3 Restaurant Openings We’re Looking Forward to in 2023

As the calendar flips to 2023, we’re already looking forward to some impending restaurant openings in the South’s leading culinary cities. From a rustic Italian ristorante coming to Charleston to Korean- and Japanese-inspired menus arriving in Louisville and Nashville, here are three spots to put on your dining radar.

3 Restaurant Openings We’re Looking Forward to in 2023

Sorelle

88 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401 • (843) 974-1575

It can be challenging to stand out in a city blessed with as many innovative restaurants as Charleston, but that’s precisely what Beemok Hospitality Collection, together with MINA Group, aims to do with their new Italian concept, Sorelle. Named after the Italian word for “sisters,” the restaurant will occupy three row houses on historic Broad Street that once housed a school run by a pair of sisters.

In its newest incarnation, the space will pay homage to Italy’s all-day cafés, markets, wine bars, and restaurants. A visit to Sorelle will offer a variety of experiences throughout the day and evening, ranging from the opportunity to shop at an alimentari (Italian for “food market”), enjoy a drink at the central bar or a rare bottle in the wine room, eat in the grand dining room or at the pizza counter, or a indulge in a private meal at the exclusive chef’s counter.

Sorelle is the first foray into South Carolina for MINA Group, a collection of more than 40 restaurants helmed by renowned chef Michael Mina. He has tapped Nick Dugan to serve as Executive Chef after previous stints leading kitchens in Las Vegas and San Francisco. Dugan will have plenty to do, as the restaurant plans to offer a wide variety of cuisine ranging from specialty coffee and sandwiches in the mornings to pizzas and inventive takes on Southern Italian classic dishes made with indigenous Lowcountry ingredients.

Pasta will be an essential menu focus, including housemade pasta extruded through bronze dies, stuffed pasta dishes, and other shapes imported from Sicily, Sardinia, and Campania.

The emphasis on hospitality and high design is as important as Sorelle’s cuisine. Meyer Davis Studios are the stewards of the history and architecture of the historic buildings, accenting the design with brass lighting fixtures, veined marble countertops in the market and open kitchen, leather seats and cozy banquettes in the dining areas, and four working fireplaces.

When Sorelle opens later this spring, we expect it to make quite the splash in the Charleston dining scene.

Nami and Neighbors Noodles

835 East Main St., Louisville, KY 40206

You may recognize chef Edward Lee from his numerous appearances on Top Chef as both a competitor and a judge. You might also know him from his important work with the LEE Initiative, which addresses issues surrounding diversity in the restaurant industry — a significant source of support to hospitality workers during the pandemic. Louisville knows him as one of the city’s favorite adopted sons. Over the years, he has opened and operated several acclaimed restaurants in Derby City, but his upcoming projects, Nami and Neighbors Noodles, will be his first there in over half a decade.

The Brooklyn-born chef grew up cooking with his Korean grandmother, but he fell in love with Southern cuisine after a visit to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby in 2001. After moving there the following year, Lee immersed himself in the sort of farm-to-table regional cuisine he later featured in his cookbook Smoke & Pickles.

That’s a big reason why his upcoming Butchertown neighborhood restaurant Nami is creating such a buzz — it represents Lee’s first opportunity to introduce the Korean food of his heritage to his new hometown. His inspiration for the new restaurant arose from his family and his time spent cooking with Louisville chef Yeon-Hee Chung at several pop-up events early in the pandemic. “I’ve always wanted to get back to my roots and cook Korean cuisine in a way that represents my heritage but also influenced by my experiences of over 20 years of being a chef in Kentucky,” Lee shared in the official announcement of his new venture.

He didn’t have to look far for a chef to run the kitchen for him at Nami. Breanna Baker started as an intern at one of his other restaurants, 610 Magnolia, and advanced through the kitchen ranks to become the chef de cuisine. She’s also a graduate of the LEE Initiative’s Women Culinary and Spirits Program, where she received valuable mentorship from long-time hospitality professionals.

Lee and Baker are planning a menu of modern interpretations of traditional Korean fare, including Korean BBQ, bibimbap, banchan, mandu, and pa jun, as well as housemade kimchi. The two-story restaurant will feature a main dining room on the ground floor, along with a bar and lounge. The top story will be home to a private dining space, a karaoke room, and traditional Korean grill tables for bulgogi and galbi.

Lee has tapped another former coworker at his spots, Milkwood and Whiskey Dry, to lead the bar program at Nami. Stacie Stewart will be the General Manager and Director of Cocktails, crafting a drinks menu featuring ingredients and flavors reflective of Asian cuisine that will pair well with the food served.

In addition to Nami, Lee is also planning a takeout-only noodle shop named Neighbors Noodles to operate out of the same space. A specific opening date is still a mystery as the mixed-use development that will house Nami is still under construction, but Lee is aiming for sometime in the first half of 2023 to welcome his first guests. We can’t wait!

Kisser

747 Douglas Ave., Nashville, TN 37207

Chefs Brian Lea and Leina Horii met while working in Los Angeles. The married couple has been wowing Nashville diners since they came to town to work at notable Strategic Hospitality concepts like The Catbird Seat, Le Sel, and Bastion. However, their passion food at home has been Japanese barbecue — smoked and grilled foods featuring Asian flavor profiles.

