Our 2026 Summer Issue is Here!

The smoky scent of barbecue wafting through the air. The crack of a crab claw over a picnic table.

We’re all in on a summer of outdoor eating, and this issue is packed with ways to do just that. Does the idea of cooking seafood intimidate you? While salmon, shrimp, and tuna are widely consumed in the US, it’s said that many home cooks avoid cooking seafood at home. But we’re here to change your mind—we tapped chefs around the South to give us their simplest methods for cooking everything from North Carolina shrimp to trout to crab cakes.

It’s also officially barbecue season and we’ve got our eye on Texas, thanks to a new cookbook from pitmaster Evan LeRoy and a brisket tutorial from pitmaster Leonard Botello IV of TRUTH BBQ. With these two experts, you’re in excellent hands (and don’t miss LeRoy’s instructions for making ribs on our website). And if you’re in need of new grilling tools for the season, check out Kitchen Upgrade.

As we were putting this issue together, it dawned on us how easy it would be to craft an entire meal from recipes throughout the book. For example, Gullah Geechee chef BJ Dennis shares four recipes highlighting peak summer produce (a preview to his forthcoming cookbook), and a few of them would go nicely with chef Dean Neff’s tuna loin or Botello’s brisket. Add a big-batch mocktail, like the The Mauve, and some watermelon granita to finish and you’re fit for a feast. We’re also craving crabcakes, so we wrangled a recipe from James London’s mom (hi, Donna!) while also offering a crabcake tour around the South.

Have you noticed a rise in omakase-style restaurants in your area? The South is now swimming in excellent sushi concepts—but are they sustainable? Managing editor Emily Havener finds out. Dive into that, as well as the trend of cocktail pairing menus while you wait for those ribs to smoke.

It’s a mix-and-match kind of issue that we hope you devour all summer long.

What I’m Drinking:

When putting together beverage pairings for our seafood recipe feature, I became smitten with the newest release from Charleston-based cocktail mixer company Bittermilk. The No. 8 mixer is laced with blood orange, making it a super-juicy sipper whether it’s blended with tequila or sparkling water.

Cheers,

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