It’s never just about the steak. Period. Think about it: You can cook a killer steak at home and fuss over it more than the chef de cuisine cooking up 25 at a time. Granted, you may not be buying primo cuts for the outdoor grill. So, sure, the beef matters. But a great steakhouse is about so much more than the meat of the matter. It’s about the experience—the place people automatically think about when they want to celebrate, feel like royalty, or even a little bit like a gangster. It’s Americana with a side of nostalgia and pomp—the mood lighting, white-tablecloth service, serious wine and whiskey, sides built for sharing, and the unmistakable sense that whatever brought you through the door is worth celebrating. And in Raleigh, the vibe is precisely the point, as our steakhouses serve up their own wildly distinct takes—from literal icons and old-school institutions to opulent newcomers rewriting the rules. So what makes a chophouse one of the greats? We went beyond the beef to find out. Consider this your definitive guide to Raleigh’s local steakhouses—plus one regional spot worthy of a nod—and everything that makes each one worth its salt.
Photo by Sunny Circle Studio
The Peddler Northwest Raleigh If you like: a healthy dose of nostalgia Here for a good time and a long time (nee 1969), The Peddler is like a time machine of Raleigh’s past. Though recently undergoing a remodel, the Barefoot family-owned and -run institution’s signature saloon-style wood walls remain, complemented by plaid wallpaper, green couches and curtains, and artwork tracing back through the family’s history. So, same steaks, same values… just a little more seasoning. And if those wooden walls could talk, they’d tell you all about how The Peddler’s steaks are aged for a minimum of 28 days for ultimate flavor and tenderness—and cut at your table upon request. Or how the rare salad bar remains one of the best in Oak City, and the full bar has its own dedicated following. Or how owner Gale Barefoot started as a dishwasher at 19 before working his way up to overseeing the entire restaurant operation just a few years later—while his wife, Joyce, answered phones, worked the floor and greeted customers until her death in 2013. With their daughters and other family members working alongside them over the years, longtime staff have become just as much a part of The Peddler as the prime rib, porterhouse, salmon and bone-in pork chop.
Franko’s Prime North Raleigh If you like: swagger without the stuffiness North Raleigh’s answer to the modern steakhouse is what happens when The Godfather trades the backroom for ambiance. Instead of disappearing into a dark room over a cigar and a secret agenda, relative newcomer Franko’s reads swagger over stuffy—swapping the requisite steakhouse shadows for greenery, cozy white chairs, landscape art and an airy room that could just as easily host discreet business dealings as date night. Opening early this year in Lafayette Village, Franko’s raises the stakes on a new gen of steakhouses with a mix of attitude and grace. And behind it is Nunzio Scordo, the restaurateur who made a name for himself as owner of Raleigh’s Driftwood Cantina, and later, alongside his partners, at Franko’s Italian Steakhouse in Franklinton—before bringing that experience full circle for his latest act. Because this isn’t your grandfather’s steakhouse. The beef still means business—filet, rib-eye and strip anchor a program built around Prime sourcing, dry-aging and precision—but so do the rule-breakers. The loaded chicken Parm, dry-aged burger and meatloaf have amassed their own fan club along the way, proof the new-school steakhouse doesn’t have to take itself quite so seriously. Just Prime cuts, prime craftsmanship, prime service—and a damn fine steak.
Calling Card: New-school Franko’s has some old-school steakhouse cred behind the bar, tapping celebrated local bartender Jules Trest to run the bar program.
