Top 10 Restaurant Openings This Spring and Summer | Listen

Find our top 10 restaurants set to open this spring and summer across the South

The South’s bustling restaurant scene is continually growing with every season. From restaurants embracing cultural heritage to new takes on fine dining, our top 10 highly anticipated restaurant openings are guaranteed to enrich the Southern dining scene this spring and summer.

Palmira BBQ | Charleston

Hector Garate combines inspiration from Texas, the Carolinas, and his Puerto Rican heritage to create a unique menu at Palmira, ranging from juicy beef cheeks and smoky pulled pork to rich barbacoa and flavorful house sausage. Serving high-quality meats and carefully crafted sides like sofrito-laced hash and rice, Palmira appeared on the barbecue scene and quickly became a place to watch because of his uncanny ability to infuse dynamic culture and flavor into each bite.

Kinfolk | Memphis

Chef and owner Cole Jeanes has announced the opening of Kinfolk, the famous weekend pop-up breakfast spot’s first street-side store located in Harbor Town in Memphis, Tennessee. Jeanes plans to feature some of the popular pop-up items and include more Southern-inspired dishes with international influences. Classics like the famous biscuit sandwich will remain on the menu with some new additions like fluffy milk bread and brioche buns. The brick-and-mortar will also feature a bar offering an array of classic Southern beers, a few handpicked cocktails, and their rave-worthy classic cold brew and drip coffee.

Brodeto | Raleigh

A leader of the Southeast culinary scene, Scott Crawford is the mastermind behind Brodeto, a restaurant offering the colorful cuisine of the Adriatic Coast. The restaurant’s name references Croatian spelling and refers to a traditional fish stew cooked over coils and served from Croatia to Italy, all along the Adriatic Coast. The menu features fresh seafood—with both raw and cooked dishes coming off hot from the wood-fired grill. Look for juicy vegetables cooked over simmering embers, coal-roasted chicken, and traditional Croatian lamb peka. Handmade pasta and rice dishes like black risotto round out the experience, complimented by Croatian, Slovenian, and Italian wines and a vibrant cocktail menu.

Wild South | New Orleans 

Chef and owner of Coquette and seven-time James Beard Award nominee Michael Stoltzfus opens Wild South, an ambitious new tasting menu-only concept in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District. Opening on the heels of Coquette’s 15th anniversary, Wild South is uniquely poised for its hyperlocal point of view that forges past the farm-to-table ethos, highlighting the many flavors of Louisiana. From Poirier’s cane syrup to Jacob’s andouille, their producers hone into the flavors of the bayou. With an eye toward accessibility and a posture of reverence, the dishes invite guests to experience the expansive flavors and traditions of Southern Louisiana.

The Independent | Georgetown

Located within The George Hotel, The Independent is an ingredient-driven seafood restaurant and raw bar showcasing the Lowcountry’s local fisherman, farmers, and purveyors. The Independent pays homage to the community’s former iconic seafood market by the same name that closed earlier last year. Led by executive chef Thomas Vance, the seasonal menu focuses on Lowcountry flavors and the bounty of the sea through the lens of a thoughtfully presented raw bar and Southern-inspired proteins and sides.

Urban Oyster | Baltimore

A new addition to its rich roster of culinary history, Baltimore is now home to the nation’s first Black-female-owned oyster bar, The Urban Oyster. In the popular neighborhood of Hampden, chef Jasmine Norton, alongside executive sous chef Malcolm Sizer, has officially given the neighborhood its most eagerly anticipated restaurant opening to date. The meticulously curated menu of seafood-forward favorites and imaginative revivals of classic dishes is served in an unpretentious and cozy atmosphere, found behind the restaurant’s bold blue storefront. The Urban Oyster began with farmers market stalls and pop-up ghost kitchens, and developed into a unique concept of playful yet accessible seafood that has a space at the table for everyone. Aside from ravishing raw bar offerings, notable menu highlights include the indulgent lobster corn dog, red snapper nuggets, and deviled eggs topped with fried oyster fritters.

La Metro | Atlanta

Atlanta-based chef Hector Santiago is set to open La Metro, a tapas bar channeling the liveliness and energy of Spanish cities, this summer as a part of the community favorite Ponce City Market. This will be Santiago’s second concept located in the acclaimed central food hall—the first being his lively sandwich bar El Super Pan and the second, El Burro Pollo, a Juarez-style burrito shop. Similar to a traditional tapas bar, guests will order at the counter then dine at tall tables or on the “patio” facing the central food hall. The menu will feature pintxos (individual, bite-size snacks), a tapas section with iconic small plates like patatas bravas, croquetas, and endive with anchovies, as well as bigger plates to be served throughout the day. For refreshment, guests can expect a heavy emphasis on Spanish cava, wines, and ciders as well as bottle selections from Portugal and the States.

The Cheese Shop | Carrboro

The Cheese Shop’s founders and co-owners, Michelle and Stevie Lee Webb, announced the opening of their first standalone retail store and new cheese bar, set to open in Summer 2024. Apart from their abundant cheese case, where customers can taste and select their favorite wedges, cut and wrapped-to-order, the new location will have an extensive menu of cheese plates, sandwiches, soups, salads and provisions. It will feature a 15-seat cheese bar, dedicated to special meals, events, and tastings . The shop will also boast an array of provisions, wine, beer, and gifts.

Albertine | Charlotte

The husband-and-wife duo behind Kindred, Milkbread, and Hello Sailor have announced their latest venture in Charlotte. Albertine will mark the couple’s first fine-dining project and is set to combine the flavors and techniques of Mediterranean cuisine with Southern influences to create a European-inspired elevated dining experience. The culinary team and overall vision for the Albertine menu will be led by five-time James Beard Award semifinalist Joe Kindred. His wife and business partner, Katy Kindred, will lead the design, service, and overall vision for the restaurant’s conceptual build out.

Fancypants | Nashville

Located in East Nashville and created by the James Beard Foundation-nominated team behind Butcher & Bee and Redheaded Stranger, the soon-to-open Fancypants will offer an unexpected and playful take on the traditional fine-dining experience. The creative team behind Fancypants is on a mission to push boundaries in the kitchen and dining room as they reimagine the typical upscale restaurant experience. Fancypants seeks to provide a convivial space where the guest experience is paramount and extends from undeniably delicious food to service with unforgettable personality. The menu will be vegetable based and farm driven, with produce in a defining role and seasonally rotating dishes.

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