After leaving Bastion to pursue their dream of opening their own restaurant to share Japanese barbecue with Music City, Lea and Horii embarked on a series of pop-up restaurants, sharing the kitchens of their chef friends around town. They named the concept Kisser as a nod to their relationship and how they want guests to experience their bold flavors — like a playful punch to the mouth, “right in the kisser!” The name is also reminiscent of the term for a small neighborhood café in Japan called a kissaten.

The couple has partnered with Strategic Hospitality again to plan their first brick-and-mortar Kisser location in East Nashville. Much of the food will be prepared over an open fire, a talent that Lea perfected as a member of the opening staff at Husk Nashville.

While the menu is still being finalized, Lea and Horii have created some fantastic food at their pop-ups that has Nashville diners aching for them to open the doors. From knock-out good wings to fried chicken katsu sandwiches on incredible house-baked Japanese milk bread to rotating noodle dishes to curry rice, Kisser has raised anticipation levels to the point that Horii and Lea were named “Rising Stars” by the StarChefs organization before they have even opened their small 25-seat restaurant.

Some of the fresh herbs and produce used on the menu at Kisser will be raised on the couple’s small organic farm, driving the seasonality of the constantly changing menu. Kisser also aims to be inclusive to diners with allergies or food sensitivities, offering gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and nut-free options for many items on the menu.

Here’s to new dining endeavors!

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December 2022

This was a rebound year for restaurant openings across the South. After the tumultuous previous two years, when the few restaurant projects that moved forward were located in large hotel and retail developments that were able to continue construction during the pandemic, 2022 renewed the chance for new independent restaurants to welcome diners. While there were quite a few notable openings this year, these are some of the best new restaurants worth adding to your culinary bucket list.

Worth the Drive: 3 New Restaurants to Know in the South

Fishmonger

674 North Highland Avenue Northeast Suite A, Atlanta, GA 30306 • (678) 705-9538
225 Rogers St NE, Atlanta, GA 30317
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Closed Monday

Nhan Le and Skip Engelbrecht are the owners of Atlanta’s 8ARM and Octopus Bar, and the dynamic duo somehow managed to open not one but two new restaurants with their dual locations of Fishmonger. The original Fishmonger opened in the hip Poncey Highlands neighborhood last spring, followed by another outpost in the Pullman Yards complex in the fall.

The vibe at both Fishmongers is like visiting a Gulf Coast seafood market with counter service and fish displayed on ice. While guests place their orders directly with the mongers behind the counter, servers circulate the room to take orders for more drinks or fish plates. A raw bar offers rotating choices of oysters and other shellfish, and don’t skip the seafood chowder!

Unlike a lot of Gulf Coast seafood, Fishmonger doesn’t depend on deep frying. Instead, the fish is treated a little more delicately to preserve the textures and flavors of the freshest products. The original Kirkwood restaurant also features an attached market to buy fresh fish to cook at home, while the Pullman location is counter-service-only at the moment.

Standout dishes include a massive lobster roll, heaving under the weight of claw meat, a plate of peel-and-eat shrimp that is broiled, not boiled, and a platter featuring tinned fish. If your idea of fish in a can is limited to cheap tuna fish, Fishmonger will change your mind. Around the world, tinned fish is a major method of preservation that is often some of the best seafood you can find.

Fishmonger has a very casual ambiance, but the design scheme is vibrant and colorful — like tropical fish in an aquarium. If you need more of a recommendation on why to visit, former President Obama made it a point to stop in during a recent trip to Atlanta, where he enjoyed a salad topped with Fishmonger’s popular blackened grouper. Judging by the election results, Obama knows how to pick a winner in Atlanta!

Rancho Lewis

1503 King St, Charleston, SC 29403 • (843) 996-4500
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Closed Sunday

John Lewis is best known for his expertise at cooking Texas-style barbecue, particularly smoked beef brisket, at past stints at legendary Austin smokehouses Franklin Barbecue and La Barbecue and his own Charleston restaurant Lewis Barbecue. But the El Paso-born chef also has an abiding passion for Mexican food.

Soon after opening Lewis Barbecue, he was also one of the first tenants at an incubator food hall called Workshop. The small restaurant was named Juan Luis, a punny pseudo-Mexican translation of the chef’s name. At Juan Luis, Lewis could have fun experimenting with tacos and the like, and it was a great way to use up any leftover day-old brisket, which is great on a taco but not so hot on its own when it’s not-so-hot.

Workshop eventually closed up shop last year, and Lewis moved his taco operation into a food truck on the patio of his barbecue restaurant. Still, the Workshop space remained on his mind, not just his old stall as one of the tenants. He has taken over the 7400 square-foot space as home to his full-service Mexican restaurant Rancho Lewis.

