Latest news with #JackrabbitFilly
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
After a ‘Chi-town throwdown,' just one Chicago chef remains on ‘Top Chef'
Warning: Spoilers ahead for all of 'Top Chef' Season 22, except the remaining finale episode. Only one Chicago competitor remains for the final episode of this season's 'Top Chef,' which airs Thursday evening. Chi-town could have another local Top Chef if they win, a coveted title that frequently propels cast members to successful restaurants, television spots and cookbooks. Bailey Sullivan, executive chef at Monteverde, qualified for the finale of 'Top Chef: Destination Canada' from a competitive pool of 15 chefs. 'Top Chef' Season 10 winner Kristen Kish hosted this season, joined by judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. The other chefs who made it to the final episode are Shuai Wang, chef-owner of Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ in North Charleston, South Carolina, and Tristen Epps, chef-owner of Epps & Flows Culinary in Houston. Earlier in the season, Sullivan was joined by Chicago peers Zubair Mohajir, the executive chef and founder of Lilac Tiger, Coach House and Mirra, and César Murillo, executive chef of North Pond. Sullivan's combination of compassionate competition and camaraderie was a consistent feature of this season, which was low on drama and high on quality cooking. Over the weekend, her Instagram account shared a photo of a group hug between her and the final four competitors, captioned 'Some of the best folks I know.' 'You grow so close with these people,' Sullivan said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune ahead of the finale. By her admission on the show, Sullivan's journey to the top of the competition was slow to start. She was initially eliminated in the second episode for her maple tart. 'I think I just attribute my struggles early on as being totally freaked out, 100%,' Sullivan told the Tribune. 'I had never been on TV before.' Meanwhile, Mohajir won that episode's elimination challenge with a variation on his signature tandoori fried chicken dish, which was eventually featured on the menu at Lilac Tiger. But in the fourth episode, the James Beard-nominated chef was eliminated, to the surprise of many — it was his only time at the bottom. Contestants are kept in the dark about some elements of the production, so it was bittersweet for Mohajir and Sullivan to find out they'd be facing off in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' a web series where eliminated chefs get a chance to return. 'I've been impressed by both of you,' said Colicchio as he was judging their showdown of savory and sweet. 'Zubair, I was quite frankly surprised to see you just this early here, based on some of the earlier challenges. And Bailey, in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' you've been cooking really well.' Eventually, he picked Sullivan's pork and panna cotta dishes over Mohajir's scallops and French toast to win, though it was close. Reflecting back on her cook in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' Sullivan said she was able to keep a positive attitude knowing that no matter what, someone from Chicago would go on to compete. 'I will cheer on Zubair on everything he does going forward,' Sullivan said. In Chicago, her love for the restaurant industry started with growing up at Goldyburgers in Forest Park, a restaurant her father bought. She became a 'Top Chef' fan watching the show with her mother and ended up training under another 'Top Chef' alumni, Beverly Kim of Parachute, as well as Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde, head chef and owner. Sullivan rejoined the main competition in the fifth episode, where she and Epps won a team elimination challenge with fire-kissed grilled octopus with olives. Team Chicago would face one more loss in the penultimate episode. North Pond's Murillo had a strong showing all season, with Collichio calling his pickle-inspired dessert from Episode 9 one of the best dishes he'd ever had on the show. The finale is taking place in Milan, Italy, and fittingly, last week's elimination challenge was a head-to-head based on Italian ingredients. Wang and Epps had qualified for the finale by winning the polenta and beet rounds, respectively, which left one final spot for either Sullivan or Murillo. Sullivan called the gorgonzola round a 'Chi-town throwdown.' As they finished their dishes, the chefs hugged and said they loved each other. Sullivan had been critiqued for her usage of the cheese earlier in the season — in Milan, she took the opportunity to redeem her earlier failure. This time, she came out on top with a bruleed gorgonzola. The judges praised her quirky, endearing personality. 'Cesar, you put together a really great dish,' Collichio said after announcing Murillo's elimination for his butternut squash casserole. 