Story highlights Southern Living's Jennifer V. Cole traveled 24,000 miles in search of the South's best restaurants

She found a new emphasis on casual dining, but that doesn't just mean burgers

Restaurants on the list had to open between July 2013 and June 2014

Cole's most important factor? Deliciousness

Southern Living's intrepid restaurant scout Jennifer V. Cole hit the road to determine the top 100 places to eat in the South now . The list leads with the South's 10 best new restaurants and continues with Jennifer's favorite restaurants for 2014, both new and old, in her most frequented towns. This list is always evolving, so follow @jennifervcole on Twitter for her latest stops.

Eatocracy asked Cole how she arrived at the larger and more pared down lists.

"The whole list is a mix of both established restaurants and newcomers in alphabetical order. For each restaurant in the top 100 , I asked myself first and foremost 'Is the food delicious?' I then considered the restaurant's relevance in the modern food landscape. I took into account a chef's technical skill and his or her creativity with ingredients. Geography obviously played a role; I included restaurants within the Southern Living coverage area (17 states plus DC). And I factored in the overall experience," Cole explained.

For the 10 best new restaurants, Cole says the restaurant had to have opened between July 2013 and June 2014 to be considered. She visited each anonymously and Southern Living paid for all of her meals.

"I traveled nearly 24,000 miles while researching this list," said Cole. "Of course, I applied the same stringent criteria as with the overall list. In addition, I considered what each new restaurant contributes to the patchwork quilt of Southern food. How does it draw on and respect tradition? How does it reflect today's influences? How does it apply the flavors of the modern South?"

And Cole found some trends emerging throughout her travels, notably a relaxing from the white tablecloth, tasting menu, suit-wearing waiters that had been a hallmark of some Southern dining until recently.

So what did she find? "More open kitchens, exposed wood, and waitstaff in jeans and button-downs. That's not to say service is diminished or we're relegated to burgers. I just think we're in a period that's less about fine dining and one that's more about casual grace or fine casual."

And now that you know how the list-making sausage got made, let's get to the main course.

10. The Shack -- Staunton, Virginia

Photos: Best cities for BBQ Photos: Best cities for BBQ Travel + Leisure: Roadmap to BBQ excellence – Travel + Leisure readers -- or heck, anyone -- may not agree on where the best barbecue comes from, but here's a guide to ten cities' standouts. Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 1. Nashville, Tennessee – Highlights: Martin's Bar-B-Que, Peg Leg Porker, Edley's Bar-B-Que, 12South Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 2. Memphis, Tennessee – Highlights: Central BBQ, Bar-B-Q Shop Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 3. Kansas City, Missouri – Highlights: Oklahoma Joe's, Arthur Bryant's, Gates Bar-B-Q Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 4. Austin, Texas – Highlights: Iron Works, Salt Lick, Franklin Barbecue, Smitty's Market, Black's Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 5. Houston, Texas – Highlights: Gatlin's BBQ, Goode Company, Beaver's Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 6. San Antonio, Texas – Highlights: Granary 'Cue & Brew, Texas Pride Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 7. Charleston, South Carolina – Highlights: Home Team BBQ Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 8. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas – Highlights: Sonny Bryan's, Angelo's, Pecan Lodge, Lockhart Smokehouse Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 9. Savannah, Georgia – Highlights: Angel's BBQ, Wall's Bar-B-Q Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Best cities for BBQ 10. New Orleans, Louisiana – Highlights: Squeal Bar-B-Q, Saucy's Hide Caption 11 of 11

Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Home of the blues – Blues music permeates the Mississippi Delta. Struggles with slavery, segregation, civil rights and poverty in this stretch of the South go hand in hand with the woeful tunes. Guitarist Gary Clark Jr. is shown here performing in Clarksdale. Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta The Delta's Tennessee gateway – Just across a bluff from Mississippi, the city of Memphis, Tennessee, rose from the cotton fortunes across the state line. It's the perfect spot to start a Delta visit and serves as the region's unofficial capital. The mighty Mississippi River, shown here, is seen from Memphis. Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Civil Rights landmark – While you're in Memphis, visit the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4, 1968. The Lorraine Motel, shown here, is now part of the National Civil Rights Museum Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Las Vegas of the South – Neon-lit casinos, like the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel shown here, have transformed impoverished Tunica, Mississippi, into "the Las Vegas of the South." Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Civil War history – Vicksburg National Military Park provides a sobering reminder of the Civil War and one of its key battles. Confederate soldiers surrendered to Union troops on July 4, 1863. The statue shown here depicts Confederate general Lloyd Tilghman's death during the battle of Champion Hill. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Blues festival – Blues artist Richard Pryor performs outside the Rock & Blues Museum at last year's Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Located at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49, Clarksdale is famous for the blues. Legend has it that this is where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his mastery of the blues guitar. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Juke joints – Po' Monkey's Lounge, a popular juke joint run by Willie Seaberry outside Merigold, Mississippi, serves beer from a cooler and has a DJ that plays the blues. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Musical legends – Don't forget to visit the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola, Mississippi. King's ever-evolving performance attire and his favorite guitar, a Gibson model that he named "Lucille," are on display. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Photos: The Mississippi Delta Interesting accommodation – Unique lodging can add another layer of history to your visit. Blues singer Bessie Smith died from injuries she received in a car wreck at the G.T. Thomas Hospital, now the Riverside Hotel, in Clarksdale. Hide Caption 9 of 9

Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – For 25 years, barbecue enthusiasts and pitmasters have converged in Lynchburg, Tennessee, for the annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue. There are cash prizes at stake, and some pretty serious bragging rights. Ribs, like the ones pictured, are a mandatory category. Hide Caption 1 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Pork is a compulsory category at The Jack. Teams may choose to smoke tenderloin, shoulder or various other parts of the pig and may serve it in several formats. Hide Caption 2 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Brisket is also required, and tenderness, along with appearance and taste, is key. Hide Caption 3 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Chicken rounds out the mandatory four categories, and it may be served in various ways -- though thigh meat seems most popular. Hide Caption 4 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Except for the 'cook's choice,' sauce and dessert categories, meats are presented in a numbered box for display to the judges. Almost all competitors arrange the meat atop a bed of lettuce or parsley, and no garnishes or other potential markers are allowed. Hide Caption 5 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Fans gather in the stands to watch the judging, and around 25,000 people show up at the festival. Attendees may buy food at concession stands, but unless judges hand it over, they don't usually get to taste the food from the competition. Hide Caption 6 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Teams must transport their entries from their smokers to the pavilion -- and get there in time. Hide Caption 7 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Before any tasting even begins, a table captain presents the meat to the judges for the 'appearance' score. Hide Caption 8 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Judges for The Jack must be certified by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and sworn in before they can participate. Hide Caption 9 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – In 2013, a 'Winners Circle' of previous competitors took part in a separately judged contest. The Woo Pig Q-EE team's rig is a standout even among such lofty company. Hide Caption 10 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Before they hit the competition boxes, chickens are smoked for many hours for optimal tenderness and flavor. Hide Caption 11 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Sweet sauce is omnipresent and somewhat controversial amongst competitors who fear they can't win without it. Hide Caption 12 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Meats like chicken can be presented in multiple formats -- like a thigh and a slice of breast. Hide Caption 13 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – While it would be tempting to serve a full rack to show off at The Jack, the ribs much be sliced into individual portions. Hide Caption 14 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – Some teams with popular rubs will sell or trade them at the festival. Hide Caption 15 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – And some teams might keep their rub secrets all to themselves. Hide Caption 16 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – A master at work: Ardie Davis (a.k.a. Remus Powers, PhB -- Doctor of BBQ Philosophy) is an author of multiple books about barbecue technique and a noted expert on ribs. Hide Caption 17 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – The Polish BBQ Kings team from, yes, Poland, totes in its molded chocolate dessert. Hide Caption 18 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – So how do you get to judge a competition like this? You've got to earn your bones by way of a certification class from the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Hide Caption 19 of 20 Photos: BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition BBQ: Behind the scenes at a competition – 23 international teams from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Holland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom competed. The highest finishing international team was Bunch of Swines from the United Kingdom, placing 32nd overall. Hide Caption 20 of 20

What To Order: Crispy Lamb Shank with English peas, a soft-cooked egg, and hot sauce vinaigrette.

