Best New Restaurants: 12 To Watch

Earlier today (and in the September issue), Southern Living posted my Top 10 list of the South’s Best New Restaurants—a list that took me 23,793 miles and $57 worth of Pepcid to research. Because of print deadlines, I had to lock in this list a couple of months ago, which means some newcomers didn’t make the cut simply because 1) they weren’t open in time or 2) they were just too new for me to give them a fair shake. (It’s really no fun to turn a critical eye on a baby.) But have no fear, this list is never static. Here are a dozen I’ve already got on my radar:

1) Death & Taxes, Raleigh, NC

2) The Florence, Savannah, GA

3) Gardner, Austin, TX

4) Leon’s Oyster Shop, Charleston, SC

5) The Luminary, Atlanta, GA

6) Metzger Bar & Butchery, Richmond, VA

7) Olamaie, Austin, TX

8) Ox Lot 9, Covington, LA

9) Pacci Italian Kitchen + Bar, Savannah, GA

10) Pax Americana, Houston, TX

11) Saltine Oyster Bar, Jackson, MS

12) Sinema, Nashville, TN