The Best Restaurants in Every Southern State 2017
Alabama: Highlands Bar and Grill
Birmingham, AlabamaChef Frank Stitt brought farm-to-table dining to Birmingham in 1982, before there was even a moniker for it. Since then, Highlands has only become more fresh and relevant in the Southern dining landscape.
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Arkansas: The Pantry Eatery
Little Rock, ArkansasChef Tomas Bohm has introduced Little Rock to a different kind of European fare using his Czechoslovakian roots as his guide.
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Florida: Bud & Alley’s Restaurant
Seaside, FloridaSo many beachfront restaurants rely on the view to make up for lackluster food, but Bud & Alley’s matches sparkling Gulf vistas with delicious bakedoysters and locally caught fish.
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Georgia: The Grey
Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah found a golden ticket with The Grey. Inside an impeccably renovated, Art Deco-style former Greyhound bus station, chef Mashama Bailey is raising Lowcountry cuisine up high with dishes like Roasted Yardbird and Red Pea Pancakes with Cracklin'.
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Kentucky: Dudley’s on Short
Lexington, KentuckyIts location across from the Lexington Farmers’ Market makes this spot produce-centric. Owner Debbie Long holds a reputation as horse country’sconsummate hostess.
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The South's Best Restaurant: Commander's Palace
Commander's Palace in New Orleans' Garden District is a Big Easy icon. Built in 1893, the restaurant has become a must-see for any visit to New Orleans for its incredible energy, amazing food (Emeril was once the chef!), and storied history.
View all of the South's Best 2017 winners here.
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Louisiana: Commander’s Palace
New Orleans, Louisiana
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Maryland: Duck Duck Goose
Bethesda, Maryland This contemporary French bistro brings D.C. dwellers to Bethesda for delicious classics like beef tartare, dry-aged duck, and wild mushroom risotto.And every dish is plated with modern sensibilities.
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Mississippi: City Grocery
Oxford, MississippiHaving a drink upstairs on the fabled porch of City Grocery, which overlooks Oxford’s town square, has become a Southern rite of passage.
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Missouri: Sidney Street Café
St. Louis, MissouriChef Kevin Nashan continues to conjure exciting dishes here at the crossroads where Southern ingredients meet Spanish and French cooking techniques.
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North Carolina: Chef & the Farmer
Kinston, North CarolinaMost folks hadn’t heard of the tiny town of Kinston until Vivian Howard moved back home to open a restaurant. Over a decade later, patrons still flock to it for a taste of Howard’s creative interpretations of local dishes.
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Oklahoma: The Drake
Oklahoma City, OklahomaLike a futuristic, fashionable, 1960s diner in Los Angeles, The Drake has made the words “seafood” and “Oklahoma City” as natural of a pairing as the fresh oysters and rosé mignonette.
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South Carolina: Husk
Charleston, South CarolinaGlobally renowned as a pilgrimage site for Southern food, chef Sean Brock’s Husk, currently in Charleston and Nashville, will open new locations inSavannah, Georgia, and Greenville, South Carolina, later this year.
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Tennessee: The 404 Kitchen
Nashville, TennesseeInside a former shipping container in Nashville’s Gulch District, you’ll find a staggering whiskey selection alongside chef Matt Bolus’ Italian takes oncountry cooking.
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Texas: The Original Ninfa's on Navigation
Houston, TexasWhether you believe this to be the home of the first fajitas or not, there’s no denying Ninfa’s as the archetype of Tex-Mex food.
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Virginia: Pasture
Richmond, VirginiaBoth Pasture and its sister restaurant, Comfort, are love letters to Virginia ingredients and mountain cooking. Pasture takes a few more liberties withtradition, like the Country Captain chicken dish with tomato-curry gravy.
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Washington, D.C.: Old Ebbitt Grill
Washington, D.C.With animal heads bagged by Teddy Roosevelt, the Old Ebbitt Grill is as much an unofficial museum off the National Mall as it is a steak-and-oysterhouse.
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West Virginia: Prime 44 West
White Sulphur Springs, West VirginiaThis homage to NBA legend Jerry West is a full-court press, from the 44-ounce porterhouse to the famed lobster mashed potatoes.