A downtown Charleston cafe is trading in its coffee cups by day for wine glasses at night.
The Hidden House, a cozy coffee and tea lounge at 21 Burns Lane is expanding its reach with an after-hours wine bar. The shop, just off King Street and south of Calhoun Street, is now also open Thursday through Saturday from 4-9 p.m., when owner Brittany Olson will serve wine by the glass and light food bites.
Olson, an entrepreneur and sommelier, graduated from Purdue University a decade ago and moved to Charleston, where she said she immersed herself in the food and beverage industry and fell in love with wine. Last year, she was voted Best Sommelier by City Paper readers in 2025 for her mobile vino bar Love and Bunches.
Hidden House is a coffee and tea lounge at 21 Burns Lane in downtown Charleston.
Megan Fernandes/Staff
She officially opened the Hidden House on Dec. 18 with the wine nights following in February.
“The whole concept (of the business) was always going to be a coffee and wine bar, but there were delays in getting our alcohol license,” Olson noted. “So we decided to open for coffee over the holidays and then wine in late winter, early spring”
With the addition, Olson now offers a 17-bottle list of curated boutique wines that are directly imported. Everything is available by the glass with a variety of flight options.
“It’s a sommelier-led tasting … where they tell you about what’s in the bottle, the people behind the brand and really teaching you about the wine you’re enjoying in a fun way,” Olson said.
The idea for the dual business model, she said, was to create a third space for all hours of the day.
“In the morning, you come here, you’re working, and it’s comfortable and fun,” Olson said. “Then at night you go home, get ready and come out with your friends or significant other.”
Evenings come with a light bite menu. On Sundays, Olson’s also offering a brunch from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. where you can have a delicious brunch experience with wine or mimosas.
Dining and Cooking