Best Greenville restaurants for Christmas and New Year’s dinner

Best of the Upstate 2021

Greenville’s restaurant scene has captured national attention and garnered accolades that include “#1 Under-the-Radar Southern Food Destination” by Zagat and one of the “Top New Foodie Cities in America” by People magazine.

Greenville’s off-the-beaten-path charm leads to more soulful dining experiences from traditional meals of smoked meats and sweet tea to dynamic new takes on ethnic foods. Greenville offers diners the opportunity to eat their way around the globe without buying a plane ticket.

With more than 100 restaurants in downtown Greenville and more than 1,000 throughout the county, there’s plenty of places to discover your new favorite restaurant. 

Sometimes what we need is to come together for a meal. If you need a dining suggestion this holiday season, check out these restaurants that are doing things better than the rest, according to voters in the 2021 Best of the Upstate Awards. All the restaurants below were winners in their respective categories. Congratulations and happy eating! 

Asian Restaurant

Lieu’s Chinese Bistro

lieuschinesebistrosc.com

1149 Woodruff Road, Greenville, S.C. 29607

864-675-9898

Since opening its present location in September 2003, Lieu’s Chinese Bistro has become a popular dining destination for traditional and authentic Asian cuisine. An upscale atmosphere, pleasant service and professional staff make dining an enjoyable experience. For a tasty lunch or dinner start with vegetarian lettuce wraps, spring rolls, crab wontons, Peking dumplings and seared ahi tuna. Specialties include Mongolian beef, spicy shredded pork, curry chicken, salt and pepper calamari, pineapple duck and mandarin scallops. A range of beers are served as well as desserts such as banana spring rolls drizzled with Kahlua-coffee syrup and served with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Bagels

Greenfield’s Bagels & Deli

greenfieldsbagelsanddeli.com

864-987-0064

101 Verdae Blvd. suite 180, Greenville, S.C. 29607

The only kosher style deli in the upstate area, Greenfield’s Bagels & Deli is known for their delicious freshly baked bagels, which are boiled before they are baked and created with the finest quality of ingredients. The bagels that are made with whole wheat flour are available in more than 25 varieties from egg, rye and jalapeno to blueberry brown sugar, cranberry orange and black Russian. The bagel sandwiches are outstanding. They’re famous for their Ruebens and Rachels and also for their smoked salmon. The breakfast sandwiches are a delight any time of day.

Bakery

Strossner’s

Strossners.com

21 Roper Mountain Road, Greenville, S.C. 29607

864-233-3996

Any time of year Strossner’s is like a slice of heaven, but the sweet treats are really miraculous during the holiday season. The cakes, pies, tarts, cookies, pastries, cupcakes and other desserts arlook almost too good to eat. Their wedding cakes are over the top. A Greenville tradition for over 60 years, Strossner’s has been making delectable memories for generations of locals. Half the building is a traditional bakery and the other half is a cafe, which offers soup, sandwiches, salads, breakfast and more. Ordering is fast and service is friendly. Owner Tapley Strossner is the third generation of Strossner to own the bakery.

BBQ

Henry’s Smokehouse

henryssmokehouse.com

1842 Woodruff Road, Greenville, S.C. / 864-213-9770 

240 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, S.C. / 864-232-7237

Pull up a chair, roll up your sleeves and dig into the best Southern BBQ at Henry’s Smokehouse Barbecue & Catering. At Henry’s the BBQ is cooked the old-fashioned way: low and slow in open BBQ pits with hickory logs. Hand-pulled and chopped, the BBQ pork is fall-off-the-bone tender with a distinctive hickory flavor. In addition to the leanest butt in town, Henry’s serves BBQ ribs and boneless skinless chicken breast and tasty sides. Their spicy mustard sauce is outstanding. From the BBQ sauce to the peach cobbler, everything is done by hand.

Breakfast

Eggs Up Grill

Multiple locations

Serving up the most important meal of the day, Eggs Up Grill is known for its great-tasting, freshly prepared meals, friendly service and inviting atmosphere. The light and bright morning spot is a gathering place where family and friends can come together to enjoy breakfast classics such as eggs, grits, home fries, biscuits and gravy and muffins. Salads, sandwiches and wraps are available, too. Stop in for freshly brewed coffee, savory bacon, farm-fresh eggs or a tasty grilled burger. Open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Eggs Up Grill is available for dine-in, carry-out, catering and delivery. Online ordering is available. 

Buffet

Mutt’s BBQ Restaurant

muttsbbq.com

101 West Road, Greer, S.C. 29650

864-848-3999

Southern food is comfort food, and Mutt’s BBQ serves classics that will make you feel like you’ve found home. From pulled pork and ribs to fried chicken and macaroni and cheese, the all-you-can-eat buffet is consistently pleasing. It features an unchanging base menu —  fried chicken, vegetables and pasta salad — and special meats on different nights such as ribs, shrimp, fish or meatloaf. The hush puppies, sweet potato crunch and peach cobbler are not to be missed. In between checking in on diners, the friendly wait staff keeps the buffet clean wiping down any drips or spills.

Burger

Grill Marks

grillmarks.com

209 S. Main St., Greenville, S.C. 29601

864-233-5825

A sophisticated burger place, Grill Marks serves up thick and juicy burgers made from a house blend of certified angus beef chuck, brisket and short ribs. Packed with flavor, the burgers are cooked to order. The menu sports more than a dozen specialty burgers, build-your-own options and “unburgers “ such as honey hot chicken and grilled salmon sandwiches. Their famous corn chowder is chock full of chicken and veggies, and the cobb salad is a real pleaser. There’s a full bar and even alcoholic milkshakes. If it’s a nice day, grab an outside table and take a moment to appreciate beautiful downtown Greenville.

Cafe/Coffee House

Coffee Underground

coffeeunderground.info

1 E. Coffee St., Greenville, S.C. 29601

864-298-0494

For hot coffee with a cool vibe, take a few stops down — just 12 — to visit Coffee Underground, a locally-owned coffee house and cafe that specializes in homemade desserts and delicious coffees. The Seattle-style coffee experience is enhanced by in-house roasted coffee beans. The downtown staple offers coffee drinks, all-day breakfast, sandwiches, burgers and salads, Sunday brunch and a full bar. The cozy space filled with comfy couches and lots of character is a thriving cultural hotspot and great alternative to local bars. Live performances in the theater room feature stand up comedy, local songwriters and poetry.

Caterer

Larkin’s Catering & Events

larkinscatering.com

318 S. Main St., Greenville, S.C. 29601

864-467-3020

Whether you’re planning a business lunch, social gathering or your dream wedding, Larkin’s award-winning restaurants will create an exquisite personalized event to suit your needs.