14 Southern Restaurants Loved by Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain may have spent much of his television career traversing the globe in search of great food, but he also knew that some of the tastiest dishes could be found at home in the United States. One region that he was fascinated with was the American South, not only for its creative cuisine but also for its compelling and complicated history. The celebrity chef explored the South on numerous occasions for shows like “No Reservations,” “Parts Unknown,” and “The Layover.” Along the way, he discovered several restaurants that thoroughly impressed him.

Some of Bourdain’s favorite hidden gems in the U.S. can be found in Southern states like Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. They include everything from humble barbecue joints to hip and happening gastropubs and regional fast-food joints. Some serve local dishes that are about as traditional as you can get, while others take a modern approach to Southern cuisine and ingredients. At the end of the day, what really mattered to Bourdain was whether the food was truly good. If you want to follow in the footsteps of the late, great chef and television host, these are some of the Southern restaurants that Bourdain loved.

Located in Midtown Atlanta, Holeman and Finch Public House is all about scratch-made dishes featuring local and seasonal ingredients. Anthony Bourdain visited the restaurant on an episode of “The Layover” with his friend and fellow chef Sean Brock. There the duo sampled delicacies prepared by chef Linton Hopkins and his team. The visit prompted Bourdain to say, “The future of American dining — the next big thing? Probably happening south of the Mason-Dixon. It’s been happening for a while and it’s only going to get bigger and better.”

Bourdain and Brock indulged in a variety of dishes at Holeman and Finch including country ham served thinly sliced like prosciutto and deviled eggs done three ways with jalapeño, coppa, and bread and butter pickles. The most decadent dish by far though was Holeman and Finch’s famous double cheeseburger, which Bourdain called, “a very carefully built hamburger.” The burger is now a fixture on the menu and features two thin patties with shaved red onions, melted American cheese, and bread and butter pickles on a toasted white bun.

holeman-finch.com

(404) 948-1175

1201 Peachtree St NE Building 400, Suite #160, Atlanta, GA 30309

In Season 3 of “Parts Unknown,” Anthony Bourdain visited the Mississippi Delta. During his time there, he visited juke joints and ate at local eateries steeped in history. In his field notes for the show, Bourdain admits that the episode only scratched the surface of Mississippi. However, he said “I hope that viewers will get a taste of a uniquely beautiful place — where some of the last of some truly great American institutions are still alive … Where you can have an irony-free pig’s ear sandwich that will make you weep for joy.”

The Mississippi sandwich that Bourdain waxed lyrical about was from the Big Apple Inn on Farish Street in Jackson. It opened in 1939 when a Mexico City transplant named Juan Moras moved his tamale cart operation into a brick-and-mortar shop. Today, this no-frills spot is run by Moras’ great-grandson, Geno Lee. The restuarant is famous for its pig’s ear sandwiches dressed with coleslaw, mustard, and house-made hot sauce. After one bite, Bourdain said, “That is just hard to beat.” Other menu items include smoked sausage sandwiches, hot dogs, and tamales.

facebook.com/BigAppleInn/

(601) 354-9371

509 N Farish St, Jackson, MS 39202

Charleston, South Carolina, is a major foodie destination, as Bourdain highlighted on an episode of “Parts Unknown” back in 2015. One of the restaurants the chef paid tribute to was Husk, which was founded by his friend and guest host of the episode, Sean Brock. The restaurant celebrates the unique flavors and cooking styles of the South. As Bourdain put it, “Husk directly addresses Southern culinary traditions using the best of modern techniques, but always, always respecting the originals and who made them.” 

