Softie Specials: Where to Find Soft Shell Crab in Charleston
Spring is here, and so is the short-lived soft shell crab season. Here's a running list so you can get em' while they're soft 🦀
This is an evolving newsletter: I’m going to add restaurants as they indicate that they have soft shell crab specials. Last year, my post included over 30 places in Charleston with soft shell crab!
A note:
Soft shell crab supply can be variable, so there’s no guarantee that every restaurant listed below will always have softies available in the next few weeks! Since this is a highly seasonal ingredient, dishes featuring soft shell crab can often change daily, too.
Basically, call ahead to check if the restaurant you’re planning on going to has softies, and to confirm what their specials are in order to avoid any risk of disappointment!
Follow me on Instagram for real-time updates:
Downtown Charleston
167 Raw
Based on my detective work 🕵🏻♀️ it seems like 167 Raw is doing tempura fried softie sandwiches with black garlic mayo, Napa cabbage, a yuzu kosho butter sauce, and a black sesame bun from Annie Mae’s Provisions.
P.s., I’ve seen some glimpses of softies on 167 Sushi Bar’s IG, too!
39 Rue de Jean
They recently served up a soft shell crab ratatouille!
82 Queen
82 Queen is cooking up crispy soft shell with vegetable pilaf, shaved Brussels sprouts, peppers, red onions, and a green garlic aioli.
Amen Street
They’ve got a soft shell BLT with Cajun remoulade.
Beautiful South
They’re doing ‘em salt-and-pepper style.
Bistronomy by Nico
They’re doing deep-fried softies on a brioche bun with their house-made burger sauce.
Blind Tiger
Blind Tiger had softie Benedicts as a Sunday special this past weekend.
Brasserie La Banque
They’ve got ‘em pan-roasted, served with with butter beans, citrus, and sauce gribiche.
*NEW* Charleston Grill
Darling Oyster Bar
Their special is served with heirloom tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and a soubise sauce.
Delaney Oyster House
Edmund’s Oast Restaurant
Well this sounds divine: EO’s soft shell crab and papaya salad sandwich consists of a tempura-fried crab dusted in Korean pepper, papaya salad, sliced tomato and mayo on a Kaiser roll.
The Establishment
Their special includes three tempura-fried soft shell crabs with butter lettuce, popcorn rice, and three different sauces.
Estadio
How colorful is this? Estadio has tempura-fried soft shell crab with tarragon coleslaw, asparagus, butter beans, and a Béarnaise alioli.
Felix
Felix has got a soft shell BLT with rosemary garlic aioli!
Fleet Landing
Below is their crispy soft shell crab with fried green tomato and grits, plus they’ve got softie BLTs during lunch service.
Gabrielle at Hotel Bennett
They’re doing soft shell crab po’ boys!
The Grocery
They’ve got a soft shell crab trio and a sandwich!
Hank’s
Hanks has ‘em for a limited time!
Herd Provisions
For a limited time, they’re doing soft shell crab ramen with noodles, duck and lobster broth, seasonal vegetables, and chili oil.
High Cotton
Their softies are served with jeow som Napa cabbage slaw, cucumber, carrots, and a citrus-infused tamari.
Home Team BBQ
Check out their IG Stories to see what kind of softies they’re serving up as specials (and don’t forget to double-check the location, whether it’s downtown, in Mt. P, Sullivan’s, or West Ashley!
Husk
Husk’s got a sandwich with green tomato and creole aioli, plus crispy garlic soft shell crabs with asparagus and she crab hollandaise.
Indaco
Choose from three different preparations from Indaco: on spaghetti with tomato, calabrian chili, lemon butter, and herbs; with a bagna cauda sauce and arugula; or on butterbeans, celery, radish, mizuna, with an herb vinaigrette.
Leon’s
Leon’s has soft shell crab BLTs!
Lillian’s
This week, they’re cooking ‘em up with roasted tomato butter (YUM), on top of arugula with a vegetable vinaigrette and sunchoke chips.
Malagon
They’ve been serving up soft shell crab with grilled asparagus, ramps, and scallions…yum!
