Soul food restaurants Florence SC searches turn up more than one kind of stop. Some are counter-service BBQ shops. Some are delivery listings. A few still seat you, take the order at the table, and cook a broad Southern plate. If you want that last kind of meal, start with the service style, the hours, and the menu before you drive across town.
Notch8 Carolina Kitchen is a full-service Southern restaurant at 600 A Pamplico Highway in Florence, SC. The dining room is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm. Toast handles online orders for takeout and curbside pickup. Catering is a separate path for groups of 10 or more.
What Should You Check When Choosing Soul Food Restaurants in Florence, SC?
Check four things before you commit to a drive across town: how the food is served. Which days the doors are open, whether the menu is broader than one specialty, and how takeout actually works. Those details decide the meal more than a citywide best-of list.
Florence grew up as a railroad town and later a regional hub for the Pee Dee, which is why so many dining styles share the same short drive. The
South Carolina Encyclopedia entry on Florence
traces that history from the 1871 charter through the city's role in business, health care, and travel. Hungry visitors still need a practical filter, not a history lesson.
Service.
Table service, a counter line, a food truck, and a delivery app are different meals.
Hours.
Many local kitchens close early in the week. Confirm the day before you go.
Menu breadth.
BBQ-only, seafood-only, and full Southern plates answer different cravings.
Takeout rules.
Curbside, a phone order, and a 10-plate delivery minimum are not the same thing.
Occasion.
A weeknight plate, a family table, and a 40-person lunch need different plans.
How Do Soul Food Restaurants in Florence, SC Differ?
They differ by the job they were built to do. A BBQ counter feeds a fast plate. A seafood house leans on the fryer and the catch. A full-service Southern kitchen is built for a longer sit-down meal and a wider menu.
| Type | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Counter BBQ. | A fast plate. | Narrow menu. |
| Seafood house. | Fish or shrimp. | Fewer sides. |
| Delivery app. | Eating at home. | No dining room. |
| Full service. | A seated meal. | Shorter hours. |
Use this split when the names all sound similar:
Counter BBQ and rib shops.
Fast, smoky, and often excellent, but the visit is built around the pit, not a broad Southern menu or a server at the table.
Seafood and fish houses.
Strong when shrimp, crab, or catfish is the point. Weaker when you want greens, macaroni, and a sandwich on the same ticket.
Delivery-app listings.
Useful at home, thin on atmosphere, and easy to confuse with a dining room you cannot actually visit.
Full-service Southern restaurants.
A host or server, a mixed menu, and time to sit. This is the lane Notch8 cooks in.
Notch8 is not a BBQ-only counter. The current menu runs from hand-breaded chicken and shrimp or catfish po' boys to burgers, salads, basket combos, and wings. Sides include collard greens, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and fried green tomatoes. That spread is what to look for when you want soul food restaurants in Florence, SC that still feel like a restaurant.
If you are new to the plates themselves, the
local guide to soul food in Florence, SC
covers the first-visit dishes. This page stays on the choice: which kind of restaurant fits today.
Which Service Style Fits Your Meal?
Pick table service when the v
covers the first-visit dishes. This page stays on the choice: which kind of restaurant fits today.
Which Service Style Fits Your Meal?
Pick table service when the visit itself is the point of the trip. Pick takeout when you already know the plate and want it waiting. Pick catering when the headcount no longer fits the dining room.
Notch8 covers all three, with different rules:
Dine in.
Full table service at 600 A Pamplico Highway, Florence, SC 29505. The room is the right call for families, seniors, and anyone who wants a server instead of a counter.
Takeout and curbside.
Order on Toast, choose curbside, and the team brings the order out. The
is the place to confirm what is cooking.
Group delivery.
The menu page offers delivery on pre-orders of 10 plates or more. Smaller orders stay pickup or dine-in.
Catering.
A separate menu for office lunches, family gatherings, and community events. Most catering items need 10 people and 24 hours' notice.
A Wednesday lunch with one friend belongs in the dining room. A Thursday desk meal belongs on Toast. A Saturday reunion belongs on the catering menu. Mixing those up is how people end up in the wrong line.
What Hours Should You Plan Around?
Plan the week around a four-day kitchen rather than a seven-day one. Notch8 is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am to 8 pm, and closed Sunday through Tuesday. The
is the hours source to trust before you leave the house.
That schedule surprises people who assume every Florence restaurant runs seven days. It also makes the open days easier to staff and cook.
A few timing habits help:
Aim for Wednesday through Saturday if you want a table.
Arrive well before 8 pm if you are dining in. The kitchen closes with the door.
Place Toast orders early on Saturday, when both locals and highway traffic are out.
Do not plan a Sunday supper or a Monday meeting lunch here. Those days are closed.
For catering, count backward from the event: 24 hours for most items, 48 hours for a custom cake, and a final guest count seven days out.
The site footer sometimes lists Tuesday as open. The visit page and this kitchen's standing hours do not. Use Wednesday through Saturday.
What Is on a Typical Notch8 Plate?
A typical plate is a crisp or smoked main, one or two homestyle sides, and cornbread or a drink when you order a basket. Prices below are from the current restaurant menu PDF. They move, so read the menu before you order.
Sandwiches include fries. Basket combos include cornbread, one side, and a soda or tea.
Hand-breaded chicken sandwich
with pimento cheese and pickles, $13.50.
Grilled chicken sandwich
with lettuce, tomato, and Walterboro white sauce, $12.25.
Shrimp or catfish po' boy
with lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, and tartar sauce, $13.95.
Chicken salad sandwich
with almonds, cranberries, lettuce, and tomato, $13.25.
Crispy chicken tenders basket,
$15.25.
Cornmeal fried catfish basket,
$15.50.
Slow-smoked BBQ pork basket,
$14.50.
Wing basket,
$14.95.
Sides at $4:
collard greens, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, fries, fresh fruit, side salad, and fried green tomato.
Wings run $7.75 for 6 pieces up to $29.75 for 24, with sauces from buffalo and vinegar-pepper to Flo-Ville Hot. Burgers include lettuce, tomato, and fries. The classic Angus and the pimento cheeseburger are both on the current menu PDF.
That is a restaurant menu, not a single-item shack. If fried chicken is the only thing you want, the
goes deeper on that plate. If greens are the reason you came, the
Southern-style collard greens page
is the closer read. Macaroni fans can use the
.
Shellfish is on the menu. Tell the server about allergies before you order.
How Should You Order for a Family or a Quick Stop?
Order a basket or a salad when everyone is eating on their own clock. Order a few sandwiches and shared sides when the table wants to pass plates. Order online only after the headcount is real.
Florence families often need a room that works for kids, grandparents, and a working adult on a short lunch. The
and the
cover those visits in more detail. For a weeknight plate under a tighter budget, the
is the companion read.
A simple Notch8 plan looks like this:
One person, short on time.
A tender basket or a hand-breaded chicken sandwich, ordered on Toast for curbside.
Two people at a table.
One basket, one sandwich, and an extra side of greens or macaroni.
Parents and kids.
Tenders or a wing basket for the kids, a grilled chicken sandwich or catfish basket for the adults, plus a shared side.
A lighter meal.
The chicken garden salad is $15.75. The chef salad is $16.95. The shrimp Caesar is $15.95.
Ten or more plates.
Stop treating it like takeout. Use the 10-plate delivery option or move the order to catering.
When Is Catering the Better Choice?
Catering is the better choice when you are feeding a group, not filling one table. The dining room is built for guests who walk in on an open day. The catering desk is built for a headcount, a service time, and a drop-off or pickup plan.
Notch8 Catering handles corporate lunches, family celebrations, and community events across Florence and the Pee Dee. The team manages more than 800 events a year. Most items need at least 10 people and 24 hours' notice. Custom cakes need 48 hours. Corporate and other catered events need a 50 percent deposit and a signed contract. Final counts are due seven days before service.
Use the restaurant only when:
The group is small enough to seat or to pick up as normal takeout.
You are inside Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am to 8 pm.
Nobody needs a preset menu, a delivery window, or a contract.
Use catering when the event is the job. The
has the terms, the downloadable catering menu, and the online order path. Office planners can also read the
.
Catering desserts are separate from the daily restaurant board. House-made highlights include banana pudding and peach cobbler. Catering banana pudding is $23.99 and serves 8 to 10. Catering peach cobbler is $25.99 and serves 8 to 10. Confirm both on the current catering menu before you promise them to a host.
Where Does Notch8 Sit, and Who Is It For?
Notch8 sits at 600 A Pamplico Highway, Florence, SC 29505, on a corridor locals use between town and the highway network. It is a practical stop for Florence residents, Pee Dee neighbors, and travelers who want a table instead of a drive-through.
The room is aimed at working adults, families, seniors, and anyone planning a small gathering. It is a weaker fit if you need Sunday dinner, a late night, or a white-tablecloth steakhouse. Those are different restaurants.
A few nearby reads help once the restaurant type is settled:
The
where to eat in Florence, SC guide
sorts meals by occasion.
The
is the weekday version of that choice.
The
explains why these plates stay on the table.
The
is the right next step if you are not sitting down.
Call or check the visit page for directions. Online orders go through Toast. Questions about a private event go through the contact page, not through a single-plate order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which soul food restaurants in Florence, SC offer table service?
Notch8 Carolina Kitchen does. You sit down at 600 A Pamplico Highway and a server takes the order. Many BBQ counters and delivery listings do not work that way, so check the service style before you go.
What days are soul food restaurants in Florence, SC open?
Notch8 is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am to 8 pm, and closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Other kitchens keep different days. Read the current hours the morning you plan to eat.
Can I order soul food for pickup in Florence, SC?
Yes. Use the Toast order link, choose curbside, and the team brings the food out. Delivery of restaurant plates starts at 10 plates. Smaller orders are dine-in or pickup.
Is catering different from ordering several plates?
Yes. Catering uses its own menu, a 10-person minimum on most items, and 24 hours' notice. Custom cakes need 48 hours. A deposit and a signed contract apply to corporate and other catered events.
Do soul food restaurants in Florence, SC serve more than fried chicken?
Notch8 does. The menu also has grilled chicken, shrimp and catfish po’ boys, smoked pork, burgers, salads, wings, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and fried green tomatoes.