At Ian Boden's shotgun-style restaurant in tiny Staunton, Virginia, he serves up designer dishes from, quite frankly, the sticks. With the lamb shank, Ian layers fresh (sweet green peas), rich (a crisp puck of meaty goodness), and creamy (a perfectly cooked runny egg) to produce a model of simple decadence. Most days, the hand-written menu reads like a bipolar expression of flavors: cold ramen with razor clams and a pickled egg listed above chili cheese fries. Burgers alongside Sardinian Gnocchi with pulled rabbit, morels, ramps, and mustard. But on Friday and Saturday nights, Ian switches to a three-course prix fixe menu that highlights not only the seasonal bounty of rural Virginia but also his impressive talents behind the stove.

105 South Coalter Street; facebook.com/theshacksva

9. Cinco Y Diez -- Athens, Georgia

What To Order: Grilled Chesapeake Oysters with mezcal lime butter, and the Red Chile Pozole.

Influences from France to western Africa have long informed how Southerners eat. Today, it's Vietnam and Latin America that are most shaping the modern South. At Cinco y Diez, chef/owner Hugh Acheson, an outspoken proponent of the all-inclusive table, highlights the vibrant Latin traditions through a soft-focus Southern lens. And executive chef Whitney Otawka transforms the Southern pantry into a fiery amalgamation of cross-cultural flavors. Oysters from Chesapeake waters sizzle with tangy mezcal lime butter. In the pozole, chunks of silken pork bathe in a red chile broth with Anson Mills hominy, escarole, and fresh radish slices.

1653 South Lumpkin Street; cincoydiezathens.com

8. San Salvaje -- Dallas, Texas

What To Order: Fried Whole Snapper with pickled green beans and mango-habanero mojo.

At chef Stephan Pyles' modern take on haute Latin, expect creative riffs on traditional dishes. You'll find ceviches, tacos, empanadas, and the like, but with modern interpretations. With the Fried Whole Snapper, the fish is split and stuffed with a spiky fistful of tempura-battered pickled green beans and placed atop a chunky mango-habanero mojo. The Ahi Tuna Ceviche, served in a halved coconut shell, arrives scented with kaffir and studded with sweet coconut. The Chocolate Tamal, a mole-rich expression of a tamale, is stuffed with wild boar and topped with cherry salsita. San Salvaje showcases chef Pyles' current obsession with Central and South American flavors, with perfect measures of ingenuity and restraint.

7. Edmund's Oast -- Charleston, SC

What To Order: Carolina Gold Rice Heritage Chicken Porridge.

I like to think of Edmund's Oast as a stylish gastropub with righteous charcuterie. But that almost undersells it. The craft beer program is unparalleled in South Carolina, with some 40-odd beers on tap, including a handful made in-house, and over 30 bottled options. The cocktail program is relentlessly ambitious. And dishes like the buttermilk fried wings, the pickled shrimp on rye bread, and the roasted-and-smoked chicken with cornbread pudding demonstrate the kitchen's finesse with classic grub. But it's the outliers—creamy spiced turnip custard, lemony chicken porridge with poached shrimp, braised lamb meatballs with apricots—that make me want to return.

6. CBD Provisions -- Dallas, TX

What To Order: Berkshire Pig Head Carnitas.

At this meat-centric, Texas-style brasserie, you can't go wrong with the roasted pig head. It arrives at the table—snout, ears, and all—crisp and fatty atop a wooden plank. For anyone who loves a proper pig pickin', this is your tableside porcine dream. Wrap the rich and smoky meat in fresh tortillas, pile on crunchy bits of skin, and top with radishes and roasted tomatillo salsa. Plan to come with friends—this dish is meant to be shared.

5. Rhubarb -- Asheville, NC

What To Order: Brick Oven Prince Edward Island Mussels in a Celery-Fennel Broth with Benton's Bacon and Grilled Chapata Bread.

John Fleer, the chef who shone a light on Appalachian foodways at Blackberry Farm, emerged last fall with Rhubarb in Asheville. Touchstones of his legacy (Benton's bacon, Sunburst trout) are there. But Rhubarb is no history lesson. He digs deep into the region's traditions, adds global influence, and highlights the local larder. Benton's bacon shows up in a bowl of mussels in a silken celery-fennel broth. The roasted whole trout bathes in wood smoke before joining a crisp potato-celeriac latke. At Blackberry, John put Southern foodstuffs on the map. At Rhubarb, he's showing just how far he can stretch them.