On the episode, Bourdain and Brock enjoyed a meal at Husk with actor Bill Murray. The trio discussed Southern cuisine as they shared a variety of classic dishes. The feast included Ossabaw Island country ham, bread and butter pickles, shrimp and grits, suckling pig, grilled whiting, creamed corn, pit beans with Carolina Gold rice, cornbread, and old-fashioned oyster pie. The menu at Husk has changed since Bourdain’s visit, but you can still sample authentic Southern dishes made with locally sourced ingredients at any of the three Husk locations in Charleston, Nashville, and Savannah.

huskrestaurant.com

Multiple locations

“A Cook’s Tour” was the first television series that Anthony Bourdain hosted, and it launched his career in food and travel television. The show featured Bourdain exploring some of his favorite food destinations like Tokyo, France, and his hometown of New York. In a Season 2 episode, he visited New Orleans and indulged in a plethora of Big Easy eats and drinks. One of the spots where he stuffed himself silly with local cuisine was Jacques-Imos Cafe.

On Bourdain’s visit to Jacques-Imos Cafe, the staff set him up with a special VIP table in the back of a pick-up truck, which gives you a good idea of how quirky and non-stuffy the spot is. Once Bourdain was seated, owner Jacques Leonardi and chef Austin Lesley plied him with house specialties like the savory alligator sausage cheesecake, sauteed chicken livers, fried po’ boy with steak and cheese, soft shell crab on fried green tomatoes, and fried chicken. Throughout the meal, Bourdain made comments like “If I die here, I’ll die happy” and “This should probably be illegal — that’s how good it is.”

jacques-imos.com

(504) 861-0886

8324 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Anthony Bourdain may have been a glutton for good food, but he definitely wasn’t a food snob. He was just as happy chowing down on no-frills dishes like humble hash browns as he was digging into haute cuisine. One instance where this was apparent was on an episode of “Parts Unknown” when Sean Brock introduced the chef to the iconic Waffle House. Bourdain was immediately smitten with the Southern chain, calling it “an irony-free zone where everything is beautiful and nothing hurts its warm yellow glow.”

Because Bourdain had never been to the Waffle House before, Brock ordered a variety of dishes for them to try. First up was the pecan waffles, which prompted Bourdain to say, “This is better than the French Laundry.” The duo also wolfed down a patty melt, sunny-side-up eggs, a green salad with Thousand Island dressing, thin-cut pork chops, and a T-bone steak. Bourdain was so impressed with the meal that he even extolled its virtues on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “I discovered the glories of the Waffle House … I had the best time there,” he said.

wafflehouse.com

Multiple locations

The Catbird Seat is an innovative spot in Nashville’s Midtown neighborhood where the menu is constantly changing depending on what’s in season and the whims of the chefs. Located above a speakeasy-style bar called The Patterson House, the intimate restaurant features just 22 seats around a U-shaped counter where you can watch the chefs working their magic behind the bar. Anthony Bourdain visited the spot on an episode of “Parts Unknown” and was blown away by the creativity of the dishes and the flavor combos.

The first dish that Bourdain tried at Catbird Seat was a take on risotto but with sunflower seeds instead of rice. It featured umami-rich Parmesan cheese, fermented sunchokes, and sunflower sprouts. “Insanely delicious,” Bourdain said. Next up was a Japanese spin on an Italian sea urchin pasta dish that consisted of wakame seaweed bucatini, citrusy and spicy yuzukoshō to represent chili flakes, and dried smoked scallops grated over top. Bourdain called it “obscenely good” and “completely awesome,” even going so far as to say he would happily faceplant in a bowl of it.

thecatbirdseatrestaurant.com

(615) 810-8200

1711 Division St, Nashville, TN 37203

Anthony Bourdain was pretty vocal about his love for Mexican food, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that one of his favorite Southern restaurants was a taco and burrito joint. On an episode of “The Layover,” the chef pointed out that the Buford Highway in Atlanta was home to some really good Mexican and South American restaurants. His top pick was El Taco Veloz, a Mexican drive-through spot established in 1991. Since then, the business has expanded into a chain with multiple locations across Atlanta.