Photo by Jessica Crawford
Crawford Brothers Steakhouse Fenton If you like: the lap of luxury The Crawford name doesn’t miss: Brand a resto—and watch the people pour in. But that hasn’t always been the case. Growing up, renowned chef and restaurateur Scott Crawford says the term “Crawford brothers” didn’t exactly carry cachet—“we were trouble,” he admits. Decades later, he reclaimed the name alongside brother Steve for what might be his most personal—and opulent—foray yet: a modern steakhouse rooted in both redemption and nostalgia for the places they dined as kids. And what a glow-up it is. Crawford Brothers turns dinner into theater, from the floor-to-ceiling “glass curtain” and curvilinear cocktail bar to the open kitchen, wine library and dry-aging room—a level of cinematic drama that leaves you half expecting Brad Pitt and George Clooney to stroll in and start planning their next heist. But behind the spectacle is substance: Prime aged steaks, wagyu by the ounce, towering seafood, a killer bev program and the impeccably polished service that has become a Crawford signature. It’s everything Americans love about the classic steakhouse, run through Crawford’s relentlessly modern lens—and proof the brothers have come a hell of a long way from “trouble.”
Calling Card: When Crawford Brothers opened, it became the first locally born traditional steakhouse to debut in 20 years.
Photos by Andrew Cebulka
Oak Steakhouse Warehouse District If you like: a regional brand with a local feel We know—Oak is “regional.” But it’s not just any old steakhouse chain—its flagship Charleston outpost helped launch restaurateur and four-time James Beard Award semifinalist Steve Palmer’s Indigo Road hospitality empire. Landing in Raleigh in 2019, the Warehouse District digs have enough local flavor to make you forget the Southeast origin. The only true DTR steakhouse, Oak has the kind of cool factor you’d expect from its address at The Dillon—exposed brick walls, warm lighting, floor-to-ceiling windows—paired with service personal enough to feel Raleigh-rooted. And the menu follows suit: The kitchen, helmed by executive chef Charles Stricklin, sources from a roster of NC farms and purveyors, folding local ingredients into the classic steakhouse playbook alongside Certified Angus Beef. And that playbook doesn’t stop at the usual suspects. Filet mignon, rib-eye, New York strip and hanger steak share the menu with a rule-breaking Prime NY strip meatloaf, proving Oak knows the rules well enough to play with them. The supporting cast gets equal billing, from practically mandatory Parkerhouse rolls to bone marrow frites and Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, backed by an expansive wine list befitting a proper steakhouse. Then there’s the bourbon (it is “Oak” after all): Sip it straight, barrel-aged in an old-fashioned or make a flight of it—the bar has become nearly as much a draw as the beef. After all, Oak may have Charleston roots, but this branch has gone decidedly local.
Calling Card: Backed by Seth Jarvis, the Canes right winger named Oak the best steakhouse in town.
Angus Barn Northwest Raleigh If you like: history with a side of pomp & circumstance In the age of glitz and glam, Angus Barn remains gloriously, unmistakably itself: checkerboard tablecloths, creaky wood floors, antler chandeliers, firearms on display, even a Country Store and fresh red apples at the door—all in a literal iconic red barn. And really, nothing screams steakhouse lore more than opening reservations (and sometimes booking out) six months in advance. Close your eyes and point to any day on the calendar and this Raleigh institution is buzzing with regulars, the duo who drove hours to indulge in their first taste of fancy, couples celebrating engagements and colleagues carousing in the Wild Turkey Lounge. And while they come for the beef (Angus is in the name after all) and the Iron Chef legacy, it’s everything around it that makes the Barn “the Barn.” There’s the Meat Locker lounge, converted from the OG meat aging room to an old-style pub vibe, complete with lounge menu and firepit. And then there’s the award-winning wine cellar, cigar selects and, of course, those bougie bathrooms. It’s been this way since Thad Eure Jr. opened the barn doors 66 years ago to a wonderland of stained glass, cobblestone, antiques and artwork nodding to the city and the Eure family history—a legacy now carried on by daughter Van. Our forever order? The bacon-wrapped filet Oscar-style, followed by a spin of the dessert cart. Because some things were built to last.
Calling Card: Astronaut John Glenn is just one of the many famous faces who’ve taken their beef at the Barn.
