Best Restaurants in Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island’s best restaurants pair Lowcountry ingredients, fresh seafood and prime cuts with settings that range from waterfront docks to shaded dining rooms. This is the full list of the best restaurants in Hilton Head, sorted by meal, with each restaurant’s area, phone number and how to reserve a table.
Looking for a particular kind of food or part of the island instead? Start from the Hilton Head restaurants guide, which sorts places to eat by meal, cuisine and area.
Best dinner restaurants on Hilton Head Island
Sit-down dinner spots, from waterfront seafood to Italian and steakhouses.
Homemade ice cream and sorbet, made in house since 1982.
Handspun milkshakes with homemade ice cream, plus chocolate bark.
Best lunch spots on Hilton Head Island
Casual daytime places for sandwiches, seafood baskets and quick tables.
Italian dining & bar
Upscale Italian
Italian café / pizza; lunch & dinner
Live jazz venue with dinner menu
European/French-leaning fine dining
French seafood fine dining
Beer garden with Side Hustle Brewing Co., a kitchen, food trucks and live music.
Beach tiki bar with tropical cocktails, burgers and sandwiches.
Upscale casual seafood and American; lobster roll, surf and turf ravioli, chocolate souffle.
Best breakfast places on Hilton Head Island
Early openers for biscuits, omelets and coffee.
American café; breakfast/lunch
Southern-style breakfast and lunch staples; longtime local favorite.
Same menu focus: classic breakfasts, biscuits, omelets, and lunch sandwiches.
Lowcountry/Southern breakfast & lunch with a “biscuit-forward” menu.
Big breakfast menu (stuffed French toast, benedicts, etc.) plus lunch/dinner options.
Neighborhood cafe: breakfast served all day; coffee bar plus healthier options.
Classic diner: breakfast all day, quick service, comfort-food portions.
Old-school diner energy; breakfast window + lunch; locals’ regular.
Classic diner breakfast/lunch
Bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and deli-style grab-and-go.
European bakery + sit-down breakfast/lunch menu; pastries and brunch plates.
French-influenced pastries and breads; coffee + harbor stroll pairing.
Second location; same pastry/bread focus with convenient roadside access.
Coffeehouse + breakfast/lunch menu (omelets, bagels, pastries, paninis).
Mexican/Southwestern quick-bite
Cafe with pastries/coffee and light breakfast options in a relaxed setting.
Market + cafe serving made-to-order breakfast (eggs, biscuits, pancakes, etc.).
Breakfast bakery/cafe: baked goods, breakfast plates, and easy take-away items.
Early-opening bakery/deli with breads/pastries and sandwich-friendly mornings.
“Breakfast all day” wraps/flatbreads plus smoothies and bowls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Hilton Head restaurants take reservations?
Many list a reservation link, either the restaurant’s own booking page or OpenTable. A few are walk-in only and some ask you to call, and each card above says which.
Which restaurants are the best for seafood on Hilton Head Island?
Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, Skull Creek Boathouse and The Old Oyster Factory head the seafood restaurants in the dinner list above, with more seafood places further down.
Where can I find breakfast and lunch spots as well as dinner restaurants?
The list is sorted by meal: dinner restaurants first, then lunch spots, then breakfast places. A restaurant that serves more than one of them appears once and notes its other meals.
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