If you only eat downtown, you're seeing about half of what Charleston's food scene actually looks like. West Ashley has some of the best lunch in the area, and most of it comes without the parking situation or the 45-minute wait for a table on King Street.
Mazal Mediterranean Street Food
Mazal is at 1901 Ashley River Road, right across from the West Ashley Greenway. The food is Mediterranean street food, the kind you'd eat at a counter in Tel Aviv or stumble into at a market in Istanbul. There isn't really another restaurant doing this in Charleston.
The shawarma pita is what most people order. Slow-roasted meat piled into warm pita with hummus, tahini, pickles, and salad. It's messy in the best way. The hummus is ground in-house every morning and served warm with good olive oil. The falafel has that crispy outside, bright green inside thing that's harder to get right than it looks. On Sundays they bring out a lamb and veal shawarma that draws a crowd.
Counter service, family photos on the walls, in and out in 30 minutes if you need to be. Open Sunday through Friday, 11am to 8pm. Closed Saturday.
Swig & Swine BBQ
Swig & Swine on Old Savage Road might be the best barbecue in the Lowcountry. Pitmaster Anthony DiBernardo does whole-hog cooking and makes everything from scratch. The brisket is great, the ribs hold up against any joint in the state, and the sides taste like someone's grandmother made them. Mac and cheese and collard greens if you need guidance on what to pick.
Lunch combo plates are the move. Pick a meat, add two sides, done. They have a solid craft beer list too, if your afternoon allows for it.
Lost Dog Cafe
Lost Dog on Magnolia Road is a neighborhood place in the real sense. Regulars know each other's names, the staff remembers your order. Southern comfort food with some creativity to it. Shrimp and grits, solid sandwiches, and a weekend brunch that fills the place up. The covered patio is one of the better outdoor lunch spots in West Ashley, and yes, you can bring your dog.
Early Bird Diner
Early Bird on Savannah Highway is a diner that doesn't try to be anything else. Breakfast is the main draw, but the lunch burgers are better than you'd expect from a place this cheap. Counter seats fill up at peak times, so don't show up at noon on a Saturday expecting to sit right down.
Mex 1 Coastal Cantina
The West Ashley location of Mex 1 on Orleans Road does Baja-style tacos and burritos. Local chain that started on Sullivan's Island. Fish tacos are fresh, portions are real, and the patio works when the weather cooperates. Good for a quick light lunch, maybe 20 minutes in and out.
D'Allesandro's Pizza
D'Allesandro's on Ashley River Road sells massive New York-style slices. Big, foldable, good char on the crust. A slice and a drink for under ten bucks. They do whole pies and calzones too, but the slices are why people keep walking in.
Getting to West Ashley for lunch
West Ashley is a 10-minute drive from downtown across the Ashley River on the 17. Parking is free pretty much everywhere. Restaurants here cost less than their downtown counterparts, which helps when lunch is a daily expense.
Mazal is at 1901 Ashley River Rd, Charleston, SC 29407. Open Sunday through Friday, 11am to 8pm, closed Saturday. Phone is (843) 425-8551. Free parking lot right out front.