Whether you happen to live in Charleston, SC, plan to visit soon or you’d just like to know what’s going on with lowcountry cooking these days, you have to get a hold of Holly Herrick’s new book The Charleston Chef’s Table: Extraordinary Recipes From The Heart of the Old South.

Herrick has somehow selected and become intimately familiar with over sixty of Charleston’s best restaurants, and profiled and supplied a recipe from each one. Thoughtfully written and beautifully photographed, The Charleston Chef’s Table is both cookbook and guidebook — and luscious proof that the Charleston restaurant scene is flourishing.

From classics like Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits from Mt. Pleasant’s Old Village Post House, to modern interpretations like Cajun Blackened New York Strip with Creole Crawfish Compound Butter from Oak Steakhouse, to local French, Italian, Mediterranian and Asian fare, its recipes are well-crafted, drool-inducing, and thankfully accessible to the home cook.

You’ll definitely have trouble deciding what to cook or where to eat first — one more compelling reason to pick up this book.