Anthony Bourdain's 12 Favorite Spots To Eat And Drink At In The South
Few people lived the life that Anthony Bourdain did, traveling the world to explore different countries, different cuisines, and meet scores of amazing people along the way. Bourdain had what he called the best pork of his life in Bali, found a ton of top-tier favorite places to eat while in France, and named Punjab, India as the only place on Earth where he actually loved vegetarian food. But what about Bourdain's favorite locations that were perhaps a little closer to home?
Many of us might not have the chance to go jetting off to the other side of the world, but that doesn't mean there's no chance of visiting some of the places that Bourdain cited as his favorite finds as he traveled across the American South. In fact, there's a good chance that you may have eaten at one of them already.
If that seems surprising, it shouldn't. Bourdain journeyed far and wide, with enough travel experience to fill multiple books with anecdotes, stories, and insights like those compiled in "World Travel: An Irreverent Guide." At the same time he was opinionated and saw more things in his lifetime than most can imagine, and was always that guy we all wanted to tour the world with. With that in mind, let's talk about some of his favorite places in the southern states of the U.S.
Chef Creole Seasoned Kitchen
When Anthony Bourdain headed to Miami for an episode of "No Reservations," he headed to Little Haiti, where he met the massive personality behind Chef Creole Seasoned Kitchen, Chef Wilkinson Sejour. Bourdain described him as "not shy about either his own abilities behind the stove, or his passion for Haitian-Creole culture and cuisine," and it quickly became obvious that the chef was the real deal. Bourdain was quickly impressed by the authenticity, the outdoor grill, the friendly atmosphere, the spice, and of course, the fresh seafood.
Bourdain sampled a dish of fresh conch, prepared especially for him, before being served up snapper from the grill. The verdict? Delicious, flavorful, and spicy. He also added a bit of trivia, too, addressing the question of why cuisines from hot climates tend to have spicy food. Spices, he explained, were a way of preserving food in the face of hot temperatures. "You learn to make magic with what you've got," he added.
Others who have headed there agree, with the various locations of Chef Creole Seasoned Restaurant sitting with between a 4.0 and 4.5/5 rating on Tripadvisor. Happy customers laud the chain for huge portions, authentic cuisine, friendly atmosphere, great service, and add that although it's not fancy or fast, it's the place to go if you happen to be in Miami and find yourself craving Haitian food.
(305) 899-2729
13105 W Dixie Hwy
North Miami, FL 33161
(Other Miami locations also available)
Waffle House
Anthony Bourdain may have loved foods that included ceviche, halo halo, and uni, but it turns out that his favorite 24-hour dining spot was a Southern classic that many Americans have probably been to at least once. That's Waffle House, where Bourdain and Sean Brock sat down for a late-night meal in Charleston on an episode of "Parts Unknown." He lauded the chain for its reliability and a welcoming atmosphere that was unfailing and unwavering, while Brock explained there was something magical about seeing a kitchen staff that was hard at work cooking for customers, no matter what state those customers were in.
For Bourdain, he admitted that he was baffled by the menu, the terminology, and the wealth of choices that lay before him. After Brock advised a tasting menu-style experience that included a pecan waffle, with a doubting Bourdain protesting the idea of having waffles at a place called the Waffle House, he ultimately sang the chain's praises as "an irony-free zone where everything is beautiful and nothing hurts."
In other words, you should definitely opt for a pecan waffle if you want to know just how Bourdain fell in love with the chain. It's about more than waffles, though: it's an entire experience, from the Waffle Records that play on the jukeboxes to the Waffle House Index, a method of measuring the severity of storms that's so accurate that it's used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Multiple locations
Snake and Jake's
Dave Clements is the owner of the New Orleans dive bar Snake and Jake's, and when he was asked how he had built a successful dive bar in a city known for a seemingly infinite number of places to eat and drink, he said that he did the opposite of what everyone else was doing. Visitors to Snake and Jake's will find no TVs, cheap drinks, low lighting, and conversations with old and new friends alike. It also doesn't hurt that Anthony Bourdain was a fan, too.
It's entirely possible that Bourdain's influence helped save the bar, too — or at least popularize it. In another interview, Clements shared that the city was trying to shutter the bar for good when he turned to an interview that Bourdain had given where he name-dropped the place — well, sort of; Clements added that Bourdain referred to it as "the alcoholic scum pit of the universe." But in a good way.
What else can customers expect? Red lights, a plastic Santa, and yes, those doors are open on Christmas. Head over to TripAdvisor, and if this is your kind of place, it'll absolutely be your kind of place. Fans call it a true NOLA experience, a fun, unpretentious dive bar where everyone feels like they're a part of the regular family even if they're just walking in the door for the very first time.
(504) 861-2802
7612 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118
Burns BBQ
When Anthony Bourdain put the spotlight on Burns BBQ, he called it "legendary." He was there for an episode of "Parts Unknown," and it wasn't the first time he had been there. "Founder Roy Burns has passed on to the great open pit in the sky since last I was here," he said, "but his son and his grandchildren carry on the tradition of making some of the best East Texas-style BBQ you can find around here."