'Bailey's was a little more focused on the gorgonzola. That's the only reason.' Sullivan couldn't share how she did in the finale, but if she won, she wouldn't be the first Chicago chef; Stephanie Izard and Joe Flamm were both crowned Top Chef of their seasons and Rick Bayless won the first season of 'Top Chef Masters.' Sullivan's Monterverde mentor, chef Sarah Grueneberg, made it to the top two of Season 9 of 'Top Chef.' 'I do kind of feel like I'm following in Sarah's footsteps, being on 'Top Chef,'' said Sullivan. 'I just celebrated nine years at Monteverde this June.' The Top Chef usually receives money, press and various perks but new this year, the winner will have the opportunity to present at the James Beard Awards in Chicago on June 16, a week after the finale airs. Win or lose, Bailey Sullivan has made it. 'Top Chef' Season 22 concludes on June 12. The final episode, along with the rest of the season, will be available to stream the next day on Peacock. Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. This Chicago chef just won season two of Food Network's '24 in 24: Last Chef Standing'
Chicago Tribune
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
After a ‘Chi-town throwdown,' just one Chicago chef remains on ‘Top Chef'
Warning: Spoilers ahead for all of 'Top Chef' Season 22, except the remaining finale episode. Only one Chicago competitor remains for the final episode of this season's 'Top Chef,' which airs Thursday evening. Chi-town could have another local Top Chef if they win, a coveted title that frequently propels cast members to successful restaurants, television spots and cookbooks. Bailey Sullivan, executive chef at Monteverde, qualified for the finale of 'Top Chef: Destination Canada' from a competitive pool of 15 chefs. 'Top Chef' Season 10 winner Kristen Kish hosted this season, joined by judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. The other chefs who made it to the final episode are Shuai Wang, chef-owner of Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ in North Charleston, South Carolina, and Tristen Epps, chef-owner of Epps & Flows Culinary in Houston. Earlier in the season, Sullivan was joined by Chicago peers Zubair Mohajir, the executive chef and founder of Lilac Tiger, Coach House and Mirra, and César Murillo, executive chef of North Pond. Sullivan's combination of compassionate competition and camaraderie was a consistent feature of this season, which was low on drama and high on quality cooking. Over the weekend, her Instagram account shared a photo of a group hug between her and the final four competitors, captioned 'Some of the best folks I know.' 'You grow so close with these people,' Sullivan said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune ahead of the finale. By her admission on the show, Sullivan's journey to the top of the competition was slow to start. She was initially eliminated in the second episode for her maple tart. 'I think I just attribute my struggles early on as being totally freaked out, 100%,' Sullivan told the Tribune. 'I had never been on TV before.' Meanwhile, Mohajir won that episode's elimination challenge with a variation on his signature tandoori fried chicken dish, which was eventually featured on the menu at Lilac Tiger. But in the fourth episode, the James Beard-nominated chef was eliminated, to the surprise of many — it was his only time at the bottom. Contestants are kept in the dark about some elements of the production, so it was bittersweet for Mohajir and Sullivan to find out they'd be facing off in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' a web series where eliminated chefs get a chance to return. 'I've been impressed by both of you,' said Colicchio as he was judging their showdown of savory and sweet. 'Zubair, I was quite frankly surprised to see you just this early here, based on some of the earlier challenges. And Bailey, in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' you've been cooking really well.' Eventually, he picked Sullivan's pork and panna cotta dishes over Mohajir's scallops and French toast to win, though it was close. Reflecting back on her cook in 'Last Chance Kitchen,' Sullivan said she was able to keep a positive attitude knowing that no matter what, someone from Chicago would go on to compete. 