Upscale Restaurant at The Dunlin on Johns Island Focuses On Coastal Cuisine & Southern Hospitality 

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer / Food & Beverage Review

While downtown Charleston is ripe with deluxe restaurants catering to various styles, there are pocketed areas outside the peninsula with eateries offering deluxe bill of fares. You can find high-end menus in several of the resort communities, on the Isle of Palms, and in Nexton of Summerville.

However, if you're seeking a truly distinctive experience, and one that provides a select brunch menu paying tribute to southern cuisine, look no further than Linnette's on Johns Island. Let me tell you upfront, if you want savor a next level brunch with a healthy dose of southern hospitality, I recommend indulging your senses at Linnette's. 

Situated on the second floor of The Dunlin, a luxury hotel in the Auberge Resorts Collection, Linnette's sits nicely on the banks of the Kiawah River in a pristine environment, surrounded by golden spartina grass, giant oak trees and shallow marsh flats. The idyllic view combined with the ambiance at Linnette's mirrors the presentation and the overall quality of the brunch menu items.

lf you want to greet the day with refreshing optimism perhaps the Yogurt Ambrosia will satisfy. An ample serving of homemade whipped yogurt in a swirl of pure hive honey, toasted granola, shaved coconut, as well as fresh strawberries and blueberries. An invigorating taste combination. $16 well spent. 

Perhaps you're the type who likes to entertain your sweet tooth early on. For you, I offer two of Linnette's freshly made oversized pastries. Want a little zing, order the Cranberry Orange Scone. Awesome! Need an extra dose of sweetness, than I suggest their glazed Cinnamon Roll. Total decadence. 

On the flip side of the pastry cart there's the Ham & Gruyere Cheese Croissant. A slightly salty and velvety sweet tasting cheese coupled with seasoned ham, blanketed in an exceptionally flaky croissant. The pastries by themselves $8, or enjoy the best of both taste sensations by ordering the trio for just $21.

The 10 menu items listed under the Main brunch appeal to varying palates, with a nice mix of traditional breakfast and lunch fare. Aside from the buttermilk flapjacks layered under sliced apples, almond and honey butter, your best choice to appease your sweet tooth is with Linnette's Brioche French Toast.

Thick slices of bread soaked in a custard blend before being wrapped in parchment paper to fully absorb the creamy combination. Complete with banana brulee and candied pecans, the finished result presents as a moist, warm, and tender dish that tastes like a serving of toasted bread pudding. Notably scrumptious! 

Straight up I can attest to, two of the three handhelds are without question a handful. While the Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit might sound a bit common, it's anything but routine, crafted from an egg souffle (baked) before being adorned with the thickest and crispiest bacon ever, as well as arugula to provide peppery flavor and a slather of hollandaise sauce an added measure of zest.

Again, the Crispy Chicken Sandwich sounds straightforward. However, ordinary is not on the menu at Linnette's. We're talking a plentiful (really big) portion of crispy, yet juicy white chicken breast draped in hot okra aioli (spicy mayo), served on a benne (sesame seed) bun, and topped with a dill gherkin. You might have to open your mouth a little wider, but if no one is looking it's okay to use a fork. Just saying, you want to enjoy every bite! 

Although I didn't have the pleasure of wrapping my teeth and gums around the Front Porch Burger, the description on the menu as well as from the well-versed server assured me the all beef delight is similar to a smashburger, which is the current rage in restaurants coast to coast. Apparently it's aptly named because the well sunlit second story dining room and the adjacent covered patio serve as a veranda overlooking the Kiawah River. For $4 more you can dress it up with fried egg and make it a 'breakfast smashburger'.

If you have an eclectic palate, the Omelette might be to your liking. A hearty mix of wild mushrooms and spinach surrounded by feta (Greek cheese), tucked wonderfully in farm fresh eggs. For those who don't stray far from the norm, Johns Morning Plate (a nod to Johns Island) offers up two eggs any style, complete with breakfast potatoes, crispy bacon, pork sausage, and choice of toast. This old school plate will easily fill the hungry-man or hungry-woman in your party. 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention a low country favorite, and one that any restaurant steeped in southern charm must include on their menu. Linnette's Shrimp & Grits plate measures up to any of the premier Charleston area eateries. This sumptuous dish begins with Marsh Hen Mill heirloom grits from nearby Edisto Island. A medley of plump local shrimp are merged with smoked Andouille sausage and green onion to allow a little fervor to the entree. Like they say in the south 'it's good eatin'.