When it came time to talk about what was good, the answer was simple: Everything. That was from the brisket and ribs to a loaded baked potato as big as your head, fresh-made sausage, the baked beans, and of course, the sauce.
That episode was filmed in 2016, after he'd previously been there in 2004. Burns co-owner Cory Crawford told Chron that they were thrilled to have him back: "It's good he came back to see a second and third generation. It's exciting for us and for the people," he said — especially considering the conversation wasn't just about the food, but the neighborhood and its people as well. Fans agree, with online reviews lauding the restaurant for serving up real-deal Texas BBQ, and that homemade sausage that Bourdain tried seems to be an overwhelming favorite — along with the massive baked potato.
(281) 999-5559
8307 ½ DePriest St
Houston, TX 77088
Scott's BBQ
Scott's BBQ was another stop that Anthony Bourdain made on "Parts Unknown," and at the time, it had him question whether or not this was the best barbecue in the world. It wasn't just a restaurant, it was a family tradition that had been passed down through decades, with Bourdain musing, "There are no shortcuts. This ain't a craft. This is a calling."
Bourdain and Sean Brock dug into whole hog barbecue with white bread — not cornbread, which Bourdain noted was one of the biggest mistakes that many places make because cornbread falls apart. White bread wrapped around long pieces of pork — called "pork spaghetti" — is the sort of thing that has been perfected over years and passed down. And the sauce wasn't the typical South Carolina barbecue sauce, which Bourdain noted that he wasn't a fan of. Scott's sauce, as well as his coleslaw, was all a total win.
Each hog takes about 12 hours to cook, with Rodney Scott cooking his first pig when he was just 11 years old. The process has always been long, slow, complicated, and well worth it. Other customers agree with Bourdain: As of this writing, Scott's has a 4.5/5 rating on TripAdvisor, where loyal customers and road-trippers alike say this is the place to go for some of the best whole hog in the south.
(843) 558-0134
2734 Hemingway Hwy
Hemingway, SC 29554
Big Apple Inn
Although the name might make it sound like this place was plucked out of New York City, this Mississippi joint serves up some serious Southern classics. Anthony Bourdain found out just how delicious pig ears could be on an episode of "Parts Unknown," when he headed to the Big Apple Inn for some smoked sausage sandwiches that he described as "just a dream sandwich," before moving on to pig ears: Both sandwiches had soft buns, mustard, coleslaw, and hot sauce, and when he sat down with those behind the sandwiches, he learned that this was a food of necessity.
Pig ears were once a free part of the pig, thrown away by local butchers. Those in the know turned them into sandwiches that Bourdain lauded for being "everything we love about pig: the texture, the mix of fatty and lean ... that's good!"
Like many of Bourdain's favorite Southern spots, the Big Apple Inn is low-key, unassuming, and providing food that other customers laud as seriously delicious, authentic, and the sort that can boast having 80 years of fans. Bourdain isn't the only celeb to eat there, either: It was reportedly a favorite restaurant of music legend B.B. King, while Andrew Zimmern has stopped by, too.
(601) 354-9371
509 North Farish/4487 North State
Jackson, MS, 39202
El Taco Veloz
You might expect all of the taco places that Bourdain calls among the best in the South to be little mom-and-pop joints, but for one episode of "The Layover," he gave some serious kudos to El Taco Veloz, when he encouraged anyone and everyone to "drive right the f*** up and get yourself some authentic f****** deliciousness, vato."
Bourdain went for the lengua — or tongue — tacos, which he described as "delicious ... just like the old country." And don't worry, if you're not feeling adventurous enough to order the beef tongue tacos, there are plenty of other options too.
Go for the slow-cooked pork carnitas, the charbroiled steak, and of course, there's also plenty of cilantro, salsa, and desserts that include Bavarian cream churros and flan. If you're in the mood for breakfast, there's plenty of versions of eggs, too. Bourdain stopped at the location on Buford Highway, which has a respectable 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor, and plenty of customers who call this one of the best places to go for made-to-order tacos in the South.
(770) 936-9094
5084 Buford Hwy
Doraville, GA 30341
(Other locations in Georgia also available)
Five & Dime General Store
If you've never made a red chile Frito pie at home, you definitely should: It has everything to love about it, from the Fritos and cheese to ground beef and spicy goodness. When Anthony Bourdain was served a legit Frito pie at the Five & Dime General Store in New Mexico, it's safe to say that he wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.
In an episode of "Parts Unknown," Bourdain initially gave a perhaps less-than-stellar review of the dish, calling it "as American as apple pie ... or the Manhattan Project, and nearly as deadly." Although he described it as being made with canned chili and a cheese-like product, a spokesperson for the store actually clarified that it used only homemade chili with chiles sourced from New Mexico. Bourdain's description of what the bag of Frito pie felt like to hold was unprintable, but he also continued: "I'm opposed to everything this dish stands for, and yet, it is also delicious."