Vinnie’sSteak House and Tavern North Raleigh If you like: feeling like you’re in a mafia movie “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” You can almost hear Ray Liotta’s voice as you cross the threshold—because if Al Pacino frequented a steakhouse, this would be it. Dark wood walls, white tablecloths, mood lighting and vintage leather chairs have been serving Goodfellas energy since 1987, when Vinnie’s first brought old-school steakhouse swagger to North Raleigh. And the name only adds to the lore—dubbed for WWE founder Vince McMahon, a former schoolmate of original owner Dusty Anderson, who reportedly helped bankroll the restaurant by lending Anderson the money to buy it. Decades later, the connection came full circle when WWE legend Jim Ross gave Vinnie’s a shoutout during a live broadcast of Raw. Ever since, Vinnie’s has managed the trick of keeping that old-school swagger intact without getting stuck in it. Certified Angus beef remains the main event, backed by seafood, seasonal NC produce, a serious wine cellar and the classic steakhouse supporting cast—with complimentary deviled eggs that immediately let you know this place has its own rules and desserts sweet enough to woo you. Because apparently even gangsters have a soft side.
Calling Card: Longtime locals still swap stories of spotting pro wrestling legend “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair holding court in Vinnie’s over the years.
Rey’s West Raleigh If you like: fine dining with a French Quarter flair It’s one thing to put your name on a restaurant—and another to be the face of it. At Rey’s, that’s precisely the point. Proudly carrying founder A. Rey Arias’ name—one-half of the husband-wife team he shares with wife Cecilia—the steakhouse is a masterwork of a lifetime spent in the biz. Cuban-born, Rey cut his teeth in New Orleans at the ripe age of 15 before a stint at Ruth’s Chris brought him to Raleigh—and when it left, he stayed. Walk in and there’s a good chance you’ll find Rey doing exactly what Rey does: working the room and schmoozing the tables. More surprising is when he isn’t. That personal touch has been the standard since opening in 2004, built on the duo’s deceptively simple philosophy: Don’t compromise on quality—and give people a reason to come back. More than two decades later, the formula is thriving. The steakhouse blends classic fine-dining bones with French Quarter flair, with Rey dreaming up the menu and chef de cuisine Lupe Becerra working her magic in the kitchen—a partnership with its own origin story: Becerra started at Rey’s at just 17 and worked her way up to part owner. That shared history translates directly onto the plate, where Prime steaks and chops meet NOLA signatures like shrimp Orleans, crabmeat-stuffed flounder and grouper Lafayette, all in a dining room that feels polished without losing the warmth of the guy whose name is out front. Because at Rey’s, the owner isn’t just a name on the sign—he’s part of the experience. And clearly, it’s a family affair.
Calling Card: Save room for the show: Rey himself is known to roll up tableside and flambé his signature bananas Foster.
In a full-circle moment, the Hotel Indigo’s 20th-floor High Ground Lounge is now slinging classic ’tails and Southern-inspired fare high above DTR in a swanky atmosphere complete with primo skyline views.
Legends Nightclub’s, ahem, legendary move is complete, now in its new digs at West Cabarrus Street. The party never stops, indeed!
Pinkies up—Smoky Hollow is getting its first wine bar. The team behind Cuya will be replacing Hone-Sharpen’s sandwich counter Garlic Bay with The Deb, an all-day wine bar and lounge offering vino, spritzes and NA cocktails alongside a fusion tapas-style menu leaning Italian, French and Asian.
Find friends in low places (literally) at Low Bar, now open below Whiskey Kitchen. DTR’s newest neighborhood watering hole brings back the good old days of simply showing up for a drink—no scene required—with Tiki-inspired cocktails and THC bevs to boot.
Meet the newest kid on the Person Street block: Gallicchio’s Market & Eatery. Now open in the former (ish) delicatessen space, the Italian-inspired market and eatery offers housemade provisions to-go alongside made-to-order fare—from polpette and crostini to a rotating fish special and muffuletta—plus wine and beer.