'I will cheer on Zubair on everything he does going forward,' Sullivan said. In Chicago, her love for the restaurant industry started with growing up at Goldyburgers in Forest Park, a restaurant her father bought. She became a 'Top Chef' fan watching the show with her mother and ended up training under another 'Top Chef' alumni, Beverly Kim of Parachute, as well as Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde, head chef and owner. Sullivan rejoined the main competition in the fifth episode, where she and Epps won a team elimination challenge with fire-kissed grilled octopus with olives. Team Chicago would face one more loss in the penultimate episode. North Pond's Murillo had a strong showing all season, with Collichio calling his pickle-inspired dessert from Episode 9 one of the best dishes he'd ever had on the show. The finale is taking place in Milan, Italy, and fittingly, last week's elimination challenge was a head-to-head based on Italian ingredients. Wang and Epps had qualified for the finale by winning the polenta and beet rounds, respectively, which left one final spot for either Sullivan or Murillo. Sullivan called the gorgonzola round a 'Chi-town throwdown.' As they finished their dishes, the chefs hugged and said they loved each other. Sullivan had been critiqued for her usage of the cheese earlier in the season — in Milan, she took the opportunity to redeem her earlier failure. This time, she came out on top with a bruleed gorgonzola. The judges praised her quirky, endearing personality. 'Cesar, you put together a really great dish,' Collichio said after announcing Murillo's elimination for his butternut squash casserole. 'Bailey's was a little more focused on the gorgonzola. That's the only reason.' Sullivan couldn't share how she did in the finale, but if she won, she wouldn't be the first Chicago chef; Stephanie Izard and Joe Flamm were both crowned Top Chef of their seasons and Rick Bayless won the first season of 'Top Chef Masters.' Sullivan's Monterverde mentor, chef Sarah Grueneberg, made it to the top two of Season 9 of 'Top Chef.' 'I do kind of feel like I'm following in Sarah's footsteps, being on 'Top Chef,'' said Sullivan. 'I just celebrated nine years at Monteverde this June.' The Top Chef usually receives money, press and various perks but new this year, the winner will have the opportunity to present at the James Beard Awards in Chicago on June 16, a week after the finale airs. Win or lose, Bailey Sullivan has made it. 'Top Chef' Season 22 concludes on June 12. The final episode, along with the rest of the season, will be available to stream the next day on Peacock. Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. This Chicago chef just won season two of Food Network's '24 in 24: Last Chef Standing'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charleston chef Shuai Wang competes on ‘Top Chef' in Canada
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The owner of two local restaurants is competing against other chefs around the country on season 22 of 'Top Chef: Destination Canada.' The cooking pro is prepared to bring the heat in the reality competition television series. 'My favorite dish. That's a hard one. There's so many … honestly one of my favorite, favorite things in the whole entire world to eat, and I can eat endless amount of this, is just my mom's cooking, shared Chef Shuai Wang. North Charleston chef takes culinary talent to national stage by appearing on Bravo's 'Top Chef' He went on to explain, 'She does this stuffed scallion pancake. It has garlic chives and ground pork in there. I can just eat that 'til I'm sick, basically.' Chef Wang was born in Beijing, China and immigrated to the United States to Queens, New York. He later moved to Charleston, thinking he would be there for a short time to help a friend. He ended up falling in love with the Holy City's charm. 'I love North Charleston particularly. It feels very much my own vibe. It's all the working class and people like my age who are just trying to, you know, make a living and start a family,' said Chef Wang, who is the owner of Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ. 'At Jackrabbit Filly, we call it Chinese American. It's not so much the American Chinese food that most people are used to, which is your typical takeout right, your General Tso's chicken, your beef and broccoli,' he said. Instead, the menu is inspired by recipes made with love by his mother and grandmother. 'It's like old-school Beijing-style food, which you don't typically see in the States, but then we also utilize as much local ingredients as possible. In fact, we're part of the fresh menu program, so more than 25% of our menu is local and I don't think you see that a lot with Chinese food either and it's not just Chinese, it's Chinese food inspired, but it's food that's kind of inspired me throughout my whole entire career,' said Chef Wang. A melting pot of flavors, his other restaurant, King BBQ, is inspired by Chinatown-style BBQ married with a southern technique. 