Food & Drink

New Restaurants on the Block

A crop of fresh establishments that will be making noise––and good food––this fall

Illustration: Tim Bower


The Florence
Savannah, Georgia

The newest outpost of Hugh Acheson’s growing restaurant empire, the Florence is a two-story tribute to the marriage of Italian and Southern cuisines, featuring a pizza oven handcrafted in Italy and classic Italian dishes made with Georgia ingredients.

 

Leon’s Oyster Shop
Charleston, South Carolina

Fried chicken and oysters are at the heart of the menu at restaurateur Brooks Reitz new casual joint, located in an old auto body shop on King Street. Chef Ari Kolender spent months perfecting the chicken recipe, and master shucker Michael Rogers tends the bivalves at the raw bar.

 

The Luminary
Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta native and former Top Chef contestant Eli Kirshtein brings traditional brasserie-style dining to Atlanta’s Inman Park neighborhood, including classics like mussels and steak frites, along with raw offerings such as oysters, clams, crudo, and seafood towers. The drinks program spotlights French wines and Trappist brews.

 

Ovenbird
Birmingham, Alabama

Named for the national bird of Argentina and Uruguay, Chris Hasting’s much-anticipated new restaurant, expected to open this fall, will join the flame-grilled cooking styles of South America with the simple farm-fresh philosophy that has made his Hot and Hot Fish Club a longtime favorite in Birmingham.

 

Minero
Charleston, South Carolina

Brock’s devotion to Southern ingredients may have launched him into culinary stardom, but his newest venture, set to open this August, looks farther south to showcase the flavors of Mexico.

 

Staplehouse
Atlanta, Georgia

At Staplehouse, the brainchild of former Empire State South chef Ryan Smith’s late brother-in-law, Ryan Hidinger, and his wife, Jen, proceeds benefit the Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit that helps restaurant workers in need. Expected to open this fall, the restaurant’s shared small plates underscore a dedication to community.


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