ATLANTA — OpenTable has scoured its user reviews once again to determine America’s connoisseurs of Southern cuisine − from the specialists of shrimp and grits to the champions of chicken and waffles.
On Tuesday, the dining review site released its highly-anticipated list of the 50 best Southern restaurants in America for 2018, which span across 14 states and Washington, D.C. One of Atlanta's favorite Southern and savory spots made it onto the elite list.
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The top 50 list stems from OpenTable’s 12 million diner reviewers’ critiques of more than 27,000 restaurants. The compilation of restaurants, based off of reviews between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018, consider all restaurants in the “Southern” cuisine category with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration, according to an OpenTable press release. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to their overall food rating.
Southern states, as one would guess, dominated the list, with 10 states of the South making an appearance this year. Georgia has an impressive showing on the this year’s compilation, with five of the state’s best Southern eateries listed.
Atlanta's own South City Kitchen, which opened in Midtown more than 20 years ago, was listed as one of the 50 best Southern restaurants in the country. With locations in Vinings, Buckhead, Midtown and recently opened Alpharetta, the restaurant has shown its taste and staying power in metro Atlanta. Apart of Atlanta's Fifth Group, which includes restaurants like La Tavola Trattoria and Ecco, the restaurant offers a glimpse into "Southern cooking now," Fifth Group partner Robby Kukler told the AJC in 2016.
“We’ve always said South City is authentic but it has some modern flair,” he said. “It’s also about Southern hospitality. We thought, especially in this big, high-rise glass building, that it was very important to bring some warmth and a homey feel that ties into that. And like in a home, you can experience different things in different rooms.”
OpenTable diners are feeling South City’s Southern hospitality.
“While winning restaurants are sprinkled throughout the nation, spots in southern states rightfully dominate the list, which works as a handy guide for travelers who want to eat their way through the region,” said Caroline Potter, OpenTable's chief dining officer said in a release.
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Take a look at the entire list of the 50 best Southern restaurants in America in 2018, according to OpenTable diners, below:
– Augusta, Georgia
– Washington, D.C.
– Auburn , Alabama
Alligator Soul – Savannah, Georgia
– Charleston, South Carolina
– Flowery Branch, Georgia
– New Orleans, Louisiana
– New York
– New Orleans, Louisiana
– Houston, Texas
– Birmingham, Alabama
– New Orleans
– Charleston, South Carolina
– San Antonio, Texas
– Tallahassee, Florida
– Lexington, Kentucky
– Charlotte, North Carolina
– Austin, Texas
– West Chester, Pennsylvania
– Orlando, Florida
– Birmingham, Alabama
– Birmingham, Alabama
– Addison, Texas
– Nashville, Tennessee
– Charlotte, North Carolina
– Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
– Highlands, North Carolina
– Raleigh, North Carolina
– Blue Island, Illinois
– Lexington, Kentucky
– Nashville, Tennessee
– Winston-Salem, North Carolina
– New Orleans
– New Orleans
– Savannah, Georgia
– St. Augustine, Florida
– Dallas, Texas
– Pensacola, Florida
– New Orleans, Louisiana
– New Orleans, Louisiana
– New York, New York
– Alexandria, Virginia
– Wilmington, North Carolina
South City Kitchen – Multiple locations
– Houston, Texas
– Simpsonville, South Carolina
– Buffalo, New York
– Nashville, Tennessee
– New Orleans
– Multiple locations
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