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Cru Cafe

18 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC 29401-2006 (Downtown)
843-534-2434
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Ranked #5 of 574 restaurants in Charleston
Price range: 10 AUD - 31 AUD
Cuisines: American, Café, Bistro
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Restaurant details
Good for: Local cuisine, Outdoor seating, Special Occasion Dining
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch Spot, Dinner, Reservations, Takeout, After-hours, Dessert
Dining style: Casual Dining
Neighbourhood: Downtown
Description: It's the Holy City's Hidden Gem! Cru Cafe is Charleston's home to some of the best gourmet comfort food in the Lowcountry. Cru Cafe is the culinary creation of renowned Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Chef John Zucker. Opened in 2002 in response to overwhelming demand, Cru Cafe is a culinary destination off the beaten path in in a classic 18th century Charleston single-style home. Cru Cafe and its award-winning Cru Catering division are consistently ranked as top eateries by locals and tourists alike. From our famous Four Cheese Macaroni to our tasty Thai Seafood Risotto, we feature something for everyone. And if you're in the mood for lighter fare, try our Chinese Chicken Salad or Duck Confit Salad. Guests of the restaurant can enjoy daily specials, indoor and outdoor porch seating, a wine list tailored to the varied menu and rich, mouthwatering desserts. We invite to stop in and enjoy a delicious meal with us today.
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650 reviews from our community

93% Recommend
    464
    141
    19
    11
    15
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Aiken, South Carolina
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
14 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 May 2013 NEW

Cru is excellent for lunch or dinner. Make reservations....very busy! Worth the wait though. Please have the truffle fries....so good. We usually go every time we are in charleston. It's the place worth going again and again!!

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See 15 more reviews by gr8momof3 for Charleston
Anderson, South Carolina
Top Contributor
71 reviews 71 reviews
56 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2013 NEW

Third time we've eaten here, and it is wonderful! The setting is beautiful, and the food is wonderful.

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See 8 more reviews by 30090Laura_S for Charleston
Chicago, Illinois
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2013 NEW

Great sandwhich and salad spot in historic district. Small quant restaurant - great food! The BBQ Brisket was fantastic!

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East Greenwich, RI
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
4 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
55 helpful votes 55 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2013 NEW

We really enjoyed our dinner at Cru Café. The restaurant was cute, the food was delicious, and the service was prompt and friendly. The best part of the entire meal, though, was the warm flourless chocolate tort - utterly delicious!!

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Hudson, Iowa
Senior Contributor
25 reviews 25 reviews
10 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 21 cities Reviews in 21 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2013 NEW

This restaurant is very tiny, but still manages to serve up some excellent dishes. The mac and cheese is definitely worth the visit, and was probably the highlight of our meal. There is a decent wine selection, and the setting allows you a peek inside a true Charleston home. Because it is so small, it does have a slightly cramped... More

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Hays, KS
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
6 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 May 2013

Great location and fabulous food. Only one bathroom so must wait in line for that but well worth that small inconvenience.

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See 3 more reviews by KrisDHays_KS for Charleston
New York City, New York
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
4 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013

Small, quaint restaurant. They accommodated us at last minute at the chef's table overlooking the kitchen. Though I had hoped for attention from the chef, our waitperson provided ample attention. We had clear view into kitchen (it was a cool night, so heat was not a problem) which ran efficiently and looked clean. Chose items I can't (easily) get at... More

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See 4 more reviews by IntrepidwDog for Charleston
Fort Myers, Florida
1 review
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013

I didn't have a reservation but arrived 10 minutes before opening for lunch just to see if I could get seated. Was told I could sit at the chef's table (bar height counter looking into the small kitchen) thought it would be fun place to sit I was solo. I had not been seated for barely 10 seconds when the... More

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Saint Louis, Missouri
Top Contributor
78 reviews 78 reviews
41 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013

We had lunch at this restaurant today. Saved an hour wait by making reservations. This is a small restaurant, with delicious food. I had a BBQ beef brisket sandwich with slaw, which was outstanding. My wife was impressed with the Portabella mushroom sandwich. We shared a bread pudding order for dessert. The bread pudding was the best we had ever... More

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See 23 more reviews by Davigeta for Charleston
Atlanta, Georgia
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
12 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013

We were very happy we had made a reservation for lunch - a friend who is a Charleston native recommended this place. On a cool and rainy day, this cozy dining room was a welcome escape. The indoor seating area is small, and if we hadn't had a reservation we would have been standing out on the porch waiting for... More

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See 4 more reviews by anATLgirl for Charleston

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