That focus on the details extends to every aspect of the dining experience, from the friendly, detailed service and unexpected upbeat music to the beverage program that celebrates classics with a twist.
All this makes Melfi’s an Italian restaurant that should remain at the top of your list, even as new options flock to the area. Here’s what sets it apart, plus tips for tackling the menu when you go.
The Fat & Dirty Martini served at Melfi’s, June 22, 2026, in Charleston.
Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
Starting strong
I am not a martini drinker. But I instantly become one when I take a seat at Melfi’s polished bar, where crisp cocktails are shaken, stirred and poured into the appropriate glassware.
The Fat & Dirty Martini ($15) goes down easier than a drink this stiff should. The icy vodka is “fat washed” in olive oil, infusing the liquor with a fruity, fragrant backbone. A splash of olive juice adds a whisper of briny funk to this reinvented classic.
Drinking one while sitting in a cushiony seat at the bar, or after sliding into a moss green banquette along an art-filled, exposed brick wall, feels appropriate. Where else would you want to drink a martini if not in this sophisticated setting?
Its blend of upscale elegance and relaxed energy showcases how restaurants can cater to diners of all ages, and that high-end doesn’t have to mean stuffy. The food on the white linen-draped tables blurs the lines between the familiar and the fantastical, with ingredients you know treated with time and care.
Brooks Reitz owns several Charleston restaurants on King Street, including Melfi’s, Leon’s Oyster Shop and Little Jack’s Tavern.
File/Gavin McIntyre/Staff
Melfi’s is owned by Brooks Reitz, Tim Mink, Kelly Dougherty and Brys Stephens. Reitz and Mink are also known for Little Jack’s Tavern and Leon’s Oyster Shop, where burgers, bivalves and fried chicken are part of nearly every order. Melfi’s signature dishes are harder to identify, for they may vary depending on the diner.
Reach for a slice or two of complimentary bread with a large glug of golden olive oil while perusing the menu, which features salads, small plates, pastas, pizzas and entrees. Portions range from just a few fleeting bites to fully formed plates accompanied by sides.
Dining and Cooking