From nostalgic roots to new beginnings, these are the 8 new restaurants topping our 2025 bucket list
As we begin 2025 with aspirations for starting the year right—whether that’s healthier eating, spending more time with loved ones, or traveling more frequently—our dining choices can help us start fresh. And one of the best ways to begin the year on a high note is by supporting local restaurants and chefs. Inspired by childhood nostalgia and treks across the globe, these up-and-coming restaurants capture memories and invite guests to be transported away while dining. From quintessential new Italian spots to the trendiest neighborhood bars, these eight restaurant openings across the Southeast prove 2025 has high potential.

Ryokou | Atlanta, Georgia
From Michelin award-winning chef Leonard Yu, Ryokou offers a progressive take on Japanese traditions and cuisines in the heart of Atlanta. Its rotating menu of eight courses features dishes like smoked wagyu, Awabi kimo, and Kegani nigiri. Alongside chef Paul Gutting, Yu crafts a culinary journey across Japan. With an incredibly intimate seating of 10 patrons, Ryokou translates tradition into modernity and guides patrons through an odyssey of Japanese culture.
Pont Neuf | Nashville, Tennessee
West Nashville welcomes its newest cocktail bar, Pont Neuf, which promises a dynamic visual and flavor experience. Created by duo Mattie Bush-Martin of local brand Amelia’s Flowers and Taylor Martin, the late-night bar combines the elements of a flower shop with its floral-inspired cocktails and pre-made arrangements for sale. The beverage-driven concept is inspired by the couple’s wedding on the Seine River in Paris, and the carefully curated and intimate space pays tribute to quaint French bars. Guests can enjoy a glass of wine and a selection of small bites while they design personalized floral arrangements at the flower truck.
Bo Jackson’s Beans | Auburn, Alabama
Right down the street from Auburn University at The Graduate Hotel, Bo Jackson’s Beans pays homage to sports legend, alum, and Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson. Decked out in university colors, the coffee shop and cocktail bar resemble an old-school diner, serving breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and even the 4.13 Espresso Martini, named after Jackson’s famed 40-yard dash time. Whether you’re a Tigers fan or not, Bo Jackson’s Beans promises a hearty, warm welcome to any who enter its doors.

Peregrine | Raleigh, North Carolina
Invoking the graceful migratory patterns of the Peregrine falcon, Peregrine is the latest concept from chef Saif Rahman and artist Patrick Shanahan. Drawing inspiration from chef Rahman’s childhood home in Bangladesh and his new home in North Carolina, Peregrine embraces interculturality and storytelling in a transportive space. Find signature dishes like crispy lentil fritters and “Ode to Amina,” a fragrant fish curry named for Rahman’s grandmother. The interiors evoke a modern yet ancestral feel from the locally sourced wood and textured walls hand-plastered by Shanahan. Peregrine is the flagship restaurant in The Exchange, four acres in Raleigh dedicated to lush greenspace and budding retail shops, where the restaurant seamlessly blends into the North Carolinian landscape.
SAGRADA | Washington, DC
SAGRADA takes patrons on an immersive tasting menu experience centering on the therapeutic psychedelic nature of mushrooms. While guests will not be partaking in any psychedelic ingredients, the menu plays on captivating visual displays, sensory shifts, and intentional plating to imitate the effects of psilocybin. The experience is aimed at education regarding the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, and a portion of the proceeds will support psychedelic research at Johns Hopkins University.
Sra Martinez | Coral Gables, Florida
The reiteration of Sra Martinez by James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein and partner David Martinez offers a new, modern perspective on their Spanish-influenced restaurant. Drawing inspiration from regional travels, the dishes include flavor powerhouses like charred piquillo peppers, carbonara croquetas, and oxtail paella, many of which are prepared in the on-site wood-burning oven. Live music and livelier cocktails shape the high-energy atmosphere.

Seahorse | Charleston, South Carolina
From James London, the name behind Chubby Fish, Seahorse is the latest cocktail bar to grace the Charleston scene. London, a finalist for the James Beard Best Chef Southeast in 2024, partnered with beverage director Christian Favier to create an expertly curated cocktail menu, including riffs on classics like a smoked olive martini or a negroni infused with sherry and roasted shiitake mushrooms. One of the only Suntory highball machines stateside produces intensely fizzy drinks with masterfully balanced flavors. With a dark, wooden interior and nautical nods, Seahorse embraces distinctly Charlestonian elements in an intimate setting.

Cane Pazzo | Hanahan, South Carolina
Hailing from Charleston, chef Mark Bolchoz is reconnecting to his roots with the opening of Cane Pazzo in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Hanahan just outside North Charleston. His love of classic Italian cuisine, and the incorporation of Lowcountry ingredients, will culminate in dishes like handmade pastas, small plates, and family-style entrées. With a decades-long family history in Charleston, Bolchoz describes the opening as a “coming home moment.” The namesake of the restaurant Cane Pazzo translates to “mad dog,” a doting nickname given to Bolchoz by his grandfather.
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