“When you come up the elevator and enter the space, it’s like entering an entirely different time and place,” says chef Sean McMullen of Riva Mare, the new restaurant he’s heading up in North Charleston, South Carolina’s Navy Yard, a historic naval base that now houses a vibrant mix of businesses, artisan shops, and residences. The coastal Italian spot—full of coral-colored shiplap and chairs brought from the motherland—perches atop Storehouse Nine and represents the Navy Yard’s first full-service restaurant. It’s also the latest venture from hospitality group Indigo Road, the team behind lauded restaurants across the South including Indaco, Coletta, and O-Ku.
Before moving to Charleston earlier this year, McMullen served as chef de cuisine at Luminosa in Asheville, which showcased Appalachian ingredients in Italian fare and earned a Michelin green star for its commitment to sustainability. At Riva Mare, McMullen is leaning into the same playbook, only with a Lowcountry spin and inspiration from Italy’s Ligurian and Amalfi coasts. “I’m so excited for the opportunity to work with fish and with all these great local catches,” he says. With the help of tips from friends in the industry, he’s building out his Charleston sourcing network and, as always, focusing on reducing waste through inventive dishes.
