“It’s not like Meemaw’s in the backseat.” That’s the advice I was given before careening around a race track in Greer, South Carolina. It was our instructor’s way of telling me to brake hard at 80 mph in order to make the sharp turns required.
I had trekked to South Carolina for the food—Greenville’s annual Euphoria festival was teed up for the week, and the plan was to explore Upcountry cuisine. But when I think back to my time in South Carolina, my first thought is of my supervised attempts to break the sound barrier on the race track in Greer.
But before detailing our time at the track, perhaps I should reverse course.
Day One
After landing in Greenville on a Wednesday, we began our experience with a quick lunch at Swamp Rabbit. The title makes one think of a roadside dive, but the sandwiches, outdoor farmer’s market vibe, and local produce delivered bright and fresh fare that is both hearty and unique.
The drive up to Hotel Domestique in Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina, rivals the bucolic approach in Rebecca when the narrator first catches a glimpse of Manderley. (Watch the 1940 Alfred Hitchcock classic for reference). The white stucco façade, complemented by black shutters, lush greenery, and surrounding hills and cloudscapes, gives the impression of visiting a Tuscan villa.
Inside, the citrus-colored hallways, funky furniture, and personable service create an intimate atmosphere. I got access to the enchanting Dijon room on the first floor with a metal key hanging on a red ribbon. The whimsy and charm were enough to make me want to chuck my phone out the window before taking a never-ending walk amongst the trees and mountains visible beyond the curtains.
While in Traveler’s Rest, we stopped at Eagle Mountain Vineyard and Winery. Located five miles from our hotel, the winery offers both a variety of pours while nestled amongst the South Carolina Upcountry mountains. My favorite was the Zinfandel, a 2021 vintage from Carmel Valley with notes of classic blackberry, cassis, and black plum.
We visited Soby’s in downtown Greenville for dinner. The historic site used to be a shoe mart, toy store, and warehouse—and diners can still see its original wooden ceiling and brick walls. Be sure to order the fried green tomatoes, spicy pimento cheese, and ham and Brussels. The shrimp and grits was a classic first dinner selection for my South Carolina visit, and in the midst of our feast, I made sure to note Soby’s memorable Sauvignon Blanc.
We ended the night with a visit to the Hotel Domestique wellness room, where we made sure to experience the infrared sauna, though I didn’t have the guts to try the cold plunge. Needless to say, after emerging from the red-light experience, I slept well.
Day Two
We were competing with the sun to see who would rise first on day two, and we won. As our group was set to leave before Hotel Domestique’s breakfast service commenced, the hotel pre-made yogurt parfaits for us to take to-go.
Our next stop was a horseback ride among the waterfalls of southern North Carolina. I was thrilled to make the acquaintance of my steed Star, though he merely tolerated me. It was all worth it when we saw a gorgeous trail and stunning waterfall, where our guide told us scenes from The Hunger Games had been shot.
That kind of activity geared us up nicely for lunch in Spartanburg, where we stopped at Wade’s for some epic southern cooking. I particularly enjoyed the okra, mashed potatoes, collard greens—and the people-watching. The restaurant was founded in 1947 and continues to be a family-run Spartanburg staple. It earned a James Beard award in 2024 and remains the only winner in South Carolina’s upstate region.
Other notable stops to check out in Spartanburg include RJ Rockers Brewing Co. and Hub City Bookshop and Press. If you’re in the mood for local cuisine and a dive bar experience, the World Famous Redneck burger at Nu-Way Lounge and Restaurant is a local celebrity. It was voted by The Food Network as South Carolina’s best burger and features the regular accoutrements, as well as house-made chili and pimento cheese.
We spent the evening dining at The Kennedy, a small but lively restaurant whose gold and navy Art Deco design sets a refined tone. I’m always a fan of a cucumber cocktail, and the Cucumber Crush did not disappoint. It served as a great palette cleanser between our samples of the Caprese bruschetta, the pimento cheese with house pickles on sourdough bread, and the refreshing tuna carpaccio with pops of spice. For a main course, I ordered the salmon piccata, which was topped with capers and accompanied by Carolina gold rice and tarragon oil.