Cafe Royale | Photo by Sean Junqueira
Like a “French trip down the rabbit hole,” French-inspired Cafe Royale has officially bowed at The Exchange. From Patrick Shanahan and the team behind Capulet Cocktail Club and Rosebud Cocktail Lounge, the all-day cafe dishes a bistro-inspired menu, pastries and lattes to linger over.
Cup A Joe is brewing up a third location just down the street from its OG outpost on Hillsborough Street at the former Crafty Crab.
Talk about the cat’s meow! Brookside’s newest bar and bodega Big Cat made The New York Times’ prestigious list of the 50 best restaurants in the country.
Michael’s English Muffins is moving on up—or, technically, over—having signed a lease to move a few doors down from Suite 114 to 110 while tripling its space. The bigger digs will give Michael’s room to grow both its retail side and booming wholesale business, which has already expanded into three other states.
Pour a smoothie out for The Bomb Bar. Less than two years after opening, the smoothie and health brand shuttered its Gateway Plaza location in October, stating that while the storefront is closing, they are “dreaming about what comes next.”
The newest member of North Hills’ lunch bunch, Standard Beer + Food’s NHID location is now serving daytime tacos, handhelds, salads and snacks seven days a week—plus weekday happy hour specials ($8 oyster shooters, anyone?).
Alcove | Photo by Matt Ramey
Your exclusive first look at the delicious sips and snacks on offer at Alcove is here. The all-day cafe and bar in the original stone garage at The Gables will soon serve coffee, cocktails and European-style picnic fare—with a little help from local faves Jubala Coffee, Escazu Chocolates, Boulted Bread and Little Blue Macaron.
Take home Cake Jefe? Say less. Lina’s Bakery Cafe—of LaGana fame—is offering a host of sweet tiered goodness. Think matcha pistachio tres leches, Oreo chocolate cake and The Guava Love for pickup.
You can have your cake and eat it too thanks to Bittersweet’s special-order cakes—a launch 12 years in the, well, baking.
Arepa Culture
It’s arepa time. Popular family-owned food truck Arepa Culture has opened its second brick-and-mortar at Six Forks Station Shopping Center, following the summer closure of its first.
Clean meets comfort at Little Barrow, a healthy bowl spot set to open its first location at Horseshoe at Hub RTP next year.
Slice, slice, baby! Winston-Salem’s Mission Pizza Napoletana earned a major national accolade, as National Geographic named it one of the best pizza spots in the country outside of New York and Chicago.
Bull City means big burger business. Downtown Durham establishment Bull City Burger & Brewery is expanding for the first time in 15 years, opening Bull City Burger Outpost #1 in the new Latta Park development in North Durham.
Forty years is a long time for a restaurant to stick around. But at Winston’s Grille, which just hit that milestone in October, perhaps the more remarkable number isn’t 40.
It might be 30—the roughly three decades General Manager Roger Carter has spent there. Or 20: the number of years busser Philip has been part of the team. Or even 10—the average tenure of a Winston’s employee. And apparently the staff aren’t the only ones with impressive tenure: The prime rib clocks in at 40 as well, a menu staple and crowd favorite since day one.
In an industry known for turnover, Winston’s has made something of an art out of staying. For four decades, its Sutton Square home has been the kind of place where you walk through the doors and there’s an immediate sense they’ve been expecting you. The large space unfolds into smaller gathering spots, a sunroom and an award-winning outdoor patio. Families gather around tables. Birthdays are celebrated. First dates become anniversaries. It’s where regulars request the same favorite table for years.
The menu has the same pull-up-a-chair energy. The lump crab-loaded Carolina crab dip rivals anything you’d get at the coast. The velvety shrimp and grits, piled with tomatoes, shallots, shiitake mushrooms and bacon, is a must-try—and chef Jamar Bryson’s go-to dish.
