Some coffee shops feel like a quick stop. City Lights Eastside feels like you’re walking into a neighborhood living room that happens to serve hibiscus lemonade, pressed sandwiches, and a South African hand pie that could ruin you for sad desk lunches forever.

In Episode 41 of Snackin’ & Yakkin’ with BIG Ben Kennedy, Ben hangs out with Candace Patterson from City Lights Eastside in downtown Charleston, tasting drinks and a parade of snacks while hearing how the shop went from “historic building with cinder blocks” to a community spot with art walls, pop-ups, and a Barbie bathroom.

Meeting Candace Patterson, the social star behind City Lights Eastside

Candace Patterson walks in, nails the intro in one take (a quiet flex), and immediately brings the goods: tea, hot chocolate, and food hidden in boxes like it’s a delicious magic trick. Ben also gives her the respect she’s earned online, because if you’ve seen her videos, you know she’s got timing.

Candace’s café account gets love too, especially on TikTok (bold, as requested): @citylightseastside.

The grind, the team, and why people keep watching

Candace credits the whole thing to gratitude and hard work. She gets to show off beautiful drinks, great food, and the people who make it happen, but she’s clear that it’s still a grind. That mix of joy and hustle runs through everything in this episode.

Two Charleston transplants, same year, different reasons

A fun surprise, Candace and Ben both moved to Charleston in 2008. Candace came from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Ben came from Baltimore, Maryland, and his wife is a Charleston native.

Ben’s reason for moving hits home. His wife’s parents were older, and the long drive down I-95 during hospital updates started to feel impossible. Moving closer meant more time together, and it meant their son could have a grandfather in his life for what would turn out to be about 11 years.

Candace and Will’s “Charleston used to be cheap” meet-cute

Candace’s Charleston origin story starts with a breakup and a demand list: two-bedroom, downtown, front porch, and under $1,000 a month (a sentence that now sounds like folklore). Her best friend found the place, and Candace moved in. Her future husband, Will Kaiser, lived across the street near Mo’s Crosstown, and it took about a year and a half for her to notice him.

Building City Lights Eastside took a village (and a table saw)

City Lights Eastside runs on a clear split of strengths. Candace handles front of house and all things creative and design. Her business partner Greg is 50/50 with her and handles the food. Greg is also South African, which explains why peri peri and curry show up on the menu in a very real way.

Will, Candace’s husband, helped build the space and now handles maintenance. He also works at Boeing, then still came in for long build days because the budget demanded it.

They didn’t hire the buildout out because they couldn’t float an extra $100,000, so they did it themselves, long days, one power source, and not even a toilet on site.

The timeline, permits, and the long wait to open

This quick timeline helps explain why “six more months” became a running joke:

1. October 2021: The process starts (permits, planning, all the hoops).
2. 2021: The original City Lights closes, expecting a faster reopen.
3. August 2023: Approvals finally land.
4. February 2024 (handover period): The building becomes safe to work in, then the upfit begins in earnest.

An 1889 building, a hidden speakeasy, and a full rescue job

The building itself is part of the hook. Candace says it dates to 1889 and has lived many lives: restaurant, grocery, candy store, then a pool hall called George’s. During renovation, they found a hidden speakeasy space in the back that hadn’t been used since the 1990s.

The owners behind Santi’s own the building, and at one point used the downstairs as an antique warehouse. After the pandemic and a lease ending, the teams came together because both sides needed the project to work. From August through December 2023, the back of the building (which had fallen in) got saved, then City Lights Eastside could finally finish the interior.

Vintage finds, the Barbie bathroom, and why people visit for the restroom

While permits dragged on, the hunt for vintage pieces kept the dream moving. Candace tracked down a pink toilet for a Barbie-themed vintage bathroom (yes, really), plus a mint green sink sourced on Facebook Marketplace, with a road trip attached.

The result is so popular that people come in for coffee and then head straight to the bathroom like it’s a landmark. The shop even placed second in Charleston City Paper’s best bathroom contest, and Candace says TikTokers love filming there.

What Ben tastes: hibiscus lemonade, rose cardamom, and pressed sandwiches

The drinks kick off with a house-made hibiscus lemonade built like an Arnold Palmer, half lemonade and half hibiscus tea. Candace avoids ice so it doesn’t water down, and it lands tart and sweet at the same time.

Next comes a seasonal rose cardamom hot chocolate (often served as a mocha). It’s floral, cozy, and a little fancy without trying too hard. She also name-drops February flavors like iced strawberry matcha and a cherry vanilla drink made with reduced tart cherry juice and blended cherries.

On the food side, the standout bites include:

• Peri peri chicken sandwich: shredded baked chicken tossed in peri peri sauce, crunchy coleslaw with mayo and lemon, on a hoagie roll, pressed. Candace calls it mild (about a 2), but Greg can take it up to a 10, plus he ferments hot sauces in house.
• Vegetarian breakfast burrito: Cuban beans, pico, egg, hash browns, four-cheese blend, plus a house tomatillo sauce. The whole menu runs 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and you can order “breakfast” at 3:59 if you feel like it.
• South African hand pie: a chicken curry from the Cape Malay tradition (Indian and Malaysian influences). Candace compares it to the universal idea of handheld pastry comfort food, like empanadas, only with its own South African identity.

Pop-ups, art nights, and a neighborhood-first mission on the Eastside

City Lights Eastside doesn’t stop at daytime service. Candace says they host 6 to 8 events a month, including South African food and wine nights (often the third Friday and Saturday), with a braai on the patio and visitors driving in from places like Charlotte, Savannah, and Augusta.

Inside, the café runs a rotating art wall, giving local artists an opening night and real foot traffic. Candace says City Lights (the original location) was one of the first places she could show art, so she keeps that door open for others now.

That neighborhood focus shows up in the pricing too. During the build, with the space open to the street, they met longtime Eastside residents, including older neighbors on fixed incomes. Candace mentions keeping a few items affordable on purpose, like a ham and cheese toasty and a tuna melt. One neighbor even gifted a piece of ironwork connected to Philip Simmons, the legendary Charleston blacksmith (more on his legacy at the Philip Simmons Foundation site).

Plan your visit to City Lights Eastside

City Lights Eastside is at 12 Line Street, Charleston, SC 29403. Candace also notes they accept off-campus meal plans, which makes it easy for college students to grab a pressed sandwich and keep it moving.

Food-wise, bread matters here. They get daily loaves from Saffron, a longtime Charleston name (see Saffron Bakery), while sourcing pastries from smaller bakeries to support newer businesses.

One last detail: the patio has a tuxedo cat. Her name is Condoleezza, also known as Condi or Loaf, and she apparently takes her hospitality job very seriously.

Conclusion

This episode isn’t just a taste test, it’s a reminder that Charleston runs on people who keep showing up, even when the permits don’t. City Lights Eastside mixes soulful food, playful design, and community energy in a way that feels earned. If you go, order something pressed, check out the art wall, and don’t be surprised if the patio cat decides you’re furniture. For updates on pop-ups and events, following along on social is part of the fun.

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