The South’s Best Restaurant Bars 2018

By Hannah Hayes
Credit: Courtesy of Kindred
Whether we are returning to an old favorite or visiting a new restaurant in a town we’ve never explored, you can find our editors at the bar. It’s our secret weapon for finding out about local gems and making new friends when we’re researching on the road; at home, it’s where we meet up with familiar faces. When we found out the winners in this new category to our South’s Best reader survey, we were excited to see many a bar where we’ve pulled up a stool to a refreshing cocktail, a much-needed late night snack, or a friendly conversation. From beloved Birmingham bistro Chez Fonfon to newer spots like Saint Leo in Oxford, Mississippi, these are your favorite restaurant bars.
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See The Winners

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1. Signature

Credit: Wynn Myers

San Antonio, Texas

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2. Haberdish

Credit: Courtesy of Haberdish

Charlotte, North Carolina

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3. Jai Ho

Credit: Courtesy of Jai Ho

Atlanta, Georgia

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4. L’Opossum

Credit: Deborah Jaffe

Richmond, Virginia

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5. Kindred

Credit: Courtesy of Kindred

Davidson, North Carolina

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6. Leynia

Credit: Delano South Beach

Miami, Florida

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7. Little Serow

Credit: Dakota Fine

Washington, D.C.

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8. The Barn at Blackberry Farm

Credit: Beall + Thomas Photography

Walland, Tennessee

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9. N7

Credit: Rush Jagoe

New Orleans, Louisiana

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10. Compère Lapin

Credit: Josh Brasted

New Orleans, Louisiana

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11. Terra

Credit: Jonathan Sharpe

West Columbia, South Carolina

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12. Staplehouse

Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee

Atlanta, Georgia

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13. Convivial

Credit: Scott Suchman

Washington, D.C.

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14. J.C. Holdway

Credit: Beall + Thomas Photography

Knoxville, Tennessee

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15. Saint Leo

Credit: Robbie Caponetto

Oxford, Mississippi

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16. Chez Fonfon

Credit: Courtesy of Chez Fonfon

Birmingham, Alabama

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17. Público

Credit: Emma Lally

University City, Missouri

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18. Highlands Bar and Grill

Credit: Robbie Caponetto

Birmingham, Alabama

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By Hannah Hayes