You really can’t go wrong with the menu… unless of course, you leave without having the homemade ice cream. And “homemade” isn’t used loosely. Founders Charles Winston and Wil O’Neal went all the way to Penn State’s famed Ice Cream Short Course to learn to make it themselves. Forty years later, it’s still spun from scratch right in Winston’s kitchen. Have it over bananas Foster, atop a warm brownie or simply in a pint to take home.
When you spend four decades welcoming people to the table, dinner becomes tradition, familiar faces become family, and somewhere along the way, a restaurant starts to feel a little like home.
So, swing on by, they’ve saved you a seat—and something tells me you might just stay awhile.
Michelin’s sophomore American South guide is official—and with it, three new stars, 14 newly minted Bib Gourmands and 31 fresh Recommendations join the celebrated ranks. NC nabbed 58 nods—trailing only the Atlanta selection and tying Tennessee for the most new recognitions. Meanwhile, Raleigh retained its 2025 honors, adding Ajja to the mix with a Bib.
Up from 228 last year, 265 restaurants across 44 cuisine types made the cut, with just 22 earning a coveted Michelin Star.
State-by-State Restaurant Selection | 2026 Behold the whole Michelin shebang—all 265 restaurants, organized by state and award distinction, with each lineup alphabetized for easy browsing. Look for “(new)” to spot the fresh additions to the 2026 list.
North Carolina | 58 restaurants | 11 new New: 4 Bibs, 7 Recs
One MICHELIN Star (1) Counter — 2001 W. Morehead St., Ste. D, Charlotte, North Carolina 28208
Bib Gourmand (11) Ajja (new) — 209 Bickett Blvd., Raleigh, North Carolina 27608 Ideal’s (new) — 2108 Angier Ave., Durham, North Carolina 27703 Lang Van — 3019 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte, North Carolina 28215 Little Chango — 134 Coxe Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Luminosa — The Flat Iron Hotel, 20 Battery Park Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Mala Pata — 2431 Crabtree Blvd., Ste. 102, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Mother — 244 Short Coxe Ave., #110, Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Prime Barbecue — 403 Knightdale Station Run, Knightdale, North Carolina 27545 Sam Jones BBQ — 502 W. Lenoir St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 The Story of “Mi Cariño”(new) — 1440 S. Tryon St., Ste. 100, Charlotte, North Carolina 28203 Tesoro(new) — 100 E. Weaver St., Carrboro, North Carolina 27510
Tesoro
Recommended (46) Addissae Ethiopian Restaurant — 48 Commerce St., Asheville, North Carolina 28801+ The Admiral — 400 Haywood Rd., Asheville, North Carolina 28806 Albertine(new) — 525 S. Tryon St., Ste. 125, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 All Day Darling — 102 Montford Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Brewery Bhavana — 218 S. Blount St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Brodeto — 2201 Iron Works Dr., Ste. 137, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Crawford and Son — 618 N. Person St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Customshop — 1601 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte, North Carolina 28204 Cúrate Bar de Tapas — 13 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Dampf Good BBQ — 6800 Good Hope Church Rd., Cary, North Carolina 27519 Ever Andalo — 3116 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, North Carolina 28205 The Fearrington House Restaurant — 230 Market St., Fearrington Village, Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312 Golden Hour — The Radical Asheville, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, 95 Roberts St., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Good Hot Fish — 10 Buxton Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Haberdish — 3106 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, North Carolina 28205 Hello Sailor — 20210 Henderson Rd., Cornelius, North Carolina 28031 Herons — The Umstead Hotel & Spa, 100 Woodland Pond Dr., Cary, North Carolina 27513 Jolie — 620 N. Person St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Kindred — 131 N. Main Street, Davidson, North Carolina 28036 L’Ostrica(new) — 4701 Park Rd. D., Charlotte, North Carolina 28209 Leo’s House of Thirst — 1055 Haywood Rd., Asheville, North Carolina 28806 Little Bull — 301 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham, North Carolina 27701 Little Mama’s — 4521 Sharon Rd., Charlotte, North Carolina 28211 Manna(new) — 123 Princess St., Wilmington, North Carolina 28401 Nanas — 2514 University Dr., Durham, North Carolina 27707 Native Fine Diner(new) — 907 Dickinson Ave., Greenville, North Carolina 