Garden & Gun recently released its “Hot List” of new restaurants throughout the South that are worth a visit, and three Alabama eateries were among the eateries featured.

Bayonet, Salud and Golden Age Wine Garden, all located in Birmingham, garnered a spot in the Garden & Gun feature, which listed, in no particular order, standout restaurants that opened in 2023 or later throughout the South, ranging from meat-and-threes to upscale dining.

Celebrated Alabama chef Rob McDaniel opened Bayonet, a raw bar and seafood-focused restaurant, in March 2025 in downtown Birmingham. It offers oysters from the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coasts as well as from along the Atlantic Coast. In addition, its menu includes unique offerings like a tuna burger, swordfish chop and egg salad sandwiches topped with caviar.

“The ambience broadcasts the same mix of elevation and fun, from the vintage oyster plates decorating a wall to the octopus wallpaper in the restrooms to the raw-bar shucker’s seahorse tattoo,” the article said of Bayonet’s atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Salud Taqueria, opened by Jesus “Chuy” Mendez, offers a memorable meal of tacos, burritos, tortas and more, served in a relaxed and stylish setting. The Pastor Al Trompo tacos, which Salud prepares 50 pounds of daily, features thin-sliced pork shoulder tossed in a dobo de la casa, while its birria menu, available only on the weekends, offer a range of dishes made with its flavorful beef brisket.

“Tacos al pastor come with oversize wedges of fresh pineapple,” Garden and Gun wrote of Salud’s menu. “Tortas are layered with brisket and pinto beans and red onions. Regulars go heavy on the avocado salsa from the condiment bar.”

Last but not least, Golden Age Wine Garden is the perfect date night spot for wine lovers, offering a charming and elegant space to share a bottle of wine (or two) as well as charcuterie boards, fresh bread served with homemade butter, pimento cheese and more.

“…bistro tables, twinkle light strands, and a comfortably continental ambience make it hard to resist a glass of bracing Spanish white with French bread and Belgian cheese (or, if you prefer, crackers and pimento cheese),” the article says about the wine garden.

Other restaurants featured on the list include Kisser in Nashville, Tenn.; Mothers Best Fried Chicken in Decatur, Ga.; Hot Stuff in New Orleans, La.; Pulito Osteria in Jackson, Miss. and more.

Read the full Garden & Gun article.