Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See all Food

    Lost Cakes of the South

    These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See all Holidays & Entertaining

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See all Home & Garden

    7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020

    ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See all Style & Culture

    50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime

    Curl up with a classic!
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Souths Best
  3. The South’s Best New Restaurants 2020

The South’s Best New Restaurants 2020

By Robert Moss
March 10, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Here in the South, we love our classic restaurants, those comfortable old favorites that have stood the test of time. But our region’s culinary scene is hardly standing still, and a parade of impressive new entrants and local eateries have recently come on the scene.
This year we launched a new dining category, Best New Restaurants, to recognize the top establishments that have opened within the past three years. With tempting new offerings ranging from pristinely fresh seafood to updated French classics, the South’s dining future looks very bright indeed.
Start Slideshow

1 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

10. Tiny Lou's (Atlanta, Georgia)

Credit: Heidi Geldhauser

Downstairs from the lobby of the recently-revived Hotel Clermont, diners tuck into steak frites and trout almondine at this stylishly playful brasserie. Brown leather booths, pink velvet banquettes, and framed black-and-white photos set a throwback atmosphere, but chef Jeb Aldrich’s Southern-accented French fare has plenty of light modern touches.

tinylous.com, 470-485-0085, 789 Ponce De Leon Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30306

1 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

9. Automatic Seafood And Oysters (Birmingham, Alabama)

Credit: Robbie Caponetto

In 2019, Adam Evans and Suzanne Humphries returned to their native Alabama to launch this stunner of a seafood house. Southern oysters and a rich selection of fresh-caught fish from the Gulf anchor the menu along with a few Alabama-inspired twists, like smoked fish hushpuppies with comeback sauce and grilled fish ribs with white barbecue sauce.

automaticseafood.com, 205-580-1600, 2824 5th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233

2 of 11

3 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

8. Benne on Eagle (Asheville, North Carolina)

Credit: Courtesy of Benne on Eagle

Located in the heart of The Block, Asheville’s historic black business district, Benne on Eagle pays homage to the region’s African American culinary traditions. John Fleer’s and Ashleigh Shanti’s “Appalachian soul food” offering ranges from crisp fried quail and potlikker-braised chicken wings to fried trout and oxtail with peas.

benneoneagle.com, 828-552-8833, 35 Eagle Street, Asheville, NC 28801

3 of 11

Advertisement

4 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

7. Watchman's (Atlanta, Georgia)

Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee

In 2018, the proprietors of the Kimball House launched this bright, modern take on a classic seafood and oyster hall. Amid white walls and seafoam green tables, chilled oysters on sparkling trays of ice are the order of the day, followed by hot and cold seafood plates and rum-centric cocktails.

watchmansatl.com, 404-254-0141, 99 Krog Street Northeast Suite Y, Atlanta, GA 30307

4 of 11

5 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

6. Parish Restaurant & Bar (Monroe, Louisiana)

Credit: Courtesy of Parish Restaurant

At Parish Restaurant & Bar, owner Cory Bahr pays tribute to the flavors of his native Delta region. Fried Gulf oysters, crispy boudin, and elaborately-garnished deviled eggs mingle with handmade pastas, duck confit, and prime steaks.

parishrestaurant.com, 318-376-2423, 318 North 2nd Street, Monroe, LA 35235

5 of 11

6 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Check Out The South's Best New Restaurants

6 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

5. The Stanley (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Father-and-son team Paul and Alex Verica have transformed an old grocery in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood into a haven of seasonal small plates. Menu regulars include chicken liver mousse, steam buns, and fresh local produce prepared “a few different ways,” with tempting “other stuff” like hefty pork chops and fresh North Carolina seafood.

thestanleyclt.com, 980-299-2741, 1961 East 7th Street, Charlotte, NC 28204

7 of 11

8 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

4. Folk (Nashville, Tennessee)

Credit: Robbie Caponetto

A pair of brick wood-fired ovens anchor the open kitchen at Folk, the latest East Nashville venture from Philip Krajeck of Rolf & Daughters fame. Crisp-charred Neapolitan-style pizzas are the heart of the menu along with a seasonal array of fresh veggies, cured meats, and hearty meat and seafood plates.

goodasfolk.com, 615-610-2595, 823 Meridian Street, Nashville, TN 37207

8 of 11

9 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

3. The Elysian Bar (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Credit: Cedric Angeles

It may be the bar of the Hotel Peter & Paul, but the Elysian has plenty to offer on the culinary front. The stunningly-remodeled parlors of a former Catholic rectory, adorned with ornate curtains and colorful chairs, are a fitting setting for chef Alex Harrell’s Mediterranean-inspired plates, which have a few Southern accents like smoked pecans and heirloom red grits.

theelysianbar.com, 504-356-6769, 2317 Burgundy Street, New Orleans, LA 70117

9 of 11

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

2. Melfi's (Charleston, South Carolina)

Credit: Ben Reitz

Melfi’s is a new Italian restaurant with a clubby retro style, including white cloths on the tables and sleek leather-backed banquettes. Start with an old school martini then move on to fresh pasta entrees, larger plates like steak florentine and wine-braised veal Osso Buco, or thin-crust pizzas hot from the wood-fired oven.

eatatmelfis.com, 843-513-0307, 721 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403

10 of 11

11 of 11

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

1. Alewife (Richmond, Virginia)

In a stylishly-restored brick storefront in Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood, Alewife highlights sustainable fish from Mid-Atlantic waters. Chef/owner Lee Gregory’s rotating menu might include rockfish, drum, or black sea bass, and it makes full use of the less common bits, like collars and cheeks. Alewife’s tempting slate of cocktails is designed for pairing with seafood, and there are always a few hearty meat options, too.

alewiferva.com, 804-325-3426, 3120 East Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23223

11 of 11

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 11 10. Tiny Lou's (Atlanta, Georgia)
2 of 11 9. Automatic Seafood And Oysters (Birmingham, Alabama)
3 of 11 8. Benne on Eagle (Asheville, North Carolina)
4 of 11 7. Watchman's (Atlanta, Georgia)
5 of 11 6. Parish Restaurant & Bar (Monroe, Louisiana)
6 of 11 Check Out The South's Best New Restaurants
7 of 11 5. The Stanley (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 of 11 4. Folk (Nashville, Tennessee)
9 of 11 3. The Elysian Bar (New Orleans, Louisiana)
10 of 11 2. Melfi's (Charleston, South Carolina)
11 of 11 1. Alewife (Richmond, Virginia)

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Southern Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Southern Living
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

View image

The South’s Best New Restaurants 2020
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.