Where the line between surf break and lunch break is deliciously thin
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
Whether you actually surf or just enjoy the vibe, Folly’s restaurant and bar scene is indelibly intertwined with the local surf community. The restaurants fuel the surfers, and the surf culture, in turn, fuels the restaurants. It permeates our local food scene in numerous ways. Not only do several restaurants directly cater to fueling surfers, either before or after a long session, but we also see it in the names of restaurants or their logos. Surfboards have become restaurant decorations, even serving as functional menus on the walls. Many places have menu items that are a tip of the hat to the surf community.
This is more than just kitschy beach décor. It’s a tribute to the long history of surfing on Folly Beach. Local surfer, artist, and bartender Kate Barattini says it’s because, unlike Sullivan’s Island or Isle of Palms, Folly Beach is the only beach in the area with consistent waves, not just when the conditions are ideal or there is a storm off the coast. Sure, you might see a random neon surfboard beer sign hanging in one of Charleston’s other beach towns, but it’s not fully ingrained in the food and beverage scene like it is on Folly.
Just a couple of examples: The Washout, Drop-In Bar & Deli, Woody’s Pizza & Subs, and Dead Low are all direct nods to our surfing scene. Loggerhead’s Beach Grill has its iconic turtle mascot riding a surfboard in its logo. The Crab Shack has a surfboard with its logo on it above the raw bar entrance. Like totem poles, two boards mark the entrance to Chico Feo, a favorite post-shred spot for local surfers. Coconut Joe’s rooftop bar has a surfboard above the bar that serves as a specialty drink menu. Pinky’s, the newly revamped restaurant and bar inside Tides hotel, pays homage to our surfing with neon flamingos catching a wave on a mural on its wall. Coconut Glen’s ice cream trailer uses a surfboard to display its flavors. You’ll even see a tiny foldout surfboard to put your pizza on outside of Slice of Folly. There are literally dozens of examples throughout the island’s restaurants.
Beyond the décor, logos, and names, you’ll find surf references all over the menus at local establishments. For example: Drop-In has a sandwich called the Surfer Girl, Planet Follywood has a Surfer’s Starter Bowl on their breakfast menu, and Pier 101 offers the Surfers Breakfast, the Swell Omelette, and the Beach Break Wrap. Even Revelry Brewing has a West Coast IPA named “Lefty Loosey.” The can’s image, which was created by local artist and surfer Chris Kemp, is of a VW Bug with two surfboards on top.
There are also some places that take this a step further, specifically catering to the surf crowd with their food and beverages. For example, Dead Low opened with the idea of providing surfers with the fuel they needed before or after hitting the waves. It offers popular surfer fuel like acai bowls, musubi, and of course, coffee.
“Coffee goes hand-in-hand with surf culture. Every beach community has a good coffee shop,” Dead Low co-owner Patrick Garlock told the Folly Current back in 2022 when they were still slinging grub and java from a trailer, proving that the surf community and the food and beverage community have a symbiotic relationship on Folly.
Lastly, we would be remiss not to mention the ultimate tribute to Folly Beach’s surfing culture—the late Surf Bar. It’s been gone for years now, but this beloved watering hole is still talked about and missed by so many, shredders and non-shredders alike. The space still sits empty with many hoping for a return one day.
