Hidden Greenville Gems from a Local!

Whenever I am giving a tour of campus and chitchatting with families, my go-to question is always “Have you guys visited Greenville before?” If they answer yes, I ask them what their favorite spots are around town and how they’ve enjoyed it. If they answer no, I quickly jump to let them know Greenville has so many great eats! I advise them to stop by Traveler’s Rest for a nice lunch or Downtown Greenville for a delicious dinner. I truly believe that Greenville’s food scene is one of the many great features about it.

Being in Greenville for almost nine years now, however, I’ve grown a bit used to the usual spots. Now don’t get me wrong. I love a good pasta meal at Trio or a yummy pizza from Sidewall. They’re classics, they’re comforting, and they’re Furman classics for a reason. You know when you just wanna try something new though? I get that feeling sometimes and that’s when I turn to Yelp.

My girlfriend and I are religious Yelp users. We are always checking to see what new restaurants are popping up, what place has the best reviews, and what places are trending. Greenville is 100% up-and-coming and it feels like new restaurants are popping up all over the place. So from a Greenville local and a proud Yelp user, I present to you 5 restaurants I consider to be hidden Greenville gems.

1. Basilico
   • Alright, this wasn’t meant to be a ranked list. However, Basilico is the first restaurant that pops into my mind when I think of a place that is not very well-known, is decently priced, and has to die for pasta. My girlfriend and I went here on a whim after checking it out on Yelp. We were blown away to say the least. They had free bread that came along with a cheese spread. I apologize if this doesn’t blow you away, but personally I consider myself to be a free bread enthusiast. I believe every restaurant should have free bread, it’s like an extra treat. Additionally, each pasta plate comes with a side salad! The bread, the salads, and the fantastic entrees are paired with great service in a quaint, little restaurant. It’s the perfect date night or lunch spot! Couldn’t not recommend enough!
2. Bex Cafe & Juice Bar
   • My best friend and I are constantly on the hunt for a yummy iced chai latte. I’m not a big coffee fan or, quite frankly, a big tea fan either, but iced chais have been my latest go-to drink. They’re so comforting and sweet, it’s my favorite. So anyways, we stumbled upon Bex as part of our ongoing search for Greenville’s best iced chai. Not only did we find a strong contender, we also found out they have delicious bagel sandwiches as well as made-to-order juices and smoothies. The employees were super cool and it was not as crowded or busy as other Greenville coffee shops, which was a breath of fresh air. It’s a great spot to catch up on some homework or meet someone for a coffee (or bagel/smoothie/juice) date!
3. Jersey Bagel Brothers
   • Bex was a great transition to my next suggestion: Jersey Bagel Brothers. Now there are some tough competitors for bagels around Greenville. We’ve got Sully’s Steamers, Greenfield’s, and other coffee shops. However, Jersey Bagel Brothers is truly unlike no other. They pride themselves on serving real New Jersey bagels. They have tons of sandwich options, spreads, and toppings. It’s a tiny shop with limited hours that is family-owned with some of the nicest staff. I love to pick up bagels for my friends and I on Sunday mornings and they usually even have a little table set up with homemade authentic Italian goods and pastries. Buying local is always great, but Jersey Bagel Brothers makes it incredibly delicious as well.
4. Cucho’s
   • Cucho’s is a Mexican restaurant that prides themselves on their tacos and quesabirrias. It’s a short drive away from Furman and has been gaining popularity among students. I personally tried it over the summer after a friend who was working on Orientation staff with me recommended it. We ended up taking a group trip over to Cucho’s and it has become our unofficial Orientation staff dinner spot! All my friends rave about their different salsas and their famous quesabirrias!
5. Henry’s Smokehouse
   • Henry’s Smokehouse is award-winning and offers some of the yummiest tasting barbecue I’ve ever had. Sometimes I find myself in the mood for some homemade mac and cheese and boy does Henry’s Smokehouse provide. They also have tons of options like pulled pork, ribs, brisket, and so many other smoked options. This place has made barbecue rise through the ranks of my favorite foods. I would 1000% recommend if you ever get that craving for some BBQ!

Hope this provided some inspiration if you ever find yourself in the Greenville area and wanna try some not-so-well known places!

Best,

Angel:)