The gestalt behind the new spot is an homage to the West Texas/New Mexico region where Lewis grew up, and the space is decorated with attractive design elements like ristras: long hanging ropes of dried chile peppers that you’ll see all along the road driving through the pepper mecca of Hatch, NM. Other fun decor items include stucco walls, antique cowboy chaps and lassos, and a bronze-clad bar — one of the largest in Charleston. The walk-up tortilleria is (quite literally) a hole-in-the-wall where diners can watch their future taco wrappers being made by hand.

Lewis jokes that the food at Rancho Lewis is “more Mex than Tex,” and much of the menu crosses the border and back. Apps like Queso Asado and Coctel de Shrimp are made for sharing, and the iconic red and green Hatch chiles make multiple appearances on the menu in dishes like Green Chile Pozole, Red Chile Beef Enchiladas, Chicken Enchiladas Verdes, and the Christmas Burrito if you can’t pick between the red and the green.

The cheeky Jay J. Armes Mixed Grill is named after another El Paso legend, a private investigator-turned-actor who eventually appeared as a villain on shows like Hawaii Five-O. An accidental explosion when he was a child led to the amputation of both hands. But his prosthetic replacements made him even more intriguing as a villain, enough to launch his own line of toys and action figures. The platter named for the raconteur features steak, shrimp, and quail grilled over mesquite wood and served with charro beans, rice, and tortillas.

That mesquite grill also gives kisses of smoke to many other dishes at Rancho Lewis, including Rancho Fajitas, a darned fine Green Chile Steak Burger, and the delectable full rack of Beef Back Ribs, a rarity to find outside of the Lone Star State. If you’re in Charleston and have a hankering for Texas, there’s no better spot to scratch that itch than with a visit to Rancho Lewis.

Causa/Amazonia

920 Blagden Alley NW, Washington, DC 20001 • (202) 629-3942
Hours: Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday, 5 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Sunday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Closed Monday

Peruvian cuisine rarely gets the attention it deserves in America. In Washington, DC, Causa and Amazonia hope to change that by shining a spotlight on the fascinating food coming out of the South American country.

Peru is an incredibly diverse country geographically. Located in the tropical range just south of the equator, Peru has almost 2000 miles of coastline, offering access to the teeming schools of exotic and delicious seafood in the South Pacific. But the Andes mountain range also runs through the country, and the flora and fauna at high altitudes are very different from the coast to the west and the incredible biodiversity of the tropical Amazon forests to the east.

Causa and Amazonia seek to represent the cuisine of the entire country while at the same time highlighting the major international influences that shape fine dining in the country. The three major branches of culinary styles are Criollo (Afro-Peruvian, the most traditional), Nikkei (Japanese influenced), and Chifa (Chinese wok-style influenced).

As if this wasn’t enough to tackle, Causa and Amazonia are actually two restaurants in one. Causa is a six-course prix fixe tasting experience presented by chef Carlos Delgado, an exceedingly talented chef who grew up cooking at home and in restaurants in his native Peru and then served as an executive chef under José Andres at China Chilcano. The seafood-centric menu at Causa can be supplemented with optional wine pairings or a flight of different varieties of pisco, the native brandy of Peru.

On the Amazonia side of the restaurant on the floor above Causa, patrons pick from an à la carte menu of snacks, cold and hot main dishes, and decadent desserts. An interesting aspect of the menu is the selection of anticuchos, skewered meats, seafood, and vegetables that are a traditional street food staple in Andean regions. The small plates are served with peppery rocoto sauce or huacatay, a Peruvian condiment made with a black mint paste.

Chef Delgado leverages his contacts in Peru to source authentic ingredients and creates traditional dishes using fish caught closer to DC. His intelligent take on his native cuisine introduces a new world of fans to the food of Peru.

Keep scrolling for even more of this year’s notable restaurant openings!

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June 2022

Ravello Ristorante

36 Commerce St., Montgomery, AL 36104 • (334) 356-2852 
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Closed Sunday and Monday

Montgomery, AL, has long been considered a solid restaurant town, but it’s best known for working-class food like barbecue and biscuits, along with the iconic 100+-year-old downtown Greek weiner joint, Chris’ Hot Dogs. The capital of Alabama is entering the conversation of Southern culinary centers thanks to an influx of fine dining options, and Ravello Ristorante is a stellar addition to the list of destination restaurants in the city.

The latest offering from Vintage Hospitality Group is an homage to the simple but delicious food of the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Relying on his experience working in the region, Colorado-born chef Eric Rivera brings a level of authenticity to the menu of seafood and pasta dishes alongside a couple of beefy options.

Housed in the lovingly-restored 1920s City Fed bank building downtown, Ravello reflects the history of the city as well as the aura of Italy within the architecture. The two-level main dining area is accented by opulent plaster crown molding and a massive mural of the Amalfi Coast to help set the mood for diners. Choice seats on the upper level offer views of the action below and a little more privacy than the bustling main floor of the 140-seat restaurant.

You can’t have a great Italian restaurant without a robust wine list. Ravello’s collection of wines from all over Italy, as well as other Old World and New World offerings, is unrivaled in the area. Educated wine stewards are happy to suggest a glass or bottle to accompany your entrée or help you plot a course for the entire meal.