The episode of “The Layover” shows Bourdain placing an order at El Taco Veloz for lengua (tongue) tacos and a horchata. Upon taking a bite of a taco, he said, “Delicious. Just like the old country.” If tongue isn’t your style, you can opt for tacos with proteins like carne asada, carnitas, barbacoa, chicken, shrimp, or pork. The menu also features a comprehensive selection of burritos, tortas, quesadillas, and nachos. You can also try traditional Mexican soups like menudo and pozole, as well as breakfast dishes like huevos divorciados and desserts like churros and tres leche cake.

tacoveloz.com

Multiple locations

One of the things that made Anthony Bourdain so relatable to countless people was the fact that he loved all types of food, including what many might consider low-brow eats. He wasn’t opposed to chain restaurant fare as evidenced by his love of Waffle House. But that wasn’t the only Southern chain that the celebrity chef was enamored with. One of Bourdain’s favorite fast-food joints was Popeyes. “To me, Popeyes is exotica,” he told People Magazine in 2018, explaining that he was grateful for a taste of Americana after long trips abroad.

People Magazine stated that Bourdain’s go-to order at Popeye’s was spicy fried chicken with biscuits and gravy, mac and cheese, and a Dr. Pepper. For many people, the chicken would be the highlight of the meal. Not Bourdain though. What really kept him going back for more was the mac and cheese. In an interview for 92NY, the chef revealed that he would sometimes don a hoodie and sneak into Popeyes incognito. He said, “It’s not even for the chicken, it’s for that nasty macaroni and cheese … that nuclear orange stuff, and it’s microwaved. I just love that stuff.”

popeyes.com

Multiple locations

While many of the television shows that Bourdain starred in featured the chef eating at obscure spots in far-flung corners of the world, several allowed him to showcase fellow chefs he admired at home in the States. One of those culinary masters was renowned pitmaster Rodney Scott. On the Charleston episode of “Parts Unknown,” Bourdain and Sean Brock visited Scott at his family restaurant Scott’s Bar-B-Que in Hemingway, South Carolina. There they sampled what Bourdain called “some of the finest whole hog barbecue there is.”

Scott learned the art of barbecuing from his parents Roosevelt and Ella Scott. The family owned a convenience store where they would sell whole hog barbecue once a week. From a young age, Scott would help his parents cook the hogs low and slow in a burn barrel over hot coals. The succulent pork earned such a solid reputation that the family made it their sole business. In 2016, Scott opened Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ in Charleston, and now there are multiple locations in the South besides the original Hemingway spot where you can sample his award-winning barbecue. 

facebook.com/Juice99/

2734 Hemingway Hwy #5420, Hemingway, SC 29554

During his time in the Mississippi Delta for “Parts Unknown,” Bourdain came across quite a few places with interesting backstories. One of those was Doe’s Eat Place. It got its start in 1941 when Dominick “Doe” Signa and his wife Mamie began selling tamales out of what was previously the family grocery store. It later became a honky tonk bar that catered to the Black community. Word spread about the food, and white people began coming to the back door to get some of the spot’s famous tamales and steaks. The food became so popular that Signa eventually converted the bar into a full-blown restaurant.

Not much has changed at Doe’s Eat Place since the early days. Take for example the house salad Bourdain ate that was tossed in the same wooden bowl used for decades. The tamales are still cooked in steak drippings, the fries are cooked in a cast iron pan, and the steaks are cooked on a broiler and served with their own jus. Bourdain was a huge fan of the steak, saying, “It’s the grease that makes it.” He also praised the restaurant’s fried shrimp.

doeseatplace.com

(662) 334-3315

502 Nelson St, Greenville, MS 38701

Fans of Bourdain probably already know that the chef was obsessed with Vietnamese food. He showcased the country and its cuisine multiple times on “A Cook’s Tour,” “No Reservations,” and “Parts Unknown.” In each episode, he sampled a plethora of dishes ranging from bánh mì sandwiches to bun cha, and duck baked in clay. Back in the States, he often frequented Vietnamese restaurants, and one of his favorites was Mai’s Restaurant in Houston, Texas. The chef told Houston Public Media that was where he had one of his most memorable great meals in the city.