27834 Nikos — 905 W. Main St., Unit 21B, Durham, North Carolina 27701 Omakase Experience by PrimeFish — 2907 Providence Rd., Ste. 101, Charlotte, North Carolina 28211 The Pit Authentic Barbecue — 328 W. Davie St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Poole’s — 428 S. McDowell St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Prime Fish — 11212 Providence Rd. W., Unit B, Charlotte, North Carolina 28277 Pump Social(new) — 24 Church St. NE, Concord, North Carolina 28025 Rada — 2820 Selwyn Ave., Ste 180, Charlotte, North Carolina 28209 Restaurant Constance — 2200 Thrift Rd., Charlotte, North Carolina 28208 Salita Pizza(new) — 615 S. 16th St., Ste. 130, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401 Seraphine — 324 Blackwell St., Ste. 4, Durham, North Carolina 27701 Soprana Rooftop Cucina — Embassy Suites Asheville Downtown, 192 Haywood St., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Spaghett(new) — 224 W. 10th St., Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar — 223 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Stanbury — 938 N. Blount St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Sunny Point Café — 626 Haywood Rd., Asheville, North Carolina 28806 Supperland — 1212 The Plaza, Charlotte, North Carolina 28205 Table — 18 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Tall John’s — 152 Montford Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801 Tamasha — 4200 Six Forks Rd., Ste. 130, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609 Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse — 121 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, North Carolina 28801
Two MICHELIN Stars (1) Emeril’s — 800 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
One MICHELIN Star (3) Dakar NOLA(new) — 937 Leonidas St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 Saint-Germain — 3054 Saint Claude Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70117 Zasu — 127 N. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70119
Dakar; Jeremy Tauriac
Bib Gourmand (12) Acamaya — 3070 Dauphine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70117 Cochon — 930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Cochon Butcher — 930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar — 5240 Annunciation St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Dooky Chase — 2301 Orleans Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70119 Hungry Eyes — 4206 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Lufu Nola — 301 Saint Charles Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Mister Mao — 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Parkway Bakery & Tavern — 538 Hagan Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70119 Saba — 5757 Magazine St., Ste. A, New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Safta’s Table(new) — 129 Allen Toussaint Blvd., Ste. 103, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124 Turkey and the Wolf — 739 Jackson Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Recommended (24)
Addis Nola — 2514 Bayou Rd., New Orleans, Louisiana 70119 Atchafalaya — 901 Louisiana Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Casimiro(new) — 800 Louisa St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70117 Clancy’s — 6100 Annunciation St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 Compère Lapin — The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, 535 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 The Crustacean Club(new) — 1036 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70116 Elsie’s Plate & Pie — 3145 Government St., Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806 Evviva(new) — 2600 Dauphine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70117 Feliciana Bistrôt and Bar(new) — 405 E. Gibson St., Covington, Louisiana 70433 Galatoire’s — 209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Herbsaint — 701 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Jewel of the South(new) — 1026 St. Louis St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 Killer PoBoys — 219 Dauphine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 The Kingsway — 4201 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 La Petite Grocery — 4238 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Molly’s Rise & Shine — 2368 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Osteria Lupo — 4609 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Patois — 6078 Laurel St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 Pêche — 800 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Restaurant August — 301 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 Saffron NOLA — 4128 Magazine St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70115 Saint Claire(new) — 1300 Richland Rd., New Orleans, Louisiana 70114 St. Francisville Inn & Restaurant — 5720 Commerce St., St. Francisville, Louisiana 70775 Willie Mae’s Nola — 898 Baronne St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70113