'More Carolina-style barbeque than anything else. You know, a lot of tons of great barbeque here in Charleston,' he said. Not competitive in nature, Chef Wang saw 'Top Chef' as an opportunity to showcase his skills and promote his restaurants even though he was hesitant to apply for the show. Chef Wang shared, 'I was dreading it before going on because, again, I'm not competitive I thought everyone's going to be butting heads and be mean to each other and that's not just my vibe you know, but as soon as we started and after the first episode, it was just like everyone's so nice. We just bonded immediately.' Before going on 'Top Chef,' Chef Wang didn't watch the show until he was chosen to be a contestant. He explained, 'I don't watch cooking competitions shows typically just because, you know, I worked cart service every day and the last thing I want to do is kind of give myself more anxiety by watching other chef's struggle.' Before competing on the show this season, Chef Wang not only tested recipes he hadn't made in awhile, he also completed 30 minute challenges at home with his wife. 'Just kind of timing myself, we spent a lot of time at Whole Foods trying to memorize the aisles which was very silly because you know, didn't realize, didn't even think about Canadian Whole Foods might be different than the United States Whole foods,' said Chef Wang. Grateful for the opportunity, as Chef Wang competes, he cooks each dish with passion. He went on to say, 'For me, to be a chef is less about the food and is more about taking care of people. I love having to take care of someone, and the best way to do that, for me, is through food. Something about food just brings everyone together and watching people eat your food and having that reaction, that's like, you know, like happiness, biggest reason why I wanted to be a chef.' The winner of 'Top Chef' will take home the grand prize of $250,000. You can support Chef Wang by watching him on Bravo every Thursday at 9 p.m. or streaming it the next day on Peacock. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Go beyond Charleston's King Street to explore the working-class neighborhood redefining southern cool
New Yorkers aren't afraid of a little schmutz. When Queens-born Chef Shuai Wang and his wife Corrie went hunting for a spot to open their new Charleston restaurant, they wanted a place that was both affordable and authentically homegrown—a tall order in a city where home prices frequently soar past $2 million and two-bedroom apartments cost $4,000 to rent a month. The couple found their answer in Park Circle, a 110-year-old historic garden neighborhood in a fast-changing, working-class community called North Charleston with a gritty heritage standing in stark contrast to the genteel, steeple-stippled skyline, expensive boutiques, and luxury hotels further south. For Wang, who starred in the most recent season of Bravo's Top Chef, that difference felt right. "Park Circle is Charleston's Williamsburg," he says, drawing parallels to Brooklyn's once-scruffy creative enclave. The couple opened Jackrabbit Filly on Spruill Avenue five years ago (recently relocating it to nearby East Montague Avenue). They weren't alone. Only a 16-minute Uber ride from downtown Charleston's Marion Square, Park Circle has quietly become the Holy City's vibrant magnet, drawing residents priced out of living "below the neck"—the stretch of peninsula wedged between the Ashley and Cooper rivers and separating North Charleston from the bourgeois world of the historic city. No such airs are on display in Jackrabbit Filly, the 1970s wood-paneled walls furnished with quixotic thrift-store finds contrast with intricate wood screens imported from China. There's a clatter of plates and the hum of conversation coming from the 44 tables, all booked. The air is filled with aromas of soy vinegar and chili oil, and there is anticipation for dishes such as glass noodles and the Japanese fried chicken known as karaage, so popular devotees drive from miles around to enjoy the food and atmosphere. That's no surprise to Pearce Fleming, whose airy microbrewery Commonhouse Aleworks sits around the corner. "Park Circle's a place that fosters community," he says. 'It's what we try to do at our brewery. We exist to bring people together to celebrate over a pint of social lubricant." To encourage that conviviality, Fleming, whose brews include IPAs 'Navy Town' and 'Park Circle' named for his neighborhood, helped establish one of the community's biggest festivals. In 2010, Park Circle was the first to celebrate Pride in Charleston, which it continues to do to this day with more than 40 participating organizations. Now, other annual events like the musically minded Riverfront Revival and Rockabillaque, featuring rockabilly music, classic cars, and barbecue, draw thousands of people. Music is center stage throughout the year at other venues including Holy City Brewing and the Firefly Distillery, famous for its sweet tea vodka. Visitors can sample the lemony-flavored drink, and its bourbons and whiskeys, in its tasting room. Outside, Firefly's five-acre music space regularly hosts bands. Past performers included Chappell Roan and Willie Nelson. While a Roan concert wasn't what its founders could ever imagine, Park Circle is finally fulfilling its original intention in some ways. The neighborhood began as a genteel gamble in the 1910s when city businessmen envisioned a streetcar suburb that would