Mai’s Restaurant was established in 1978 by Phin and Phac Nguyen, who named it after one of their daughters. Today, the restaurant is still a family-run affair serving up authentic Vietnamese dishes. A meal at Mai’s could start with fresh or fried spring rolls, salt and pepper chicken wings, and lotus root salad with pork and shrimp. Mains include classic beef pho, bun thit (vermicelli noodle salad with pork), and com dia rice plates. There are also plenty of enticing stir-fry dishes featuring seafood, tofu, chicken, and beef.

maishouston.com

(713) 520-5300

3403 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002

Since 1990, Fat Matt’s Rib Shack has been serving up pork ribs, barbecue chicken, and tasty sides like potato salad and coleslaw to the good people of Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a laid-back spot where you might find live bands playing to the crowds on any given evening. It’s also a spot that came highly recommended by Bourdain on the Atlanta episode of “The Layover.” His order? A half-slab of ribs with collard greens, mac and cheese, and a cold beer.

Atlanta has no shortage of barbecue joints, and Bourdain acknowledged that “food nerds and barbecue snobs” probably wouldn’t consider Fat Matt’s one of the best. In fact, he said, “I know it’s not real barbecue. I know there are better restaurants in Atlanta.” However, he stated that the food was delicious and it made him happy. Considering that by the end of the segment, his plate contained nothing more than a solitary slice of white bread and a pile of dirty napkins, we’re pretty confident he wasn’t lying.

fatmattsribshack.net

(404) 607-1622

1811 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Antoine’s Restaurant is an iconic New Orleans institution. Established in 1840, it’s the oldest restaurant in the city and the oldest family-run restaurant in the United States. But those aren’t the restaurant’s only claims to fame. It’s also the birthplace of oysters Rockefeller. For over 180 years, this fine dining spot has stayed true to its roots, serving refined French-Creole cuisine in an elegant setting. Anthony Bourdain was one of many celebrities and notable figures who wined and dined at Antoine’s and fell in love with its old-school sophistication.

Bourdain visited Antoine’s on an episode of “No Reservations” that aimed to showcase New Orleans after the impact of Hurricane Katrina. He and food critic Tom Fitzmorris started their meal with oysters Foch, a rich dish consisting of cornmeal-crusted fried oysters slathered in a hollandaise-sherry sauce and served on toast with foie gras pate. Then they moved on to grilled pompano fish topped with jumbo crab meat and doused in clarified butter. Bourdain commented on how the food brought him back to his beginnings as a chef. “Man you’ve got to love this … This is awesome,” he said.

antoines.com

(504) 581-4422

713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Like many die-hard carnivores, Bourdain loved a good barbecue joint. He featured many on the various food and travel television shows he hosted, one of which impressed him so much that he showcased it twice. Burns Original BBQ made an appearance on “A Cook’s Tour” in 2004 and then again on an episode of “Parts Unknown” in 2016. Both times, Bourdain dug into a variety of meats like tender brisket, fall-off-the-bone beef and pork ribs, and house-made link sausages.

Roy Burns Sr. founded Burns Original BBQ in 1973 and Bourdain got to meet the legend himself on his first visit. Sadly, the pitmaster had passed on by the time of his second visit, but Burns’ family continues to carry on his legacy to this day. The meat is expertly cooked over slow-burning post oak wood that infuses it with smoky, savory flavors. Sides include potato salad in a mustard-based sauce and loaded baked potatoes stuffed with cheddar cheese and chopped barbecued beef. Bourdain was thoroughly impressed both times. On his second visit, he called it “some of the best East Texas barbecue you can find around here.”

burnsoriginalbbq.com

(281) 999-5559

8307 De Priest St, Houston, TX 77088