Recommended (10) Ajax Diner — 118 Courthouse Square, Oxford, Mississippi 38655 City Grocery — 152 Courthouse Sq., Oxford, Mississippi 38655 Maringouin(new) — The Roost Boutique Hotel, 604 Porter Ave., Ocean Springs, Mississippi 3956 Poppy Pies(new) — 800 Manship St., Ste. 106, Jackson, Mississippi 39202 Pulito Osteria — 800 Manship St., Ste. 104, Jackson, Mississippi 39202 Siren Social Club — Hotel Vela, 1409 24th Ave., Gulfport, Mississippi 39501 Snackbar — 721 N. Lamar Blvd., Oxford, Mississippi 38655 Taylor Grocery — 4A Depot St., Taylor, Mississippi 38673 Vestige — 715 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564 White Pillars — 1696 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, Mississippi 39531
South Carolina | 27 restaurants | 6 new New: 3 Bibs, 3 Recs
One MICHELIN Star (4) Malagón Mercado y Taperia — 33 Spring St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403 Scoundrel — 18 N. Main St., Greenville, South Carolina 29601 Vern’s — 41 Bogard St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403 Wild Common — 103 Spring St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403
Bib Gourmand (4) Leon’s Oyster Shop — 698 King St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403 Okàn(new) — 71 Calhoun St., Ste. 100, Bluffton, South Carolina 29910 Palmira(new) — 2366 Ashley River Rd., Charleston, South Carolina 29414 Rivayat Creative Indian(new) — 210 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, South Carolina 29403
Recommended (19) The Anchorage — 586 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina 29611 Cane Pazzo(new) — 1276 Yeamans Hall Rd., Hanahan, South Carolina 29410 Chubby Fish — 252 Coming St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403 Di Vino Rosso — 807 Gervais St., Ste. 100, Columbia, South Carolina 29201 The Establishment — 28 Broad St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 Fig — 232 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 Husk — 76 Queen St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 Jianna — 600 S. Main St., Ste. 200, Greenville, South Carolina 29601 Lewis Barbecue — 464 N. Nassau St., Charleston, South Carolina 29403 Lowland — The Pinch Hotel, 36 George St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 Merci(new) — 28 Pitt St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 Motor Supply Company — 920 Gervais St., Columbia, South Carolina 29201 Oak Prime — 4210 River Oaks Dr., Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29579 The Obstinate Daughter — 2063 Middle St., Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina 29482 Radici Italian Chophouse(new) — 4376 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton, South Carolina 29910 The Restaurant at Zero George — 0 George St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 Soby’s — 207 S. Main St., Greenville, South Carolina 29601 Sorelle — 88 Broad St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401 Topsoil Restaurant — 13 S. Main St., Travelers Rest, South Carolina 29690
There are few people who have that X factor—that thing that makes you feel truly heard and seen. That thing that makes you feel special. Frank was one of those people. For nearly 30 years, Frank Ballard was a familiar face—and friend to many—at Hayes Barton Cafe & Dessertery, the Five Points institution he built with his wife, Marget.
To call his death a loss for the community hardly captures it. When Frank unexpectedly passed away in August following a hospitalization with pneumonia, the outpouring of heartbreak was a testament to the life he’d spent showing up for others. Just months earlier, a serious accident at his home had left him with a life-changing spinal cord injury requiring round-the-clock care. Through it all, the community that Frank had embraced for decades rallied around him in return. “Alongside his wife, Marget, Frank has built more than a business,” the Hayes Barton team shared after his passing. “He has helped create memories for families, supported community fundraisers, and shown up time and again for others.” Frank built more than a restaurant. While his friendly face may no longer greet guests at the door, his generosity and warmth remain woven into a neighborhood beacon built as much around fellowship as food.
Rest easy, friend. Your legacy lives on. 🤍
Jesus Cabrera from RM’s 2025 Best Restaurants Awards