4. The Obstinate Daughter -- Sullivan's Island, SC

Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine – Sen. Willie Simmons joins Anthony Bourdain and Southern Foodways Alliance Director John T. Edge for lunch at his restaurant, Senator's Place in Cleveland, Mississippi. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine – Tony and guide John Ruskey eat a campfire lunch on a sandbar in the middle of the Mississippi River. Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine – Sweet potatoes and grilled meat pick up great flavor from the campfire. Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine – Tony's campfire lunch of grilled meat, corn and sweet potatoes. Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine – Tony joins chef John Currence and a host of Oxford-based writers for a whole-hog meal at the Lamar Lounge. Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine – Whole-hog lunch at Lamar Lounge in Oxford, Mississippi. Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine 'Parts Unknown': Mississippi Delta cuisine – Fried pork skins are always on the menu at the Lamar Lounge. Hide Caption 7 of 7

Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – Anthony Bourdain, right, and guide John Ruskey prepare to canoe down the Mississippi River. Bourdain recently went off the beaten path to explore the food and history of the Mississippi Delta. Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – Bourdain cooks lunch over a driftwood fire on a sandbar along the Mississippi River. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – A run-down house in Jackson, Mississippi. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – Hip-hop artist PyInfamous performs a set at the Soul Wired Cafe in Jackson. Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – A plate of sausage, cheese and peppers at the Lamar Lounge in Oxford, Mississippi, where Bourdain joined chef John Currence and a host of local writers for a whole-hog meal. Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – A man walks past the Alamo Theatre on Jackson's historic Farish Street. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – Trains from Union Pacific pass through Jackson. Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – A statue of Eudora Welty stands in downtown Jackson. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author was born in the city. She died in 2001 at age 92. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – Unknown Confederate soldiers are among the dead buried at the Greenwood Cemetery in Jackson. Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Photos: Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi Anthony Bourdain visits Mississippi – Po' Monkey's Lounge is located on a farm in an old sharecropper structure near Merigold, Mississippi. It's one of the last remaining juke joints Hide Caption 10 of 10

What To Order: Favas and Peas or Mepkin Abbey Mushrooms

Though the wood-fired pizzas and pastas conjure Italy, Jacques Larson relies mightily on the flavors of the Lowcountry. Under the Plates section, Jacques' command of flavor as sense of place shines. Oyster mushrooms from the nearby Mepkin Abbey join earthy kale and a runny Sea Island egg under shards of Parmesan. Favas and peas sit atop ricotta made with milk from John's Island, accented with sea salt from nearby Bulls Bay.

3. The 404 Kitchen -- Nashville, TN

What to Order: The Crudo

Chef Matt Bolus calls his brand of cooking fresh and uncomplicated, but there's some cloaked modesty there. Everything about this industrial-chic 40-seater blends functionality, novelty, and a little "I'm with the band, but I'm not the rock star" attitude. In the Crudo, simple slices of cobia are dotted with pickled strawberries, pea tendrils, and Marcona almonds. For his Tomato Galette, Matt envelops lemony ricotta in a toasted cornmeal crust, and piles on heirloom tomatoes—a twist on tomato pie without any pretension. Much like Nashville these days, it's all familiar—but new.

404 12th Avenue South; the404nashville.com/kitchen

2. Rose's Luxury -- Washington, D.C.

What To Order: Uni Scrambled Eggs.

For chef/owner Aaron Silverman, luxury isn't about fine china and Champagne poured in unison. "It's how you feel, how people treat you," he says. And as a result there's a homey—never folksy—sophistication that resonates throughout the restaurant. The custardy bowl of scrambled eggs makes a decadent leap with briny, rich layers of uni (sea urchin): pureed, sliced, and whisked into hollandaise. As with anything, it all boils down to the execution. And so far, Rose's is doing luxury right.

717 Eighth Street SE.; rosesluxury.com

1. Kimball House -- Decatur, GA

What To Order: Oysters and absinthe-based cocktails.

I've yet to see another spot in the South with such a thoughtful—and joyful—oyster program. The menu lists, give or take, 22 oyster varieties, most sourced from small family farms and flown in daily, with the kinds of tasting notes more frequently reserved for wine lists. The Chelsea Gems from Eld Inlet, Washington, are likened to "anise and buttered truffle"; the Northern Cross from Fisherman's Island, Virginia, "salted parsnip and green onion." And local bar hero Miles Macquarrie wields his magic wand with drinks like the Afternoon Delight, a heady yet refreshing mix of absinthe, lime, pineapple, tarragon, and bubbles.

303 East Howard Avenue; kimball-house.com