Santee Pitt restaurant, bar to open in Santee on Super Bowl weekend

The Santee Pitt will open in the Santee River Plaza at 190 Plaza Circle, Suites A and B, off Old Highway Number Six. The location formerly housed Substation II and the Santee Cantina restaurants.

The restaurant will have a grand opening Friday, Feb. 9, at 12 p.m. 

“What makes us different is because the food we have is original and authentic,” owner Oscar Level Jr. said. “We have a chef that prepares food everyday. The food you are getting is fresh and hot and is going to be ready. Nothing is processed. It is some of the most authentic food you are going to taste.”

Level highlighted some of the menu items, which include New York cut 8-ounce steaks and barbecue.

“It will be some of the best barbecue you have ever tasted,” Level said. “We are also going to have pastas. You don’t see a lot of pasta in this area other than some pizza places. We will have real authentic pasta.”

The restaurant will include a lunch and dinner menu to include burgers, sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, chicken masala, salmon bites alfredo, pork chops, wings, fried rice, salads, fries, philly cheesesteak, chicken tenders, grits, as well as fruits.

The restaurant will also have a kids menu.

The bar menu will include domestic and foreign beers, wines, top, mid-, bottom-shelf liquors.

The restaurant will seat about 52 and will offer dine-in, take-out and delivery. Online orders will also be accepted.

The restaurant will also sell beer, wine and liquor. The licenses for these should be finalized by March 1, Level said.

The restaurant currently employs three, but Level says there are plans to hire more.

Level says he plans to have live entertainment such as a jazz night, amateur night, karaoke and a trivia night.

“There is going to be a spot for you to come,” Level said. “There will always be something going on.”

Level, who has owned a number of businesses in his native Columbia, has family in the Santee area.

“What inspired me to come here is that one day I came up here and saw the area did not really have a lot of restaurants or places for a lot of people to go,” Level said. “I just wanted to capitalize on that. The market is just wide open here, especially in Santee because we have so many houses being built here and in Elloree and Holly Hill area.”

Level is no stranger to the restaurant business.

He was introduced into the general Santee region when he opened Blue Lily Restaurant and Lounge with his fiancé in 2023 in Summerton.

Blue Lily was inspired by his girlfriend’s mother, who died about two years ago.

“We wanted to honor her name,” Level said. “We wanted to put that business in that area where she was from.”

Due to the high demand and the need for more space, Level said it was decided to expand to a larger building in Santee.

He said Blue Lily will transition to a food truck business.

Santee Pitt will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information about the Santee Pitt, call 803-854-7093 or visit Facebook under Santee Pitt or Blue Lily Restaurant and Lounge. A website will be developed to accommodate online orders.