Restaurant Spotlight: Costa*
My first restaurant spotlight & we are starting out strong. If you know me, you know that I am at Costa at least twice a month, sometimes even weekly. Costa is located in the Jasper right downtown on Broad Street. The experience every time is out of this world.
Costa offers complimentary valet parking, such an added bonus especially since parking downtown can be such a hassle. Once you step inside you are greeted by the most friendly staff and the best ambiance. The high ceilings and blue and yellow accents make the restaurant such a fun and welcoming vibe.
If I am looking for a full, multiple course dinner, I will make a reservation. However, the bar is full service and first come first serve, making it such an ideal place for a last minute dinner to grab. While I do love the bar area every now and then, I prefer to sit in the dining room. The servers are all so incredibly friendly, and super knowledgable on the entire menu, specials and drinks.
I would say the best number of people to dine at Costa with is 2-4. I recommend, as do the servers, to take a more family-style approach to your dinner here. The portions, while slightly smaller than some other restaurants, are meant to be shared by the table. They also course everything out for you so they take your entire order at once and bring it as you go.
The menu is split into sections, and I typically choose 2 starters and 2 entrees to share for two people, and will add on more if I have more people with me.
Now for highlights of the menu…
Beginning with the drinks, I am typically a tequila drinker when it comes to liquor drinks, but at Costa I experiment with a little bit of everything. I always like to try their seasonal cocktails, my favorite being the Pioggia Viola, meaning “Purple Rain” in Italian. You can’t go wrong with their signature Picante Spritz - their incredible twist on an Aperol Spritz (this has been my go-to lately since they got rid of the Pioggia Viola)
Additionally, they have an incredible wine list, available by the glass or bottle. My favorite is the Montepulciano they carry. Finally, you cannot leave dinner without getting the Tiramisu Espresso Martini. It is by far the best espresso martini in Charleston and I say that with confidence.
Now for the best part … the food!!
You truly cannot go wrong with anything on the menu (and I’ve had almost everything on it)! For starters some of my favorites are the Burrata, which is always paired with a seasonal fruit or veggies, the scallop crudo, and more recently, their caesar salad. The last time I was in, our server brought us over the Hamachi Crudo to try and it was also fantastic. If you aren’t as fond of seafood, the beef carpaccio is also amazing.
For pasta dishes, I always go for whatever the special is, especially if it has truffle on it. Most recently it has been a truffle carbonara and a truffle Cacio e Pepe; incredible. If there is no special, all three of the regular-menu pastas are fantastic. The ravioli is to die for with the freshest tomato sauce. The Candele is a thick-noodled pasta with basil in a lemony-butter sauce. And if you like to experiment with things, the beef cheek tortelli with braised octopus is so delicious and decadent.
As for larger dishes, the eggplant parmesan is so good and is HUGE so I recommend sharing with at least 3 people! If you want some meat, the ribeye is perfectly cooked and served cut with a salsa verde on top and pairs great with any of the pasta dishes.
As for sides, you can’t go wrong with any of them: housemate focaccia, squash served with whipped ricotta, crispy potatoes served with a fondue, and simple broccolini. All pair well with any of the dishes you choose.
And finally… dessert! As I mentioned before, you simply cannot go wrong with their Tiramisu Espresso Martini. Sometimes I just have this for dessert, other times we will share one of their classic Tiramisus. They have a slightly different take on tiramisu, making it with a little less chocolate, which is great for when you don’t want something too sweet.
I think my most favorite thing about Costa is that you don’t leave feeling like you are going to explode from eating too much. I find that when I go to fine dining, particularly Italian restaurants, the portions are so massive and it is so good that you tend to over eat and feel like crap by the time you leave. Costa uses more European portion sizes and insanely fresh & minimally processed ingredients, which in turn leaving you feeling satisfied, but not overly stuffed.
And that is my insider take on Costa at the Jasper in Downtown Charleston! If you visit (you should), tag me in your pictures, or come say hi because chances are I’m there!