A Frito pie might not be on the menu of any of the Michelin-starred restaurants that you should visit at least once, but that's fine — it doesn't have to be. Bourdain described it as being the stuff of self-loathing and regret, but also the special kind of amazing that can only be purchased at a lunch counter-style setup nestled in the back of a store that sells souvenirs, sombreros, and sunscreen.
(505) 992-1800
58 E. San Francisco St
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Octopus Bar
Check out the Yelp page for Atlanta's Octopus Bar, and you'll find photos and reviews for not only octopus dishes, but shrimp, lobster rolls, and uni as well — along with a slew of five-star reviews by customers who celebrate this as one of the best late-night spots in Atlanta. Anthony Bourdain stopped there for an episode of "The Layover," and lamented the fact that he was already too full to sample much of the food. He loved it for another reason, though, and that's the friendly, late-night atmosphere that kept the doors open long after other places had closed.
For him, it was something of a treasure: Most of the customer base were in the restaurant industry, and it was a place where they could all get together, unwind, and commiserate about the difficulties that went along with the business. That kind of camaraderie was the only thing that Bourdain said he missed about being in the restaurant business himself.
That doesn't mean that you have to be a chef to go there — you'll just need to be looking for an out-of-the-way, late-night hotspot for those in the know. Customers describe it as a funky sort of speakeasy, and note that you're bound to have a lot of fun with the kind of clientele that find their way there.
www.facebook.com/p/Octopus-Bar-100066255441399
(404) 627-9911
560 Gresham Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
Horseman's Haven Cafe
Hatch chiles are a unique kind of chile that thrive in New Mexico's Hatch Valley, and when Anthony Bourdain stopped in to the state's Horseman's Haven Cafe for an episode of "Parts Unknown," they were served a "level three" green sauce. The verdict? "My face is burning off," he said, adding, "There's nothing to do but wait it out."
In 2018, Dan Flores penned a piece for New Mexico magazine on what it was like to see the state alongside Bourdain, writing, "I liked and enjoyed him, appreciated that he threw himself willingly into things, including late night clean-up after the camp meal. He was respectful of New Mexico chiles, too, once he recovered his ability to speak: 'half a shot glass of that stuff would put you in the hospital!'"
And that's the thing, isn't it? If you're going to go visit an area — any area — go big or go home. Over on TripAdvisor, Horseman's Cafe is ranked No. 81 of the 385 restaurants in Santa Fe (as of this writing), with plenty of five-star reviews that celebrate it for a casual atmosphere, delicious food, and chiles served the traditional ways with all the heat you can handle.
horsemans-haven-cafe.bartgrocerybbq.com
(505) 471-5420
4354 Cerrillos Rd
Santa Fe, NM, 87507
Verti Marte
Fans might know that Anthony Bourdain's favorite late-night spot was New York City's famous Katz's Deli, but when he was in New Orleans for an episode of "A Cook's Tour," he was already at the hotel when hunger hit. The answer was to ring Verti Marte and order a muffuletta sandwich, one of the city's many iconic dishes. Verti Marte's version isn't just any muffuletta though: it's been lauded by numerous food writers and publications — including Bourdain, who ordered the sandwich alongside a bottle of bourbon and a pack of cigarettes.
The sandwich's secret ingredient is an olive-based relish, piled on top of multiple types of cold cuts and some serious cheese. Bourdain dug in and gave his approval, in spite of some words of warning that he clearly chose to ignore: "My mother always told me to never eat anything bigger than your head."
The thing about New Orleans is that it can be very, very difficult to decide where to go. There are a seemingly unlimited number of incredible restaurants, but Verti Marte is a major contender. As of this writing, it's ranked at No. 37 of 1,756 restaurants in the city on TripAdvisor, with customers noting that when they visited the city and asked locals where they went for the real deal, this was the place — and it didn't disappoint.
(504) 525-4767
1202 Royal St
New Orleans, LA 70116
Husk
Although many of Anthony Bourdain's favorite Southern restaurants are dive bars and out-of-the-way places that you might miss if you don't know where to look, Husk is on the map in a big way. When he stopped at Husk's Charleston, South Carolina location on "Parts Unknown," joined by Bill Murray and chef Sean Brock, he described it as one of the restaurants that was helping to define the city's fine dining landscape.
One of the things Bourdain was most impressed by was the restaurant's ability to take traditional Southern cooking and locally-sourced ingredients and produce elevated dishes that were still deeply rooted in that tradition. Murray, also, was so impressed by the standard of food that he said it had almost ruined other places for him.
Take a look at the menu, and it's clear why Bourdain loved it. There's a mix of collard greens, South Carolina swordfish, pimento cheese, chicken livers, oyster, shrimp, and beef, and yes, customers who have headed to TripAdvisor agree. As of this writing, it's ranked No. 59 of 756 restaurants in Charleston, has a 2024 Travellers' Choice award, and a 4.5/5 rating that's made more impressive by the fact that there are more than 5,000 reviews.
(843) 577-2500
76 Queen St
Charleston, SC
(Other locations in Nashville and Savannah available)