walls, original hardwood floors, vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, soaring skylights, dramatic chandeliers, lavish floor to ceiling windows, and walk-in-size fireplace.

While the dining room, which seats 75 diners, is large, the ambiance is intimate. We were seated near the fireplace at a candle-lit table covered with a white linen tablecloth and accompanied by comfortable upholstered dining chairs. 

The graciousness of the wait staff thoroughly put us at ease.  This is a staff that pays attention to detail, offering black instead of white linen napkins to guests who don’t wish to leave with white lint coating their dark suits and dresses.  There was never an empty water glass, nor did a used plate tarry on our table.

In this spectacular setting we were treated to a fine Southern dining experience.  To get a true taste of the length and breadth of the diverse menu, we chose the Chef’s Tasting Menu, consisting of nine mini-courses of which six are served with pairings of wine ($85 per person). 

It’s difficult to believe that Chef Sean Brock is but 28 years old because the culinary gems he and his staff create are filled with imagination, passion, and technique suggesting experience and training far beyond his years.

The first course of the Chef’s Tasting Menu we chose was presented with understated ceremony.  It was a tiny chilled foie gras with wild French strawberries presented on a silver spoon that was placed on a rectangular stone plate.  It stimulated our taste buds with its creamy, deep, rich, velvety texture. 

Next was tempura shrimp with a gherkin, aioli, and lemon perfectly paired with a chilled 2004 Domain Gerard white wine.  After that mini-course, roasted scallops with scrambled cauliflower, pink peppercorns, and curry were served with a velvety Italian Soave Classico. 

As the meal progressed, a Louis Vide Main lobster was matched with a smooth Austrian Gruner Veltliner, and roast halibut with sweet, earthy black truffles and crunchy eggplant sang a medley of flavors that blended beautifully with a chilled chardonnay from Costa de Oro, Santa Maria Valley. 

The food was so tasty that we left not a morsel on our plates before surrendering them to the wait staff.  Next came Eden natural pork from Iowa that was cooked for 36 hours in a root beer emulsion and served with a tiny side of sweet potato.  The accompanying Pinot Noir complemented the flavors of the food as precisely as a Swiss timepiece. 

Just when we felt sated and didn’t think we could get anything with more superior flavor than we had so far, out came the Moulard duck with celeriac, brussel sprouts, pear, and huckleberries, along with a glass of Shafer Merlot from Stags Leap winery. 

To top off the meal, two dessert courses followed, the first a caramelized banana puree with malt ice cream, hazelnuts, and rum, and the second “an elixir of the gods” liquid chocolate in the Mayan tradition with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.

Throughout the meal, the waitstaff exhibited excellent timing as they removed used plates and brought the next exquisitely plated course with appropriate silver flatware. The food was so beautiful that it’s not unusual to see a star-struck tourist snap a photo of the plate before starting to eat.