When Chubby Fish in Charleston, SC is closed, there are dark blue velvet curtains in the windows that obscure a view inside. However, when 5 p.m. comes, those curtains are opened and Chef James London and his team are ready to serve a lot of hungry diners. They come for all things seafood, a variety of fish and shellfish prepared in a variety of ways, but always with an eye for balance and a respect for the product. The restaurant was named one of Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurants in America in 2019, and I've also included it the last two years in the Best Restaurants in Charleston for Conde Nast Traveler. James attended the French Culinary Institute and has cooked in San Francisco and New York, but the waters and the dining culture of the South Carolina Lowcountry keep his creativity fresh and keep me coming back for another Chubby Fish experience.