Any lover of seafood who's been to Charleston, South Carolina has likely heard of The Glass Onion, a restaurant known for its authentic southern food and commitment to sustainable practices. This classic Southern restaurant is the place to go for a delectable, freshly caught seafood meal that comes directly from local fishers, farmers and bakers.
The Glass Onion is a go-to when showing visitors all that Charleston has to offer or for a nice dinner out on the town. The eatery is set apart by many aspects of its dining experience, from its down-home Southern food to its welcoming, classy atmosphere.
The Glass Onion's Commitment to Sustainability
However, the most impressive part of this Charleston restaurant is its unwavering commitment to sustainability and the environment. Executive Chef Chris Stewart sources ingredients from local farmers, fishers, brewmasters, suppliers and bakers, supporting the community while providing it with delicious Lowcountry favorites.
The Glass Onion has been sourcing locally since it was opened eight years ago, and at that point using primarily local and sustainable ingredients was far from commonplace. Along with this, this restaurant doesn't use any plastic straws, bags or styrofoam carryout containers.
As Stewart said, the practice of finding natural, local ingredients has gotten easier as this becomes more of a widespread practice. "We've always wanted to pull from as close to town as possible. When we first opened, we had to use meat from Niman Ranch, because that was the only natural beef we could get. Now most of the beef we serve is from Celeste [Albers] or a farming cooperative in Alabama. That's been a big change."
The restaurant's sustainable practices even extend to its beverage list. Look for the "green" white list to drink bottles that are sustainable, biodynamic, or organic. For full transparency, The Glass Onion's website even lists the local organizations, farmers and artisans that it supports.
The Glass Onion's Lowcountry Southern Menu
As an eighth generation Alabaman, Chris Stewart is uniquely qualified to make Lowcountry southern dishes. He was born and raised in Birmingham, and learned the majority of his cooking skills from his grandma, Jennie Ruth Haley. Stewart was raised with an appreciation of fresh, local ingredients through his family's large garden.
Every Sunday supper, he would observe how his grandmother cooked her scrumptious Southern dishes, which were tasty classics like deviled eggs, fried chicken, and country fried steak. Through these childhood experiences, his culinary education and his time in New Orleans, Stewart developed a deep love of Southern cooking, which you can taste in the Southern classics and comfort food dishes he serves up at The Glass Onion.
The Glass Onion's ever-changing menu is full of dishes inspired by Stewart's Alabama heritage and love of Southern cooking, and its desserts are made by his wife, Suzanne Stewart. Make sure to save room for decadent sweets like the Famous Bread Pudding, Wholly Cow Ice Cream, and Bourbon Pecan Tart.
For homestyle menu items like Fried Green Tomatoes, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwiches, Grits, Fried Cheshire Pork Chops, and Cornmeal Fried Carolina Classic Catfish, The Glass Onion is the place to go. Most importantly, you can count on the fact that its mouthwatering dishes are made with ingredients that come from the community it serves.
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