Revive and thrive – those are two key words the come across as you read Carla Waldemar’s piece. Embracing a difficult history while celebrating what’s fresh and new, there are more reasons than ever to experience what you can eat, see, and do in Greenville, South Carolina.

The waterfalls of Falls Park.

Not that long ago, little Greenville, S.C. (pop. 70,000) was low on any list of vacation destinations. Even the locals didn’t venture downtown, where Main Street was the domain of drunks and crooks and prostitutes. The river that flowed through it was deemed the “Rainbow” Reedy, ripe with chemical pollution and bordered with decaying warehouses. Today Greenville, South Carolina ranks among “America’s Top Ten” small towns in many a magazine’s list. What gives?

Its renovation started when some foresighted city fathers squeezed the main avenue from four lanes to two, freeing footage for generous sidewalk promenades filled with greenery, inviting benches and decorative lamps. A vanguard restaurateur opened a café there, “where nobody was going to go” — but they did.

Today, 20-plus years later, Greenville South Carolina shines as the mainstay of Southern comfort food in a city that’s developing its fair share of foodie fame. Soby’s brick walls and casual, bare-wood tables form the setting for a menu that starts off with “Southern Tastes”: a list ranging from country ham with Brussels sprouts, whipped goat cheese, toasted peanuts and wildflower homey, to oyster pie adorned with smoked bacon, melted leeks, creamy potatoes and a sourdough crumble.

Even more enticing: My starter of fried green tomatoes bathed in a light fondue of pimento cheese, sprinkled with sequins of crispy carrots and partnered with blackened haricots. Chuck, the genial silver-haired host, enticed me into ordering the restaurant’s signature Old Fashioned cocktail, fabricated with Angel’s Envy Bourbon. Good choice.

Next, the don’t-miss she-crab soup — rich and sweet with tender meat, abetted by crab roe and a splash of aged sherry. Then, the usual dilemma of choosing from a list of “I want it all” entrees, ranging from grouper on a bed of crawfish etouffee and Carolina rice in chive cream to crisp-fried Carolina chicken served, in a genius stroke, with mac and cheese (plus smoked black pepper honey); Antebellum shrimp and grits (country ham and sausage join the party, too); and Plate of Southern Vegetables composed of laurel-scented risotto, heirloom bean salad, wilted kale, Brussels sprouts and more. Okay, okay: Make it the crab cakes! The pretty pair proved light and creamy-textured, bearing a hint of hot spice; it’s set upon a bed of sweet corn maque choux and dressed in classic remoulade.

Room for dessert, Chuck inquires? Rhetorical question to which there’s only one acceptable answer – Yes! The only dilemma is, which one? The Southern pecan pie, my answer, proved rather underwhelming, however — pasty and scant on nuts, but redeemed by a scoop of Bourbon ice cream and brown butter caramel sauce. I should have listened to Chuck: He’d recommended the best-selling white chocolate banana cream pie. Next time.

Lamb shank from Passarelle in Greenville.

The same owner went on to open another show-stopper along Main Street, this one right where it bisects the Reedy River at Falls Park in Greenville. Passerelle — French, I’m told, for a foot bridge — captures the view of that graceful crossing as it spanned the Reedy right below a mighty, camera-ready waterfall (formerly blocked from view by an ungainly highway bridge, now blessedly removed by those astute town fathers). Enjoying the view of bikers and strollers crossing from one shore to the other, I commanded an outdoor, bright red umbrella table, to sip the recommended Passerelle Smash — a habit-forming blend of Scotch, simple syrup, mint and lemon. With it, I nibbled on a stash of French olives.

Other starters on the Country French-inspired menu include frites with remoulade, plates of fromage and charcuterie, and mussels bathed in white wine and cream infused with saffron and garlic. I couldn’t resist a salad of spiky arugula heaped with squares of roasted butternut squash, house-made ricotta, candied walnuts and fried sage, all sprinkled with an agreeable spiced orange vinaigrette.

Passerelle’s bistro-inspired entrees range from steak frites to cassoulet, starring confit duck and pork belly. My choice was the  Burgundy-braised lamb shank, served with butternut puree, mushrooms, kale, and pickled pears. The long-cooked shank proved so tender I needed nary a knife to manage. Another classic, ratatouille, proved disappointing, however — an overly tomato-y assembly of squash and red peppers in Pernod, minus the eggplant, garlic, and what-all of its customary make-up. Points, however, for the dessert menu, which stared a sumptuous white coconut cake enriched with Frangelico, caramel, and coconut sorbet. The French wine list was also appealing.

The sprawling, green park itself hosts acres of blooming pansies, snowdrops, and flowering trees amid grassy hillsides dotted with swinging chairs, where officious ducks paraded past teens in formal wear taking graduation photos during my visit. Jump on the Swamp Rabbit Trail that follows the water for 20-some miles, or follow South Main a few blocks further to Pomegranate, a longtime Persian café with a strong local following. It’s no wonder why: Upon arrival you’re treated to a complimentary plate of feta, mint, unsalted butter and pita squares to hold you over while deciding on a starter. My choices: a salver of Borani spinach, creamy with yogurt and garlic, and another of Mirza Ghasemi: rich, smoky roasted eggplant melded with tomato and garlic. Or go with the hummus or Mast Khiyar: diced cukes, yogurt, raisins, walnuts and fresh herbs. Everything’s fresh around here.

