First Look at Vivian Howard’s Charleston Restaurant Lenoir

Erin Perkins is the editor of Eater Carolinas.

Award-winning PBS host and celebrity chef Vivian Howard will open her second Charleston restaurant Lenoir on Wednesday, April 14, at the Renaissance Charleston Historic District Hotel at 68 Wentworth Street.

Lenoir draws from Howard’s home of Lenoir County, North Carolina, but also from the mind of executive chef Tyson Detzler (previously of the Obstinate Daughter). Menu items include Howard’s signature blueberry barbecue chicken wings, local crudo with buttermilk nuoc cham, butterbean agnolotti in a country ham broth, cornmeal-dusted catfish, and more.

Howard renovated the former 1Kept address with local architect David Thompson. The 68 Wentworth Street dining room looks very different now with a large bar in the middle of the space and a covered outdoor area. Bright yellows and grassy greens punctuate the room with Eastern North Carolina touches like a wall of tobacco sticks and butterbean pans. The bar is stacked with Southern cookbooks from chefs like Edna Lewis to Edward Lee, and everyone in between.

Lenoir will open first with limited hours, serving dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. There are plans to eventually add brunch.

Take a tour of the space here and also, check out the full dinner menu at the bottom.