The dinner menu kicks off with a deep selection of small plates, including several crudos of Gulf seafood and other international fishes. Included among the crudos is a cappesante, Italian for “scallops.” Unlike most crudos, which are served uncooked, the scallops have a lovely quick sear on them, and their natural sweetness is complemented by nuanced fennel pollen and citrusy lemon oil. A more traditional crudo option is the red snapper dish with a cold lemon granita and basil.

Smoked meats are part of the antipasti options, with a tasting of different ages of prosciutto as a real highlight. Lighter antipasti choices include house-baked focaccia with single-origin olive oil, fried artichoke, and stuffed squash blossoms, in addition to delightful little seafood and ricotta agnolotti with spicy chili-crab butter.

The kitchen at Ravello stays busy making a myriad of pasta, including short, thick scialatielli noodles served with an assortment of seafood such as shrimp, clams, and mussels, plus tomatoes and a touch of lemon and parsley. Mafalda is a shape you probably can’t make at home, but the wide pasta with wavy edges is perfect for grabbing the assorted exotic mushrooms, arugula, and truffle cream sauce that adorn the Mafaldine al Forno entrée.

If you’re a fan of bolognese, you must try Ravello’s version made with rich and slightly gamey (in a good way) wild boar. This dish is a Tuscan classic, served over pappardelle and under a sprinkling of fresh parmesan. Hollow bucatini is the vessel for two other traditional dishes, Cacio e Pepe, which is like the essence of mac n’ cheese, and a rich tomato amatriciana preparation with pork cheek meat and parmesan Reggiano.

Moving past the pasta to the secondi, Ravello’s menu starts with two beef dishes, a Fred Flintstone-sized porterhouse Bistecca alla Fiorentina and a more delicate filet served with a buffalo blue cheese brulée. But it’s in this part of the menu where the seafood really shines. An open fire adds the perfect kiss of smoke to a charred octopus entrée with Calabrian chili and salsa verde, as well as a roasted whole branzino, the mild white bass of Europe. Gulf snapper receives the Italian royal treatment thanks to the addition of olive oil and briny capers.

Finish your meal at Ravello with selections from their highly talented pastry team, ranging from tiramisu to a chocolate mint and pine nut panna cotta. A cocktail from the bar’s Amari-centric menu also makes for a fine digestivo after your multi-course adventure, and it’s totally fine to order a glass of amaro alongside or instead of dessert. Either way, you’ll go home happy!

Oreatha’s at The Point

2287 Cascade Rd., Unit C, Atlanta, GA 30311 • (404) 228-4852 
Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5  p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday

Beloved Atlanta chef Deborah VanTrece has earned a vaunted reputation through the years for the innovative combinations of Southern and international flavors that have been featured at her Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours on the northwest corner of town. Chef Deborah developed her global attitude toward cooking during her prior career as an international flight attendant, where she dug deeper into local cuisines than the average tourist was willing to try.

The result is a new style of comfort food showcased in her latest restaurant, Oreatha’s at The Point, on the south side of I-20 in the Cascade Parks neighborhood. Named after her grandmother, Oreatha’s features homey meals like mom would make — providing, of course, that mom had extensive experience with Thai, Middle Eastern, and Continental cuisine.

Billed as an upscale casual restaurant, Oreatha’s requests that patrons dress to impress and limit cell phone usage during service so that everyone can concentrate on what’s on the plate. The interior fits in nicely with the elevated casual attitude, attractively appointed with earth tones and comfy seating. A stop at the bar before brunch or dinner is always a good idea because that’s where beverage director Kursten Berry has put together an interesting menu of international wines by the glass and a fun cocktail list with options like the Steel Magnolias with watermelon/basil vodka, elderflower liqueur, and bubbles or the Sombra de mi Madre, a rye-based cocktail with tangy sumac, chocolatey mole bitters and a splash of malbec, reminiscent of the popular New York Sour.

To help create and execute her menu, Deborah has recruited chef Christian “Lucke” Bell to run the kitchen at Oreatha’s. Chef Lucke has plenty of experience with global cuisine, especially Afro-Caribbean flavors, from his stint at Rock Steady.

Weekend brunch is a great chance to check out the food at Oreatha’s because traditional morning dishes receive the Deborah VanTrece treatment with a liberal sprinkling of global ingredients. Sure, catfish is on the menu, but this particular version is made Tod Mun Pla-style after a traditional Thai fish cake. Oreatha’s catfish is spiked with tamarind hot sauce and served with creamy herb and cheese grits.

Biscuits and gravy are a Southern staple at brunch, but at Oreatha’s, those biscuits are made with pink peppercorns, and the gravy is served over smoked duck. Take that, fast food chicken sandwiches! More traditional (but no less delicious) brunch fare on the Oreatha’s menu includes a pork piccata plate with marsala gravy and a Parisian steak under truffle bearnaise sauce served with hash and eggs.

A larger version of that steak dish also appears on the dinner menu, but you can make a meal out of an assortment of smaller plates, too. Don’t miss out on the creative bread service, which is like a trip around the globe in a bread basket. Hot water cornbread is a Southern classic in danger of disappearing from menus, but these corncakes are a historical treat. Add in servings of pillowy focaccia and naan flatbread — canvases on which to paint with Boursin cheese butter and sweet, earthy Richland rum syrup.

