Drink The Ville
Aug 15, 2019
We are famous for more than just our Sweet Tea
Sweet Tea, Craft Beer, and More: Your Guide to Drinking Summerville
We have Andre Michaux to thank. It was the French botanist, sent to the United States by King Louis XVI in the late 1700s to investigate the flora of the New World, who introduced the tea plant to the Lowcountry at Middleton Place. The locals took to it with gusto, and have been drinking it — with a few modifications, such as ice, sugar and lemon — ever since.
But it was Dr. Charles Shepard who cemented Summerville’s place in Sweet Tea history by founding the Pinehurst Tea Farm, the first in the country to successfully grow tea as a viable crop commercially. In fact, the tea plants grown at the popular Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadamalaw are cuttings from this Summerville tea farm.
The town even earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records by pouring the largest glass of iced tea, in a 15-foot Mason jar that held over 2,500 gallons. Tipping back beverages of any sort is a point of civic pride in Summerville, whose downtown is filled to the brim with local breweries, wine bars, Irish pubs, coffee roasters, and even a historic soda fountain.
You can drink your way from one end to the other, locals like to say, and they’re only half-joking. So let’s take a drinking tour of downtown Summerville, where the flowers that made the city famous are best enjoyed with a cup or glass of something refreshing close at hand. And while we’re at it, offer a toast to Dr. Shepard, whose tea farm started it all.
Main Street Area
Get your day started with coffee or tea at Cuppa Manna, right on Hutchinson Square in the heart of the Summerville’s historic downtown, which also offers all-day breakfast and lunch in addition to an open mic night on Tuesdays. From there it’s a short walk to Guerin’s Pharmacy, the oldest operating pharmacy in the state, whose 1920s-era soda fountain offers milkshakes, malts, floats and flavored fountain sodas in addition to other treats.
For wine connoisseurs, there’s Accent on Wine, a one-stop wine bar, wine shop, and wine club that also features craft beers and sweet and savory bites. Oenophiles can also venture to Wine & Tapas Bar, which in 2018 completed a renovation that included a makeover, new owners, new chef and expanded wine selection. For beer lovers, Homegrown Brewhouse features 40 taps of South Carolina’s finest, with the aim of eventually having every state-made beer available.
Montreux Bar and Grill is a center for live music with an extensive wine, beer, and cocktail menu. O’Lacy’s Pub is an Irish-style gathering place with a casual atmosphere, regular live music, karaoke and a deck. Shuckin’ Shack is a classic coastal South Carolina oyster bar with plenty of cold beer and signature cocktails to go with fried, grilled, and steamed food offerings. And last but certainly not least is The Icehouse, whose lively, umbrella-covered patio is a hub of activity on weekend afternoons and evenings.
Off Main Street
Using a local roasting process to get the most out of high-quality, sustainably-grown beans, Coastal Coffee Roasters has been turning out small-batch specialty coffees since 2010. Housed in the same building on East 3rd North Street and specializing in another type of small-batch beverage is Oak Road Brewery, Summerville’s first brewery, which specializes in making German-style craft beers.
Opened in 2014, the Summerville location of Charleston-area staple Five Loaves Cafe hosts wine nights on Wednesdays and Saturdays with a number of area craft beers and specialty cocktails to go with its locally-minded food menu. They also recently added their popular weekend brunch to their already well-received lineup of offerings. And with Monday night trivia and live music scheduled regularly, Oscars of Summerville features plenty of down home options to go along with a menu full of classic foods.
And of course, wherever you go in Summerville, sweet tea is a staple. For more information on the town’s tea history and its innumerable options for enjoying a cold (or warm) beverage, visit VisitSummerville.com/Drink, or contact the Summerville Visitors Center at (843) 873-8535.
Experience the aptly named "Flower Town in the Pines"
"At the Heart of Summerville" is a blog series dedicated to exploring the vibrant community of Summerville, South Carolina. From the historic downtown area to the surrounding districts, we showcase the people and places that make Summerville such a special destination. An interview with The Flowertown Players at the James F. Dean Theater in Downtown Summerville
Unveiling some of Summerville's most iconic historic homes.
Sweet tea is more than just a refreshing beverage - it's a symbol of Southern hospitality and tradition. For many years, this iconic drink has been a staple of Southern cuisine, and nowhere is its history more celebrated than in Summerville, South Carolina, the Birthplace of Sweet Tea. The History of Tea Tea has a rich history in America, with its roots dating back to the late 1700s when French explorer and botanist Andre Michaux first planted tea at Middleton Place Plantation, which is in modern-day Summerville. Beginning in 1880, despite two failed attempts to grow tea in South Carolina, the federal government became interested in this new tea experiment. It established an experimental tea farm at the former Newington Plantation, leasing 200 acres from Henry Middleton. In 1888, Dr. Charles Shepard, a philanthropist and professor at the Medical College of SC acquired 600 acres of the Newington Plantation property. He established the Pinehurst Tea Plantation using plants from the government’s farm. He cultivated about 100 acres, built a factory, and began to sell his tea commercially, becoming the first successful commercial tea farm operation in the United States. After Dr. Shepard's passing in 1915, his plantation became deserted and remained so for over four decades until the Lipton Company purchased it in 1960. They salvaged the remaining plants from Pinehurst and utilized them to open a research facility spanning 127 acres on Wadmalaw Island. In 1987, an expert third-generation tea taster trained in London named William B. Hall, purchased the tea farm to establish what is now the Charleston Tea Garden. In 2003, Bigelow Tea Co. purchased the farm and partnered with Hall. The tea from the Charleston Tea Garden, all derivatives of Dr. Shepard's Camellia sinensis, is still growing there today and has earned the honor of the Official White House Tea and the Official Hospitality Beverage of South Carolina. You can also see specimens of the tea plants from the Pinehurst Tea Gardens in the garden of the Summerville Museum .
Exploring the After-Hours Charm of Summerville's Nightlife
There’s a reason our town is called Summerville. Aside from its rich history and unwavering Southern hospitality, Summerville is also a mecca of outdoor activities.
"At the Heart of Summerville" is a blog series dedicated to exploring the vibrant community of Summerville, South Carolina. From the historic downtown area to the surrounding districts, we showcase the people and places that make Summerville such a special destination. This ongoing blog series will feature interviews with local business owners, residents, and community leaders, as well as highlight the top attractions, events, and hidden gems in town.
A rich history, beautiful parks, and plenty of free things to do.
Making you feel right at home is exactly what Summerville's hosts do best because they understand that where you stay is just as important as where you go.
Summerville is typically known as the place to be in the spring due to the flowering azaleas and warm weather… but make no mistake that this charming town debuts its own unique beauty this time of year.
