Magnolias occupies 185 East Bay Street, a site identified on a 1739 map as Charleston's original Customs House. The building went through more than a century of changes and was damaged in the 1887 earthquake before the Parsell family bought it in 1989 and restored it, reopening the restaurant as Magnolias Uptown Down South in July 1990.
Kelly Franz has been in the kitchen since 2003, when she joined as a culinary student; she moved up to Sous Chef, then Chef de Cuisine in 2009 and Executive Chef in 2015 before returning to lead the menu as Culinary Director. The food stays rooted in Lowcountry ingredients and technique dressed up with modern presentation — Fried Green Tomatoes, Grilled Filet of Beef, and Shellfish Gumbo sit alongside Lowcountry Bouillabaisse and Parmesan Crusted Market Catch. Regulars also come back for the blue crab bisque, fried chicken, pimento cheese, and pecan pie.
Upstairs, the Upper-Level Gallery holds two private dining rooms with their own kitchen, built for events and larger gatherings separate from the main room below.
Kelly Franz has been in the kitchen since 2003, when she joined as a culinary student; she moved up to Sous Chef, then Chef de Cuisine in 2009 and Executive Chef in 2015 before returning to lead the menu as Culinary Director. The food stays rooted in Lowcountry ingredients and technique dressed up with modern presentation — Fried Green Tomatoes, Grilled Filet of Beef, and Shellfish Gumbo sit alongside Lowcountry Bouillabaisse and Parmesan Crusted Market Catch. Regulars also come back for the blue crab bisque, fried chicken, pimento cheese, and pecan pie.
Upstairs, the Upper-Level Gallery holds two private dining rooms with their own kitchen, built for events and larger gatherings separate from the main room below.