Downtown Beaufort’s Panini’s Cafe has been awarded ‘Fresh on the Menu’ status by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.  The Fresh on the Menu program is the restaurant phase of the Certified South Carolina Grown program.
In order to be a participant within the program, the restaurant’s management must recognize and support our local farmers who are willing to supply these in-state items when they are in season, and the restaurant must feature menus that include at least 25% Certified SC Grown foods and products, and adhere to certain Department of Agriculture guidelines.

[caption id="attachment_2704" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Photo by Amy Daring"]<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Business-paninis.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2704" title="Business-paninis" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Business-paninis-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>[/caption]

In Panini’s case, that was easy. Owner, Paul Thompson, insists on serving “as much local everything as we can find, because of the importance of delivering the absolute freshest possible product, and of supporting each other”.
Panini’s Cafe is actually approaching nearly 35% of their menu inclusion of all things local.
What folks don’t always realize is there is a great variety of local product available, it’s not just fish from the ocean and some local tomatoes here. Panini’s looks for fresh local sea island vegetables and fruits, local cheeses, locally caught shrimp, fish, and other seafood, beef, local herbs and spices, SC grown rice, and even freshwater trout from the Upstate.
Certified SC Grown is a cooperative effort among local farmers, processors, wholesalers,retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to brand and promote South Carolina grown produce and products.
For information about the programs, please visit the South Carolina Department of Agriculture at agriculture.sc.gov.