South Carolina's "Mayberry"
Fresh catch and family legacy at T.W. Graham & Company
If you took a time machine, pointed it at the 1960s, and accidentally spilled a bucket of fresh shrimp over the control panel, you’d probably land right in front of T.W. Graham & Company in McClellanville.
Owner Patrick “Packy” Runey calls it “the other Mayberry,” and he isn’t just whistling the theme song. Here is how this Lowcountry gem mirrors the iconic fictional town—with a few salty upgrades.
1. The “Andy Taylor” of the Kitchen
In Mayberry, Andy kept the peace with common sense and a slow drawl. At T.W. Graham’s, the peace is kept by Chef Josh McClellan. Much like the local sheriff, Josh has deep roots—his family has been working the local rivers for generations. Instead of locking up troublemakers, he locks down the flavor in the Shrimp and Grits. It’s basically “soul food” diplomacy.
2. The “Aunt Bee” Secret Ingredient
Every Mayberry episode needed a blue-ribbon pie or a secret recipe. Enter Miss Gertrude. Her “Gert’s Famous Crab Balls” are the culinary equivalent of Aunt Bee’s prize-winning pickles (except, you know, actually edible and highly sought after). The recipe is such a local legend that people treat it with more department-level secrecy than the town’s actual bylaws.
3. The Pace of a Sunbathing Turtle
In Mayberry, the biggest traffic jam was a cow in the middle of Main Street. In McClellanville, life moves “at the pace of a sunbathing turtle.” If you’re looking for a New York minute, you’ve taken a very wrong turn at Awendaw. This is a place where “fast food” means the shrimp was caught this morning and only took 15 minutes to reach your plate.
4. A “Funky Repository” of Characters
While Mayberry had Floyd the Barber and Otis, T.W. Graham’s has a ceiling adorned with kayaks and nautical memorabilia. It’s described as a “pirate’s cove,” which is basically what would happen if Barney Fife gave up his one bullet, bought a boat, and started collecting “treasures” from the Atlantic.
5. The “Family” Staff
In a town this small, the staff isn’t just a workforce; they’re a family unit. Whether it’s Stacey Runey’s lavish coconut custard pies or the local watermen delivering the “fresh catch” directly to the back door, the restaurant operates on a level of care you usually only get when you’re visiting your grandmother—assuming your grandmother has a commercial-grade deep fryer.
The Verdict: If you’re looking to escape the 21st century and don’t mind a little Old Bay on your shirt, T.W. Graham & Co. is the closest you’ll get to Mayberry—just with better seafood and significantly fewer black-and-white cameras.
Do you think you’ll start with the legendary crab balls, or are you more of a coconut custard pie enthusiast?
Never miss out on a recipe or story - Hit Subscribe! Read all about their Coconut Custard Pie and how to make their famous Crispy Crab Balls!!!
The recipe for McClellanville Crispy Crab Balls is a signature creation from T.W. Graham & Co. in McClellanville. The secret to these local favorites is most of all - use fresh local blue crab and "lots and lots of fresh blue crab" with just enough binder to hold them together, creating a velvety smooth interior and a crunchy exterior. It makes a wonderful party appetizer that’s great for date nights and nibbling anytime. These mini crab cake bites are always a hit.
McClellanville Crispy Crab Balls
Yields approximately 35–36 balls. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound backfin crabmeat (picked through to remove all shells/cartilage)
½ cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (plus the zest of 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fine-chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
Crumb Coat
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
Prepare the Base: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, egg, lemon juice, zest, Worcestershire, mustard, hot sauce, Old Bay, and sea salt until well combined.
Combine: Gently fold in the crabmeat and panko breadcrumbs until incorporated. Be sure to break up any large lumps of crab for these small bite-sized balls.
Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling is a crucial step to help the loose mixture hold its shape.
Form & Coat: Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a scoop to portion out rounded tablespoons of the mixture. Roll each portion into a small round ball and coat thoroughly in the Ritz cracker crumbs.
Bake: Place the coated balls back on the baking sheet and dab each with a bit of melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes in the center of the oven until golden and crispy
Serve: Enjoy them hot with saltine crackers, lemon wedges, and your choice of sauce
The Perfect Dipping Sauce
For a quick, zesty pairing, you can whip up this simple spiced mayo:
½ cup Mayonnaise
2 tbsp Hot sauce (adjust to your heat preference)
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
A pinch of sea salt
Since these are quite delicate, it’s best to serve them hot right out of the oven with some extra lemon wedges on the side.
Let us know if you make these delicious crab balls - and send a photo! We’d love to hear from you. Do you have a dipping sauce you like to use? This is the place to share.
While the specific proprietary recipe for Stacey Runey’s “lavish coconut custard pie” is kept close to the vest by the T.W. Graham & Co. family, the restaurant has shared that the secret lies in its traditional, Lowcountry custard style.
Because this is a coconut custard pie (baked in the oven) rather than a coconut cream pie (pudding-based), you can recreate that “Mayberry” magic at home with this authentic Southern version.
T.W. Graham-Style Coconut Custard Pie
This recipe follows the “Old School” Southern tradition: a rich, buttermilk-based custard that sets in the oven until golden and jiggly.
Ingredients
1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell (or par-baked for 10 mins if you like it extra crispy)
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 large eggs (The high egg count is the secret to that “lavish” Stacey Runey texture)
1 cup buttermilk (Adds that signature Lowcountry tang)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Prep the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Whisk the Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and melted butter. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each.
The “Mayberry” Mix: Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
Add the Coconut: Fold in the shredded coconut until it’s evenly distributed.
Sprinkle some coconut on the top of the pie.
Bake: Pour the mixture into your pie shell. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. You’re looking for the top to be golden brown and the center to be just barely set (it will firm up as it cools).
Cool Down: Let it cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. This is the hardest part, but as they say in McClellanville, you have to move “at the pace of the tide.”
Pro-Tip from the “Other Mayberry”
To truly mimic the T.W. Graham and Company experience, serve your slice slightly chilled or at room temperature with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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xoxo Pat