The Mustard Seed

The Mustard Seed is a Charleston restaurant that has earned a legion of loyal local patrons by serving up food with the freshest ingredients and an inventive, ever-changing menu.

The Mustard Seed has three restaurants in Charleston, and is part of the larger “Dine With Sal” restaurant group, which owns nine restaurants in the Charleston region. Sal started his restaurant with The Mustard Seed in Mt. Pleasant at 1036 Chuck Dawley Boulevard in 1994 and soon opened one at 1970 Maybank Highway on James Island and another at 101 North Main Street in Summerville.

The restaurant started with just seven tables and three employees, but quickly grew into a larger conglomerate expanding into neighboring buildings. The owner, Sal Parco, spent 20 years in the restaurant business before opening his first one in Charleston. He has kept the same principles during this entire time, which is why he claims The Mustard Seed has been a success. Those principles include “offering our customers a healthier alternative to the usual burgers and fries” and focusing on vegetarian, fish and poultry dishes at an affordable price.

The Mustard Seed, named for “The Biblical parable comparing the kingdom of God to the tiny seed that produces a large plant,” according to their web site, features a very large menu with different daily specials including more than a dozen salads, a host of sandwiches and inventive pasta dishes like a sweet potato, gorgonzola and walnut ravioli. Other entrees include a taste of worldly dishes like chicken enchiladas, shrimp & scallop risotto and Pad Thai. At dinner, the prices for appetizers run $8 - $11, and entrees are $11 - $18. At lunch the prices go down about $3 per item, and include sandwiches that run $8 - $9.

Desserts are made by “Dine With Sal’s” restaurant “The Village Bakery.” Make sure to save room for a piece of Coconut Cake, perhaps one of the most delicious desserts in all of Charleston. 

HelloCharleston Tip: The restaurant closes each day from 2:30 pm – 5 pm, so people who want to eat a late lunch or early dinner need to plan accordingly. 

- by Mike D'Avria, Charleston Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

He worked for the daily newspaper, The Athens Banner-Herald in Athens, Ga. before turning to freelance writing and video production.

Mike is the Executive Editor of CampLeadership.org, and has lived in Charlotte for four years.