Best Lunch in Mount Pleasant, SC 2026 Local Guide

Lunch in Mt P runs from counter-service classics to a proper sit-down between meetings. These are the spots locals actually rotate through on a weekday — with what to order, what it'll cost you, and who's open on a Sunday.

In a hurry? The short version: fastest and cheapest is Mozzo Deli (sandwiches $10–13), the crowd-pleaser is Boxcar Betty's, the client lunch is Graze, and the "we have out-of-town guests" move is Water's Edge on Shem Creek.

All about the chicken sandwich, fried or grilled. The signature Box Car — pimento cheese, peach slaw, spicy mayo, and house pickles — is the one that ended the "where should we grab lunch" debate. Counter service, fast, no fuss.

Where: Indigo Square (1701 Shoremeade Rd), off Highway 17 · Lunch: daily from 11 AM · Price: sandwiches around $11 · Order: the Box Car; the Nashville Hot if you want a kick

A Lowcountry barbecue institution built on that famous mustard-based sauce. Pulled pork is the classic move, but the cheeseburger has a cult following of its own — lunch here is a Mt P rite of passage.

Where: 925 Houston Northcutt Blvd · Lunch: Mon–Sat from 10:30 AM (closed Sundays) · Price: Big Joe pork sandwich $12, plates around $18, the famous cheeseburger $10.50 · Order: the Big Joe with Golden Secret Sauce

The craft end of the barbecue spectrum — everything smoked over wood, from pork belly to smoked wings, with sides that pull their weight. Yes, a town this size supports two great BBQ lunches. We checked.

Where: 2379 Highway 41, at Shipyard Park in north Mt P · Lunch: daily from 11 AM · Order: pulled pork or brisket, plus the pork rinds with pimento cheese — and try the SC-style hash

(Eric: their menu is a PDF and I couldn't verify current prices — I left dollar figures out of this one on purpose.)

Southwest kitchen doing the taco-and-margarita lunch right. Bright, busy, and the answer when half the table wants tacos and the other half wants a big salad with a kick.

Where: Market at Oakland (1101 Stockade Lane), north Mt P · Lunch: Mon–Sat from 11 AM; Sunday brunch from 10:30 AM · Price: tacos roughly $12–13, most mains under $20 · Order: anything off the wood-fired grill, with the made-to-order guacamole

The dressier lunch without the stuffiness — think prime rib sandwich, proper salads, and refined comfort food. The pick for a client lunch or a long catch-up.

Where: 863 Houston Northcutt Blvd · Lunch: Mon–Sat 11 AM–3 PM (closed Sundays) · Price: sandwiches $13.50–18.50 · Order: the prime rib sandwich; the citrus-chili short rib tacos if you're feeling adventurous

Exactly what the name promises: family-run, home-style Mexican out in Park West. No frills, big portions, and the kind of regulars-only energy that tells you the food does the talking.

Where: 1118 Park West Blvd · Lunch: Tue–Sat 11 AM–3 PM (closed Sundays; Mondays dinner only) · Price: street tacos 3 for $10, burritos $12 · Order: the birria tacos, and don't skip the housemade tortillas

The default answer when someone says "I want real Southern food." Page's has been on the Travel Channel and in Southern Living, and the line out the door on a Saturday tells you the locals still agree. Walk-ins only, so time your run.

Where: 302 Coleman Blvd · Lunch: daily 11 AM–3 PM; weekend brunch from 8 AM · Price: sandwiches $15–17, the famous shrimp and grits around $22 · Order: Ashleigh's Shrimp + Grits or the fried chicken

A proper NY-style deli that made the Post & Courier's list of the best sandwiches in the entire Charleston area. Order at the counter, out the door in ten minutes, and the cheapest great lunch in town.

Where: 730 Coleman Blvd (plus a Carolina Park location) · Lunch: Mon–Sat 6 AM–4 PM, Sun 7 AM–2 PM · Price: sandwiches $10–13.50 · Order: the Coleman (turkey, fontina, roasted red pepper, pesto) or the Cuban

A neighborhood corner shop in I'On doing gourmet sandwiches, salads, and soups — another one that made the Post & Courier's best-sandwiches-in-Charleston list. Order at the counter or grab a take-home dinner while you're at it; the sidewalk pickup windows make it an easy in-and-out.

Where: 18 Resolute Lane, in I'On · Lunch: Mon–Fri 10:30 AM–5 PM, Sat until mid-afternoon (closed Sundays) · Order: whatever sandwich special is on the board, and something from the take-home case for later

The Old Village-adjacent hangout where breakfast blurs into lunch — open daily 7 AM to 4 PM, so it covers the "it's 11:15 and I want avocado toast" hours no one else on this list does. Locals come for the coffee and stay for the food.

Where: 219 Simmons St, just off Coleman · Lunch: daily 7 AM–4 PM · Order: the avocado toast with house-made tomato-onion marmalade, the chicken salad sandwich, or an açai bowl — and grab an apple cider donut on the way out

The sit-down waterfront option — dock views over the Shem Creek shrimp boats with a full lunch menu every single day, which is rarer on the creek than you'd think.

Where: 1407 Shrimp Boat Ln, Shem Creek · Lunch: daily from 11 AM (Sundays from 10) · Price: sandwiches and mains $14–19 · Order: the Wedge Shrimp & Grits or the Jamaican jerked mahi sandwich

Who's open for lunch on Sunday? Boxcar Betty's, SOL (brunch), Page's Okra Grill, Mozzo Deli, Swig & Swine, Vintage Coffee Cafe, and Water's Edge. Melvin's, Graze, Carmen y Juan, and Square Onion are closed Sundays.

Best lunch under $15? Mozzo Deli, Boxcar Betty's, and Carmen y Juan all get you fed for under $15 — Mozzo's the fastest of the three.

Best waterfront lunch? Water's Edge on Shem Creek. For the full rundown of the creek, see our Shem Creek guide.

Best spot for a business lunch? Graze — dressier menu, real tables, Mon–Sat 11 to 3.

Looking for dinner instead? See our guide to the best restaurants in Mount Pleasant. Planning your evening early? Here are the best happy hours in Mount Pleasant.

Prices and hours checked August 2026 — always double-check before you go.