lure young professionals and their families north of Charleston's traditional boundaries. "They couldn't kick start interest in moving there," says Brittany Lavelle Tulla, an architectural historian at BVL Historic Preservation Research. "It couldn't just get off its feet." Instead, the US Navy took center stage. Its base, the Naval Complex, employed 25,000 workers at its World War II peak. Workers performed a variety of duties from disassembling Nazi U-boats to maintaining Cold War fleets. Their communities—which would incorporate as the city of North Charleston in 1972—earned a brawling, blue-collar reputation immortalized in Pat Conroy's novel "The Lords of Discipline." (Related: Charleston's newest museum reckons with the city's role in the slave trade.) Yet Park Circle's original garden city design endured. The central circular park, that gave the neighborhood its name, still anchored streets that radiated outward like spokes. When the base closed in 1996, that historic blueprint, combined with the bungalows, worker cottages, and mid-century buildings left behind, created perfect conditions for renewal. Young entrepreneurs and artists soon discovered East Montague Avenue's wide, herringbone-bricked sidewalks—perfect for outdoor cafes, kids, and dogs—and a new chapter began. The avenue's shops reflect the neighborhood's eclectic spirit. Neighborly modern furniture shares space with local artisans' work. Odd Duck Market sells food and coffee, while Black Octopus Mercantile transformed surf wear into streetwear. The shop is a cheery place, probably due to the ebullience of owner Missy Johnson, who designs most of the merchandise herself. Some of it is regularly featured on the hit teen drama The Outer Banks. 'I love being in Park Circle,' she says. 'We may be off the beaten track but we're quite the gem of the realm sitting between the pine trees and the river.' The river that Johnson is referring to is Cooper River, where the old naval facilities are also undergoing a 140-acre Riverfront Park now occupies part of the former base, including grounds initially landscaped in 1896 by the famed Olmsted Brothers firm for a project predating the naval yards. Walking paths crisscross beneath century-old live oaks, leading to a 1,200-foot boardwalk jutting into the water. The former base commander's Colonial Revival mansion and its columned porches, or 'piazzas' in local parlance, is now an event space overlooking the river where anglers cast for red drum, spotted sea trout, and flounder. The graceful Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge and its two 55-foot-tall steel arches connect the park to the River District North development, an ambitious plan where 70 acres of former naval land will become a mixed-used village with housing, offices, and retail spaces. While the River District North promises a glossy future, Park Circle's past isn't forgotten. Kelsey Bacon, a floral designer at Roadside Blooms, bridges both. Her great 'grand mamie' Virginia Kirkland toiled in the naval factories during WWII. Bacon thinks she would have been amazed to see the transformations that have turned the community into the one now on travelers' itineraries. 'It's a melting pot of different lives and different people, says Bacon. 'As long as I'm in Charleston I'll be in Park Circle.' (Related: Discover the best of Charleston with these top 10 things to do.) Where to eat: The tide-to-table Walrus Raw Bar inside Holy City Brewing offers the chance to slurp local oysters and quaff an array of artisanal beers. On East Montague, Southern Roots Smokehouse features brisket, chicken wings, and traditional barbecue sides. Across the street, EVO Pizza offers wood-fired pies like pistachio pesto or the pork trifecta with a farmer's salad. Where to stay: Airbnbs on offer in the neighborhood. Something new in North Charleston: The Starlight Motor Inn, an authentic 1961 motel with strong mid-century modern design vibes and live music in its upstairs bar The Burgundy Lounge (Rates from $100). Downtown, The Ryder, which opened in 2021, offers a contemporary vibe different than many of the traditional hotels (Rates from $203) What to do: New last year, The Park Circle Playground is the country's largest inclusive playground designed to allow full accessibility to children with autism, sensory issues, or in wheelchairs full accessibility. For playful adults, retro Pinky and Clyde's Arcade Bar on East Montague lets patrons play vintage video games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. On Spruill Avenue, the Station offers shoppers vintage housewares and clothing as well as new art and fashions curated by a changing mix of some 30 artists, designers, and thrifters. (Related: 10 of the best hotels in Charleston, from historic landmarks to hipster hotspots.) Andrew Nelson is the author of National Geographic's recently published travel book Here Not There. Follow him on Instagram.
