MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. | Online reviews are a fantastic source of information in the time of communication.
If you don’t know the food scene up and down South Carolina’s Grand Strand, those internet clicks can frequently steer you toward visiting the big chains for “safe” choices. What they do at the same time, however, is steer you toward the common ground.
We challenge you to find new territory, holes in the wall or spot off the beaten path where the food is better than you might expect.
No worries, though, we won’t make you search on your own. The following restaurants are places visiting golfers may have never heard of but won’t soon forget.
FAMOUS TOASTERY (picured right)
At the corner of Carolina Forest Boulevard and U.S. 501, there are approximately 29,000 restaurants to choose from. Or so it feels.
And while several of them are places you need to put on your list to try, Famous Toastery has to be near the top. This locally owned chain has thrived with its attention to service detail and cleanliness amid a breakfast and lunch menu that delivers every time. Pancakes to omelets to wraps to burgers, you’ll find it all right here.
To top it all off, a nine-item kids’ menu is the perfect touch to keep the little ones happy if they’re in tow for the vacation.
RIVERTOWN BISTRO
Out west from the beach a bit, the city of Conway’s revitalization efforts have taken hold. The downtown is displaying a serious re-birth after the crippling floods of 2018. Smack dab in the middle of downtown is a tried-and-true beacon for foodies.
Rivertown Bistro off 3rd Avenue can start you off with our favorite, the crab dip, or a mix of salads. Then, maybe it’s on to the grilled chicken melt on a pretzel bun or the tuna tacos. Feeling a bit more hungry? Hit up the parmesan encrusted grouper or the filet.
SCATORI’S PIZZERIA & ITALIAN RESTAURANT (top photo)
Especially when we’re on vacation, none of us look for restaurants sharing a building with a grocery story. Those spaces are typically reserved for small Chinese joints or liquor stores. With Scatori’s, located near the intersection of S.C. 544 and U.S. 17, it only adds to the knock-your-socks-off menu that you never tasted coming. Its pizza line is vast – give the Margherita or Cheesesteak options a shot – the salad options are more meal than simple bowls of vegetables and a handful of paninis bolster the lunch menu for the quick-minded. At dinner, the traditional Italian fare packs a punch for those willing to spend a little more.
THE SNEAKY BEAGLE (pictured right)
You’ve likely seen the Beagle’s big brother, The Grumpy Monk, if you’ve driven into town on U.S. 501. The younger rendition is a bit harder to find, but those who find their way to the Beagle are going to find some of the better pub food around.
A 15-deep taco menu grabs the eye, especially with its mix-and-match approach. If tortillas aren’t your thing, the stacked sandwiches and wraps and paninis give you choices galore. There are also some high-calorie starters or the lighter salads, meaning everyone in your group is going to get what they want. The variety is slightly different from Grumpy Monk, but rest assured the massive tap list is something the brothers certainly have in common.