Oreatha’s smoky hummus also comes with an order of naan plus pita chips for dredging through the creamy purée, which would be a nice textural contrast with an order of tempura miso-fried artichokes, okra, and shishito peppers. For a more substantial small plate option, take a look at the smoked duck ravioli with carbonara sauce and crispy fried shallots.

Chef Lucke tells Deborah’s story of world travel and Southern roots expertly in a single salad, a dish of crunchy sliced collard leaves mixed with Tuscan Panzanella and creamy burrata. Another excellent dish for vegetarians, or really anybody, is the harissa-grilled cauliflower steak. The substantial dish is flavored with a West African-made sauce and served with chickpea crumblings, blistered heirloom tomatoes, and sautéed kale.

At the other end of the spectrum is a dish rarely seen in Southern restaurants, Schweinshaxe. This traditional German pork knuckle plate is made with lamb shank at Oreatha’s, and it leans into its provenance thanks to a sultry chocolate stout demiglace, spaetzle made with sweet potatoes, and charred cabbage. Das ist gut! Also excellent is chicken cooked in a Moroccan tagine served with marinated olives, crispy chickpeas, and veggie saffron rice pilaf.

Oreatha’s at The Point is the sort of restaurant where you can read the chef’s life story on the menu, and Chef Deborah and her team can surely be proud of what they have accomplished!

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May 2022

La Stella Cucina Verace

2330 Flora St., Ste. 150, Dallas, TX 75201 • (469) 663-7800 
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday through Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to midnight; closed Sunday

In Italian, “verace” means “authentic,” and at the new La Stella Cucina Verace that opened in March in the Dallas Arts District, they strive to offer a true taste of Italy to residents of The Big D. Italian-born chef Luigi Iannuario received his formal culinary training in Milan, and then his practical education continued in Michelin-starred kitchens in Europe and America. He even served as executive sous chef for famed designer Giorgio Armani in Milan.

So when it comes to “verace,” Chef Luigi knows what that entails. In his new 5000-square foot restaurant, it means fresh, seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients used to create classic regional Italian cuisine. La Stella also boasts one of the most extensive lists of Italian wines in the state of Texas, where everything is bigger anyway. Famed producers from the wine regions of Tuscany, Piedmont, Abruzzo, and more make appearances on the wine list with older vintages that are rare to find on this side of the pond. Cocktail fans can take a trip to Italy with treats like the June Second made with Aperol, Cynar, Solerno blood orange liqueur, and Prosecco or the Via Flora 23 featuring Italian Malfy Gin, Italicus lemon, lavender, and egg white, along with numerous options of Negronis, Stellinis, and Spritzes.

The restaurant’s contemporary design features flashes of color and sleek graphics interspersed with natural accents like a wall of greenery. The lounge hosts local music artists on weekends to pay homage to the surrounding Arts District it calls home.

Appetizers are straight ahead classics like Che Bufala, buffalo mozzarella from Campania served with pesto, olive oil, and aged balsamic. Cheese and salumi plates are very Tuscan, and the Carpaccio al Tartufo offers a decadent treat of thinly-sliced tenderloin served with earthy wild mushrooms, black truffle, and a parmesan-Reggiano foam.

Chef Iannuario offers contemporary twists on ancient recipes throughout the menu, including signature dishes like Carciofi Alla Romana (with Roman-style artichokes, pecorino fonduta, and taggiasche olives), Agnolotti Pizzicati (ossobuco-filled agnolotti, butter and sage sauce, and a veal reduction), Risotto Oro, Cotoletta di Vitello, and the amusingly named ‘UPurp (Mediterranean octopus, cooked sous vide and then charred and served with Italian olives, potatoes, and ‘nduja).

This being Texas and all, La Stella also offers impressive dry-aged steaks, including a 36 oz. 28-day dry-aged Bistecca Fiorentina and a 14 oz. boneless ribeye of Westholme Australian Wagyu beef. Selections of charcoal-grilled fish plates change to reflect the freshest seafood coming into the kitchen.

The Dolci section of the menu is a sweet lover’s delight, including a selection of seasonal gelati and sorbetti, plus classics like cannoli, tiramisu, and panna cotta. If you’re still not comfortable taking international flights yet, let La Stella Cucina Verace take you on a short Italian vacation.

The Grey Market + The Diner Bar

The Grey Market: 501 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 70701 • (737) 257-3028
Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Diner Bar: 501 Brazos Street, Austin, TX 70701 • (737) 257-3047
Hours: Bar — daily, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; dinner — daily, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Mashama Bailey and Johno Morisano are the chef/restaurateur geniuses behind Grey Spaces. This small restaurant group jumped onto the national scene with the opening of The Grey in Savannah almost a decade ago.

Situated in a meticulously remodeled art deco Greyhound bus station from 1938, which was still racially segregated when it closed in the late 60s, The Grey earned Bailey a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2019 for her soulful approach to Southern cuisine. The restaurant was named Best Restaurant in America by Eater in 2017, and Bailey and Morisano published an acclaimed book about their relationship as business partners and the founding of the restaurant called “Black, White, and the Grey.”