National Geographic
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Go beyond Charleston's King Street to explore the working-class neighborhood redefining southern cool
New Yorkers aren't afraid of a little schmutz. When Queens-born Chef Shuai Wang and his wife Corrie went hunting for a spot to open their new Charleston restaurant, they wanted a place that was both affordable and authentically homegrown—a tall order in a city where home prices frequently soar past $2 million and two-bedroom apartments cost $4,000 to rent a month. The couple found their answer in Park Circle, a 110-year-old historic garden neighborhood in a fast-changing, working-class community called North Charleston with a gritty heritage standing in stark contrast to the genteel, steeple-stippled skyline, expensive boutiques, and luxury hotels further south. For Wang, who starred in the most recent season of Bravo's Top Chef, that difference felt right. "Park Circle is Charleston's Williamsburg," he says, drawing parallels to Brooklyn's once-scruffy creative enclave. In 2010, Park Circle was the first to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride in Charleston, and it has become the home to annual music events such as the Riverfront Revival and Rockabillaque. Photograph By North Charleston, via Flickr Creative Commons Charleston's new artist district The couple opened Jackrabbit Filly on Spruill Avenue five years ago (recently relocating it to nearby East Montague Avenue). They weren't alone. Only a 16-minute Uber ride from downtown Charleston's Marion Square, Park Circle has quietly become the Holy City's vibrant magnet, drawing residents priced out of living "below the neck"—the stretch of peninsula wedged between the Ashley and Cooper rivers and separating North Charleston from the bourgeois world of the historic city. No such airs are on display in Jackrabbit Filly, the 1970s wood-paneled walls furnished with quixotic thrift-store finds contrast with intricate wood screens imported from China. There's a clatter of plates and the hum of conversation coming from the 44 tables, all booked. The air is filled with aromas of soy vinegar and chili oil, and there is anticipation for dishes such as glass noodles and the Japanese fried chicken known as karaage, so popular devotees drive from miles around to enjoy the food and atmosphere. That's no surprise to Pearce Fleming, whose airy microbrewery Commonhouse Aleworks sits around the corner. "Park Circle's a place that fosters community," he says. 'It's what we try to do at our brewery. We exist to bring people together to celebrate over a pint of social lubricant." Located in the Park Circle neighborhood, Riverfront Park features the Greater Charleston Navel Base Memorial and an 800-foot boardwalk along Cooper River. Photograph By Brooke Becker, Shutterstock To encourage that conviviality, Fleming, whose brews include IPAs 'Navy Town' and 'Park Circle' named for his neighborhood, helped establish one of the community's biggest festivals. In 2010, Park Circle was the first to celebrate Pride in Charleston, which it continues to do to this day with more than 40 participating organizations. Now, other annual events like the musically minded Riverfront Revival and Rockabillaque, featuring rockabilly music, classic cars, and barbecue, draw thousands of people. Music is center stage throughout the year at other venues including Holy City Brewing and the Firefly Distillery, famous for its sweet tea vodka. Visitors can sample the lemony-flavored drink, and its bourbons and whiskeys, in its tasting room. Outside, Firefly's five-acre music space regularly hosts bands. Past performers included Chappell Roan and Willie Nelson. Firefly Distillery has a five-acre music space to host music concerts. Previous performers include Chappell Roan, Willie Nelson, Vampire Weekend, and Lupe Fiasco. Photograph By Firefly Distillery The history of a streetcar suburb While a Roan concert wasn't what its founders could ever imagine, Park Circle is finally fulfilling its original intention in some ways. The neighborhood began as a genteel gamble in the 1910s when city businessmen envisioned a streetcar suburb that would lure young professionals and their families north of Charleston's traditional boundaries. "They couldn't kick start interest in moving there," says Brittany Lavelle Tulla, an architectural historian at BVL Historic Preservation Research. "It couldn't just get off its feet." Instead, the US Navy took center stage. Its base, the Naval Complex, employed 25,000 workers at its World War II peak. Workers performed a variety of duties from disassembling Nazi U-boats to maintaining Cold War fleets. Their communities—which would incorporate as the city of North Charleston in 1972—earned a brawling, blue-collar reputation immortalized in Pat Conroy's novel "The Lords of Discipline." (Related: Charleston's newest museum reckons with the city's role in the slave trade.) A burgeoning neighborhood with ties to its historic past Yet Park Circle's original garden city design endured. The central circular park, that gave the neighborhood its name, still anchored streets that radiated outward like spokes. When the base closed in 1996, that historic blueprint, combined with the bungalows, worker cottages, and mid-century buildings left behind, created perfect conditions for renewal. Young entrepreneurs and artists soon discovered East Montague Avenue's wide, herringbone-bricked sidewalks—perfect for outdoor cafes, kids, and dogs—and a new chapter began. The avenue's shops reflect the neighborhood's eclectic spirit. Neighborly modern furniture shares space with local artisans' work. Odd Duck Market sells food and coffee, while Black Octopus Mercantile transformed surf wear into streetwear. The shop is a cheery place, probably due to the ebullience of owner Missy Johnson, who designs most of the merchandise herself. Some of it is regularly featured on the hit teen drama The Outer Banks. 'I love being in Park Circle,' she says. 'We may be off the beaten track but we're quite the gem of the realm sitting between the pine trees and the river.' The river that Johnson is referring to is Cooper River, where the old naval facilities are also undergoing a 140-acre Riverfront Park now occupies part of the former base, including grounds initially landscaped in 1896 by the famed Olmsted Brothers firm for a project predating the naval yards. Walking paths crisscross beneath century-old live oaks, leading to a 1,200-foot boardwalk jutting into the water. In North Charleston, the 55-foot-tall steel arches of the Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge connects Riverfront Park to the River District North development, 70 acres of former naval land that will be transformed into a village with housing, offices, and retail spaces. Photogrpah By Charlotte Evelyn, Shutterstock The former base commander's Colonial Revival mansion and its columned porches, or 'piazzas' in local parlance, is now an event space overlooking the river where anglers cast for red drum, spotted sea trout, and flounder. The graceful Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge and its two 55-foot-tall steel arches connect the park to the River District North development, an ambitious plan where 70 acres of former naval land will become a mixed-used village with housing, offices, and retail spaces. While the River District North promises a glossy future, Park Circle's past isn't forgotten. Kelsey Bacon, a floral designer at Roadside Blooms, bridges both. Her great 'grand mamie' Virginia Kirkland toiled in the naval factories during WWII. Bacon thinks she would have been amazed to see the transformations that have turned the community into the one now on travelers' itineraries. 'It's a melting pot of different lives and different people, says Bacon. 'As long as I'm in Charleston I'll be in Park Circle.' (Related: Discover the best of Charleston with these top 10 things to do.) What you should know Where to eat: The tide-to-table Walrus Raw Bar inside Holy City Brewing offers the chance to slurp local oysters and quaff an array of artisanal beers. On East Montague, Southern Roots Smokehouse features brisket, chicken wings, and traditional barbecue sides. Across the street, EVO Pizza offers wood-fired pies like pistachio pesto or the pork trifecta with a farmer's salad. Where to stay: Airbnbs on offer in the neighborhood. Something new in North Charleston: The Starlight Motor Inn, an authentic 1961 motel with strong mid-century modern design vibes and live music in its upstairs bar The Burgundy Lounge (Rates from $100). Downtown, The Ryder, which opened in 2021, offers a contemporary vibe different than many of the traditional hotels (Rates from $203) What to do: New last year, The Park Circle Playground is the country's largest inclusive playground designed to allow full accessibility to children with autism, sensory issues, or in wheelchairs full accessibility. For playful adults, retro Pinky and Clyde's Arcade Bar on East Montague lets patrons play vintage video games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. On Spruill Avenue, the Station offers shoppers vintage housewares and clothing as well as new art and fashions curated by a changing mix of some 30 artists, designers, and thrifters. (Related: 10 of the best hotels in Charleston, from historic landmarks to hipster hotspots.) Andrew Nelson is the author of National Geographic's recently published travel book Here Not There. Follow him on is the author of National Geographic's recently published travel bookFollow him on Instagram Unlimited Access for Less Subscribe now and save $10 SUBSCRIBE
