At CH2 Magazine, we love to eat AND we love to support local restaurants. This past year has seen lots of changes in the food scene on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. Sadly, we said “goodbye” to some restaurants but we’ve also said “hello and welcome” to some new dining spots. From New York bagels to an authentic Mexican bakery to New American eats, here is a roundup of what has opened in recent months to help you find your next favorite libation, meal, or dessert at all times of the day and night.
Capri Pizza HHI
5 Lagoon Road
Hilton Head Island
Located across from Coligny Plaza, the highly anticipated Capri Pizza HHI opened this summer. The Rovito family has been in the restaurant business for more than 40 years. Owner and chef Gianfranco Rovito moved from Italy to the Chicago area as a child, along with his five siblings. As teens, they all learned to work in the family restaurant busing and waiting tables, with the older siblings working in the kitchen.
Over time, Rovito and his extended family opened numerous Italian restaurants throughout the Chicago area and eventually expanded to Florida as well. In recent years, Rovito and his wife, Michelle, moved to the island and opened Coastal Capri Ristorante, which recently celebrated its two-year anniversary. They were first introduced to Hilton Head by Michelle’s sister, Cathy Rowlan, and her husband, Chris, who are also co-owners of both restaurants.
The opening of Capri Pizza seemed like a natural progression for the entrepreneurial family.
“We’ve been doing pizzas forever,” Michelle said. They are bringing their Italian and Chicago roots to Lowcountry diners with Chicago-style pan pizzas. The How You Doin’ is topped with mini meatballs and mozzarella, while the Forget About It is served with Italian beef and hot giardiniera.
Capri Pizza offers a full dinner and drink menu in addition to their signature pizzas. Appetizers include fried calamari, arancini, and sausage and peppers. Several salad options, including arugula limone, pomodori caprese, and tomato bocconcini are available. Sandwiches and pasta dishes are also big hits on the menu.
Diners can enjoy eating in the restaurant or may call to place to-go orders. Visit capripizzahhi.com for more information.
The interiors of this new Old Town Bluffton eatery are simply stunning, with unique design elements found throughout the main dining room and upstairs speakeasy.
Brunch at The Greenhouse
Greenhouse Restaurant
1260 May River Road
Bluffton
Located in Old Town Bluffton, the Greenhouse Restaurant opened in April after almost four years of construction. Owners Melissa Perri and Jenny Gerry are sisters who moved to Bluffton in recent years and fell in love with the town.
“This is our love letter to Bluffton,” Perri said. “We wanted to build a place with both a beautiful design and amazing food. We imagined somewhere that you could visit with friends to grab share plates at the bar with the best cocktails or a destination for getting together with family over brunch.”
The restaurant’s bright and lively interior is flooded with light and features greenery and flowers throughout much of the dining space. “We wanted to bring the outdoors inside,” Perri said. “I loved visiting other restaurants around the world with a cozy vibe and we really tried to prioritize that.”
Chef Todd Harris, formerly of The Garage in Savannah, leads the kitchen alongside the sisters, crafting a menu built around fresh, high-quality ingredients sourced from local farms and trusted producers. Nearly everything is prepared in-house, reflecting the team’s commitment to quality and scratch cooking.
Rather than limiting themselves to a single cuisine, the trio embraced a New American approach that draws inspiration from a variety of flavors and traditions. “We wanted to do something unique for the area and landed on a New American style that is a little bit of everything,” they said. “We didn’t want to commit to just one type of food.” Popular dishes include Korean fried chicken drumsticks, crab dip, and potato croquettes.
Many people are surprised to learn that the entire menu is gluten free. Gerry has a severe gluten allergy which has significantly limited her ability to safely dine out. Her hope was to create a restaurant that is welcoming for the celiac community but still a delicious dining option for the gluten tolerant folks. “We take allergies very seriously,” Perri said. “Everything is naturally gluten free.”
A cozy speakeasy is tucked into the second floor of the building with a smaller foot print for a bar, lounge, and seating area. It features a cocktail menu different from the main dining room and also serves speakeasy bites and a prix-fixe dinner menu.
Reservations can be made in both dining areas via OpenTable. Visit greenhousebluffton.com for more information.
Union Proper
890 William Hilton Parkway
Suite 74
Hilton Head Island
Located in the Fresh Market Shops, Union Proper opened to diners this past spring. The airy restaurant was created by the team behind Jane Bistro.
Union Proper’s menu balances comfort food with a variety of elevated offerings. Popular eats include beef bourguignon, lemon parmesan chicken pasta, and mussels with frites. Ingredients are fresh and the plate presentations are photo worthy.
The restaurant has several cocktail offerings, salads, desserts, and a kids’ menu. They are open for lunch and dinner with reservations available on OpenTable.
Visit unionproperhhi.com for more information.
Pan Casero Mexican Bakery
1536 Fording Island Road, Suite 107
Hilton Head Island
Located in Bridge Center, Pan Casero is bringing Mexican pastries and meals to Lowcountry diners. “We bake every day with a handmade and homemade style with quality ingredients,” said owner Erik Chavez. “We also do this without many machines.”
The shop’s specialty is Mexican sweet bread, with the most popular being Conchas. “We have dozens of different breads,” he said. “We try to have something different every day because we know how to make different pieces.” Freshly baked telera and bolillo breads are used to craft their sandwiches.
Since the shop opens at 7 a.m., it’s a great stop for breakfast and coffee. Heartier options like savory crepes, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, tortas, quesadillas, and tamales make a great brunch or lunch. In addition to colorful pastries, the shop offers desserts like tres leche cake, shaved ice, and ice cream.
