The 20 Best New Restaurants In The South, According To Our Editors
Cobia Schnitzel. Tonka Bean Flan. Olive Oil Pancakes with Labneh. Catfish Frites. These dishes from this year's crop of best new restaurants proves that food in the South gets more diverse and delicious with each passing year. It's tough to keep up with the never-ending list of openings in our region, let alone narrow it down to a few favorites. These 20 places (listed in no particular order) served up some of our editors' most memorable meals, from standout Gulf seafood in Birmingham, to an ambitious tasting menu in rural Georgia, to a dessert-only spot in Asheville. Cheers to all of the establishments on the list.These restaurants were picked by the editors of Southern Living who report, research, and visit restaurants across the South. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
When Perle Mesta opened in the Skirvin Hotel last summer, it was a full-circle moment for chef-owner Andrew Black, who moved to Oklahoma City in 2007 to run the dining program at the hotel. Nearly two decades and three restaurants later (including one that earned him a James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2023), Black has more than proven himself as one of the city's best talents. His latest venture shows off the best of his culinary creativity, which he credits largely to his Indo-Jamaican upbringing. Black's self-titled 'possibility cuisine" pushes the boundaries of cultures and flavors and draws inspiration from his global travels. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, and bar bites. Expect delights like Parmesan and truffle fried okra with candied lamb belly or grilled milked bread with Iberico ham and rosemary garlic aioli to start your meal. Entrees range from Suya-dusted lamb rack with red cabbage veal jus, braised eggplant, and mung bean cream to brick-oven roast steak with annatto coconut peppercorn sauce. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Senior Travel and Culture Editor
perlemesta.com, 1 Park Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Lake Worth Beach, Florida
For years, Oceano Kitchen's inventive pastas, seasonal salads, and pizzas drew people from all over South Florida to the town of Lantana, even though the restaurant was small, cash-only, and didn't accept reservations. In 2023, it gained national recognition with a James Beard nomination, only to close later that year. Owners Jeremy and Cindy Bearman had a bigger vision for their concept, and now, after reopening in Lake Worth Beach last year, they finally have a space worthy of their outstanding food and skilled service. Like before, the menu changes constantly, but you'll find more options for fresh seafood (like local swordfish with sweet corn, tomatillo, lime crema, salsa macha, and peanuts) and an expanded dessert menu. Even better: Reservations and credit cards are now accepted. —Lisa Cericola, Deputy Editor
oceanolwb.com, 512 Lucerne Avenue, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460
Richmond, Virginia
When Richmonders first heard that a former craft beer joint in the city's Fan district would soon become an oyster and cocktail bar, more than a few locals struggled to see the vision. But from Beaucoup's opening day at the beginning of 2024, diners embraced the friendly, laidback atmosphere, the seasonal house cocktails, and small, curated menu. The Beaucoup team has a clear preference for Virginia seafood and the oyster chalkboard often exclusively features selections from places like Cape Charles, Virginia Beach, and Hungar's Creek. If you can find a seat, don't miss the restaurant's 'Happy Hour And a Half' when you can sample these local delicacies for just $1 a piece. The rest of the French-inspired menu has comforting dishes including a classic burger, catfish frites, and rotating specials like a softshell crab sandwich or scallop rolls. —Brennan Long, Social Media Directorbeaucoup-rva.com, 111 N. Robinson St, Richmond, VA 23220
Houston, Texas
Located in the Heights, this Houston cafe opened in March 2024 and specializes in Mexican pastries, from plump conchas topped with colorful sugar crusts to guava-and-cheese empanadas. Beyond typical espresso offerings you'll find specialties like the warm-spiced Horchata Latte, and a full range of hearty brunch dishes like the Puerco Mole Enchiladas, stuffed with tender roasted pork and smothered in a silky, earthy black mole. Heirloom corn is central to the menu and is featured in both handcrafted tortillas and tetelas. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Associate Food Editoremahtx.com, 5307 N Main St Suite 100, Houston, TX 77009
Gulfport, Mississippi
Hidden inside the Hotel Vela in historic Gulfport, Mississippi, this tiki-themed speakeasy serves up more than bespoke cocktails. Their admirably robust menu indulges coastal cravings via seasonal oysters and Gulf shrimp while appeasing land lovers with steakhouse favorites and handmade pastas. Swanky and cool, it's a fun spot for early birds and night owls alike. —Josh Miller, Senior Food Editor
sirensocial.com, 1409 24th Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39501
New Orleans, Louisiana
