Under The Sea: Greenville's Best Fish Markets
Greenville has some fantastic, high-quality fish and seafood markets. You didn’t know? Well, consider it asked and answered.
The shops are also helmed by people who want you to cook at home, and they’re ready with tips and tricks to take the mystery out of that perfectly cooked scallop or snapper.
Read on for where you should buy your seafood!
Words: Ariel H. Turner
Budget-Friendly Seafood
Black Sheep Market, Wade Hampton/Taylors
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11 am-6 pm; Sat 11 am-6 pm
This new shop is known as a quality butcher shop with a great meat counter (find affordable oxtail here!), and the whole fish offerings are fresh—like pan fry croaker (often called corvina), mullet, and Finnish bream.
With prices less than $5 per pound, adding fish to the weekly dinner rotation doesn’t have to break the budget.
Tito’s Fresh Seafood Market, White Horse Road
Hours: Wed-Sun, 11 am-7 pm
Hablan español! Latin flavors and preparations are available at this only-seafood shop, slinging whole fresh fish, octopus, shrimp, oysters, squid, prepared salads, and more. Look out for their seafood boil trays when the weather is more conducive to outdoor gatherings.
They love to share recipes, so ask!
Photo provided: Black Sheep Market owners Patrick and Angela Cheatham
Something for Every Budget
Hooked Meat & Seafood Market, Stallings Road
Hours: Tues-Sat, 10 am-6 pm
With fresh seafood delivered five days a week, Hooked is a go-to for special occasion menus or weeknight dinner ingredients. Whether you’re looking for mussels or the seasonal delicacy that is fresh soft shell crabs, Hooked carries loads of fresh shellfish.
Whole B-liner snapper, pompano, or sheep head are on rotation, and filets of swordfish, halibut, and cobia, among many other cuts, are ready for the skillet or grill.
Their meat counter is also robust (local ostrich?!), as are their local dairy offerings. And don’t miss the made-in-house sides, like lobster mac-n-cheese, to round out your menu.
Every Budget cont. . . .
Asia Pacific Supermarket and Restaurant, North Pleasantburg Drive
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10 am-9 pm; Sun, 10 am-8 pm
As the sign reads, “Pre-order your favorite seafood on Wednesday-Pick up on your schedule!” The largest Asian market in the area, fresh seafood is a major perk of knowing about this gem.
Plan ahead enough to pre-order and have fresh seafood for the weekend. When you pick up, don’t miss the vast variety of fresh and dried ingredients to complete your feast, and maybe even snag a bubble tea for the road.
Premium Budget
Broadwater Shrimp Supply Co., various locations + hours (check Instagram)
Jason Janson started out with a cooler and a folding table to sell his fresh-from-the-coast shrimp. His operation has expanded in only a few years to include two fully operational seafood trailers (the one named Trailer Swift is a favorite) that post up at Strossner’s Bakery parking lot, Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery and other seasonal farmers markets.
Janson knows his product can be harsh on a tight budget, but he also promises the freshest and highest quality fresh seafood he can find. Now offering everything from scallops to golden tilefish to salmon to housemade crab cakes and dips, he often sells out based on pre-orders before opening for the day.
Since becoming an invaluable supplier for local restaurants, he’s also branched out with some more educational opportunities. He takes every chance to teach a new or hesitant seafood cook just how simple a delicious outcome can be.
Have questions? Ask.