A Guide to Exploring Downtown Greenville, South Carolina
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Where to enjoy lunch
Greektown Grille: Best Spanakopita in town, delicious pitas and amazing seasoned housemade french fries – by far the best in town! This is my go-to weekday lunch destination when I need a break from work. I love this place! The design is colorful and cheerful and they offer the best lunch specials. Also, it’s just off Main St. so tends to stay more low-key.
Pomegranate Cafe: I loved ordering Veggie Kabobs on the gorgeous outdoor patio at this underappreciated Mediterranean gem. I also love their apps, especially the hummus dip.
Handi Indian: A great choice for those who love really spicy Indian food. I am not huge on spicy Indian food, but the food is really tasty here and I love the decor and top notch service. Great lunch buffet with tons of tasty (and really spicy) options for just 10 bucks. I love the Naan bread and samosas. Lots of vegetarian items on the buffet lineup including pakoras, veggie korma, and chana masala. It’s clean and the staff are very friendly. Update: Handi closed downtown in 2022. They did open a new location at the Promenade at Haywood. I really like the food here, so I would recommend the drive.
Roost: Located inside the Hyatt, this local farm-to-table gem offers a fantastic weekday Harvest soup and salad bar, featuring fresh local produce and homemade soups. This is the place to go if you are seeking something a bit healthier. Bonus points for the nice covered patio! On a side note, they also offer a great weekend brunch buffet.
Where to get your caffeine fix: The best local coffeeshops on Main St.
Yes, there are several Starbucks’ locations downtown including a really nice location inside the Hyatt. However, if you prefer to support local businesses, there are a number of great independent roasters which rival the big chain. Seemingly everywhere across the country today, these local coffeehouses are popping up. Today, I rarely ever stop in a Dunkin’ or Starbucks as I prefer the homemade pastries and treats and comfy ambiance in these local cafes.
Methodical: This is the best coffeeshop in terms of pure quality, and not surprisingly, has been ranked one of the best roasters in the Southeast. They source high quality beans and use only the best equipment. The attractive modern 2 story layout and vintage record player give it that “coolness factor” over other places in town.
Brewing methods offered include Siphon, cold brew, espresso, French press, and more. If you are a coffee connoisseur, you will definitely want to give Methodical a try.
Coffee Underground: This is a popular long running shop with a dark, cozy interior. I give them points for being the most unique. I love coffehouses with mismatched furniture where the decor is not “picture-perfect.” The coffee shop is located in a dark underground space and the attitude is very funky. I love coming here to escape the hot summer sun. Coffee is great and so are the seasonal drinks. Also, the veggie quiche is terrific!
Night Entertainment
Up on the Roof: This tourist favorite features amazing views of the city and the surrounding landscapes.
Joe’s Place – Relaxing library-like setting for a drink. Find a new book treasure while also enjoying a rich cup of coffee or a relaxing glass of wine. Update: Joe’s closed in 2019.
Orb Lounge: A sleek bar in the Hyatt Regency’s 8 story atrium.
The Peace Center – The premier performing arts center in Greenville featuring over 10 Broadway musicals each season. Check out the lineup of upcomingevents.
Unique Shopping: Skip the chains and shop local
Over 100 unique boutique shops, as well as common retailers, can be found up and down Main Street. I will highlight a few of my favorites which I recommend checking out.
Mast General Store: This old-fashioned general store is jam packed with all sorts of novelty items including regional southern related knick knacks, an old time candy bar, nostalgic toys and games, and a huge selection of outdoor gear and apparel items. I shop here often for birthday and holiday gifts for out of state relatives! I’ve walked through this stores so many times I’ve lost count!
Oil & Vinegar: Locally owned shop where you can sample and purchase dozens of varieties of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. They offer a lot of nice gift sets for birthdays, Christmas, etc.
Beija-Flor Jeans: Said to be the best fitting and most comfortable jeans on the market. These jeans are also said to reduce cellulite using a fabric technique known as Emana – who knows if it really works, but it can’t hurt right? O magazine recently rated them as “the world’s best jeans.”
Horizon records: Offering both used and new vinyls, plus used DVDs and blu rays (most under 5 bucks). Tons of great record deals near the $10 price point. I have found a lot of great deals here, especially for hard to find records. Attached to the shop is a quirky little local brunch favorite called the Bohemian Cafe so really you can make a whole morning out of breakfast and vintage shopping!
Poppington’s Gourmet popcorn: Delicious popcorn available in all sorts of tempting flavors (over 35 to be exact!). They sell the cutest holiday gift sets! I’ve given a lot of these gifts to out-of-state family members for Christmas and they always love them!
