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‘Live Like Royalty’: A Culinary Tour of Upper King Street

Sign of the historic King Street in Charleston, 2008

Charleston is known for its historic buildings and southern charm, but no part of the city better illustrates the fusion of past and present than Upper King Street in downtown. Many tourists associate Upper King Street with fashion and antiques, but over the course of the last decade, it’s also become home to a number of internationally renowned dining establishments.

To expose more visitors to this local gem, we’ve developed a culinary tour of Upper King Street. Keep reading to learn how you can live like royalty.

What is Upper King Street?

Upper King Street is more than 300 years old and acts as Charleston’s second-oldest thoroughfare, behind Meeting Street. City planners named it after King Charles II of England when Charleston was still known as Charles Town. During the 1700’s and 1800’s, King Street sat on the outskirts of town and served no commercial purpose. After the Civil War, Charleston was left in ruins and very little development occurred.

Upper King Street didn’t have a renaissance until the 1950’s when urban revitalization helped put Charleston back on the map. Between 2000-2009 the city invested more than $20.5 million into the area, transforming Upper King Street into the popular destination it is today.

Why should you visit Upper King Street?

Upper King Street features historic buildings, Michelin-star restaurants, carriage rides, and cobblestone streets. It’s also the perfect place to pursue your culinary interests. With so many fine-dining establishments in close proximity of one another, visitors have an opportunity to tour the world. If you love shopping, there’s plenty of that too. In fact, King Street was named one of America’s “Top 10 Shopping Streets” by US News & World Report.

What does a culinary tour of Upper King Street involve?

Our culinary tour of Upper King Street is a two and a half hour food tour that offers insights into Charleston’s historic Upper King Street neighborhood. It also presents an opportunity for food lovers (like you) to taste the flavors of what’s known as the New South. Charleston is home to some of the most creative and exciting up-and-coming chefs. Our city is also home to a thriving nightlife and craft cocktail scene.

We offer culinary tours of Upper King Street daily. Tours start at 3 p.m. Monday – Saturday. Additional tour times are also offered Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We highly recommend this tour for anyone planning on taking a carriage ride or touring the City Market and French Quarter. Our Upper King Street Tour can give you a greater appreciation for the area while exposing you to both traditional and innovative southern flavors.

Your fully-narrated, walking tour of Charleston Upper King Street includes:

  • All food and non-alcoholic beverage tastings
  • Enough food to make a meal for most
  • Certified Charleston tour guide
  • Free admission to the city’s oldest public building, the Charleston Powder Magazine

Are you hungry yet? We thought so! Reserve your spot today, using our online booking tool.

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