We landed that evening at the AC Hotel by Marriott Downtown , where the Art Deco themes I appreciated at The Kennedy were echoed and complimentary pouches of lavender were appreciated.
Day Three
We woke up the next morning (after the sun this time) and walked to Blue Moon Specialty Foods for breakfast. I ordered the Church and Broad, a scratch-made cheddar biscuit with bacon, American cheese, and scrambled eggs, and added a side of grits.
We then drove the 35 minutes to Greer to explore its historic downtown (check out Little Leaf Coffee for a sweet treat). But the highlight was a stop at the BMW Performance Center. The venue offers corporate team-building workshops, bachelor/bachelorette party packages, classes, and more, all centered around its tracks.
We opted for the BMW Performance Driving Experience-East, which first involved an off-road course in a BMW X. (“The most fun you can have at 1 mph or below,” we were told. And it was.) That was followed by time on the track in three different BMW vehicles driving at high speeds around tight corners, where Meemaw was thankfully absent from the backseat.
Through the walkie-talkies placed in each car, we were guided on how to zoom correctly through the course—where to look, where to brake, where to speed. We slowly built up our confidence and, over a number of laps, found ourselves going faster and faster. Next, our instructor, a former race car driver, got behind the wheel while we rode in the back seat and showed us how the pros do it. It ruined my hairdo, and two of us left the car trauma laughing, but it was absolutely worth it.
After walking off our jelly legs, we headed for Greenville, which was gearing up for the Euphoria festival, a 20-year-old annual event that highlights the area’s culinary community through a multi-day program of events. Proceeds from the experience benefit Local Boys Do Good, an organization designed to support local nonprofits.
We left our bags at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Greenville Downtown, which evoked restorative nature-inspired aesthetics in the middle of a bustling city center. The lobby featured rope-hanging chairs, tree-themed wall decor, and refreshing green hues. We then decamped for a happy hour at Spirit and Bower, a bar at the Grand Bohemian Lodge. The venue felt like an old castle and offered calming view of a creek laced with the acoustic sounds of live music.
It was a calming prelude to our first Euphoria event of the weekend, an Italian-themed dinner at Jianna on Main Street. My favorite courses were the broiled great white oysters with chicken schmaltz, garlic chili crisp, and lime and the wild boar shank Rotolo with Colonial Mills polenta, and black mission fig.
For dessert, we enjoyed grilled local apple with mascarpone mouse, walnut crumb, and spiced honey. I got friendly flack from my fellow travelers for saying it was the best dessert I’d ever had, but I stand by the assertion. I still think about it.
Day 4
We began our first full day in Greenville and last day of our trip with brunch at Juniper. If you want to make your friends jealous with your aesthetic photos and videos, take them in Juniper’s elevator area, which stuns with florals and lush greens. The spot is made for Instagram (or TikTok, if it didn’t get shunned from your phone).
Our visit to Juniper was part of a Euphoria preview event, which gave us a chance to sample chefs’ delicacies from the area. Standouts included the smoked brisket pancakes with strawberry BBQ sauce by Bobby’s BBQ in Fountain Inn, as well as the Southern heritage “Benedict” from Greenville’s own Feed & Seed.
The afternoon was spent on the diamond of Fluor Field, the home of the Greenville Drive baseball team. There, Euphoria hosted its Feast by the Field event that brought on a cadre of samplings from local tastemakers. Personal favorites included the tempeh blinis by Harvest Kitchen (a Greer restaurant) and the prime rib with South Carolina-grown pole beans and fig gremolata by White Wine and Butter, another Greer venue.
Well fed, I slept exceptionally well that night and was still reflecting on the many flavors that comprise South Carolina’s Upcountry as we headed home to Dallas the next day.