Perrone’s Fine Food & Wine Market

For many years Chef Steven Perrone and his wife, Eileen, built a reputation at Perrone’s Fine Food and Wine Market as an excellent source for gourmet carry-out dishes and beautifully elegant catered affairs.

After years in the restaurant business, in 2002 the Perrones pooled their talents to open Perrone’s Fine Food and Wine Market in Pawleys Island.

It is a stylish little business that hums all day long with a steady in-and-out of customers dining in or shopping for foods to take home. 

Diners can come in and peruse choices such as Pan-Fried Flounder with panko and Parmesan crust, which you might think is not possible to take home, reheat and have it taste freshly cooked.

But through months of research, Steve achieved making even fried fish an easy and terrific-tasting carry-out item.

He makes reheating labels for every dish in his case, and each one lists specific instructions for making the foods taste perfect.

So whether you order Veal Parmigiana, Spinach Lasagna, Maple Glazed Salmon, Corn Soufflé or Blue Mussels Fra Diavola with marinara, white wine, garlic and crushed red pepper, it will taste like Steve just made it after his instructions are followed. Part of the secret to the Perrones’ fresh-tasting success is their use of technology such as a “reverse Cryovac” system that puts pressure into packages instead of sucking air out.

Steve can make dishes such as Veal Osso Buco and seal them in air-tight packages. Customers take the bags home, boil them for 12 minutes, and then “enjoy meat bathed in a four-hour sauce.” In addition to entrees and hot side dishes, Perrone’s offers salads and sandwiches that can be enjoyed on- or off-site.

Salads include Caesar and “Almost Greek” with Bulgarian sheep feta cheese, as well as Gorgonzola and Mixed Baby Greens with toasted walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette; Thai Shrimp Salad; Curried Chicken Salad; Charred Beet Salad with arugula, goat cheese, garlic chips and lemon vinaigrette; and the BLTC Salad with apple wood smoked bacon, Roma tomatoes, sharp Cheddar and creamy tomato dressing.

A sort of salad-on-a-tortilla that flies out the door is the Perrone’s Fish Tacos, which are made with local mahi-mahi and piled high with vegetables.

Perrone’s Paninis are popular, especially since the chef bakes his own bread every day. Those loaves are also available for purchase, and there is a brisk business for the bread, chunks of gourmet cheeses and several dips and soups in the cold case such as She-Crab, Lobster Tomato Bisque, Olive Tapenade and Pepper Spread made with South African Peppadews.

Through a masterful use of space, the Perrones are also able to offer dozens of premium wines and dry goods ranging from lentils and quinoa to dry pasta, crostini, breadsticks, sesame seeds and chocolate-covered espresso beans. Sweets yearnings can also be fulfilled with Tiramisu, Chocolate Fondant, Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake and more.

Holidays are indeed special here, with full Thanksgiving dinners, holiday party platters, plenty of sweet somethings in February and Irish Soda Bread in March. If you are waiting for an order to be filled there is a pretty al fresco area near the front door, or a cozy indoor lounge with all the latest magazines for perusal.

This is also where Steve or Eileen will discuss with customers catering packages for any size event, perhaps over a glass of wine or cup of espresso. They have built a large inventory of catering equipment and menus that allows for affairs as simple or as lavish as are desired.

Perrone’s Fine Food and Wine Market is at 13291 Ocean Highway in Pawleys Island, and the number is (843) 235-9193. It is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.