Why you should experience Panini's On The Waterfront in South Carolina.
Panini's On The Waterfront is a welcoming Italian restaurant where Downtown Beaufort's waterfront character, historic architecture, Mediterranean flavors, and Lowcountry hospitality create one of Bay Street's defining dining experiences.
Set along Bay Street near Newcastle Street and just steps from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, this waterfront restaurant pairs Broad River views with aromas of bubbling stone-baked pizza, roasted garlic, fresh basil, simmering tomato sauce, grilled seafood, and house-made desserts served inside a carefully restored early twentieth-century building. Crisp paninis, handcrafted pastas, Mediterranean-inspired seafood, and classic Italian recipes are prepared with fresh ingredients while indoor dining, the River Deck, and the historic interior provide distinctly different settings for lunch or dinner. The result is a restaurant defined by Italian comfort food, coastal ingredients, and one of Downtown Beaufort's most enduring dining addresses.
What you should know about Panini's On The Waterfront.
Panini's On The Waterfront is best known for relocating in 2004 into Beaufort's historic Bank of Beaufort building at 926 Bay Street, a structure originally completed in 1919 before serving as the Bank of Beaufort until 1926, later becoming The Breeze Movie Theater in 1947, and ultimately being restored for restaurant use after an extensive preservation effort that rescued its original entrance columns and revived one of downtown's most recognizable commercial buildings. The restaurant itself first established a loyal following in Cross Creek Shopping Plaza before expanding to its waterfront home, where it built its character around stone-baked pizzas, Mediterranean-inspired Italian cuisine, fresh local seafood, and one of Beaufort's most distinctive riverfront dining settings. The menu extends from signature panini sandwiches, hoagies, handmade pasta, and house-made desserts to specialty dishes including Frogmore Penne, Mediterranean Shrimp & Grits, King Neptune Pizza, and She Crab Soup, reflecting both Italian traditions and Lowcountry culinary influences. The building also preserves an ornate nineteenth-century German-style bar acquired from Savannah, adding another layer of historic character to a restaurant whose character is inseparable from Beaufort's architectural heritage.
Stone-baked pizzas emerge with crisp, blistered crusts supporting fresh mozzarella, roasted garlic, basil pesto, imported meats, and local seafood, while house-made pastas are finished with rich marinara, creamy five-cheese Alfredo, white wine butter sauces, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Mediterranean flavors weave throughout the menu as shrimp, clams, crab, pancetta, olives, preserved lemon, roasted vegetables, and fragrant herbs create balanced dishes that bridge Italian cooking with the coastal ingredients of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Homemade desserts provide a classic finish that complements a meal shaped by generous portions, fresh preparation, and relaxed waterfront dining.
How to fold Panini's On The Waterfront into your trip.
Panini's On The Waterfront works as the centerpiece of an afternoon exploring Beaufort's historic waterfront.
Begin at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, where shaded promenades, swings, and Broad River views establish the character of downtown before settling into Panini's On The Waterfront for an Italian-inspired lunch overlooking the water. Continue to John Mark Verdier House Museum, whose Federal-era architecture offers insight into Beaufort's prosperous antebellum history. Conclude at Pat Conroy Literary Center, where exhibits celebrating one of the Lowcountry's most celebrated authors provide a fitting cultural finale. The progression moves naturally from the waterfront to Italian dining before continuing through Beaufort's architectural and literary heritage.
Where your story begins.
Foresyte Travel reveals places that feel extraordinary long before you arrive.
Experience premium editorial crafted for luxury travelers.
