In the past year, several locally owned restaurants have opened in the Galleria Shopping Center, bringing the total number of restaurants in the center to 10 and creating a new “restaurant row” for Myrtle Beach.
If you are looking for an authentic, homemade bagel or a New York-style deli sandwich, stop by the Bagel Port (9666 N. Kings Highway, 843-945-9024). Cindy and Michael McGuinness opened the popular spot in August 2014. They relocated from Cape Cod five years ago after spending 10 years in the area as vacationers. Cindy has the restaurant business in her blood and quickly put her family’s Long Island recipes and her kids Jake and Luke to work, making everything in-house, from the bagels and spreads to salads and cookies. Although they are a popular breakfast spot, they also serve lunch. “We had a lot of help and support from Carmine Barbaro, owner of The Bagel Dock in Calabash and a great friend and mentor,” Cindy said. The McGuinnesses will also soon provide delivery services and already cater private party and office events.
Sharon and Victor Znaty, owners of Le Bon Café & Bakery (9616 N. Kings Highway, 843-213-1193), also “retired” to Myrtle Beach, only to find a shortage of the small, neighborhood bakeries and cafes they loved to frequent. And with decades of experience owning and operating restaurants in Paris, Los Angeles, Florida and other popular destinations, they decided to open up a small café here in their new home last November. Le Bon Café & Bakery, as you may guess, specializes in French cuisine. Victor bakes the bread, croissants and turnovers in-house every morning, and when they are sold out, they’re sold out. And they sell out—quickly. Coffee choices range from French pressed to espresso, cafe au lait or a latte, and the pastries include lemon bars, fruit tarts, macaroons and pain au chocolates (chocolate-filled croissants). At lunch, the homemade French onion soup is a customer favorite, along with the crotin sandwich, which consists of melted Gruyere and goat cheese on a slice of fresh bread over a bed of baby greens. They offer daily specials and everything is fresh, made in-house and delicious.
La Roca (9620 N. Kings Highway, 843-449-0619) offers dishes that go far beyond the staples you find in most Mexican restaurants. Owner Oscar Quiroga opened up in March 2014 with a lot of family help. Since opening, the restaurant has become a local favorite and has developed a reputation for creativity and authenticity with dishes like Sopes, Gorditas and Huaraches. The typical fare of tacos, burritos and fajitas is also offered, but order the Garnachas for a real taste of regional fare from Oaxaca. Although they technically close daily at 10 p.m., Quiroga says they’ve been known to stay open until midnight or later to allow the customers to enjoy their meals and linger, often with the staff and Quiroga family joining in.
