Tag: Charleston Magazine

Charming Charleston Historic District Hotel is A Must Visit!

Trey Chapman Travel Experiences
A man in a cowboy hat and sunglasses standing under a palm tree.

Howdy travels, we discovered another fantastic relaxation destination. 

A living room with lots of furniture and plants.
The PALMETTO Lobby

Located in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina THE PALEMTTO offers everything you want to see is cozy and friendly boutique hotel. It has stunning artwork, warm colors, southern charm, and first-class furnishings. It’s located in the heart of the Historic District and is within walking distance from everything you want to see and enjoy. Everything that makes Charleston so beloved awaits right outside the front doors. You’re near the city’s finest restaurants, bars, parks, shops, and much more.

As you open the front door and walk inside, you notice the sweet Southern feel of cozy Charleston. The hotel lobby embodies the days of old when everything was filled with class and charm. The decor is so comfortable that it makes one feel right at home. You can enjoy an evening cocktail while you read a book, talk with friends, or enjoy your surroundings as you unwind before heading to your inviting room. 

The beautifully appointed guest rooms offer artful design and luxury touches to ensure an elevated experience without missing the comforts of home. They have beautiful and inviting bathrooms that provide everything you need for your stay. Those showers are unforgettable"”big, roomy, and state-of-the-art, with various buttons for different water flow, pressure, and messages. The beds are very comfortable, which is extremely important when traveling. They have a hidden bar behind Credenza doors offering coffee and spirits to make your stay cozier and more enjoyable. ( The spirits are extra) The bedding is lovely, with fluffy pillows and soft sheets, so you can feel refreshed and ready for the next day while you roam Charleston.

 

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A Day at the Amazing Lewis BBQ in Charlestion Visiting the Trailblazer and Legend John Lewis

Trey Chapman Chow
A wooden tray with various meats and sides on it.


 

Howdy Chow Hounds and Barbeque Lovers,

A wooden tray with various meats and sides on it.
World-Famous Lewis Barbeque Tray

Today, we’re at the world-famous LEWIS BARBECUE in Charleston, South Carolina, to research the meaty deliciousness we’ve heard so much about. This is where pitmaster and barbeque legend John Lewis has created a world of his own in the vast field of freshly prepared barbeque and eats. If you know me and my addiction to creative chefs, pitmasters, and culinary pioneers, you know why we had to make the trip. 

When you make the corner and pull up to LEWIS BARBECUE, you notice the massive modern restaurant that bears his name. To be honest, it’s breathtakingly beautiful and totally unexpected. Set up with a beautiful Charleston landscape encompassing large southern trees, it’s inviting, cozy, and warm. You feel right at home or in someone’s backyard enjoying BBQ. But you’re not! You’re at the world-famous LEWIS BARBECUE fixing to slang back some of the BEST BBQ in the United States. 

I live for telling back stories because anything tastes better with a little story-ness behind it. A trailblazer in the neo-traditional style of Central Texas barbecue, Pitmaster John Lewis uses his custom-made smokers to produce expertly smoked pork spareribs, beef ribs, “Texas hot guts“ sausage, and his legendary world-famous beef brisket.

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Palmira BBQ – Where South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico, Collide Creating Unforgettable Flavor Explosions

Trey Chapman Chow
A tray of food with meat and sides on it.


Barbeque lovers unite! We discovered a NEW delicious barbeque destination that every meat lover should visit.  Welcome to Palmira Barbeque in Charleston, South Carolina. When we heard about this now famous little BBQ joint you know we had to make the trip. We wanted to meet pitmaster Hector who is masterfully combining South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico flavors to create award-winning and famous meaty deliciousness. 

A plate of food with meat and sauces.
Palmira Beef Cheek Perfection

When I say famous and award-winning it’s a FACT! They’ve been featured in Forbes, Southern Living, The Local Palate, EATER Carolinas, Charleston Magazine, The Post and Courier, RESY, and Texas Monthly and I’m sure there’s more to come.  We’ve been traveling coast-to-coast, from Los Angeles to Miami and every in-between, on the hunt for America’s BEST BBQ. We’ve visited thirty-one states on our BEST BBQ mission. It was only fitting after I read, researched, and viewed all the delicious social media posts Palmira was a must-visit for us.

If you follow our foodie and travel adventures, you know I love to tell the backstories. I’m a firm believer that anything tastes better with a good story. This is why the Palmira story was so intriguing to me because pitmaster and owner Hector Garate has an interesting family history. Buckle up it’s story time! 

When we visited, I was honored to spend some time with Hector walking around his smokehouse area and discussing the finer details of his success. We also discussed his passion for designing and creating custom smokers. He showed me his latest whole hog smoker and it was beautiful. After speaking with Hector, I noticed that his passion for creating BBQ perfection was only matched by his love for serving people and seeing them smile with the satisfaction of deliciousness. 

Hector’s passion for BBQ started at an early age and has not stopped him from perfecting his craft since. Born in Puerto Rico, he was exposed to whole animal cooking pra early on. Hector specializes in smoking beef cheeks, brisket, whole hog, and house-made sausages. In the pursuit of creating the best product, Garate devoted their free time to building his custom cooking appliances, in particular an offset smoker. Hector has partnered with Brasstown Beef, Creekstone Farms, and Peculiar Pig Farms to source the most sustainable farm-to-table smoked meats for Charleston, SC through Palmira Barbecue. Palmira Barbecue's name is an homage to Hector's grandmother, who grew up on a sustainable cattle ranch. 

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