Shrimp and Grits: From Creek-Side Breakfast to Menu Star

This classic Southern dish stirs something deep inside.

I was sitting in the shady courtyard at 82 Queen in Charleston last spring, where the air smells faintly of jasmine and fried oysters, when my waiter slid a plate of shrimp and grits in front of me like it was a crown jewel. The shrimp glistened in a buttery sauce, perched atop a soft pillow of grits that would’ve made any Southern grandmother nod in approval.

The table next to me was full of tourists from Ohio, bless their hearts, and one of them leaned over to ask the waiter, “Now, do y’all grow grits here?”

Without missing a beat, the waiter smiled the way only a Charlestonian can and said, “No ma’am, they don’t grow on trees. Though I’ll admit it’d be mighty convenient if they did.”