The menu continues with a whole glossary of kebabs. Instead, I indulged in a generous rack of lamb, pink and supple, garnished with a basmati/lentil/golden raisin blend. Next time, I’ll have the pomegranate and walnut stew, featuring choice of chicken or beef. My friendly server cautioned that some diners find it too sweet, however. Speaking of sweets, dessert! The way to go is with the traditional Persian ice cream lush with pistachios, saffron and a splash of rose water.

A trio of appetizers from Pomegranate in Greenville.

Head north on Main in Greenville, South Carolina

Just before you hit the river, peek into the cluster of studios at Art Crossing — especially if it’s a First Friday, when vino flows as freely as the river.

On the opposite bank of the rippling waterway rises the new(ish) Peace Center for Performing Arts and its fountain-filled plaza, swiftly adopted as another welcome gathering place, because the city fathers believed in a master revival plan in which art made a better draw than dreary warehouses. Today the downtown spotlights 70 outdoor artworks, with an explanatory app. A free trolley further encourages exploring.

From here, work your way up Greenville’s Main Street, crammed with sidewalk tables these days — popping into M. Judson Booksellers (and its bakery inside the bookstore) with its rich collection of regional authors and Southern Comfort cookbooks; Nosedive, famous for its brunch featuring a grits bar and flaky biscuits; Poppington’s popcorn (40 flavors, including best-selling salted caramel, plus dill, churro and espresso); old-time Mast General Store; and Port City Java for a welcome jolt. Amble north to NOMA Square for Thursdays’ Downtown Alive free concerts, where everyone from toddlers to granddads dance to the beat. Partake of beer stands and food carts too. If it’s early in the day, fortify yourself along the way at Maple Street Biscuit Company for a treat the size of a softball. Expect a line out the door.

Wear your dancing shoes for concerts at NOMA Plaza.

At NOMA, continue a few blocks to the cemetery where General Robert E. Lee’s statue stands guard over scores of flags marking the graves of the Confederate dead. Just beyond beckons Heritage Green, an anchor for more arts. Greenville County Museum of Art sports a vast collection of works by Jasper Johns, “the world’s most acclaimed living artist,” according to materials on the state’s favorite son. There’s also the world’s largest collection of the meticulous watercolors of Andrew Wyeth. Southern regional artists’ work is showcased, too.

A Confederate cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina.

Move on to the Carolina Music Museum, featuring 33 antique keyboard instruments, many with listening stations, including the 1845 piano played by Chopin and the oldest Steinway in the world. The adjoining Upcountry History Museum traces local lore starting with the squabbles between the Cherokee and Catawba tribes, on through the state’s secession from the Union in 1860 and the Civil Rights movement of the ’60s.

You’ll find another view of times past at the Museum of Confederate History with its cache of Confederate money, weapons, uniforms, flags, letters home and precious photos. Shudder at wartime surgical instruments, including a bullet probe, amputation kit and glass eye. There’s a doll used to smuggle morphine to the troops. And handouts deriding Lincoln’s perfidy. Then catch your breath at Joe’s Place around the corner, an intriguing bookstore offering coffee and wine “paired perfectly with our books,” where scones arrive hot from the oven.

Wait a minute. Here we are, in the heart of barbecue country: Can’t go home without a taste or three. First stop, almost in the shadow of the airport for those who just can’t wait (including yours truly), is Bacon Bros. At this farm-to-table kitchen, the pork is cured onsite, then served with homemade sauces — mustard and vinegar — and sides both classic (collard greens) and trendy (walnut-studded Brussels sprouts).

Brisket and sides at Bacon Bros.

Having polled Greenville, South Carolina’s Uber drivers, café servers, restaurant patrons and hotel clerks, I next headed to everyone’s Number One choice, Henry’s Smokehouse. The size of a gas station, you’ll be guided to the short-order counter by its heady aroma, then nudged to choose between ribs, brisket and burnt ends. Sides here included that Southern classic, Brunswick stew, and best-selling sweet, sweet, sweet potatoes further sweetened with pecans. Wear a ball cap and you’ll blend right in.

Ribs and sides at Henry’s Smokehouse.

No caps — okay, not many — at Smoke on the Water, described to me as “among the best barbecue spots in Greenville but expensive” — which translates to their famous pulled pork for $7.95, served right beside the river or in dark wooden booths. Choose a side, if you can, from a list that segues from fresh, crisp homemade coleslaw, mac and cheese dressed in a crunchy breadcrumb topping, squash casserole, sugar snap peas or, hmmm, cornbread stuffing (well, why not?).

Continue further down Main to another insider recommendation, Mac’s, where outdoor picnic tables come with free sides of smoky perfume and plates of hush puppies. Go for the brisket if you’re wise. Sauces — based on vinegar, mustard or tomato— range from wonderful to excellent. Servers all sport tattoos. Even easier:  Sign up at the Tourist Office on Main for Saturday BBQ tours to three sites: Henry’s, Bucky’s and Mike & Jeff’s. Your diet doesn’t start till you’re back on the plane.

Brisket at Mac’s with a choice of sauces.

To plan your trip to Greenville SC, check out the website at www.visitGreenvilleSC.

— Story and photos by Carla Waldemar

Hungry for more? Read about Low Country cuisine in South Carolina in this article. Revel in Southern food reads and recipes, here.

Go ahead, Pin this Greenville post to Pinterest to keep it handy.

Please note: RealFoodTraveler.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn a small amount of  advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com while providing convenience for the reader.

Travel writers may receive discounted or free opportunities to travel in order to facilitate being able to write about the true experience for the reader. However, all of our writers are highly professional and their opinions are unbiased.