Northern Kentucky
The chef describes his menu as Kentucky cuisine with French flair. Fat, meaty sandwiches like the local hot brown (turkey, bacon and Mornay sauce) are…
Must-see restaurants in Southern USA
Memphis
The chef-driven, Southern-rooted Italian at this Brookhaven Circle hot spot has grabbed the nation's attention, winning best new this and best new that…
Nashville
With all the fuss about 'authentic' experiences, it's easy to forget what the word really means. You'll be reminded at Wendell's, a beloved diner where…
Faubourg Marigny & Bywater
The Joint’s smoked meat has the olfactory effect of the Sirens’ sweet song, pulling you, the proverbial traveling sailor, off course and into a savory…
Atlanta
We love a restaurant with an unambiguous name – and cuisine. At the Eatery, you'll find real-deal northern Chinese cuisine from a Tianjin chef: spicy beef…
New Orleans
This spin on a European bistro has an elegantly simple tiled interior and a menu that will make you reconsider the limits of Louisiana-French fusion; the…
Mississippi
During Friday lunch, you'd swear that all of downtown Jackson is happily digging into the delicious burgers, po'boys, tacos and seafood dishes served here…
Charleston
Seafood charcuterie doesn't get better than the octopus carpaccio at Le Farfalle, a breath of fresh Tuscan air with a spacious, bright dining room and…
Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale
Charleston
Nachos are front and center at this tasty, affordable Mexican joint on King St, and locals go wild for it with good reason. The nacho royales arrive…
Downtown & the Gulch
Angle for a seat overlooking the open kitchen at this spare but stylish ramen joint. Behind the counter, efficient cooks stuff duck confit into pillowy…
Savannah
This hidden favorite slings bountiful peel-and-eat seafood platters in a multishack complex along an alligator lagoon. Tables have a hole in the center…
Coastal North Carolina
You'd never guess by the simple, unassuming nature of the decor, but chef Charles Park is a James Beard winner, and the food shines, whether that be…
Asheville
Set in a concrete bunker beside a car junkyard, this low-key West Asheville spot looks divey from the outside. It’s inside, though, where the magic…
Cajun Country
Lafayette may be the most Francophone city in the USA, but it only has one true French bakery – the estimable Poupart. Pick up real French bread (made…
Nashville
If you're looking for the heat that started the hot-chicken craze in Nashville, make your way to Prince's. Take your pick of heat, then sit back and let…
Tennessee
Everything about this place looks effortlessly stylish, from the glossy bar flanked by stonework to the chic after-work tipplers to the sushi rolls with…
Nashville
In an old brick house just north of downtown, Monell's is beloved for down-home Southern food served family style. This is not just a meal – it's an…
Fayetteville
Tucked into a shopping center, the seasonal, New American cuisine is the name of the game at this excellent little gem, our preferred spot for a nice meal…
New Orleans
It's hard to find fault with a place that offers 'Good Cat' (healthy) and 'Bad Cat' (not for the dieters) options on its menu, but even better are the…
South Georgia
Vandy's is the real deal – it uses one of only six open BBQ pits left in the state. The chopped-pork sandwich is served with a vinegar-and-mustard-based…
Savannah
All the hip young things pack into this 'Treylor Park,' which revels in a retro-chic, Airstream aesthetic. The food? Southern classics simply done well:…
Alabama
This bustling eatery does soul food (African American southern food) that sticks to your ribs and delights the mouth. Fried catfish, smothered pork chops,…
Mississippi
This playful spot takes on the delicious task of bringing oysters to the Jackson culinary world. The bivalves are served in several iterations: raw,…
French Quarter
The name means 'South of Bourbon'. And the food? Hard to pin down, but uniformly excellent. The chefs play with a concept that mixes Louisiana indulgence…
Birmingham
The name of this place merits a slight snicker, but save your smiles for the food, because it's very good French bistro fare. Hanger steak comes with a…
East Tennessee
Appalachian standbys such as fresh veggies, seasonal-berry jams and creamy grits enhance a globally inspired menu of seafood and farm fare, all whipped up…
Atlanta
This rustic-hip Midtown bistro serves imaginative New Southern fare and it does not disappoint, be it at breakfast ($8 to $11) or throughout the remains…
North Carolina
They don’t take reservations at this hugely popular ‘Southern gourmet’ restaurant in the Arts District downtown, but it’s worth waiting in line to enjoy…
The Triangle
You’ll need to loosen your belt after a meal at this crispy venture from James Beard Award–winning chef Ashley Christensen. Inside her airy downtown…
Greenville
Book yourself one of the intimate, brick-walled banquettes at this downtown Greenville bastion of New Southern cuisine that also caters to wine lovers …
Charlotte
Uptown’s finest dining is to be had in the Dunhill Hotel’s restaurant, opening straight onto Tryon St. Rooted in Carolinian classics, but given a…
Louisiana
This basic diner serves good, hearty Americana fare with a lot of Southern charm – think chicken-fried steak and mustard greens – but it's most notable…
New Orleans
A welcome and popular addition to the New Orleans dining firmament, Poke Loa brings Hawaiian-style poke bowls (raw fish mixed with vegetables, spices,…
Mississippi Delta
This isn't just a greasy spoon – there's grease on the forks, knives and napkins too. But who cares? The food – eggs, bacon, housemade sausages and big…
Nashville
An authentic Southeast Asian cafe set inside an Asian grocer in the Antioch Pike area – an east Nashville suburb where the city suddenly seems much less…
Atlanta
Located smack dab in central Decatur, the Pig serves (surprise, surprise!) a full slate of Spanish cured meat, cheese and tapas, including marinated lamb…
French Quarter
TV chef Emeril Lagasse’s French Quarter outpost is pretty damn good. Emeril himself isn't in the kitchen ‘Bam!’-ing up your food, but whoever is does a…
Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co
Arkansas
Look, when we got to Little Rock we weren't expecting blow-me-away Chinese food either, but then Three Fold comes along with its braised-chicken-noodle…
Atlanta
A juke joint of a barbecue shack, consistently voted one of the top in town, with a central location. From the graffiti murals on the red, white and blue…
Ozark Mountains
This carnivore's cavern serves up some amazing tail-to-snout fare, including a sinful chicken and waffles, duck confit served over cracklin' cornbread,…