So you can see why Austin eaters are so excited that the dynamic duo has set their sights on the Texas capital with a pair of new eateries located on the ground level of the Thompson Hotel downtown. One is a casual counter-service spot called The Grey Market, named after the similar project Bailey and Morisano opened in Savannah. The second is an all-day (well, soon-to-be-all-day) full-service restaurant and bar called The Diner Bar. Both feature culinary inspiration from Bailey and Morisano’s dedication to the top-notch hospitality that has made Grey Spaces so successful.

Both spots share some of the deco-style design elements of the Savannah properties, thanks to inspiration from the Parts and Labor Design team, who also worked on the original pair of restaurants. Known for its custom lighting designs, Parts and Labor has brought contemporary panache to the otherwise utilitarian space.

The lunch counter is the place to be, nestled into bucket-seat bar stools as talented cooks dish out elevated diner classics like hash and eggs, biscuit sandwiches, fish and grits, a fried oyster loaf, and a far-from-home treat of a Lowcountry Breakfast — two eggs any style, breakfast meat (bacon or sausage,) creamy grits, a fluffy biscuit and your choice of seasonal jams.

The obvious lunchtime choice is The Grey Market Burger, a single or double beef patty griddled with caramelized onions, pickles, cheese, and comeback sauce on a housemade potato bun with potato wedges, but don’t overlook the Fried Chicken Sandwich. The chicken breast is breaded with panko and then fried to golden perfection, or you can order it blackened if you’re into fancy foods. (But then we have to ask, why are you eating at a diner?)

Speaking of fried chicken, the Sunday special of a five-piece chicken meal starts at noon and goes until they run out of yardbird. It’s served with two slices of Pullman bread, which is like an American version of pain de mie, along with bread and butter pickles. It’s the weekend treat you deserve.

If you don’t have time to sit at the counter, The Grey Market also offers a grab-and-go service for items like ready-made sandwiches, spreads, pimento cheese, and side dishes like old-school potato salad, roasted beets, and giant lima beans with roasted pepper, garlic confit, and olive oil. Pantry staples are also available for your shopping pleasure, including some of the ingredients they use in the kitchen at The Grey Market. A bottle of their flavor-infused vinegar would make for a great edible souvenir.

The Diner Bar is currently open for bar service beginning at 4 p.m. and dinner an hour later, but plans are to become an all-day full-service restaurant in the near future. In the meantime, Austinites are discovering chef Bailey’s inspired take on classic Southern dishes (as executed by her hand-picked chef de cuisine Kristine Kittrell) during the dinner hour.

Like the other Grey Spaces establishments, The Diner Bar exudes a cool retro vibe, with attractive mid-century modern furnishings and intentionally faded leather booths creating a sense of history in the new space. Large front windows allow plenty of natural light to illuminate the dining area and a horseshoe-shaped bar draws convivial crowds to enjoy cocktails like the vodka and Aperol-based Graffiti Park (named after an Austin landmark) or classics like the Vieux Carré.

It’s easy — and smart — to make a meal out of the bar snacks at The Diner Bar. Heck, the restaurant’s name is “diner” and “bar,” so they’re begging you to eat and drink there. Start with some Fried Ugali, delightful little starch balls from Africa served with rich salsa macha. Chef Bailey brought a little bit of the Lowcountry with her in the form of Savannah Rice Balls, perfect for dipping in the accompanying Green Goddess dressing. Seafood features prominently on the bar menu with daily assortments of oysters identified by scrawling their names on the sides of the open displays filled with ice and suggested vodka flights and caviar pairings. The Diner Bar also offers Shrimp Cocktail and a fish dip made with smoked sturgeon and a sauce gribiche. The showstopper of the bar snacks is a Crab Louie dish, popularly known as “the king of salads.” Chef Kitrell’s execution of this classic Southern salad dresses it with tangy comeback sauce for a taste of Mississippi.

If you opt for a full dinner meal at The Diner Bar, the hits keep on coming. A crispy Chicken-Fried Quail dish is plated with white grits and a coffee demiglace that cuts through the creamy grits and crispy quail. Fare from the sea is also highlighted on the dinner menu with choices like Whole-Grilled Fish featuring the freshest market option of the day, Shrimp and Carolina Gold Rice with ham and peas, or Pan-Seared Trout under brown butter sauce.

Hotel guests are always looking for a great steak, and The Diner Bar obliges with a huge ribeye with fancy mushrooms and herbaceous maître d’ butter. Delicate Lamb Crepinette sausages served with creamy pureed potatoes and braised greens are another nice option. The kitchen staff shows off their spaghetti chops with a Country Pasta topped with an egg yolk and black pepper sauce, aged parm, and house-cured pork belly — like a re-imagined version of carbonara.

It’s admirable how Bailey and Morisano have exported their Savannah sensibilities to Texas while still shining a spotlight on Gulf seafood instead of Atlantic options. Maintaining a sense of place for The Diner Bar and The Grey Market within the framework of the Grey Spaces model is quite an accomplishment, and Austin should welcome their new neighbors’ efforts!

