NOT FANCY, JUST GOOD!

Serving home-cooked seafood since 1998, the Sea Shack has one of the island’s most extensive menus of seafood served lots of ways, including grilled, blackened, fried and more.

Enjoy favorites such as tilapia, mahi, salmon, grouper and snapper. The diverse menu also includes platters, po’ boys, sandwiches and soups.

A CRAVEABLE SEAFOOD EXPERIENCE

A new seafood restaurant with an unusual name and a menu inspired by its food truck origins is now open on Hilton Head Island. At the bustling corner of Arrow Road and William Hilton Parkway, the restaurant offers healthy, affordable, chef-crafted food in a completely remodeled space inside the building that formerly housed The Pantry gas station. 

HILTON HEAD’S SEAFOOD DESTINATION

Rockfish Seafood and Steaks is proud to call itself “Hilton Head’s Seafood Destination,” and locals and visitors agree.

The menu offers shrimp, oysters (as in Rockefeller, Charleston, on the half-shell and even in a Bloody Mary-based shooter), shrimp and grits, Ahi tuna, halibut and salmon, as well as a “Southern fried” menu, pasta and a wide selection for “land lovers,” including steak, pork shoulder, ribs and burgers. They use local fresh fish when available.

DELICIOUS ITALIAN FOOD IS A FAMILY AFFAIR

A top choice for fine Italian dining since opening in 2012, OMBRA Cucina Italiana continues win praise for its regional dishes and contemporary style. But for Lauren and Michael Cirafesi, running the award-winning restaurant is all about family — and not just their six sons but their staff and guests as well. 

Lot 9 Brewing Co. in Bluffton plans to open this summer. The nano-brewery, located on Red Cedar Street, brews in small batches for fresh quality, according to its website. The brewery is looking for food trucks that will park at the establishment on a rotating schedule. For more information call 843- 757-5689 or use Facebook messenger. 

Fat Baby’s Pizza is closing for the summer but plans to re-open. The restaurant said in a Facebook post that it is in a “fortunate” position to be able to close and expects to open after Labor Day. “We're lucky enough to have the resources to take care of our staff while not exposing them to any health-related risks,” the post said. 

Construction continues on the 20,000-square-foot Burnt Church Distillery in Bluffton, which hopes to open in December, according to The Island Packet. It will include a 7,000-square-foot space for tastings and events and a 5,000-square-foot rack house for storing aging whiskey barrels. Co-owner Billy Watterson said there will be a VIP event before the official opening. 

Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar welcomed guest chefs and pitmasters for watch parties during the RBC Heritage presented by Boeing. Charles Russo (Russo’s Fresh Seafood); chef David Carrier (Certified Burgers and Beverage, Ga.); pitmaster Robert Owens (Grand Champion BBQ, Atlanta); and brunch guest chef BJ Dennis (Charleston) were invited to help celebrating the culinary culture of the Lowcountry. Proceeds helped benefit the Literacy Center of Hilton Head Island. “So many of our local charities have been impacted this year and we hope we can help make a difference,” said chef and Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar and Lucky Rooster Market Street owner Clayton Rollison. 

The Pavilions at Plant Riverside District opens to the public this month. The riverfront area offers four new restaurants and scenic views. 

Visitors can meet in the pavilions for live music and riverside scenery. The space has Bellagio-style fountain shows timed with music and lights and a kid-friendly dig area, where fossils can be unburied. One of the new restaurants is a rooftop bar called Electric Moon. Another is Baobab Lounge, which will serve South African fare.