Greenville, South Carolina is a small city upstate. The city has a modern twist to it and attracts a young crowd. This could be due to the fact that it is nestled around universities such as Furman University and Clemson University. Greenville is my favorite place to visit on a boring weekend because it offers so many activities for young college students to enjoy. I will be honest, even though Greenville offers a wide array of activities to do, my favorite part about it is the restaurants. Whether I’m taking my parents there when they come visit, or when my friends and I decide to spend a night downtown, Greenville never lets my stomach down.

1. Tupelo Honey

If you are in the mood for classic southern food, Tupelo Honey is the place to go. Their food is made from scratch and their menu consists of comfort food such as fried chicken, fried okra, fried green tomatoes (a lot of fried food, what do you expect it’s the South!). As soon as you sit down, they serve you an unlimited amount of the best biscuits I have ever had (and I don’t even like biscuits); if that isn’t southern hospitality, I don’t know what is. Tupelo Honey is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner so you can enjoy their cuisine anytime of day.

2. Trio Cafe

If you love Italian food, Trio is the place for you. You start your meal with the most delicious carb I have ever tasted…their bread. Their round loaves are topped with garlic butter and parmesan cheese; be careful, though, you will find yourself eating so much of this bread, you won’t have room for your dinner! Trio’s large menu consists of soup, salad, pasta, pizza, calzones and entrees and will never fail to disappoint.

3. Takosushi

I will admit this is one of the quirkiest restaurants I have ever been to. The random combination of Mexican food and sushi may not seem like a good combination, but after going there I changed my mind. I personally am not a fan of sushi, so I was not excited to go to this restaurant with my friends but once I got there I realized the brilliance behind it because they also served tacos and quesadillas that I could order while my friends could fill their sushi craving.

4. Carolina Ale House

During the hype of college football season, Carolina Ale House is the place to go. Their loud restaurant has televisions all over the wall playing numerous football games at once. The friendly atmosphere and great food is the perfect combination for a great night.

5. Brick Street Café

Although Brick Street Café is found on the outskirts of downtown, it is a hidden gem that you have to try. While their food is great, what you really should go there for is their dessert. My friends and I went their once solely for the purpose of getting dessert. The dessert menu is huge and unique; you will not find desserts like the ones at Brick Street Café anywhere else. Their sweet potato cake will forever be one of the most mouth-watering pieces of cake I have ever put in my mouth. While sweet potato cake may make your face wrinkle in disgust, don’t judge to quickly, trust the southerners in the kitchen they know what they are doing.

6. Chicora Alley

This restaurant is unique because their menu is so varied it would be almost impossible not to find something you would like. While they have your typical sandwiches and burgers, Chicora Alley also offers seafood, chicken and beef entrees. What makes them special though is the fact that they have a special place on their menu for vegetarians and vegans. It is hard to find restaurants that cater specifically to vegetarians and vegans, yet Chicora Alley offers various options for them to choose from.

7. Spill the Beans

Although Spill the Beans is not a restaurant, it is a coffee shop, it is still a great place to eat. Along with their array of Italian sodas and coffee, Spill the Beans has the greatest ice cream ever. The customer has the choice of deciding between chocolate or vanilla ice cream and they get to choose as many toppings as they want to put in their ice cream. Spill the Beans is located right by Falls Park and provides the perfect snacks to munch on while strolling through the park.

8. Smoke on the Water

Known as a “southern saucy tavern” this restaurant is more formal than the others and is located right by the river near Falls Park. The location is beautiful and the menu is made up of mostly barbecued meat. This is the first restaurant I ever want to when I first visited Greenville and it was a great introduction to southern food.

9. Grill Marks

This burger joint is located in the heart of downtown. The front patio of the restaurant allows the customers to feel as if they were a part of Greenville as they watch people pass by and listen to the waterfall from Falls Park. While their food menu mainly consists of burgers but their drink menu is more varied. You can get a variety of milkshake flavors that you won’t find anywhere else like chocolate chili bacon but the most interesting part of the drink menu is their alcoholic milkshakes and spiked floats.

10. Roost

Roost is a great restaurant that offers local, organic, seasonal food for their customers. By avoiding the manufacturing and processing of food from the big agribusiness, Roost is able to provide fresh food from local businesses. This restaurant not only supports Greenville’s local businesses and economies but also offers the denizens a healthy option for a restaurant.

So the next time you're in Greenville, be sure to check out these restaurants! Trust me, you won't regret it (and neither will your stomach).