This new addition to the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans celebrates coastal Mexican cuisine with dishes like the Shrimp Costra, which envelops the chipotle-seasoned Gulf seafood in a crispy cheese crust; and Arroz Negro made with mussels and squid ink. Owned and operated by chef Ana Castro and her sister Lydia, the stylish space has limewashed walls and pink tile backsplashes. And while seafood is the focus, the Tonka Bean Flan is easily one of the best bites on the menu. —Alana Al-Hatlani
acamayanola.com, 3070 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117
Atlanta, Georgia
Located inside FORTH Atlanta, this serene spot opened last summer. Serving breakfast, dinner, and weekend brunch, chef Jonathan McDowell's menu leans Mediterranean with a selection of colorful hot and cold mezze dishes (butternut squash with tahini, Aleppo pepper, and pepitas; labneh with za'atar, dill oil, and radishes), grilled meats and seafood, and fluffy olive oil pancakes for brunch. The bright and breezy dining room looks out over the pool deck, so even if you're not a hotel guest, you'll still catch vacation vibes. —Lisa Cericola
elektraatlanta.com, 800 Rankin Street, Atlanta, GA 30308
Birmingham, Alabama
Opening a restaurant solely dedicated to seafood might seem risky. But when it's the freshest catch from the Gulf in the kitchen of chef Rob McDaniel, you're practically guaranteed a great meal. Bayonet opened in downtown Birmingham earlier this year and already has a local following for its extensive oyster-focused raw bar, ice cold martinis, and creative dishes like its Cobia Schnitzel and Swordfish Reuben sandwich. Even if you think you're full, don't miss the excellent Coconut Cream Pie. —Lisa Cericola
bayonetbham.com, 2015 2nd Ave North Birmingham, AL 35203
Asheville, North Carolina
Opened in early 2024 in the South Slope Brewing District of Asheville, Good Hot Fish is a neighborhood seafood counter brimming with light and cheer. Order a Capri-Sun, perch on a stool, and swivel between watching the world go by and chef Ashleigh Shanti at the helm. Every detail is considered, down to the most straightforward dish on the menu and its namesake. Shanti's fish sticks are generously cut into thick strips. Dredged in benne seed, a landrace sesame native to West Africa and a nutty-sweet staple of Southern Lowcountry cuisine, they are golden, flaky, and fall-apart tender with mouthwatering flavor. Ask for extra refrigerator pickles on the side, which are crisp, refreshing, and singularly spicy.—Catherine Jessee
goodhotfish.com, 10 Buxton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Johns Island, South Carolina
We named this open-air kitchen and dining room Restaurant of the Year in our 2025 South's Best awards. Lost Isle may have a laid-back feel but chef Josh Taylor is serious about live-fire cooking and has created a menu full of memorable dishes like harissa cauliflower steaks and braised collards with coconut milk. A menu of fun, tropical-inspired drinks only adds to the fun here.
lostislechs.com, 3338 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC 29455
Asheville, North Carolina
Serving up a unique blend of Modern Appalachian and Italian fare and located in the new Flat Iron Hotel, Luminosa is twinkly, warm, and inviting to locals and travelers. The menu effortlessly balances family favorites like wood-fired pizza and pasta with creatively fused influences, like traditional agnolotti with ham hock and cornbread crumbs. The menu changes frequently based on the seasons and local offerings, like Waynesville's Sunburst Trout, which is served on a bed of fregola and creme fraiche. If you are lucky enough to visit in April, you might find your dish dotted with bright pink redbud, a sign of the changing season in Appalachia. —Catherine Jessee
luminosaavl.com, 20 Battery Park Ave Floor 1, Asheville, NC 28801
New Orleans, Louisiana
Named for an oft-neglected bycatch, Porgy's is both a seafood counter and restaurant in Mid-City, New Orleans focused on sustainability and supporting the local fishing industry. Guests can grab both whole fish and filets, gulf shrimp, and even crawfish (when in season) from the case, or dine in to enjoy a full menu crafted by the owners and veteran chefs, Caitlin Carney and Marcus Jacobs. Offerings include raw preparations that highlight the freshness of their seafood, like the shrimp ceviche served with Zapps, and cooked items like the po'boys made with fish fried straight out of the case. —Alana Al-Hatlani
porgysseafood.com, 236 N. Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
Gay, Georgia
A tasting menu restaurant is the last thing you'd expect to find in the tiny town of Gay, Georgia (population 116). But Uberto aims to surprise at every turn, from the winding journey to the space itself—past pecan groves, chicken coops, and fields of cattle—to the artful plates served up by award-winning chef Ryan Smith of Atlanta's Michelin-starred Staplehouse, who runs Uberto with his wife Kara Hidinger. Smith is the culinary director and a founding partner of World of Quercus, a luxury stay on a family-owned working ranch. A biodynamic farm provides chef Smith and his team a year's worth of seasonal ingredients that are used in meals (ranging from morning pancakes to 15-course dinners) for guests staying at the property. If you're not spending the night, reservations on Fridays and Saturdays are now open to the public. Smith takes seasonal cooking to new heights by celebrating the land that surrounds Uberto. (If possible, request a farm tour before your meal for the complete experience.) On any given evening, you might experience dishes like dry-aged venison from the property; steelhead trout with bok choy kimchi; and lemon verbena ice cream. The pairing of Smith's skills and creativity with the restaurant's glorious surroundings made for one of my most memorable meals ever. —Lisa Cericola