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April 2022

a’Verde Cocina and Tequila Bar

2300 Walnut St, Cary, NC 27518 • (984) 200-3469
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Chef Katsuji Tanabe moved to the Raleigh area and, unfortunately, opened a new restaurant in town just a few months before the pandemic forced him to close. The “Top Chef” alum quickly decided to move on and start planning his next venture in nearby Cary. The result is a’Verde, a restaurant that draws inspiration from the chef’s upbringing in Mexico City combined with the bounty of delicious ingredients available in the Carolinas.

Tanabe combines Carolina proteins and produces to create dishes that definitely have plenty of Mexican influences but genuinely represent a fusion of cuisines born from the chef’s constantly experimenting mind. The melting pot he has dreamed up encourages diners to give themselves over to the whims of the kitchen without relying on preconceived notions of what they think Mexican food should be.

The interior of a’Verde reflects the restaurant’s name, filled with greenery and hanging flowers that create the effect of dining in an indoor garden. Warm wood is an integral part of the decor, and whimsical murals add splashes of color to the pastoral setting.

The tequila library represents one of the largest collections of agave spirits in the region, and the cocktail menu features tequila as the base of many of the most inventive drinks. The beer menu features many Mexican selections and domestics, and a tight wine list offers options by the bottle or by the glass.

Currently open for dinner, a’Verde offers a mix of small plates and composed dishes to build a meal around. Starters include Tanabe’s grandma’s 1950s recipe for cornbread accompanied by honey truffle butter, a tableside guacamole presentation for sharing, and ceviche tostada or roasted oysters for seafood lovers. What would seem to be a straightforward North Carolina dish of crispy pork rinds and kale is given a little Latin flair by adding a cilantro-lime ranch sauce.

The main dishes also lean heavily on local ingredients with whimsical Mexican accents, highlighted by an NC trout dish served with green and red adobo sauce. Enchiladas are available stuffed with chicken or root vegetables and delicately sauced. The star of the large plates has to be the cochinita pibil — a preparation of tender pork braised in miso, chayote, sour orange, and aromatic spices until it falls off the bone to be spooned into corn tortillas at the table.

While many Mexican restaurant fans rarely look past beans and rice as side dishes, a’Verde highlights local produce with an excellent array of veggie accompaniments. Okra is cooked until it blisters, and then it’s served with lemon, tamari, and basil aioli to add herbaceousness, acid, and umami. Brussel sprouts benefit from a spicy chipotle-wasabi butter, and cauliflower stands in for the usual pork in an al pastor side dish with pineapple, cilantro, and pickled onions.

Tanabe is particularly proud of his pastry program, boasting dishes like mini churros with Nutella, dulce de leche flan, and tres leches cake with macerated raspberries and blackberries. Pair any of those desserts with a sippable añejo from the tequila library for the perfect end to a meal at a’Verde.

Adele’s

525 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 • (470) 890-1700
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Closed Sunday and Monday

Chef Jonathan Waxman won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York and then set his sights on Nashville with the opening of adelesnashville.com in 2014. Named in honor of the chef’s beloved mother and her love of seasonal cooking, the original Adele’s was built in a former auto repair shop in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood, an area on the verge of becoming a dining destination for tourists and locals alike. Chef Waxman figured, “why mess with success?” He decided to re-create the concept in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward — another rapidly growing neighborhood. He even found another old garage to refurbish for the new Adele’s, combining the industrial gestalt of the former service bays with warm and modern decor.

It’s only appropriate that large garage doors open to create a welcoming indoor/outdoor ambiance that stretches almost the entire length of the front of the restaurant. The energy of that environment flows through those doors and around an inviting bar bedecked with greenery, then into the main dining area with a view of the open kitchen. That’s where the talented staff prepares California cuisine and rustic Italian dishes using crackling wood-burning ovens and grills.

Given her experience as co-chef at the Nashville location, Adele’s has tapped Hannah Young as Executive Chef. Though she brings her own enthusiasm to the project, Hannah has learned to execute Chef Waxman’s vision of “farm-to-fork” cuisine, including several signature dishes like his roasted chicken with salsa verde and crispy roasted potatoes with rosemary and pecorino cheese.

Other favorite carryovers from the Nashville menu include whole roasted fish dishes that will change with the fishing seasons, a lemony plate of gnocchi, and a standout kale salad with anchovy dressing, cheese, and bread crumbs. Young is also bringing new ideas to the Atlanta kitchen with dishes such as a confit of duck with grape gastrique and a purée of cauliflower, a version of the ubiquitous shrimp and grits dish (made better by charring the shrimp and serving them over creamy grits with gouda and pancetta), and a smoked short rib that takes full advantage of the fires in the kitchen and accompaniments of mustard greens and fried shallots.

Of all the desserts offered, the chocolate budino with whipped cream and cocoa nibs is probably the most popular, but don’t overlook the tart and creamy coconut cake with buttercream and lime, because that one’s a winner, too!

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March 2022

Sexy Fish

1001 S. Miami Ave., Miami, FL 33130 • (305) 889-7888
Hours: Sunday through Wednesday, noon to midnight; Thursday through Saturday, noon to 2 a.m.

