Radar: Summer Restaurant Openings

What’s Hot this Summer

Osteria Georgi | Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This spring, Giorgios Bakatsias introduces Chapel Hill to his take on authentic Italian cuisine through Giorgios Hospitality Group’s tenth restaurant, Osteria Georgi. Executive chef and Chapel Hill native Dan Jackson dedicates the menu to making time-honored Italian dishes new and exciting alongside a vast selection of wines ranging from Sardinia to Sicily, plus riffs on classic Italian cocktails. Jackson leans heavily on the surrounding area’s farmers and fishermen. 

The Kingstide | Daniel Island, South Carolina

Award-winning restaurateur Steve Palmer of Indigo Road Hospitality Group introduces waterfront dining to Daniel Island this summer at The Kingstide. In addition to a classic raw bar, Kingstide showcases fresh seafood as well as executive chef Kevin Getzewich’s inventive preparations, like fish bologna sliders, lobster agnolotti, and smoked salmon rillettes. The crisp, nautical interior complements the exceptional fare and the dining room’s proximity to the Wando River’s picturesque waterway completes the dining experience. 

Seabird | Wilmington, North Carolina

Historic downtown Wilmington is already teeming with delectable Southern and sea-inspired bites, but none quite like chef Dean Neff’s Seabird. Opened this spring, Seabird features a sprawling coffee and breakfast menu for early birds and an equally appetizing spread of oysters and small plates for dinner. It’s set in a redesigned and converted space in which the electric blue seating, crisp subway tile, and eclectic nautical artwork are reminiscent of the nearby ocean. 

Galerie de Galatoire Restaurant | New Orleans, Louisiana

Experience all of the pomp of Galatoire’s with more than double the space. Declared the grand dame of New Orleans restaurants, Galatoire’s is expanding to the French Quarter with a second location at 211 Royal Street. With classic French interiors, the new setting boasts an occupancy of up to 450 guests, but the same Louisianan cuisine visitors and locals alike have come to love. 

167 Raw Sushi Bar | Charleston

The popular seafood spot 167 Raw branches out into the realm of sushi this summer in its original restaurant space on East Bay. The menu features classic selections including nigiri, sashimi, and temaki, in addition to a number of starters like the Tokyo Tiger tuna dog and the reimagined cheese toast. The 24-seat eatery is fresh with floor-to-ceiling subway tile ornamented with Pacific-inspired decor.  

Hotel Fontenot | New Orleans, Louisiana

The sleek and modern interior of Hotel Fontenot is elevated with the addition of two paeans to the city’s favorite activity: drinking. Guests and the public can enjoy enticing cocktails along with a variety of wine, beer, and small plates at the Peacock Room cocktail bar. Gospel Coffee and Boozy Treats is the hotel’s take on a traditional coffee shop, but one where everything can be spiked. Espresso, pour-over, and alcohol-infusions are all at your fingertips to wash down their breakfast tacos and house-made pastries. 

Elliston Place Soda Shop | Nashville, Tennessee

The circa-1939 Elliston Place Soda Shop has been reinvented in the Cumberland Telephone Exchange building, just one door down from its original home. Reopened this spring, the shop offers the same selection of comfort foods and wide range of shakes, malts, and floats from the soda fountain. Elliston Place Soda Shop’s new digs echo the old, embrace the new, and continue to pay tribute to the Nashville classic while satisfying the cravings of Music City. 

The Pass Panino and Provisions | Charleston

Coming this summer to Charleston’s booming culinary scene, The Pass Panino and Provisions supplies the city with fresh selections, including artisan sandwiches like the JLT—jamon serrano ham, baby arugula, oven-dried tomatoes, and spicy Morbier mayo on ciabatta. Local cheeses, produce, and house-made condiments are available by day and by night, the restaurant transforms from a cafe to a dynamic dining experience featuring an eight-course seasonal menu crafted by chef Anthony Marini. 

Native Fine Diner | Greenville, North Carolina

This summer, born-and-bred North Carolinian Luke Owens reimagines the American diner with his thirteen years of combined culinary experience. Melding a farm-to-table ethos with the trappings of a classic American eatery, Native Fine Diner boasts a menu featuring molasses-brined half-chicken, all day breakfast, and Owens’s spin on a New England staple: the lobster roll. His focus is on making the most of partnerships with local farmers and translating their provisions onto dinner menus that conjure both nostalgia and originality.