The menu and the kitchen at Linnette's is under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Michael DeCicco. A New York native with Italian and American heritage, DeCicco honed his culinary skills early on in parents household, before coming into his own under James Beard Award-winning chef Thomas Keller. Before finding a home at Linnette's he served as Chef de Cuisine at The Surf Club Restaurant by Keller in Surfside, Florida, where DeCicco helped lead the restaurant to its first Michelin Star. Impressive resume and one befitting Linnette's.

If you want to do brunch properly and you're of adult beverage age, than Linnette's pours up eight signature cocktails to complement choice menu items. As I was feeling a bit leisurely, I opted for the Lazy Man's Old Fashioned, concocted with aged Jimmy Red Straight Bourbon from Charleston's own High Wire Distilling. The palate easily picks up on the nuttier sweet notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla which blend nicely with the house-made demerara orange marmalade, Angostura bitters (Gentian liqueur), and brandied cherries. Sip and savor! 

Fruit of the vine is often the potent potable preferred by brunch lovers. Be assured Linnette's has you covered, carrying select wines from Spain, Italy, France, and California. Enjoy a bubbly glass of Andre Clouet Grande Reserve from France or Matthiasson Rose from Napa Valley. Two dozen select wines listed on their menu, with another eight high-end fortified wines originating from the Portuguese island of Madeira.

Want something a bit more fruity yet still sparkling, I recommend a fresh squeezed orange juice mimosa or the SC Peach Bellini (Italian cocktail). Both will stimulate the senses. Keeping it local, Linnette's carries a handful of IPAs and lagers from several local breweries, including Tradesman, Edisto River, Tideland, and the always appealing Red Fox Irish Ale from Commonhouse Aleworks in North Charleston.

Not only do most of the beers they stock up come from local brewers, Linnette's pour hearty cups of java complements of Second State Coffee, a locally owned coffee roastery that prides itself in coffee products that are as pleasing as they are approachable. If you delight is a robust cup of coffee with your meal, Second State will arouse the palate. 

Tucked nicely in the Charleston Sea Islands community, The Dunlin and Linnette's sit adjacent to the Kiawah River Farm, an environmentally managed cooperative partnering with local Johns Island farmers complete with goats, beef cattle, chickens, bees, produce and flower fields. Many of the products and ingredients used at Linnette's come from their neighbors as do the seafood from local fisheries. Keeping it real and keeping it local is always welcome on the table.

Open a little over six months, Linnette's is currently serving brunch daily from 7am-2pm, returning for dinner 5-10pm. Guests lodging at The Dunlin can enjoy pastries and coffee downstairs in the Willet Room beginning at 6:30am until 11am. Prices at Linnette's range from around $15 for beginning entrees to $36 for an 8oz Flat Iron Steak with shoestring fries. Most dishes fall between $20-$30. Reasonable for upscale brunch menu items.

Linnette's dinner menu relies heavily on fresh seafood including Warm Crab Dip, Shrimp Cocktail, Buttermilk Fried Oysters, and Seared Grouper. Carnivore lovers have two juicy steaks to choose from including a 13oz 45 Day Dry Aged NY Prime Strip served with crispy kennebec potatoes (crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside). Duck Leg Confit and Buttermilk Fried Chicken to appease fans of poultry. No matter the entree, every dish has one main ingredient. They're made with love.

I could go on and on about Linnette's. They score high marks in every fine dining food and beverage category. The entrees are exceptional. The presentation of the dishes are incredible and mouth-watering. The service and knowledge of the menu are top notch. The overall ambiance including light background music, coupled with an epic view provide a peaceful setting to enjoy a quality meal and pleasant conversation. Kudos all around to the staff and kitchen at Linnette's. 

Did I mention they have a killer made from scratch Key Lime Pie. Perfectly created (toasted meringue & blackberry puree) and even more ideally decorated from skilled dessert artisans. Honestly, everything is off the charts amazing at Linnette's. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Charleston, Linnette's is 30 to 40 minutes away from most of greater Charleston, just turn on Kiawah River Drive off Betsy Kerrison Pkwy, head straight back to the water and you've arrived. Precisely at 6000 Kiawah River Drive if you're using your GPS.

Linnette's has a private dining options if you're in need of a room for a wedding party, company social, or any old reason. The Dunlin offers several experiences during your stay including Full Moon Kayaking & Paddle-boarding, Charter Fishing Tours, Coastal Birding, Farm Tours, and maritime forests treks with a Kiawah River naturalist.

For more on dining at  Linnette's visit their website https://www.linnettes.com/  For more on The Dunlin including stays and experiences check them out at https://aubergeresorts.com/the-dunlin/  and for information on the neighboring farm cooperative visit https://kiawahriver.com/farm/