Restaurant profiles often throw around the word “stunner” like Olive Garden passes out free breadsticks, but in the case of the new Sexy Fish in Miami, the term “stunning” is indeed an apt descriptor. The restaurant’s second outpost from Richard Caring, owner of many of London’s most fashionable restaurants, Sexy Fish, joins Central London’s original location as an opulent addition to Miami’s dining scene.

Located in the hot Miami neighborhood of Brickell, Sexy Fish features dazzling decor. This collection includes 10 unique pieces of art by world-renowned artist Damien Hirst and 26 custom lamps designed by Frank Gehry, the architect/designer behind such significant works as Chicago’s Millennium Park and Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

Inspired by Sexy Fish’s mid-century brasserie gestalt and a playful nod to ocean motifs, diners find themselves gawking at whimsical mermaid sculptures and twinkling mosaics made up of literally millions of pieces of colorful glass. The oceanic vibe extends into the restrooms. The ladies’ room features sinks sculpted upon mermaid tails and the men’s room showcasing a pink onyx octopus alongside a statue of iconic actor Daniel Craig dressed in scuba gear.

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The art extends from the walls to the plate at Sexy Fish, where Chef Director Bjoern Weissgerber has created a menu focused on Asian-inspired seafood, most notably Japanese nigiri, maki, and sashimi. Some dishes made the trip across the pond from England, including signature plates like smoked tuna belly, crispy tempura mushrooms, and a delightful presentation of king crab and bone marrow accented with a shower of shaved Périgord black truffles.

Other dishes have been designed specifically with Miami in mind, including Sexy Gold Fish and Crispy Caviar, a plate of marinated cod sprinkled with gold flakes and finished on a Japanese robata grill. It’s unusual for such a hip restaurant to be open for lunch, but Sexy Fish offers a surprisingly affordable midday menu. It boasts items like Bloody Mary ceviche, seafood bowls, and a prix fixe option that includes a choice of four small plates plus dessert.

The after-dinner menu at Sexy Fish offers a tight list of luxurious desserts, but we strongly suggest you opt for the Sexy Ever After platter to sample a little bit of all of them. Drink options revolve around a well-curated wine list plus cocktails described as “theatrical” — the perfect accompaniment to the restaurant’s late-night entertainment featuring exotic costumes, mermaid dancers, international DJs, and more on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

You know an eatery will be popular when they get Mary J. Blige to perform at the sneak peek event before opening, and that’s precisely what happened at Sexy Fish last December. So, get dressed to impress and be seen around the scene at Sexy Fish!

Toussaint Downtown Brasserie

1907 Elm St., Dallas, TX 75201 • (214) 765-2311
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Named in honor of the beloved late New Orleans singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint, the new Toussaint Brasserie represents an international melange of culinary styles in downtown Dallas. Located in the newly rebranded Renaissance Hotel Saint Elm, Toussaint Brasserie features a menu of French bistro classics accented with Asian influences and a slice of New Orleans flair.

A mixture of French colonial and provincial cuisine with the obvious Franco influences of New Orleans creole cooking, the combination of cultures isn’t as odd as it might sound. French brasseries were popular in both Paris and Vietnam in the early 20th century, and that’s more of the vibe that Toussaint Brasserie is going for.

The decor of the 100+ seat restaurant is restrained, emphasizing neutral tones with wood and brass accents to create a calm environment that still feels cozy and welcoming. Seating options include smaller tables and booths, a 16-seat bar area, and a banquette for optional bottle service from the bar.

RELATED: 2 New Orleans Hotels: Modern Charm + Old-World Elegance

New Orleans takes the lead when it comes to the cocktail options, of course, featuring Big Easy classics like the Boulevardier, Vieux Carre, Corpse Reviver, and Sazerac, along with more obscure choices like a unique hybrid NOLA-Groni with a hint of earthy and rooty Peychaud Apertivo. A nice selection of wines is also available both by the glass and the bottle, and bubbles for that bottle service.

The food menu is shaped around shareables and encourages diners to select a few options from the hors d’oeuvres and entrée sections of the menu to allow for communal sampling. Expect French classics like gougères with raspberry moutarde, steak tartare, and a raclette presentation from the apps menu. Main dishes that wow include moules frites, and rich, slow-cooked boeuf bourguignon.

The house specialties have got to be the steak frites served with a cornichon and caper-studded salsa persillade and the fusion lobster thermidor red curry — particularly since the dish’s traditional wine sauce is augmented with coconut milk, lime, and Thai basil.

For a smaller meal (especially if you’re not in a sharing mood), pair a tureen of Toussaint’s cheesy French onion soup gratinée with a sandwich from the menu’s “between the baguette” section. To keep patrons coming back, Toussaint Brasserie offers a rotating list of plats du jour Sunday through Thursday, worth writing down in ink on your calendar. From Sunday’s delicate puff pastry chicken truffle pot pie to Wednesday’s pork belly ramen and Thursday’s classic coq au vin, there’s sure to be something to draw your eye among the daily specials.

Here’s to new dining adventures!

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