Marina Variety Store Restaurant
They’re doing ‘em “Lowcountry-style” with fried green tomato, pimento cheese, and a garlic aioli.
Melfi’s
Melfi’s is serving pan fried softies with an English pea and salsa verde risotto.
Park & Grove
They’re doing banh mi sandwiches for lunch, and BLTs for dinner!
Pink Bellies
Pink Bellies is always doing epic sandwiches during soft shell crab season. Shoutout to @girleatseverything for posting the deets on their sandwich: a “bun mi” with shrimp pate, tartar sauce, pickles, and dill.
Porchetta Shop
While supplies last, they’ve got a cornmeal-crusted soft shell sandwich with lemon caper aioli, lettuce, tomato, onions, and dill pickle. Check it out in their Stories here.
The Rarebit
Their sando has picked veggies and a sriracha aioli, and is served alongside Old Bay fries.
S.N.O.B.
Swipe through their post below to see what they’re cooking up!
Sorelle
Sorelle just announced that their soft shell crab piccata is now on the menu! Replacing their swordfish in the dish for a limited time.
*NEW* Vern’s
Vern’s is combining softie season with ramp season by serving theirs with a ramp Hollandaise, celery, and torn herbs.
North Charleston/Park Circle
Jackrabbit Filly
Jackrabbit Filly’s specials are always changing even outside of softie season, so you might want to double-check before you go! This is their tempura soft shell sandwich with black vinegar slaw and pickled daikon.
King BBQ
They just had a Singapore chili crab special with steamed bao, and have been doing crab Rangoon sandwiches, too! Peep their IG stories for the latest.
James Island
*NEW* Baguette Magic
They’ve got ‘em for a limited time, only at their Folly Road location.
Cudaco
Cudaco should have them coming in every day for a bit!
Edison
Their specials will change daily.
Ellis Creek Fish Camp
Softies with a view! Ellis Creek Fish Camp’s crispy crab is in an inside-out bun with fried green tomato, bacon jam, and arugula.
The Harlow
Their sandwich has lettuce, pickles and a Crystal hot sauce aioli.
The James
This sounds SO good: a za’atar spiced tempura fried soft shell crab served with couscous salad and a zhoug puree.
Kwei Fei
Over the weekend they had a super limited Chongqing-style málà soft shell crab special.
Millers All Day
Their soft shell crab BLT is served with a lemon and caper aioli, brioche toast, and a side of home fries. FYI, seems like they’re only at the JI location so far, not downtown.
Johns Island
The Royal Tern
Earlier this week, they had a cornmeal-fried softie with pimento cheese corn fritters, and a roasted red pepper coulis.
Mount Pleasant
Five Loaves Cafe
This weekend, they had pan-fried softies with Charleston red rice, green tomato relish, and sauteed cabbage.
Grace & Grit
Grace & Grit has soft shell crab and will be preparing them in different ways as the season goes on. On Wednesday, they were serving two fried softies over goat cheese-basil grits, served with charred asparagus, carrot puree and a green garlic remoulade. Check their IG for the latest!
Lola Rose
Lola Rose has been doing a gorgeous cornmeal dusted soft shell with green garlic and pistachio skordalia.
Miss Paula’s Shrimp/Tarvin Seafood
If you want to cook at home, they’re selling soft shell crab in a limited daily supply.
NICO Oysters + Seafood
They’ve got ‘em in a sandwich with pickled sweet peppers, sliced radishes, lettuce, and a saffron aioli.
The Post House Inn
They’re serving softies with Monetta Farms asparagus salad and a crab lemon aioli.
Red Drum
These softies are coated in a tempura beer batter and fried, and served alongside a roasted corn and shishito slaw.
Tavern & Table
Is doing soft shell bahn mi sandwiches!
On the move
Co-Hog food truck
They’re posting as they go, when they know where they’ll be and if they’ll have softies! Stay tuned to their Instagram for more dates.
Know someone with a soft spot for softies? Share this list with them!
Heard of other soft shell crab specials going on in Charleston? Leave a comment to let me know, and I’ll add them to the list!