The bakery is a multigenerational family effort. “My mom and my daughter are the main bakers,” Chavez said. “What makes us different from others is that we prepare everything here, every day, fresh. We have nothing frozen, nothing artificial.”
This south-end destination has quickly made a name for itself as a popular happy hour and late-night spot for locals.
Pour & Proper
19 Dunnagans Alley, Unit E/F
Hilton Head Island
Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad at Pour & Proper
Tucked back in Dunnagans Alley behind Kind of Blue, Pour & Proper opened this past spring. This spot has a little something for everyone, including a dive bar sprinkled with televisions, a cozy screen-free lounge with live music most nights, a billiards room with three pool tables and two dartboards, and a private karaoke room.
In addition to drinks, their full menu – which features smash burgers, wings, a crab cake sandwich, and bacon on a stick – is served until 1 a.m. Pour & Proper has quickly made a name for itself as a popular happy hour and late-night spot for locals and visitors seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The team behind Good Soul Southern Kitchen on Marshland Road; Vanessa Page, James Page and Liz Christopher.
Good Soul Southern Kitchen
70 Marshland Road
Hilton Head Island
Located on Marshland Road, Good Soul Southern Kitchen opened in June after four long years of renovations and preparations. “Time and patience is key,” said co-owner Liz Christopher. “You’ve got to be dedicated, make a lot of sacrifices, and you’ve got to enjoy doing what you do.”
Christopher is a Hilton Head native with more than a decade of hospitality experience. James Page and his mother, Vanessa Page, are also co-owners who hail from Miami, but have deep family roots in Hemingway, South Carolina. Together, the trio worked to create a restaurant that serves Southern soul food with some Caribbean flair.
Fried Chicken at Good Soul Kitchen
“The menu is based on recipes from different family members and growing up in Gullah culture,” Christopher said. Dish highlights include Boy Fords Beef Short Ribs, Aunt Judy’s Fried Chicken, Conch Salad with Bahamian conch, and Aunt Rachel’s Seafood Rice.
The bar has several craft cocktails like Aunt Rachel’s Rum, which features Hilton Head Distillery’s Dark Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and coconut cream. Beer and wine are also available. “We want customers to have a full experience from the drinks to the food, the vibe, and the atmosphere,” Christopher said.
Conch Ceviche at Good Soul Southern Kitchen
Diners are encouraged to save room for dessert. Aunty Betty’s 7UP Pound Cake is served warm with 7UP in the sweet glaze. Estella’s German Chocolate Cake is a crowd pleaser, too. “Oh my God, it’s so good,” Christopher said. “My grandmother used to make the German chocolate cake.”
The restaurant will celebrate its Grand Opening over Labor Day weekend with Deaz Guys on Friday, September 4,and Micheal B. Sterling on Saturday, September 5. Diners can make reservations at goodsoulhhsc.com.
Terrapin
108 Fort Howell Drive
Hilton Head Island
Located at the Palmetto Hall Golf & Country Club, Terrapin recently opened to the public. The bar and grill menu features sandwiches, wings, burgers, salads, and desserts. The cocktail list features golf-themed drinks including the Water Hazard, Caddy Juice, and The Back Nine.
Diners can enjoy a meal in the dining room or on the patio and reservations are available. On Sundays, the restaurant is open only for brunch.
Visit hiltonheadgolf.net/dining/terrapin for more information.
Nosh NY Bagels
1000 William Hilton Parkway, Suite E1
Hilton Head Island
With its flagship store in Ridgeland, Nosh NY Bagels opened its second location in the Village at Wexford on Hilton Head Island over Memorial Day weekend. Diners can grab a bagel for breakfast or lunch in this bright location. Online ordering is available with a convenient grab and go window to avoid the line. The loxsmith sandwich is a popular menu item, featuring smoked nova, scallion cream cheese, red onion, cucumber, and capers. Gluten free bread is also available.
Visit noshnybagels.com for more information.
Alchile Mexican Grill & Bar HHI
1534 Fording Island Road
Hilton Head Island
Located in the Bridge Center across from Moss Creek, Alchile opened its second location this past spring. The restaurant offers a large menu with a variety of options including fajitas, chimichangas, chilaquiles, salads, burritos, and nachos. All diners receive complimentary chips and salsa and a large bar menu is available.
Nom Nom Poke Bluffton
267 Parkside Commons #102
Bluffton
Nom Nom Poke Bowls
Nom Nom Poke’s original location is in downtown Savannah and last fall, they opened a second spot in the New Riverside area of Bluffton. Known for creative poke bowl combinations and fresh ingredients, this casual restaurant uses Faroe Island salmon, ahi tuna, shrimp, chicken, and beef. Pork belly rolls and tuna nachos are also crowd favorites. Diners can be served in the dining room, on the patio, or order food to go.
Visit nomnompokeshop.com for more information.
Clams at the Maine Cafe
Maine Cafe
1533 Fording Island Road, Suite 296
Hilton Head Island
Maine Cafe in Moss Creek Village is bringing New England seafood staples to our area. Owner Donna Mello moved from North Andover, Maine, to the Lowcountry a few years ago. She struggled to find food that reminded her of her New England roots and, being from a family of chefs, she decided to open her own restaurant last fall.
Lobster rolls are a popular menu item and are served with blueberry slaw, pickled cucumber, and fries. New England transplants also love the restaurant’s fried whole belly clams. “They take you right back to New England,” Mello said.
Each Friday and Saturday night, the restaurant hosts a lobster bake with fixings; reservations are required. Visit mainecafehhi.com for more information.
The spicy drunken mussels at the Maine Cafe features spicy Italian sausage, Calabrian chili, garlic, white wine, light tomato broth and toasted crostini