City: Charleston, SC

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (843) 266-4222, (877) 440-2250

Address: 225 East Bay St.

Description: When the Market Pavilion Hotel opened near the Market on East Bay Street, they promised a restaurant of distinction, and clearly, it was a promise they kept. Fashioned in the style of the great steak houses of yore, Grill 225 prides itself on garnering the freshest and highest-quality beef, veal, lamb, and seafood available. The fare is deliberately simple in its creation, proportion, flavor, and presentation—so the exceptional quality of each ingredient can (and does) carry the day. For starters, try their tuna tower, and then tackle their generous cut of prime beef or double-cut lamb chops. From the sea come jumbo lump crab cakes and, of course, lobster of almost any size you specify. If you’re willing, the dessert menu tempts with banana bread pudding or flaming baked Carolina. Reservations are recommended, and they can be made online. Dinner is served daily from 5:30 p.m. Lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mon through Sat. Sunday brunch is from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.