Doing the Charleston - Charleston, South Carolina

The Palmetto Cafe, also in the hotel, is a favorite for weekday lunch or Sunday brunch. Locals flock to the outdoor patio with its brick floor, white market umbrellas and towering palmettos. Resist the temptation to make a meal out of the delicious homemade breads and exotic butters flavored with nuts or raspberries; however, the main-course offerings are even better.

IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT

Good restaurants are plentiful in the historic district, but you may have to wait to get into the popular Blossom Cafe. Grilled vegetable and roasted garlic pizza as well as roasted eggplant lasagna all have that distinct grilled flavor. The menu is distinguished by its Italian accent: Parmesan gnocchi with brown butter and sage, vegetable risotto, angel hair pasta primavera and arugula served with roasted garlic and red peppers.

A few doors down East Bay Street from the Blossom Cafe is Slightly North of Broad. The kitchen of this former cotton warehouse opens into a loftlike dining area with exposed brick and classical columns. Chef Frank Lee has been a vegetarian for many years and shows impressive creativity with his vegetable and grain dishes. There's always a vegetable medley, which might include artichoke salsa with Vidalia onions and grain mustard, a sweet potato casserole, gourmet grits or delicately sauteed spinach. You can also design your own meatless dinner from menu items or the daily specials. No matter what you order, be sure to save room for the tangy Key Lime Tart.

Another warehouse turned restaurant, Wrap City Grill, opened less than a year ago but has already expanded service to meet demand. Reasonably priced lunches attract the college crowd as well as office workers looking for healthy fare. Recommended: the eggplant-curry and black bean soups; the grilled portobellos marinated in balsamic vinegar and served in a wrap with red pepper sauce; and the hummus and veggie wrap. Whistle-wetting here is a treat, with the 150 wines and 50 microbeers that complement the menu.

A top choice among the locals is Gaulart & Maliclet. The eatery's breakfast includes croissants (filled with fruit or chocolate or topped with melted cheese); a yogurt, cereal and fruit dish, plus daily specials. Later in the day one can enjoy a hearty homemade soup and baguette, vegetarian pizza croissant (or baguette), sandwich Provencal (grilled cheese, black olives, and tomato on French bread), and on Thursday, fondue night, there's a vegetable option. Desserts include an assortment of French pastries, fruit melba, meringue glacis and an irresistible chocolate fondue for two.

On King Street, which more or less bisects the peninsula of Charleston, is the Sonoma Cafe & Winebar. The restaurant's elegant interior is dominated by a mural of a Northern California vineyard, but its eclectic menu draws inspiration from Asia, the American Southwest and the Caribbean. For example, the seasonal vegetable platter might include grilled acahlote corn, garlic pole beans, wasabi mashed potatoes or a wonderfully picante Asian slaw. Diners are welcome to mix and match other menu items, from spring rolls to vegetable empanadas.