Travel Souths Best The South's Best Winners 2018 By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on March 20, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Robbie Caponetto For the second year in a row, our editors launched a digitally crowd-sourced survey around the South's best places. From a family-owned brewery inAsheville, North Carolina, to an enchanting restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, to the most charming small town in South Carolina, it reminded us why we're so proud to call this region home. As we pored through more than 32,000 responses, we applauded first-time winners, commended the staying power of repeat recipients, and even considered settling a tie. So sit back, pour yourself a glass of sweet tea, and celebrate your favorites—which, we're delighted to see, are beloved by many of our editors too. 01 of 16 See The Winners 02 of 16 South's Best Tiny Town: Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina Robbie Caponetto See what sets Ocean Isle Beach apart from the rest. 03 of 16 South's Best Small Town: Aiken, South Carolina Peter Frank Edwards/Redux See what sets Aiken apart from the rest. 04 of 16 South's Best City: Charleston, South Carolina Peter Frank Edwards/Redux See what sets Charleston apart from the rest. 05 of 16 South's Best BBQ Joints: Lexington Barbecue and Southern Soul Barbeque Andrew Thomas Lee See why there's a tie between Lexington Barbecue and Southern Soul Barbeque. 06 of 16 South's Best Food City: New Orleans, Lousiana Rush Jagoe See what sets New Orleans apart from the rest. 07 of 16 South's Best Food Town: Oxford, Mississippi Robbie Caponetto See what sets Oxford apart from the rest. 08 of 16 South's Best Restaurant: L'Opossum Deborah Jaffe See what sets L'Opossum apart from the rest. 09 of 16 South's Best Desserts: Chez Fonfon Robbie Caponetto 10 of 16 South's Best Brewery: Highland Brewing Company Robbie Caponetto 11 of 16 South's Best Beach: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Getty Images/Aurora Open See the what Southern beaches topped the list. 12 of 16 South's Best Resort: Blackberry Farm Beall + Thomas Photography See what Southern resorts topped the list. 13 of 16 South's Best Hotel: The Tennessean Robbie Caponetto See what Southern hotels topped the list. 14 of 16 South's Best Inn: Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill Robbie Caponetto See what Southern inns topped the list. 15 of 16 South's Best Festival: Spoleto Festival USA Courtesy of Spoleto Festival USA See what Southern festivals topped the list. 16 of 16 South's Best Grocery Store: Publix Courtesy of Publix Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit