Neptune and his sirens are all abuzz about Hilton Head Island’s newest oceanfront hot spot at the Sea Pines Beach Club. This resort community which spans the entire south end of the island has rebuilt and expanded its beach clubhouse and installed Coast Restaurant, which offers a scenic view of the Atlantic – you can even see Savannah’s Tybee Island lighthouse!
Sea Pines Resort’s Executive Chef Michael Ramey looks back on the July 2nd opening: “We had no soft opening. July and August were 100-hour weeks and it took patience, time and effort and a great team – all hand-picked. We had the most talented people applying for these jobs, there was no shortage of great help to create 700-1000 covers a day during the peak of summer. We had a vision for Coast and have been planning this for six years. We had the advantage of being able to develop and tweak our menus with our other existing properties. Our Executive Sous Chef is Roland Parker, Jr. who was cooking at the Pentagon for many years. We are a beach destination and we try to please all guests. We remember those who made the prior brand successful for all these years.” Coast also offers live entertainment in the summer and is accessible to families and is of the philosophy that food should be fun, not stuffy.
Coast’s offers local fish including corvina and drum fish and has mouth-watering specials like bronze swordfish with lump crab with sweet potato and coconut green curry. From the lobster BLT to the fresh shellfish bar to the Sapelo island crab stew, seafood lovers will be in their element! Diners have the choice of preparation of their fresh fish along with choices of sauces that will have diners doing a double-take: Tasso ham voodoo and orange sriracha got our palate’s attention. Vegetarian offerings include a ‘deep South sweet potato polenta with cilantro-pumpkin seed pesto’. And for dessert? It will definitely be too tough to decide between the ‘double chocolate ganache tart’ and ‘peaches and cream gelato’ so we recommend ordering both! “Guided by the principles of sustainability and Southern sensibility”, Coast’s farmers and other suppliers’ names are listed right on the menu.
The Sea Pines Beach Club itself is majestic, yet far from ostentatious. “We implemented highly aesthetic features like a deck made of Brazilian hardwood, also known as ‘ipe’, which is known for its superb weathering characteristics and built to last. We are also currently pursuing LEED certification.” says Sea Pines Beach Club’s Director of Operations Jonah Ritter. “Our panoramic windows are tinted and we use amber lighting to avoid disturbing the sea turtles.” Other spots within the venue are the Ocean Bar, the Lower Deck, and Surfside Market which offers light fare to go. The Ocean Lounge is perched on the second floor and The Atlantic Room is a large, private space which is available for weddings, corporate teambuilding events, and other festivities and also offers a spectacular ocean view.
Restaurants build their reputations on doing certain things very well and doing them consistently – in a very short period of time, Coast is proving itself to be a great spot for those who are looking for an overall experience, not just dinner. Surf’s up!
A series of wine and food pairing events will kick off at Coast on December 12th and 19th.
Coast Restaurant at Sea Pines Beach Club
87 N. Sea Pines Drive
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
843-842-1888
Open year-round
Hours: All day menu and bar menu: 11:30 am – 9:00 pm
Dinner 5:00-9:00 pm
(Please note: there is a $6.00 Sea Pines gate entry fee which is reimbursed)
