Red Fish Keeps Swimming
The enduring allure of one of Hilton Head Island’s favorite spots for delicious wine and inspired cuisine lies in its constant ability to adapt and surprise. BY BARRY KAUFMAN
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PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN
There are some icons of Hilton Head Island that wove themselves into our community’s tapestry so effortlessly it’s almost hard to remember a time when they weren’t here. The Cross Island Parkway. Compass Rose Park. The splashpad at Coligny Beach. To this list of icons we can definitely add Red Fish. It’s atmospheric blend of approachable coolness, stellar wine list and ever-tempting cuisine set it apart almost from launch day, cementing its status instantly as Hilton Head Island’s go to for a trendy lunch or a sophisticated night out. It may come as a surprise, then, that this venerable institution has only been around for 21 years. That span might be a lifetime for your average island restaurant, but it’s the blink of an eye for an icon. Few know that better than Betsy Trish, who has been there since the beginning. Her job title might tell you she’s the Events Coordinator, but she’s filled every role imaginable at Red Fish from server to bartender to hostess during her tenure. And what she is lately is busy. 12
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“I don’t even know if it’s visitors or residents, because we have so many people moving down now,” she said. “And like any restaurant we’ve welcomed them all.” But unlike any restaurant, they’ve welcomed those guests with a staggering wine list that balances a hefty selection against a singularly curated focus on offering the finest varietals available. And that wine list, as Trish points out, changes as regularly as the tides. So what’s hot right now? “Interesting red blends. Going into spring we’re always looking for roses or white wines that will be good for summer, but what always carries us is the reds,” she said. “Sparkling wines have been really popular lately. I think people have a lot to celebrate right now.” It might seem counterintuitive to order a red at a place so renowned for its seafood, but Trish assures us that the old rules of wine no longer have the cachet they used to. “You can absolutely pair a red with seafood. It’s all about taste,” she said. “I think wine has become much more user-friendly. It’s more about what you like to drink.”
