One Of Charleston's Best Restaurants Is Also A Paranormal Hotspot

You've heard of dinner and a show, but at Poogan's Porch in Charleston, South Carolina, the dining experience can be positively out of this world. That's because the restaurant is not only known among local foodies as one of the Holy City's top restaurants, but also for what could be called an unusual "regular." That's the ghost of one of the building's former residents, who's made herself known to diners, staff, and others around Poogan's for decades. 

The spirit in question is purported to be that of Zoe Saint Amand, who was born in Charleston in the late 19th century. She never married, and spent most of her life with her sister in residences that included the building at 72 Queen Street that later became Poogan's Porch. After her sister's death, she lived alone for years before her own death in the 1950s, more than two decades before Poogan's was established in 1976. However, by some accounts, she's never left the property.

Zoe's spirit, which appears as an elderly woman in a black dress, has been spotted in a variety of ways and spaces throughout the restaurant. Some in the neighborhood have reported seeing her in the building's upstairs windows, or appearing and then spontaneously disappearing while seated at tables, while workers have spoken of eerie noises. Diners have also supposedly glimpsed her ghost without even realizing they were witnessing a potentially paranormal event, and even the building's owner has encountered unexplainable lipstick prints on coffee cups, as if left by Zoe's specter. 

There's no suggestion Zoe means to harm any mortals who visit Poogan's. The worst consequences of an encounter with her seem to be a mild scare or perhaps a need to make a new cup of coffee.

Although it may not have the history of some of Charleston's oldest and most macabre haunted spots, it's nevertheless earned a spot on some local ghost tours for the combination of supernatural experience and super-delicious food. Poogan's (named for a dog of the building's former owners) is open daily for brunch and dinner, serving up Southern comfort food classics such as fried green tomatoes, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and banana pudding. 

The biscuits alone are enough to land it a spot among the best Southern restaurants for this regional favorite. And Poogan's unusual history is acknowledged in the brunch menu's cocktail section by Zoe's Iced Coffee, a mix of espresso vodka, Irish cream, and coffee liqueur. The combination of familiar yet upscale favorites, premium service, and unique surroundings is enough to earn Poogan's Porch an impressive 4.1-star rating on Yelp with over 4,900 reviews, as well as a 4.3-star Google rating with around 6,000 reviews. 

So if you're looking for another spot to add to your list of the most haunted restaurants in America, make sure to consider this Charleston spot. The only thing that's truly scary about the experience might be how soon you'll want to go back.