My Portfolio

Selected articles, reviews, and other pieces from magazines, newspapers, and around the web

Restaurant Review: The Longboard

Long on sleek beachy style, The Longboard isn't short on bright bites

Restaurant Review: Lenoir

At Vivian Howard's Lenoir, inside the Lindy Renaissance Charleston Hotel, the plates pair Lowcountry notes with international flourishes

Restaurant Review: Charleston Grill

The Southern accent may be more muted, but the Charleston Grill still shines with luxurious flavors and pitch-perfect hospitality

Restaurant Review: Heavy's Barburgers

Heavy’s turns it up loud with 'barburgers' and margaritas in the old Tattooed Moose space on Morrison Drive

Everything You've Heard About Toasted Ravioli Is Wrong

Who really invented this St. Louis classic?

15 Minutes with Mike Lata

Chef Mike Lata reflects on his acclaimed restaurant FIG’s 20th anniversary and Charleston’s evolving culinary scene

The South's Best Barbecue Joint In Every State 2023

A state-by-state guide to the region's top-notch 'cue that's bound to make you hungry. Here are the South's best BBQ joints in every state as voted on by Southern Living's readers.

Saw's Is the Most Popular BBQ Joint in Alabama

Discover the most popular barbecue joint in Alabama, as recommended by Southern Living's readers. Learn about the restaurant's history, menu, and more.

Restaurant Review: Vern's

Is fine dining dead? Visit Vern's for signs of a promising future.

Restaurant Review: Husk

Despite the remodels and chef changes, Husk seems unaltered in any fundamental way. The larger dining scene, though, has evolved and shifted around it.

Plate Tectonics: Charleston’s Expanding Culinary Scene

Charleston's dining landscape has shifted dramatically in the last five years, with many new culinary destinations in spots that were once well off the beaten path.

Restaurant Review: Rancho Lewis

The bold flavors of the border — hatch chiles, beef back ribs, mesquite smoke — are prominent and compelling at Rancho Lewis, John Lewis's El Paso-inspired restaurant.

8 Restaurants That Prove Arkansas Barbecue Is Here To Stay

Arkansas often gets skipped in discussions of Southern barbecue—and unfairly so, for the state has plenty of smoky treasures to share.

Restaurant review: MOMO satisfies with hearty plates at the edge of Riverfront Park

MOMO Riverfront Park is not your typical park concession.

The Secret History of Celery

How the crunchy stalks went from Victorian centerpiece to ubiquitous football snack.

9 Simple Questions About Hopping John

Everything you need to know about a Carolina New Year's icon — the history, the right (and wrong) ingredients to use, and more

Restaurant Review: Bar George

Bar George opened in the summer of 2020, bringing the passion and focus of the downtown scene out to James Island, and its bar fare twists are filled with high notes

Restaurant Review: Malika Canteen

The Lowcountry's only Pakistani restaurant blends street fare with sit-down flair

Restaurant Review: Chubby Fish

Small in size and scope, Chubby Fish is bucket list restaurant material

South Carolina's Hash & Rice Might Be Having a Moment

South Carolina's traditional barbecue side dish dates back to the 19th century, and now it's starting to migrate into neighboring states and beyond.

15 Minutes With: Hannah and Zachary Welton

Catching up with Husk alums Hannah and Zachary Welton, who opened a brick and mortar bakeshop on Upper King after traveling from Charleston to Mexico and back.

Restaurant Review: Savi Cucina + Wine Bar

Savi's culinary reboot delivers uneven experience, except at the bar

Restaurant Review: Bistronomy By Nico

Downtown Charleston's Bistronomy By Nico is upscale fine dining for sure, but is it looking forward or glancing backward? Conservative plates outshine the avant-garde.

Restaurant Review: Gillie's Seafood

In a single visit to Gillie's Seafood you can check off half your bucket list of classic Lowcountry dishes: purloo, she crab soup, shrimp and grits, red rice, okra soup. and more

The South's Top 50 Barbecue Joints

The bar for top-notch Southern barbecue has only gotten higher, and it shows in this year's Top 50 list, which blends old-school icons and impressive newcomers.

Restaurant Review: Berkeley's

Berkeley’s dishes seem simple, but behind the scenes someone has put a lot of thought into each element and took the time to really dial it in.

Restaurant Review: Coterie

Coterie experiments with inserting upscale Indian flavors into a casual Lowcountry environment, and the playful, genre-bending aesthetic carries over from kitchen to bar.

15 Minutes With Dano & Bethany Heinze

Meet the husband-and-wife duo behind new Cannonborough-Elliotborough restaurant Vern’s

Restaurant Review: Palmira Barbecue

Palmira signals a new era in Charleston's barbecue scene

Restaurant Review: Post House

In Mt. Pleasant's Old Village, bold Post House plates cause the more timid ones to pale in comparison

Restaurant Review: Chasing Sage

Chasing Sage is at its best with fresh produce front and center alongside a strong but not overwhelming dose of spicy heat, with fresh herbs adding a fragrant accent.

Restaurant Review: Bexley Fish & Raw Bar

Bexley's local plates in Summerville take flavors in unexpected directions

Restaurant Review: Maya del Sol

At Maya del Sol, chef/owner Raul Sanchez's made-from-scratch sensibility straddles comfort food, fine dining

Restaurant Review: Nick's German Kitchen

Nick’s German Kitchen stands out with unapologetically German comfort cuisine

Restaurant Review: Laurel

Laurel’s larger plates are the most impressive, with due in large part to the charcoal heat from a big Spanish-made Josper oven.

How Camp Stew Became a South Alabama Icon

Unless you've spent time in south Alabama, you've probably not heard of camp stew, but a bowl of it might look familiar if you're a fan of the savory dish that Georgians call Brunswick stew.

The Story Behind the "Rendezvous Special" Plate

Memphis classic, Rendezvous, has been serving their "Rendezvous Special" even longer than they've been serving their famous ribs.

Restaurant Review: Brasserie la Banque

The fare at Brasserie la Banque shines brightest when it steps out of the familiar groove and delivers a few bold twists. The offering is billed as “authentic and familiar,”

The South's Best Brewery 2022: Palmetto Brewing Company

Our readers' favorite brewery in 2022 was the brainchild of two friends who discovered microbrewing in Oregon and brought it home.

The Tradition Behind Virginia Tech's Smoked Turkey Legs

"Touchdowns, Tailgates, Turkey Legs"

The South's Top Spots for Tailgate Takeout

While tailgates don't require home cooking, you do need to know the best spots for takeout.

The South's Best Tailgate Spreads

These two universities top the pack year in and year out.

7 Must-Visit BBQ Joints in Memphis

Memphis is one of the few Southern cities that can claim its own widely recognized barbecue style.