Emily's Restaurant & Tapas Bar, a Beaufort tradition
Off of the beaten Bay Street path, on Downtown Beaufort’s Port Republic Street, Emily’s Restaurant has been serving some of Beaufort’s finest dinners for a very long time. Known more to the locals than to our tourist friends, Emily’s has come to be known as a ‘go-to’ spot for a finer side to Beaufort dining, and it handles that reputation quite well.
You can always find an anniversary, birthday, or some other special occasion going on among the patrons on just about any given evening. With ‘reservations appreciated’, ‘Emily’s’… has been the answer many a time when someone has been asked, ‘Where do you want to go on your special day?’ Enjoying a great dinner amongst the twinkle of the stringed lights in an otherwise dimmed room, with plenty of background clamour from other patrons, and the occasional ‘clang’ of a dish in the kitchen, might just be the ambiance needed to make that special moment more memorable. Whatever it is, it’s nearly ‘mystique’.
Always insuring that you have a top-quality experience, owners Tommy and Mary Winburn are dedicated to using fresh local ingredients. They are very active with the South Carolina Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Initiative and also various South Carolina Department of Natural Resources conservation programs, and are committed to supporting local businesses by buying seafood, meats, and produce locally.
Any feedback about the restaurant? …they’re always all-ears too.
It’s part food/part atmosphere that keeps folks talking about Emily’s.
Remaining true to the relaxed yet upbeat atmosphere, Emily’s dinner menu offers an assortment of entrees wonderfully prepared by Chef Mike Long, and may require a longer-than-usual amount of time to choose from. It includes a fantastic Steak Au Poivre (Yep! We’ve had it!), a wide array of local seafood entrees including Beaufort Shrimp Festival award-winning Shrimp and Grits, Shrimp and Scallops Curry, and a Crab Cake Dinner. Other dishes include Roast Duck, Lemon Chicken Marsala, and even a Rack of Lamb can be found on the menu, among other fresh choices.
Oh, and please do yourself a welcomed favor and check out the wine list. An evening at Emily’s and a glass of vino go hand-in-hand, and you’ll find out it’s a perfect match.
You can’t talk about Emily’s food without talking about that truly impressive Tapas Menu. Offering more-traditional favorites you can’t go wrong with, like the most perfect Crab Cakes, Fried Scallops, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Calamari, to the exquisite… Escargot Bourguignon, and Grilled Quail, it definitely allows for some adventurous sampling.
Emily’s menu boasts local fresh oysters, when in season, served-up five different ways, and local fresh shrimp prepared eight different ways!
The bar draws a friendly mixed crowd of local professionals, regulars, visitors, and good-time seekers. Emily’s possibly has Beaufort’s most colorful bar and some of the most ‘patron-friendly’ weekend drink specials. ‘In season’, College Football rules all day on Saturdays, and the NFL takes over on Sundays as every game is available from several TVs on the bar side at Emily’s. In collegiate sports, the University of North Carolina Tarheels are the house-favorite.
The bar is so roomy that there is still enough for the piano that sits quietly in the front, waiting…
A night at Emily’s…enjoying the food, and the atmosphere…it doesn’t get much better, and more memorable.