worldofquercus.com/uberto-restaurant, 2 Jimmy Clark Rd, Gay, GA 30218
Nashville, Tennessee
If fine dining typically makes you yawn (or roll your eyes), then this is the Nashville restaurant for you. Housed in a former Piggly Wiggly, Fancypants is all about injecting more fun into eating out, and they do so through an ever-changing choose-your-own-adventure menu. The concept is loosely based on a classic steakhouse format and comes from the folks behind Butcher & Bee and Redheaded Stranger. It blends a distinctly Southern sensibility with Asian flavors, which is perhaps best exemplified in the Jammy Deviled Egg that reinvents the appetizer using Japanese ingredients like furikake. —Alana Al-Hatlani
wearefancypants.com, 921 Dickerson Pike Nashville, TN 37207
Richmond, Virginia
For a taste of Mexican hospitality in Virginia's River City, look no further than Cochiloco in the Scott's Addition neighborhood. Paulo and Nelson Benavides, veterans of Richmond's restaurant scene, opened this taqueria in 2024 as a celebration of their Jalisco roots. The indoor-outdoor bar offers agua frescas, horchata, and creative batched cocktails made with ingredients like prickly pear juice, guava nectar, or hibiscus. The streets of Guadalajara inspired the colorful metalwork and tile inside, welcoming diners to linger over guacamole-and-pico topped cali fries and quesabirria tacos made with beef shortribs and homemade mole. Save room for the tacos dorados, a potato-fried dish inspired by a Benavides family recipe. —Brennan Long
cochilocorva.com, 3340 Moore St, Richmond, VA 23230
Birmingham, Alabama
You won't walk out of this Magic City hotspot hungry, that's for sure. A well-appointed raw bar sets the stage for the restaurant's real star: dry-aged steaks with plenty of decadent sides and accoutrements. Appropriately housed in a renovated meat-packing facility, the restaurant boasts a handsome dining room that you won't want to leave—unless it's to sneak into Pogo, a speakeasy tucked away in the basement.
armour-house.com, 2309 1st Ave N. Suite 201, Birmingham, AL 35203
Houston, Texas
The menu at ChòpnBlọk (pronounced 'choppin' block') in Houston's vibrant Montrose neighborhood doubles as a soulful syllabus for West African cuisine. Nigerian-American chef Opeyemi 'Ope' Amosu, who moved from London to Texas when he was three, champions his roots with dishes that sing, like a Scotch Egg reimagined with Southern-inspired deviled filling and a spin on traditional jollof as 'jambalaya' with BBQ-style smoked sausage. —Kaitlyn Yarborough Sadik, Digital Editor
chopnblok.co, 507 Westheimer Road, Houston TX 77006
Charleston, South Carolina
Elegant ambiance, outstanding service, and exquisite plating elevate the dining experience at this Charleston hot spot. Land and sea spar for dominance on the menu, with hot and cold seafood towers vying for your appetite against a curated lineup of dry- and wet-aged American beef and Japanese and Australian Wagyu. Come hungry; there's also a list of a dozen side dishes you won't want to pass up.—Josh Miller
marbledandfin.com, 480 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29403
Clarkston, Georgia
Run by husband and wife Yapar Shel and Roi San (with help from their daughter Victoria), this newcomer just outside Atlanta specializes in Myanmar cuisine. The restaurant began in the couple's Clarkston home, gaining popularity through Facebook and word of mouth. Last year, they moved into a brick-and-mortar inside the new Clarkston Market development. Located in the heart of the city, which is known as the 'Ellis Island of the South,' the project is home to other international restaurants as well, and celebrates the diversity that scores of refugees, like the couple, have brought to the area. The aromatic fish noodle soup (mohinga) flavored with ginger, garlic, and lemongrass is a great place to start before moving onto pork skewers, curries, or a numbingly spicy whole ma la fish–just make sure to leave room for at least one of the many delightful desserts. —Alana Al-Hatlanifacebook.com/p/Two-Fish-Myanmar-Cuisine-100057520296296, 980 Rowland St suite 4130, Clarkston, GA 30021
Asheville, North Carolina
Equal parts a dessert restaurant, wine bar, and Hi-FI listening lounge, Potential New Boyfriend is the coziest—and definitely the coolest—place in West Asheville to enjoy a sweet treat. Named for the lead hit single from Dolly Parton's 1984 album 'Burlap & Satin', Potential New Boyfriend shirks strict labels to create a concept of its own. The establishment's owner, Disco, spins records that match the mood of the dining room, and pastry chef Dana Amromin serves up a dessert menu that's seamlessly integrated into the wine and spirit offerings. I was surprised and delighted to discover that the coconut tres leches cake, a rich chocolate cake soaked in coconut cream and topped with pastry cream and flaky toasted coconut, was entirely vegan. Paired with a modest glass of deep, bittersweet cognac, it was one of the best bites I've had all year. —Catherine Jesseepotentialnewbf.com, 647 Haywood Road, Asheville NC 28806
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