Radar: New Restaurants Opening this Fall

Nashville’s Gulch gets two new neighborhood spots while Savannah welcomes a seasonally inspired restaurant this fall. Read about the new restaurants and bars opening this season. 

Fleeting | Savannah

Luxury boutique hotel Thompson Savannah welcomed guests to its signature new restaurant Fleeting in September 2021, helmed by executive chef Robert Newton. The eatery’s waterside location allows for inspiration to be drawn from the bounty of the Savannah River, as well as local farmers markets.

“Creating the menu for Fleeting gave me the opportunity to really dive headfirst into all that this city has to offer,” executive chef Robert Newton says. “Our team is dedicated to translating the seasons onto each plate; we’ll highlight every ingredient’s peak moment in time so guests can savor the beauty of the present.” Look for a menu of standouts, such as duck confit biscuit buns with red-eye chili oil, Anson Mills farro verde with chanterelle and local egg, and pork shank with hominy, jimmy nardello, pickled peppers, and cane syrup. 

Not to be forgotten is the curated cocktail program, headed by beverage director Chelsea DeMark. It complements Fleeting’s foundational devotion to the seasons. We’re eyeing a pairing of duck confit biscuit buns with a “radio wave,” a rum old fashion-style beverage featuring a blend of rums with nutty, dry rainwater Madeira, and a tart mango prosecco syrup for a light and fresh take on the classic beverage.

The Well | Pensacola, Florida

A vintage Florida-style taproom and cocktail lounge that opened earlier this summer is expanding its offerings and introducing a raw bar program to complement its cocktail and beer menus. Designed by local chef Amy Potmesil, the new restaurant’s raw bar menu will be oyster-focused offering a selection of local bivalves from the Gulf Coast, as well as the cold waters of Maine and Washington. Finishing the ever-changing daily menu of the freshest crustaceans available will be Posmesil’s housemade fermented  hot sauce, sour beer mignonette, kimchi cocktail sauce, and lemon pearls.

“I found inspiration in the beer fermentation process already utilized at the bar and incorporated it into the housemade garnishes served alongside each oyster presentation,” Potmesil said. The Well is the newest addition to a collection of drinking establishments in the heart of downtown Pensacola spearheaded by Perfect Plain Brewing Co. 

And a New Restaurant to Drink in the View. . .

Bar Peri | Atlanta

Perched atop Atlanta’s newest lodging, the AC Hotel, Bar Peri brings views of the city’s skyline from Midtown to Buckhead. The bar program promises innovative cocktails matched with tapas-style small plates, but the real draw will be the views at the area’s first rooftop bar. The AC Hotel opened this fall in the Dunwoody neighborhood. Its location on the Perimeter of Atlanta takes advantage of all of the big city perks without the infamous traffic. 

New Restaurants Coming Soon

The Dutch and Carne Mare, Nashville

The highly anticipated W Nashville snagged acclaimed chef Andrew Carmellini to head two new restaurants opening in the Gulch hotel, which debuts this fall.

“We’ve been working on this project for seven years, so it’s amazing to finally see these restaurants come to life,” Carmellini says, a two-time James Beard award-winning chef. “Nashville has come so far since I first visited the city twenty years ago. The food scene here is incredible, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to be a part of it.”

The Dutch will open first on October 6, offering a livelier atmosphere with a laid-back American comfort food menu—look forward to innovative appetizers, mains, desserts, and shareable sides like grilled hanger steak with kimchi fried rice and a sunny side up egg, crab salad with Bloody Mary dressing, and pecan duck with dirty rice, scallion, and kumquat. For a more formal night out, Carne Mare is expected to epitomize a contemporary Italian chophouse drawing on Carmellini’s international experience working under Valentino Mercantile at the Michelin two-star San Domenico in Emilio-Romagna, Italy. Located in the heart of the Gulch, both street-facing eateries aim to be neighborhood-focused spots.

La Cour Kitchen and Bar | Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson adds French fusion to its culinary scene this fall with La Cour, inspired by the classic brasseries of Paris. The open-plan eatery aims to marry European influences with Southern flavors for new American cuisine maximized by its classic cocktail program. Located in Jackson’s Highland Village, the aptly named restaurant’s moniker translates to “the courtyard,” referring to its picturesque setting and open-air format.